Title: Acct. of the Weather in Septr. [1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

Septr. 1. Wind fresh all day from the Southward with small Showers of Rain.

2. Wind Northwardly in the Morning & a little Cool but calm afterwards & Warm.

3. Clear and Warm in the forenoon with but little Wind. Evening Cloudy & like for Rain very little fell however.

4. Great appearances again for a Settled Rain but it went of again without any.

5. Clear and Cool. Wind pretty fresh from the No. West.

6. Again clear and cool wind being in the same place but not so fresh.

7. Clear and much warmer than yesterday. But little wind & that Southerly.

8. Clear, calm, and warm.

9. Clear, Calm and still again also warm.

10. Much such a day as the one preceeding there being very little Wind & Warm.

11. Clear and Warm with but little Wind, and that Southerly.

12. Very Warm without any Wind all day.

13. Misty kind of a Morning with the Wind at No. East but no rain all day—in the Night a sml. Showr.

14. Another Misty Morning, with great appearances of Rain all day—only a little fell however.

15. Clear and Cool Wind still at No. East & fresh.

16. Clear and warmer. With but little wind and that East.

17. Quite Calm, clear, & warm Morning being foggey.

18. Again Foggy; & somewhat Cloudy. Day very close & Warm.

19. Some, but not much, Rain fell in the Night. Day for the most part Cloudy with the wind at East.

20. Clear and warm with the Wind Southerly.

21. Also clear and warm—wind in the same place.

22d. Warm—Wind blowing pretty fresh from the So. West.

23. Still Warm & Clear—Wind Blowing very fresh from the So. West.

24. Foggy Morning & a little Wind from the East. Forenoon Raining but clear afterwards.

25. Clear with a little Wind from the Eastward—a little in the Night.

26. Clear and very warm with but little Wind.

27. Clear & very warm with but little Wind and that Southerly.

28. Still Clear and very warm Wind fresh from the Southwd.

29. Very Warm with the Wind fresh from the Southward. In the Evening it began to Rain.

30. Raining more or less all day with the Wind at No. Et.


Title: [Diary entry: 1 October 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

Octr. 1st. Still at Annapolis. Dined with Mr. Ogle. Spent the Evening at the Governors.


Title: [Diary entry: 2 October 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

2. Set of on my return home. Dined at Marlborough & lodged at home. Mr. Custis coming with me.


Title: [Diary entry: 4 October 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

4. At home all day. Mr. Thos. Triplet came here.


Title: [Diary entry: 5 October 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

5. Went a hunting in the Neck with Mr. Custis & Lund Washington. Found a Fox & after runng. it two hours & half lost it.


Title: [Diary entry: 6 October 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

6. At home all day.


Title: [Diary entry: 8 October 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

8. I continued at home all day. After Breakfast Mr. Thompson went away.


Title: [Diary entry: 10 October 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

10. Mr. Herbert went away before Breakfast. Mr. Tilghman went with Mrs. Washington and I to Pohick Church & returnd with us.


Title: [Diary entry: 11 October 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

11. Mr. Tilghman went away after Breakfast. I rid to Muddy hole—Doeg Run Mill & Mill Qr. & Ferry.


Title: [Diary entry: 14 October 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

14. At home all day. In the Afternoon Mr. Harrison the Lawyer & Mr. Harrison the Merchant came.


Title: [Diary entry: 15 October 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

15. Mr. Richd. Harrison went away before Breakfast. The others continued all day. At home.


Title: [Diary entry: 19 October 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

19. Mr. Willis & my Brother set of home—as Mrs. Washington Mr. Custis & myself did for Wmsburg.—dining at Colchester & lodging at Colo. Blackburns.


Title: [Diary entry: 22 October 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

 22. Dined at Caroline Ct. House and lodged at Hubbards.


Title: [Diary entry: 23 October 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

23. Breakfasted at Todds Bridge and reachd Colo. Bassett in the Afternoon.


Title: [Diary entry: 24 October 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

24. At Colo. Bassetts all [day].


Title: [Diary entry: 25 October 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

25. Ditto. Ditto.


Title: [Diary entry: 26 October 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

26. Went to Williamsburg. Dined at the Raleigh & supped at the Coffee House.


Title: [Diary entry: 29 October 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

29. Dined at Mrs. Dawsons & Spent the Evening in my Room.


Title: [Diary entry: 30 October 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

30. Returnd to Colo. Bassetts.


Title: [Diary entry: 31 October 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

31. At Colo. Bassetts all day.


Title: [October 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

Octr. 1st. Still at Annapolis. Dined with Mr. Ogle. Spent the Evening at the Governors.

   Benjamin Ogle (1746–1808) was elected governor of Maryland in 1798. He was the son of Samuel Ogle (d. 1752) who served three times as governor of Maryland in the colonial period. In the Monday sweepstakes, Ogle’s horse came in second out of three.

2. Set of on my return home. Dined at Marlborough & lodged at home. Mr. Custis coming with me.

   The town of Upper Marlboro was frequently called Marlboro.

   Jacky Custis, who had left King’s College to return home for a holiday, evidently met GW in Annapolis. He carried with him highly laudatory letters from Dr. Cooper and from John Vardill, one of his tutors. Vardill wrote that Jacky “has discover’d a remarkable purity of Morals . . . [and] has with such constancy devoted himself to his Studies, as to give us the surest ground to expect that he will hereafter attain to that excellence which his natural powers render him capable of” (20 Sept. 1773, DLC:GW). Dr. Cooper wrote GW that Jacky’s “Assiduity hath been equal to his Rectitude of principle; and it is hoped his Improvements in Learning have not been inferior to either” (20 Sept. 1773, DLC:GW).

3. At home all day. Alone.

4. At home all day. Mr. Thos. Triplet came here.

5. Went a hunting in the Neck with Mr. Custis & Lund Washington. Found a Fox & after runng. it two hours & half lost it.

6. At home all day.

7. At home all day. In the Afternoon Mr. Richd. Thompson came and stayed all Night.

   Richard Thompson was interested in leasing some of the Ohio lands that GW was advertising for sale but considered the terms unrealistic. In a letter of 30 Sept. 1773 to GW, Thompson laid down what he considered to be appropriate terms and informed GW of his intention to visit him soon to discuss the matter.

8. I continued at home all day. After Breakfast Mr. Thompson went away.

9. At home all day. Mr. Tilghman & Mr. [Herbert] Came here & stayd all Night.

10. Mr. Herbert went away before Breakfast. Mr. Tilghman went with Mrs. Washington and I to Pohick Church & returnd with us.

11. Mr. Tilghman went away after Breakfast. I rid to Muddy hole—Doeg Run Mill & Mill Qr. & Ferry.

12. At home all day. In the Afternoon Mr. Bell of Maryland came & stayd all Night.

13. Mr. Beal went away after Breakfast. I continued at home all day. In the Afternoon Mr. Willis & my Brother Charles came. As also Mr. Baker Surgeon Dentist.

   Mr. Willis may be Lewis Willis (1734-1813) of Willis Hill near Fredericksburg, who was the son of GW’s aunt Mildred Washington Lewis. He and Charles Washington, who was also currently residing in Fredericksburg, had served together as trustees of that town, and both men had been elected vestrymen of St. George’s Parish in Spotsylvania County, Virginia. Lewis Willis, like GW, had previously been elected a member of the Fredericksburg Lodge. Mr. Baker is Dr. John Baker (d. 1796), a Williamsburg surgeon dentist. Baker, who had a medical degree, was a native of England but had practiced in several countries before coming to America before 1767. One of the first qualified dentists to practice in the colonies, he settled in Williamsburg in 1772 but moved to Philadelphia during the Revolution. GW had consulted him as early as April 1772 for help in solving what were to become his perennial dental problems and used his services on other occasions, both in Williamsburg and later in Philadelphia (FAGGARTHarold L. Faggart. “A Recently Discovered Second Letter from George Washington to John Baker.” Journal of the American Dental Association 59 (1959): 549–51., 551). Baker made short trips throughout the colonies, offering his services to the residents of the principal cities. On this trip to Mount Vernon, he stayed several days and charged GW £5 (General Ledger BGeneral Ledger B, 1772–1793. Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, Series 5, Financial Papers., folio 93).

14. At home all day. In the Afternoon Mr. Harrison the Lawyer & Mr. Harrison the Merchant came.

   Richard Harrison (d. 1841), Maryland merchant, may have been of the same family as Robert Hanson Harrison. He was by 1775 a partner in the firm of Hooe & Harrison. Early in the Revolution he was sent to Martinique as commercial agent for Virginia to further trade between that island and Virginia. In Cadiz, 1780–86, he acted as unofficial consul for the United States. Later he settled in Alexandria as a merchant. After refusing an appointment by GW as consul to the port of Cadiz, he served as auditor of the

U.S. Treasury 1791–1836. Some time after this visit, Harrison married Nancy Craik, daughter of GW’s old friend Dr. James Craik.

15. Mr. Richd. Harrison went away before Breakfast. The others continued all day. At home.

16. Mr. Robt. Harrison & Mr. Baker both went away after Breakfast. I remaind at home all day. Captn. Bronaugh Dined here, as also did Mrs. Blackburn & Mrs. Brown.

   William Bronaugh (1730–c.1800), son of Col. Jeremiah Bronaugh, was at this time a member of the vestry of Shelburne Parish, Loudoun County. He later became a trustee of the new town of Middleburg in Fauquier County. He had served as a lieutenant with GW in the Fort Necessity campaign and later was promoted to captain. Bronaugh was entitled to 6,000 acres of land under the Proclamation of 1754, and it may have been in regard to this that he was visiting GW. In June 1774 GW bought 2,000 acres of Bronaugh’s land on the Great Kanawha River for £50 (General Ledger BGeneral Ledger B, 1772–1793. Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, Series 5, Financial Papers., folio 114).

   Mrs. Christian Scott Blackburn and Mrs. Catherine Scott Brown were sisters.

17. At home all day. Captn. Conway Breakfasting here from the Madeiras. Mr. Willis & my Brother went up to Church.

   Capt. Thomas Conway commanded the 40–ton sloop Molly, which had been built earlier in the year in Norfolk. The owner of the vessel was Richard Conway of Alexandria, who may have been an elder brother of Thomas. During the previous summer GW had shipped 80 barrels of superfine flour on board the Molly to Lamar, Hill, Bisset & Co. in the Madeira Islands, to be exchanged for wine (GW to Thomas Newton, Jr., 10 July 1773, DLC:GW). The Molly returned to the Potomac 13 Oct. with a cargo that included four pipes of Madeira wine and two boxes of citrons for GW (P.R.O., C.O.5/1352, f. 133; General Ledger BGeneral Ledger B, 1772–1793. Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, Series 5, Financial Papers., folio 92).

18. At home again the whole day. Mr. Willis & my Bror. go[in]g up to Court & returng. at Night.

19. Mr. Willis & my Brother set of home—as Mrs. Washington Mr. Custis & myself did for Wmsburg.—dining at Colchester & lodging at Colo. Blackburns.

20. Dined at Acquia & lodged at Colo. Lewis’s in Fred[ericksburg]g.

21. Rid to my Plantation at the little Falls. Dind & Supd at Colo. Lewis’s.

22. Dined at Caroline Ct. House and lodged at Hubbards.

23. Breakfasted at Todds Bridge and reachd Colo. Bassett in the Afternoon.

24. At Colo. Bassetts all [day].

25. Ditto. Ditto.

26. Went to Williamsburg. Dined at the Raleigh & supped at the Coffee House.

27. Dined at the Govrs. & spent the Evening in my own Room.

28. Dined at the Speakers and Spend the Evening in my own Room.

29. Dined at Mrs. Dawsons & Spent the Evening in my Room.

30. Returnd to Colo. Bassetts.

31. At Colo. Bassetts all day.


Title: [Diary entry: 1 October 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

Octr. 1st. Raining more or less all day—with the Wind fresh from the No. Et.


Title: [Diary entry: 2 October 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

2. Raining in the Morning with fine mists through the day.


Title: [Diary entry: 3 October 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

3. Clear, Wind at So. West & Warm.


Title: [Diary entry: 5 October 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

5. Still clear and Warm wind from the same Quarter.


Title: [Diary entry: 6 October 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

6. Raining all the forenoon with the Wind Easterly & pretty fresh.


Title: [Diary entry: 7 October 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

7. Lowering most part of the day. Wind Northerly.


Title: [Diary entry: 8 October 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

8. Very like for Rain all the forenoon but Clear afterwds. Wind at East—but not much of it.


Title: [Diary entry: 9 October 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

 9. Cloudy & threatning forenoon but clear afterwards. Wind Easterly.


Title: [Diary entry: 10 October 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

10. Clear and pleasant—but little Wind & that rather Southerly.


Title: [Diary entry: 11 October 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

11. Foggy Morning, but clear afterwards and warm wind Southerly.


Title: [Diary entry: 12 October 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

12. Clear and Calm, as also warm there being but little wind & that Southerly.


Title: [Diary entry: 16 October 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

16. Cooler, Wind at No. & No. East & somewhat Cloudy but no Rain.


Title: [Diary entry: 17 October 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

17. Clear & pleasant, with very little Wind.


Title: [Diary entry: 18 October 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

18. But little Wind—that Southerly with some Rain in the Nig[ht].


Title: [Diary entry: 19 October 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

19. Wind fresh from the Westward all the forepart of the day & somewhat Cooler.


Title: [Diary entry: 21 October 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

21. Lowering for most part of the day with a little Rain in the Evening.


Title: [Diary entry: 22 October 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

22. Cloudy, lowering Morning & very warm all day but no Rain.


Title: [Diary entry: 24 October 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

24. A Good deal of Rain fell last Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 26 October 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

26. Still clear and Warm with but little Wind.


Title: [Diary entry: 28 October 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

28. Again clear warm and pleasant.


Title: [Diary entry: 29 October 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

29. Wind Northerly, and somewhat Cooler.


Title: [Diary entry: 30 October 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

30. Wind still Northerly but pleasant, & rather Warm than otherwise.


Title: [Diary entry: 31 October 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

31. Pleasant with but little [wind] & that westerly.


Title: Acct. of the Weather in Octr. [1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

Octr. 1st. Raining more or less all day—with the Wind fresh from the No. Et.

2. Raining in the Morning with fine mists through the day.

3. Clear, Wind at So. West & Warm.

4. Still Clear with but little Wind and that at the same point.

5. Still clear and Warm wind from the same Quarter.

6. Raining all the forenoon with the Wind Easterly & pretty fresh.

7. Lowering most part of the day. Wind Northerly.

8. Very like for Rain all the forenoon but Clear afterwds. Wind at East—but not much of it.

9. Cloudy & threatning forenoon but clear afterwards. Wind Easterly.

10. Clear and pleasant—but little Wind & that rather Southerly.

11. Foggy Morning, but clear afterwards and warm wind Southerly.

12. Clear and Calm, as also warm there being but little wind & that Southerly.

13. Again Clear & Calm, wind what little there is of it Southerly.

14. Much such a day as yesterday there being but little Wind Southerly. Weather Clear.

15. Clear Calm and pleasant but rather too warm.

16. Cooler, Wind at No. & No. East & somewhat Cloudy but no Rain.

17. Clear & pleasant, with very little Wind.

18. But little Wind—that Southerly with some Rain in the Nig[ht].

19. Wind fresh from the Westward all the forepart of the day & somewhat Cooler.

20. Clear with but little Wind, & that getting Southerly again.

21. Lowering for most part of the day with a little Rain in the Evening.

22. Cloudy, lowering Morning & very warm all day but no Rain.

23. Wind fresh from the Southward, with much appearance of Rain, but none fell.

24. A Good deal of Rain fell last Night.

25. Clear and Warm with but little Wind.

26. Still clear and Warm with but little Wind.

27. Clear and Warm with but little Wind & that Southerly.

28. Again clear warm and pleasant.

29. Wind Northerly, and somewhat Cooler.

30. Wind still Northerly but pleasant, & rather Warm than otherwise.

31. Pleasant with but little [wind] & that westerly.


Title: [Diary entry: 3 November 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

3. Dined at Mrs. Dawson’s & Spent the Evening in my own Room.


Title: [Diary entry: 4 November 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

4. Dined at the Speakers & Spent the Evening at Southalls.


Title: [Diary entry: 5 November 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

5. Took an Early Dinner & came up to Colo. Bassetts afterwards.


Title: [Diary entry: 6 November 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

6. At Colo. Bassetts all day.


Title: [Diary entry: 7 November 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

7. Dined at Mrs. Dangerfields & returnd to Colo. Bassetts in the Afternoon.


Title: [Diary entry: 10 November 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

10. Ditto. Ditto.


Title: [Diary entry: 11 November 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

11. Went to Westover with Colo. Bassett & Mr. Custis. Dind at New Kent Court House in our way there.


Title: [Diary entry: 12 November 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

12th. Dined at Westover. Riding to Colo. Harrisons Mills in the forenoon.


Title: [Diary entry: 14 November 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

14. Returnd to Colo. Bassetts to Dinner.


Title: [Diary entry: 16 November 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

16. Went with Mrs. Washington & Mr. Custis, to Mr. Burbidges to see Mr. Bat. Dandridge. Stayed all Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 17 November 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

17. After Dinner returned to Colo. Bassetts.


Title: [Diary entry: 18 November 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

18. Went to my Plantation in King William, & with Mr. Custis over Blacks Land calld Woromonroke.


Title: [Diary entry: 19 November 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

19. Came to Williamsburg with Colo. Bassett. Spent the Eveng. at the Coffee House.


Title: [Diary entry: 21 November 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

21. Dined at the Speakers & Spent the Evening in my own Room.


Title: [Diary entry: 22 November 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

22. Dined at Mr. Southalls & spent the Evening at the Coffee House.


Title: [Diary entry: 23 November 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

23. Dined with Lord Dunmore at his Farm & spent the Evening at Anderson’s.


Title: [Diary entry: 24 November 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

24. Dined at the Speakers & Spent the Evening at the Coffee House.


Title: [Diary entry: 28 November 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

28. At Colo. Bassetts all day.


Title: [Diary entry: 29 November 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

29. Went to Williamsburg again & Dined at Southalls. Spendg. the Evening at the Coffee House.


Title: [November 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

Novr. 1. Went to Willmsburg. after Dinner. Spent the Evening in my own Room.

2. Dined at the Attorney’s, and Spent the Evening in my own Room.

3. Dined at Mrs. Dawson’s & Spent the Evening in my own Room.

4. Dined at the Speakers & Spent the Evening at Southalls.

5. Took an Early Dinner & came up to Colo. Bassetts afterwards.

6. At Colo. Bassetts all day.

7. Dined at Mrs. Dangerfields & returnd to Colo. Bassetts in the Afternoon.

8. Went over to see Mr. Blacks Land in King & Queen & King William. Dined at Colo. B. Moores & returnd to Colo. Bassetts in the Evg.

   During the forced sales held to settle the Robinson affair, William Black acquired some lands of John Robinson’s estate. Black also won some of Bernard Moore’s land in the raffle held 14 Dec. 1769, for which GW was a manager. Black was now selling out, and in Dec. 1773 GW, on behalf of Jacky Custis, bought some of these lands in the Pamunkey River valley to add to the Custis estates.

9. At Colo. Bassetts all day.

10. Ditto. Ditto.

11. Went to Westover with Colo. Bassett & Mr. Custis. Dind at New Kent Court House in our way there.

   The plantation of Westover is about 25 miles due west of Williamsburg and overlooks the James River in Charles City County. Built c.1730 for William Byrd II (1674–1744), Westover was inherited by Col. William Byrd III, who was residing there in 1773 with his second wife, Mary Willing Byrd (d. 1814) of Philadelphia, whom he married in 1761.

12th. Dined at Westover. Riding to Colo. Harrisons Mills in the forenoon.

   The home plantation of Benjamin Harrison (d. 1791), named Berkeley, was immediately to the west of Westover. In 1773 Harrison was a burgess for Charles City County; later he became a signer of the Declaration of Independence and governor of Virginia (1781–84). Harrison married Burwell Bassett’s sister Elizabeth (1730–1792), who on 9 Feb. of this year had given birth at Berkeley to William Henry Harrison (d. 1841), ninth president of the United States (see WATERMANThomas Tileston Waterman. The Mansions of Virginia, 1706–1776. Chapel Hill, N.C., 1946., 163–68; HARRISON [5]“Harrison of James River.” Virginia Magazine of History and Biography 30 (1922): 408-12; 31 (1923): 83-87, 180-82, 277-83, 361-80; 32 (1924): 97-104, 199-202, 298–304, 404–10; 33 (1925): 97-103, 205-8, 312-21, 410-19.).

13. Rid with Colo. Byrd to see Shirly. Dined at Berkley & Returnd to Westover at Night.

   The Shirley plantation, about six miles up the river from Westover and overlooking the confluence of the James and Appomattox rivers, was the home of Charles Carter (1732–1806), son of Elizabeth Hill Carter Cocke (d. 1769) and her first husband, John Carter (1690–1742/43) of Corotoman, Lancaster County (WATERMANThomas Tileston Waterman. The Mansions of Virginia, 1706–1776. Chapel Hill, N.C., 1946., 358). Since Carter shared with GW a keen interest in experimental farming, this visit was probably agricultural in nature.

14. Returnd to Colo. Bassetts to Dinner.

15. Went a Fox hunting. Found but did not kill. Returnd to Dinner.

16. Went with Mrs. Washington & Mr. Custis, to Mr. Burbidges to see Mr. Bat. Dandridge. Stayed all Night.

   Julius Burbidge’s daughter Mary married Bartholomew (Bat) Dandridge (1737–1785), of New Kent County, a brother of Martha Washington.

17. After Dinner returned to Colo. Bassetts.

18. Went to my Plantation in King William, & with Mr. Custis over Blacks Land calld Woromonroke.

   GW and Jacky Custis were inspecting land which was a part of GW’s purchase for the Custis estate and was thereafter called the Romankoke plantation.

19. Came to Williamsburg with Colo. Bassett. Spent the Eveng. at the Coffee House.

20. Dined at Mrs. Dawson’s & Spent the Evening at the Coffee House.

21. Dined at the Speakers & Spent the Evening in my own Room.

22. Dined at Mr. Southalls & spent the Evening at the Coffee House.

23. Dined with Lord Dunmore at his Farm & spent the Evening at Anderson’s.

   Dunmore had two estates, apparently continguous, totaling 579 acres, about six miles from Williamsburg in York County. One, called the Old Farm, Dunmore purchased from Robert (“Councillor”) Carter in 1772 (petitions of Lord Dunmore to the commission on losses of American Loyalists, 1784, P.R.O., A.O.13/28; MORTON [1]Louis Morton. Robert Carter of Nomini Hall: A Virginia Tobacco Planter of the Eighteenth Century. Williamsburg, Va., 1941., 201). The other, called Porto Bello, had just been purchased by Dunmore two weeks before this visit (Va. Gaz., R, 4 Nov. 1773). A description of Porto Bello made in 1769 presented “its situation beautiful, the land good, fine meadows, plenty of fish, no end to oysters, close at the door; and the orchard accounted one of the finest on the continent” (Va. Gaz., R, 30 Nov. 1769).

24. Dined at the Speakers & Spent the Evening at the Coffee House.

25. Dined at Southalls and spent the Evening again at the Coffee House.

26. Dined at Southalls and spent the Evening in my own Room.

27. Dined at Southalls and came up to Colo. Bassetts in the Afternoon.

28. At Colo. Bassetts all day.

29. Went to Williamsburg again & Dined at Southalls. Spendg. the Evening at the Coffee House.

30. Again Dined at Southalls. Spent the Evening at Anderson’s.


Title: [Diary entry: 2 November 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

2. A good deal of Rain fell last Night. Wind Northerly today & a little Cooler.


Title: [Diary entry: 4 November 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

4. Warm and pleasant in the forenoon—but cloudy with Rain in the Afternoon.


Title: [Diary entry: 5 November 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

5. A good deal of Rain fell in the Night. Squally forenoon but clear & cooler afterwards.


Title: [Diary entry: 6 November 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

6. Clear & pleasant but somewhat Cool.


Title: [Diary entry: 7 November 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

7. Cool—wind being Northerly & clear.


Title: [Diary entry: 8 November 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

8. But little wind in the forepart of the day. In the Afternoon it got to So. East & much rain fell.


Title: [Diary entry: 9 November 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

9. Continued Rain all most the whole day & Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 10 November 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

10. Wind fresh from the No. West & Cold. Clear after the Morning.


Title: [Diary entry: 11 November 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

11. Clear and pleasant but a little Cool.


Title: [Diary entry: 12 November 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

12. Cold & lowering forenoon but pleasanter afterwards.


Title: [Diary entry: 13 November 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

 13. Again Cold and lowering (like for Snow) in the forenoon, but pleasanter afterwards, Wind Shifting to the No. West.


Title: [Diary entry: 14 November 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

14. Clear and Cold in the Morning. Ground hard froze with Ice. Afternoon pleasant.


Title: [Diary entry: 15 November 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

15. Remarkable white frost but clear and pleasant all day.


Title: [Diary entry: 16 November 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

16. A white Frost & pleasant, afternoon somewhat lowering—but clear Evening.


Title: [Diary entry: 18 November 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

18. Very pleasant with but little Wind.


Title: [Diary entry: 19 November 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

19. Raw & Cold. Wind Northerly & great appearances of Snow but none fell.


Title: [Diary entry: 20 November 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

20. Clear & Cool, but pleast. notwithstanding wind Northerly.


Title: [Diary entry: 21 November 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

21. Clear forenoon but cool wind rather variable but not much of it. Afternoon a little lowering.


Title: [Diary entry: 23 November 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

23. Again clear & warm with but little wind.


Title: [Diary entry: 24 November 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

24. Pleasant and clear. In the Night the wind changed & grew cool.


Title: [Diary entry: 26 November 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

26. Raw & Cold threatning bad weather but none fell.


Title: [Diary entry: 27 November 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

27. Clear, Warm, & pleasant again with but little Wind. In the Evening Cloudy, with some appearances of Rain.


Title: [Diary entry: 28 November 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

28. Raw & Cold, with flying Clouds in the forenoon but clear afterwards.


Title: [Diary entry: 30 November 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

30. Pleasant and clear.


Title: Acct. of the Weather in Novr. [1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

Novr. 1st. Very pleasant—rather warm Wind being Southerly.

2. A good deal of Rain fell last Night. Wind Northerly today & a little Cooler.

3. Pleasant, and somewhat warmer than yesterday. Wind getting Southerly again.

4. Warm and pleasant in the forenoon—but cloudy with Rain in the Afternoon.

5. A good deal of Rain fell in the Night. Squally forenoon but clear & cooler afterwards.

6. Clear & pleasant but somewhat Cool.

7. Cool—wind being Northerly & clear.

8. But little wind in the forepart of the day. In the Afternoon it got to So. East & much rain fell.

9. Continued Rain all most the whole day & Night.

10. Wind fresh from the No. West & Cold. Clear after the Morning.

11. Clear and pleasant but a little Cool.

12. Cold & lowering forenoon but pleasanter afterwards.

13. Again Cold and lowering (like for Snow) in the forenoon, but pleasanter afterwards, Wind Shifting to the No. West.

14. Clear and Cold in the Morning. Ground hard froze with Ice. Afternoon pleasant.

15. Remarkable white frost but clear and pleasant all day.

16. A white Frost & pleasant, afternoon somewhat lowering—but clear Evening.

17. Very pleasant with but little Wind & that Southerly.

18. Very pleasant with but little Wind.

19. Raw & Cold. Wind Northerly & great appearances of Snow but none fell.

20. Clear & Cool, but pleast. notwithstanding wind Northerly.

21. Clear forenoon but cool wind rather variable but not much of it. Afternoon a little lowering.

22. Clear warm and pleast. with but little Wind.

23. Again clear & warm with but little wind.

24. Pleasant and clear. In the Night the wind changed & grew cool.

25. Cool but still tolerably pleasant being clear & but little wind.

26. Raw & Cold threatning bad weather but none fell.

27. Clear, Warm, & pleasant again with but little Wind. In the Evening Cloudy, with some appearances of Rain.

28. Raw & Cold, with flying Clouds in the forenoon but clear afterwards.

29. Clear but rather Cool—Wind being at No. West.

30. Pleasant and clear.


Title: [Diary entry: 2 December 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

2. Dined at Southalls, & Spent the Evening at Mrs. Campbells.


Title: [Diary entry: 3 December 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

3. Dined at the Treasurers & Spent the Evening in My own Room.


Title: [Diary entry: 4 December 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

4. Din’d at Southalls & reachd Colo. Bassetts in the Afternoon.


Title: [Diary entry: 5 December 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

5. At Colo. Bassetts all day.


Title: [Diary entry: 7 December 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

7. Breakfasted at Caroline Ct. House & reachd Fredg. abt. 4 Oclock. Lodgd at Colo. Lewis’s.


Title: [Diary entry: 8 December 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

8. Breakfasted with my Mother & lodgd at Dumfries.


Title: [Diary entry: 9 December 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

9. Breakfasted at Dumfries & reachd home to Dinner. Found Doctr. Rumney & Mrs. Barnes here the former going after Dinner.


Title: [Diary entry: 10 December 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

10. At home all day alone. Mr. Custis comg. in the Aftn.


Title: [Diary entry: 12 December 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

12. At home all day the above Company here. Mrs. Washington & Miss Brown going to Ch[urc]h & returng. to Dinner.


Title: [Diary entry: 13 December 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

13. At home all day—the above Compa[ny] Continuing.


Title: [Diary entry: 14 December 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

14. My Brother Mr. Brown & his Sister went away after breakfast.


Title: [Diary entry: 15 December 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

15. I rid out and joind the Dogs in hunting a Fox but did not kill it.


Title: [Diary entry: 16 December 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

16. Rid to the Ferry & Mill Plantns. as also to the Mill.


Title: [Diary entry: 17 December 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

17. Rid to Muddy hole, & into the Neck. Mr. George Mason Dined here.


Title: [Diary entry: 18 December 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

18. At home all day alone.


Title: [Diary entry: 20 December 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

20. Went up to Alexandria to Court. Returnd in the Eveng.


Title: [Diary entry: 21 December 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

21st. At home all day alone.


Title: [Diary entry: 23 December 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

23. At home all day. In the Afternoon Doctr. Craik came.


Title: [Diary entry: 24 December 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

24. At home all day. Doctr. Craik continuing here.


Title: [Diary entry: 25 December 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

25. At home all day. After breakfast the Doctr. went off homewards.


Title: [Diary entry: 26 December 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

26. At home all day. Mr. Ben Dulany, & Mr. Peale dined here.


Title: [Diary entry: 27 December 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

27. Went out in the Forenoon with the Dogs. Traild a Fox but did not find. Mr. Cato Moore dined here & in the Afternn. Mr. Geo. Digges & Mr. Custis came.


Title: [Diary entry: 28 December 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

28. At home all day Mr. Digges & Custis continuing here.


Title: [Diary entry: 31 December 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

31st. Went out with Mr. Digges & Mr. Custis a huntg. Found a Fox but did not kill it.


Title: [December 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

Decr. 1st. Dined at Mrs. Dawsons & spent the Evening in my own Room.

2. Dined at Southalls, & Spent the Evening at Mrs. Campbells.

   On 29 July 1773, Mrs. Campbell’s tavern on Waller Street had been put up for auction by Nathaniel Walthoe’s executor. Mrs. Campbell had bought it and two lots on six months’ credit and got the deed in Jan. 1774 (Va. Gaz., P&D, 20 May 1773; York County Deed Book, 1769–77, 385–86, Vi Microfilm). During the next few years the local Freemasons habitually held balls at her tavern, and she apparently prospered until 1780 when the capital was moved to Richmond (MASONS“Williamsburg Lodge of Masons.” William and Mary Quarterly, 1st ser., 25 (1916–17): 149–56., 152). She was still on Waller Street three years later but was no longer open for business and her house, a traveler said “had a cold, poverty struck appearance” (MACAULAY“Journal of Alexander Macaulay.” William and Mary Quarterly, 1st ser., 11 (1902–3): 180–91., 187–88). She eventually moved to Fredericksburg, where she died in 1792 and was buried in the Masonic cemetery (JETTDora C. Jett. Minor Sketches of Major Folk and Where They Sleep: The Old Masonic Burying Ground, Fredericksburg, Virginia. Richmond, 1928., 24–25).

3. Dined at the Treasurers & Spent the Evening in My own Room.

4. Din’d at Southalls & reachd Colo. Bassetts in the Afternoon.

5. At Colo. Bassetts all day.

6. Set out on my return home. Dined at King Wm. Court Ho. & lodged at Hubbards.

7. Breakfasted at Caroline Ct. House & reachd Fredg. abt. 4 Oclock. Lodgd at Colo. Lewis’s.

8. Breakfasted with my Mother & lodgd at Dumfries.

9. Breakfasted at Dumfries & reachd home to Dinner. Found Doctr. Rumney & Mrs. Barnes here the former going after Dinner.

10. At home all day alone. Mr. Custis comg. in the Aftn.

11. At home all day. In the Afternoon Mr. Wm. Brown & his Sister, & my Brothr. John came.

   William Burnet Browne (Brown), formerly of Salem, Mass., and his half-sister Anne lived in King William County.

On 13 Dec GW recorded that £400 belonging to Jacky Custis was lent to John A. Washington on interest (General Ledger BGeneral Ledger B, 1772–1793. Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, Series 5, Financial Papers., folio 96).

12. At home all day the above Company here. Mrs. Washington & Miss Brown going to Ch[urc]h & returng. to Dinner.

13. At home all day—the above Compa[ny] Continuing.

14. My Brother Mr. Brown & his Sister went away after breakfast.

15. I rid out and joind the Dogs in hunting a Fox but did not kill it.

16. Rid to the Ferry & Mill Plantns. as also to the Mill.

17. Rid to Muddy hole, & into the Neck. Mr. George Mason Dined here.

   During much of GW’s lifetime there were three George Masons living within eight miles of Mount Vernon. Col. George Mason of Gunston Hall, who appears regularly in the diaries as “Col. Mason,” had a son named George Mason (1753–1796), who lived near his father in Mason’s Neck at Lexington. This George was called George Mason of Lexington, and sometimes George Mason, Jr. A third George Mason, first cousin of Col. George Mason of Gunston Hall, lived near Pohick Creek, where in 1782 he owned one tithable slave (HEADS OF FAMILIES, VAHeads of Families at the First Census of the United States Taken in the Year 1790: Virginia; Records of the State Enumerations, 1782 to 1785. 1908. Reprint. Baltimore, 1970.., 18). This George was called George Mason of Pohick and. to distinguish him from his elder cousin and neighbor Col. George Mason, was also sometimes called George Mason, Jr. (COPELANDPamela C. Copeland and Richard K. MacMaster. The Five George Masons: Patriots and Planters of Virginia and Maryland. Charlottesville, Va., 1975., 88).

18. At home all day alone.

19. At home all day, alone. After Dinner Mrs. Barnes went to Mrs. French’s.

20. Went up to Alexandria to Court. Returnd in the Eveng.

   There is no record in the Fairfax County Order Book for 1772–74 of a session on this day or any other day in December.

21st. At home all day alone.

22. Went out after Breakfast with the Dogs. Dragd a fox for an hour or two, but never found. Returnd to Dinner & found Mrs. Slaughter here.

   Anne Clifton Slaughter (d. 1798), only child of William and Elizabeth Brent Clifton (d. 1773) of Clifton’s Neck, was married to Thomas Slaughter. She borrowed £6 from GW on this day—the loan was not repaid until 1788 (General Ledger BGeneral Ledger B, 1772–1793. Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, Series 5, Financial Papers., folio 98).

23. At home all day. In the Afternoon Doctr. Craik came.

24. At home all day. Doctr. Craik continuing here.

   On this date Dr. Craik paid GW £10 12s. 6d. for flour bought in November. He also paid an old balance of £4 1s. 3d. from a previous year (General Ledger BGeneral Ledger B, 1772–1793. Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, Series 5, Financial Papers., folio 44, 98).

25. At home all day. After breakfast the Doctr. went off homewards.

26. At home all day. Mr. Ben Dulany, & Mr. Peale dined here.

27. Went out in the Forenoon with the Dogs. Traild a Fox but did not find. Mr. Cato Moore dined here & in the Afternn. Mr. Geo. Digges & Mr. Custis came.

   Cato Moore later served in the Revolution as a lieutenant in Grayson’s Additional Regiment 1777–79. After the Revolution, Moore, along with GW’s brother John Augustine, became one of 11 founding trustees of the new town of Charles Town, Berkeley County, Va. (now Jefferson County, W.Va.), which was laid out on land owned by GW’s brother Charles. In 1795 Moore was sheriff of Berkeley County (BERGFred Anderson Berg. Encyclopedia of Continental Army Units: Battalions, Regiments, and Independent Corps. Harrisburg, Pa., 1972., 48; HEITMAN [1]Francis B. Heitman. Historical Register of Officers of the Continental Army during the War of the Revolution, April, 1775, to December, 1783. 1893. Rev. ed. Washington, D.C., 1914., 298; HENINGWilliam Waller Hening, ed. The Statutes at Large; Being a Collection of All the Laws of Virginia, from the First Session of the Legislature, in the Year 1619. 13 vols. 1819–23. Reprint. Charlottesville, Va., 1969., 12:371; VSPWilliam P. Palmer et al., eds. Calendar of Virginia State Papers and Other Manuscripts. 11 vols. Richmond, 1875–93., 7:463).

28. At home all day Mr. Digges & Custis continuing here.

   It was probably during this week at Mount Vernon that Benjamin Dulany, George Digges, Jacky Custis, and Charles Willson Peale participated in an event which Peale later related: “One afternoon several young gentlemen, visiters at Mount Vernon, and myself were engaged in pitching the bar, one of the athletic sports common in those days, when suddenly the colonel appeared among us. He requested to be shown the pegs that marked the bounds of our efforts; then, smiling, and without putting off his coat, held out his hand for the missile. No sooner . . . did the heavy iron bar feel the grasp of his mighty hand than it lost the power of gravitation, and whizzed through the air, striking the ground far, very far, beyond our utmost limits. We were indeed amazed, as we stood around, all stripped to the buff, with shirt sleeves rolled up, and having thought ourselves very clever fellows, while the colonel, on retiring, pleasantly observed, ‘When you beat my pitch, young gentlemen, I’ll try again’” (CUSTISGeorge Washington Parke Custis. Recollections and Private Memoirs of Washington. New York, 1860., 519).

29. Went out with the Dogs. Found a Fox but did not kill it.

30. Mr. Digges & Mr. Custis went up to Alexa. returng. in the After.

31st. Went out with Mr. Digges & Mr. Custis a huntg. Found a Fox but did not kill it.


Title: [Diary entry: 1 December 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

Decr. 1st. Clear Warm and pleast. with but little Wind, and that Southerly.


Title: [Diary entry: 3 December 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

3. Clear Warm and pleasant again. With but little Wind & that from the Southward.


Title: [Diary entry: 5 December 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

5. Clear, and tolerably pleast. but rather Cooler. Wind being fresh from the Westward.


Title: [Diary entry: 6 December 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

6. Warm and lowering—Wind being fresh from the So. West.


Title: [Diary entry: 9 December 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

9. Cold, & Raw in the forenoon, the Wind being at No. West.


Title: [Diary entry: 11 December 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

11. Clear but the Wind fresh from the No. West it grew Cold.


Title: [Diary entry: 12 December 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

12. Clear, Calm and exceeding pleasant.


Title: [Diary entry: 13 December 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

13th. Also clear Warm & pleasant. Wind being So. Westerly.


Title: [Diary entry: 14 December 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

14. Calm, warm, & very foggy all day.


Title: [Diary entry: 15 December 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

15. Just such a day as yesterday in all respects.


Title: [Diary entry: 17 December 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

17. Foggy & cloudy in the forenoon. Afternoon clear & pleasant.


Title: [Diary entry: 20 December 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

20. Wind in the same place & blowing hard. Weather very cold & clear.


Title: [Diary entry: 22 December 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

22. Wind in the forenoon fresh from the So. West wch. shifted round to the Northwd. & grew cold.


Title: [Diary entry: 23 December 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

23. A Snow near Six Inches Deep fell in the Night—also Snowing more or less till near noon, after which clear & Warm.


Title: [Diary entry: 24 December 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

24. Clear warm and pleast. in the forenoon. Afternoon Lowering. Not much Wind forenoon foggy.


Title: [Diary entry: 26 December 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

26. Last Night there fell Snow enough to cover the ground abt. an Inch, which was again dissolvd this day. It being but Cool, & Windy tho clear.


Title: [Diary entry: 27 December 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

27. Cloudy & threatning Snow all the forenoon. In the afternoon it Snowd on & off till Night then haild & was very bad Weather being also Windy from the Northward.


Title: [Diary entry: 28 December 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

28. Cold with fine Snow on & off all day. Wind fresh from the No. Ward. The Snow about 4 Inches deep.


Title: [Diary entry: 29 December 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

 29. Clear & moderate in the forenoon, Wind Southerly tho the River was quite shut up in the Morning opening afterwards. Afternoon Cold Wind getting to No. Wt.


Title: [Diary entry: 30 December 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

30. Wind at No. West & the River quite shut up again. However it opend and was more moderate the wind dying away.


Title: [Diary entry: 31 December 1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

31. Little or no Wind & quite Warm and pleasant.


Title: Acct. of the Weather in Decr. [1773]
From: Washington, George
To:

Decr. 1st. Clear Warm and pleast. with but little Wind, and that Southerly.

2. Also Warm and pleasant a little lowering in the Eveng.

3. Clear Warm and pleasant again. With but little Wind & that from the Southward.

4. Much such Weather as yesterday in all respects.

5. Clear, and tolerably pleast. but rather Cooler. Wind being fresh from the Westward.

6. Warm and lowering—Wind being fresh from the So. West.

7. A good deal of Rain fell in the Night, & the Wind getting to No. West it turnd cold.

8. Cold but pleasant notwithstanding it being clear and but little Wind.

9. Cold, & Raw in the forenoon, the Wind being at No. West.

10. Clear and very pleasant with little or no Wind.

11. Clear but the Wind fresh from the No. West it grew Cold.

12. Clear, Calm and exceeding pleasant.

13th. Also clear Warm & pleasant. Wind being So. Westerly.

14. Calm, warm, & very foggy all day.

15. Just such a day as yesterday in all respects.

16. Still Foggy & still, all day there not being Wind enough to dispel it. Also Warm.

17. Foggy & cloudy in the forenoon. Afternoon clear & pleasant.

18. Lowering Morning. Afterwards Rain, then Snow, after which a mixture of both. Wind Northerly.

19. Clear (except flying [clouds]) & very cold, Wind being at No. West & very fresh. Ground coverd abt. an Inch deep with Snow.

20. Wind in the same place & blowing hard. Weather very cold & clear.

21. Much more moderate than yesterday there being but little Wind & quite clear.

22. Wind in the forenoon fresh from the So. West wch. shifted round to the Northwd. & grew cold.

23. A Snow near Six Inches Deep fell in the Night—also Snowing more or less till near noon, after which clear & Warm.

24. Clear warm and pleast. in the forenoon. Afternoon Lowering. Not much Wind forenoon foggy.

25. Raining more or less all day with the Wind fresh from the Southward. Snow intirely dissolv’d.

26. Last Night there fell Snow enough to cover the ground abt. an Inch, which was again dissolvd this day. It being but Cool, & Windy tho clear.

27. Cloudy & threatning Snow all the forenoon. In the afternoon it Snowd on & off till Night then haild & was very bad Weather being also Windy from the Northward.

28. Cold with fine Snow on & off all day. Wind fresh from the No. Ward. The Snow about 4 Inches deep.

29. Clear & moderate in the forenoon, Wind Southerly tho the River was quite shut up in the Morning opening afterwards. Afternoon Cold Wind getting to No. Wt.

30. Wind at No. West & the River quite shut up again. However it opend and was more moderate the wind dying away.

31. Little or no Wind & quite Warm and pleasant.


Title: [Diary entry: 1 January 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

Jan 1st. Fox hunting with Mr. George Digges, Mr. Robt. Alexr. & Peake who all dind here, together with Mr. Jas. Cleveland. In the Afternoon all went home but Mr. Alexander.


Title: [Diary entry: 2 January 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

2. At home all day. Mr. Alexander went home after Breakfast. Mr. Benjn. Dulany Mr. Peale & Mr. Cox came here to Dinner, & stayd all Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 4 January 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

4. Captn. Ashby went away and Mr. Grafton Dulany—Mr. Anthy. Addison—Mr. Saml. Hanson & Mr. Fitzgerald came to dinnr. & stayd all N.


Title: [Diary entry: 5 January 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

5. All the above Gentlemen stayd here this day & Night also, except Mr. Fitzgerald who went away after Dinner.


Title: [Diary entry: 8 January 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

 8. Rid with Mr. Adam (who dind here & went away in the afternoon to my Mill). Mrs. Slaughter & Mesr. Peake also dind here.


Title: [Diary entry: 9 January 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

9. At home all day. In the Evening Captn. Posey came here.


Title: [Diary entry: 10 January 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

10. At home all day. A Mr. Young recommended by Mr. Adams came here and dind—going away afterwards.


Title: [Diary entry: 11 January 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

11. Rid into the Neck. Captn. Posey still here.


Title: [Diary entry: 12 January 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

12. Rid to the Mill—Mill Plantn. Dogue Run & Muddy hole before Dinner. A Rope Maker one Paterson Dind here.


Title: [Diary entry: 13 January 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

13. Dind here no body but Captn. Posey. I walked out with my Gun. In the Afternoon Mr. Geo. Young came here to live.


Title: [Diary entry: 14 January 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

14. Captain Posey went away to Maryland after Breakfast. Mr. Craven Peyton came to Dinr. & went away afterwards.


Title: [Diary entry: 15 January 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

 15. Went out a hunting, & killd a dog fox wch. was found in Hell hole, after a chase of 3 hours. At home afterwards alone.


Title: [Diary entry: 17 January 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

17. Went up to Alexa. to Court. Dind at Arrels. Suppd at Mrs. Hawkins & came home afterwards.


Title: [Diary entry: 18 January 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

18. At home all day. Mr. Custis came from Maryland yesterday & Hanson Posey came this Eveng.


Title: [Diary entry: 20 January 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

20. At home all day. Doctr. Rumney continuing here. Miss Sally Carlyle & her Sister Nancy & Miss Betcy Ramsay & Miss Jenny Dalton all came to Dinnr. & stayed all Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 21 January 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

21. Doctr. Rumney went away after Breakfast. Mr. Custis & I went a hunting in the Neck & after run[nin]g a Fox 3 hours lost it.


Title: [Diary entry: 22 January 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

22. At home all day. Miss Carlyle & the other Girls went away after Dinner—and Mr. Young to Bladensburg before it.


Title: [Diary entry: 23 January 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

23. At home all day. In the Evening Mr. Robt. Rutherford came.


Title: [Diary entry: 24 January 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

24. At home all day. Mrs. Blackburn her Son & Miss Ellzey as also Mrs. Brown, came to Dinner & Doctr. Brown in the Afternoon as also did Valene. Crawford.


Title: [Diary entry: 25 January 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

 25. Mrs. Blackburn & those that came with her as also the Doctr. went away after Dinner.


Title: [Diary entry: 26 January 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

26. Mr. Rutherford went away after Breakfast. I contd. at home all day.


Title: [Diary entry: 27 January 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

27. At home all day alone, except Mr. Valentine Crawfords being here.


Title: [Diary entry: 28 January 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

28. At home all day. Majr. Chas. Smith & Andw. Wagener came here to dinner. The last went away after it—the other stayd all Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 29 January 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

29. At home all day. Majr. Smith went away after Breakfast.


Title: [Diary entry: 31 January 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

30[31]. At home all day—Mr. Fairfax continuing here. Mr. Custis returnd to Mr. Calverts by way of George Town.


Title: [January 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

Jan 1st. Fox hunting with Mr. George Digges, Mr. Robt. Alexr. & Peake who all dind here, together with Mr. Jas. Cleveland. In the Afternoon all went home but Mr. Alexander.

2. At home all day. Mr. Alexander went home after Breakfast. Mr. Benjn. Dulany Mr. Peale & Mr. Cox came here to Dinner, & stayd all Night.

3. Mr. Dulany & Mr. Cox went away after Breakfast as also did Mr. Custis to Maryland. Mr. Peale stayed, Captn. Jno. Ashby came in the Afternn. & stayd all Night.

   Jacky was now in the midst of preparations for his wedding to Nelly Calvert, to be held the following month. On this day GW advanced him £24 “to provide your Wedding Cloaths” (CUSTIS ACCOUNT BOOKGW’s Accounts Kept for Martha Parke Custis and John Parke Custis, 1760–75. Manuscript in Custis Papers, Virginia Historical Society, Richmond.).

4. Captn. Ashby went away and Mr. Grafton Dulany—Mr. Anthy. Addison—Mr. Saml. Hanson & Mr. Fitzgerald came to dinnr. & stayd all N.

   Anthony Addison was the youngest son of John Addison (1713–1764), of Oxon Hill, Md.

5. All the above Gentlemen stayd here this day & Night also, except Mr. Fitzgerald who went away after Dinner.

6. Mr. Fitzgerald came down again this day in the Afternoon together with Mr. Herbert and a Mr. Stewart from Philadelphia—the whole staying all Night.

   Mr. Stewart may be Andrew Stewart, who, in a mercantile partnership with William Herbert, purchased commercial property on the corner of Water and Princess streets in Alexandria later this year (Fairfax County Deeds, Book M–1, 1–4, Vi Microfilm).

7. Mr. Peale & all the other Gentlemen went away after Breakfast. Mr. Robt. Adam came to Dinner & stayd all Night.

8. Rid with Mr. Adam (who dind here & went away in the afternoon to my Mill). Mrs. Slaughter & Mesr. Peake also dind here.

9. At home all day. In the Evening Captn. Posey came here.

10. At home all day. A Mr. Young recommended by Mr. Adams came here and dind—going away afterwards.

   mr. young: GW was facing a deadline for establishing his rights to the Kanawha land in the Ohio Valley that he received under Governor Dinwiddie’s 1754 Proclamation. Having been unable to attract settlers either from the colonies or from Ireland, Scotland, or Germany, GW was now planning at least to “seat” the lands within the three-year period provided by law. This “seating” involved making minimal improvements on the land that had been granted and surveyed, including constructing buildings and clearing and planting at least one out of every 500 acres (HENINGWilliam Waller Hening, ed. The Statutes at Large; Being a Collection of All the Laws of Virginia, from the First Session of the Legislature, in the Year 1619. 13 vols. 1819–23. Reprint. Charlottesville, Va., 1969., 3:313–14). For this job GW was buying white servants and hiring carpenters. George Young had been recommended to GW by Robert Adam of Alexandria to be the leader of GW’s Kanawha expedition (12 Jan. 1774, DLC:GW).

11. Rid into the Neck. Captn. Posey still here.

12. Rid to the Mill—Mill Plantn. Dogue Run & Muddy hole before Dinner. A Rope Maker one Paterson Dind here.

   Thomas Patterson was one of eight artisans with whom GW contracted for repairs to his brig Anne and Elizabeth (see main entry for 28 Mar. 1774).

13. Dind here no body but Captn. Posey. I walked out with my Gun. In the Afternoon Mr. Geo. Young came here to live.

   GW hired Young at £25 for one year to accompany the Kanawha expedition (General Ledger BGeneral Ledger B, 1772–1793. Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, Series 5, Financial Papers., folio 107).

14. Captain Posey went away to Maryland after Breakfast. Mr. Craven Peyton came to Dinr. & went away afterwards.

   Craven Peyton came to Mount Vernon to receive a power of attorney from GW “for all & singular the purposes within mentioned as also for the further purposes of acknowledging Leases for Land Let & terms agreed on by the said Geo. Wm. Fairfax Esqr. in the Counties of Culpeper and Fauquier as also for conveying Sundrie pieces of Land sold by the said George Wm. Fairfax to Majr. Angus McDonald & Mr. Philip Bush both of the County of Fredk.” (power of attorney to Peyton, 14 Jan. 1774, NjMoHP).

15. Went out a hunting, & killd a dog fox wch. was found in Hell hole, after a chase of 3 hours. At home afterwards alone.

16. At home all day alone.

17. Went up to Alexa. to Court. Dind at Arrels. Suppd at Mrs. Hawkins & came home afterwards.

   Mary Hawkins, a widow with five children, ran a tavern in Alexandria until her death in 1777.

18. At home all day. Mr. Custis came from Maryland yesterday & Hanson Posey came this Eveng.

19. Mr. Custis & I went into the Neck a Hunting. Found two Fox’s but killd neither. Doctr. Rumney came to Dinr. & stayd all Nt.

20. At home all day. Doctr. Rumney continuing here. Miss Sally Carlyle & her Sister Nancy & Miss Betcy Ramsay & Miss Jenny Dalton all came to Dinnr. & stayed all Night.

   Jenny Dalton was a daughter of John Dalton, merchant of Alexandria.

21. Doctr. Rumney went away after Breakfast. Mr. Custis & I went a hunting in the Neck & after run[nin]g a Fox 3 hours lost it.

22. At home all day. Miss Carlyle & the other Girls went away after Dinner—and Mr. Young to Bladensburg before it.

   George Young, who had been working for Dr. David Ross, merchant of Bladensburg, was now probably returning to his old employer to move his effects to Mount Vernon.

23. At home all day. In the Evening Mr. Robt. Rutherford came.

24. At home all day. Mrs. Blackburn her Son & Miss Ellzey as also Mrs. Brown, came to Dinner & Doctr. Brown in the Afternoon as also did Valene. Crawford.

   Christian Scott Blackburn (b. 1745) was the wife of Col. Thomas Blackburn of Rippon Lodge. Her son here is probably her elder son, Richard Scott Blackburn (d. 1804–5), whose daughter Jane Charlotte Blackburn was later mistress of Mount Vernon as the wife of GW’s grandnephew John Augustine Washington (d. 1832). Miss Ellzey is probably a daughter of Thomasin Ellzey and his wife Alice, a sister of Col. Thomas Blackburn of Rippon Lodge.

25. Mrs. Blackburn & those that came with her as also the Doctr. went away after Dinner.

   The main diary entries for 25–31 Jan. and the weather entries for 9–15 and 25–31 Jan. were inadvertently dated December by GW.

26. Mr. Rutherford went away after Breakfast. I contd. at home all day.

27. At home all day alone, except Mr. Valentine Crawfords being here.

   Valentine Crawford was GW’s first choice to lead the Kanawha expedition (see main entry for 11 Feb. 1774).

28. At home all day. Majr. Chas. Smith & Andw. Wagener came here to dinner. The last went away after it—the other stayd all Night.

   Andrew Waggener was the heir of Thomas Waggener, who, along with Charles Smith, was a veteran of the 1754 campaign against the French. They were probably at Mount Vernon to discuss their shares of the bounty land promised to all such veterans (GW to Charles Mynn Thruston, 12 Mar. 1773, DLC:GW). Waggener had made no effort heretofore to cooperate with GW in obtaining the grant for the veterans. On this visit GW presented Waggener with a bill of £9 5s. 3d. for his share of the expenses already incurred (bill, GW to Andrew Waggener, 25 Jan. 1774, excerpt, Paul C. Richards, Autographs, Catalogue No. 46, 1969, Item 14).

29. At home all day. Majr. Smith went away after Breakfast.

30. At home all day. Mr. Bryan Fairfax came to dinner and stay’d all Night.

30[31]. At home all day—Mr. Fairfax continuing here. Mr. Custis returnd to Mr. Calverts by way of George Town.

   On this day GW advanced Jacky £37, “given you when you went over to be married” (CUSTIS ACCOUNT BOOKGW’s Accounts Kept for Martha Parke Custis and John Parke Custis, 1760–75. Manuscript in Custis Papers, Virginia Historical Society, Richmond.).


Title: [Diary entry: 2 January 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

2. Quite calm in the forenoon also clear & exceeding pleasant and Warm.


Title: [Diary entry: 3 January 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

 3. Calm for the most of the day, clear in the forenoon, but very cloudy afterwards with a good deal of Rain in the Night. Wind Southerly.


Title: [Diary entry: 4 January 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

4. Somewhat Cloudy with but little wind in the forenoon. In the Afternoon it got Northerly but did not blow much.


Title: [Diary entry: 5 January 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

5. It Began raining in the Night, & continued to do so the whole day without intermission the wind being at East.


Title: [Diary entry: 6 January 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

6. Tolerably clear in the Morning but Cloudy & lowering afterwards. In the Night a good deal of Rain fell.


Title: [Diary entry: 7 January 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

7. A little Cloudy. The Wind fresh from the No. West.


Title: [Diary entry: 9 January 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

9th. Wind blowing hard all day at No. West. And very cold.


Title: [Diary entry: 10 January 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

10. Exceeding Cold. Wind in the same place & harder than Yesterday. Much Ice.


Title: [Diary entry: 11 January 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

11. Still a good deal of Ice upon the Flats. Wind at So. West, fresh & Cold all day—at Night shifted to No. West again & grew very cold.


Title: [Diary entry: 13 January 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

13. River entirely close in the Morning, but free from Ice afterwards except upon the Flats. Day cloudy with but little wind.


Title: [Diary entry: 18 January 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

 18. Wind fresh from the No. West and very Cold all day. Clear.


Title: [Diary entry: 19 January 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

19. Cold & hard frozen Morning but clear and not much wind from the Southward. Thawd but little.


Title: [Diary entry: 20 January 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

20. Little or no Wind, and more moderate than yesterday—but sometimes threating falling Weather being lowerg. all day.


Title: [Diary entry: 21 January 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

21. Wind Southerly in the Morning, but about Noon it Shifted to the Northwest, blew hard & turnd exceeding Cold.


Title: [Diary entry: 22 January 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

22. Very cold Morning. River quite Shut up in the Morning early; but opend into holes afterwards, & before Night broke much away. Not much Wind but that Northerly. Very cold & Cloudy.


Title: [Diary entry: 23 January 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

23. Was also very cold. Wind still Northerly.


Title: [Diary entry: 25 January 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

25. Tolerably pleasant—being clear with little or nor Wind.


Title: [Diary entry: 26 January 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

26. Clear and pleasant but little Wind and that Southerly.


Title: [Diary entry: 28 January 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

28. Snowing till the Afternoon but not fast—ground coverd abt. 2 Inches. Very cold River quite shut up. Wind Northerly.


Title: [Diary entry: 29 January 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

29. Wind in the same place & Cold. In the Afternoon abt. an Inch more Snow.


Title: [Diary entry: 31 January 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

31. Clear and not so cold as yesterday. A great deal of Rain fell in the Night.


Title: Acct. of the Weather in Jany. [1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

Jan. 1st. A little Rain fell in the Night. The day remarkably pleasant. Wind in the Afternn. at So. West.

2. Quite calm in the forenoon also clear & exceeding pleasant and Warm.

3. Calm for the most of the day, clear in the forenoon, but very cloudy afterwards with a good deal of Rain in the Night. Wind Southerly.

4. Somewhat Cloudy with but little wind in the forenoon. In the Afternoon it got Northerly but did not blow much.

5. It Began raining in the Night, & continued to do so the whole day without intermission the wind being at East.

6. Tolerably clear in the Morning but Cloudy & lowering afterwards. In the Night a good deal of Rain fell.

7. A little Cloudy. The Wind fresh from the No. West.

8. Still lowering. Wind Southerly & raw. Towards Night a little Snow just sufficient to cover the Ground fell—the Wind blowing hard at No. West.

9th. Wind blowing hard all day at No. West. And very cold.

10. Exceeding Cold. Wind in the same place & harder than Yesterday. Much Ice.

11. Still a good deal of Ice upon the Flats. Wind at So. West, fresh & Cold all day—at Night shifted to No. West again & grew very cold.

12. River almost close froze—day cold, Wind fresh at No. West.

13. River entirely close in the Morning, but free from Ice afterwards except upon the Flats. Day cloudy with but little wind.

14. Ground lightly cover’d with Snow. Day foggy—Misty, & thawing with little or no Wind.

15. Foggy & warm Morning, with little or no Wind. Afterwards Windy from the No. West & turning Cold. Ice almost gone out of the River.

16th. Very Cold all day & not very Windy—but Northerly.

17. Tolerably pleasant. But little Wind & clear.

18. Wind fresh from the No. West and very Cold all day. Clear.

19. Cold & hard frozen Morning but clear and not much wind from the Southward. Thawd but little.

20. Little or no Wind, and more moderate than yesterday—but sometimes threating falling Weather being lowerg. all day.

21. Wind Southerly in the Morning, but about Noon it Shifted to the Northwest, blew hard & turnd exceeding Cold.

22. Very cold Morning. River quite Shut up in the Morning early; but opend into holes afterwards, & before Night broke much away. Not much Wind but that Northerly. Very cold & Cloudy.

23. Was also very cold. Wind still Northerly.

24. Raw cold & Cloudy all day, Wind still at No. West & fresh.

25. Tolerably pleasant—being clear with little or nor Wind.

26. Clear and pleasant but little Wind and that Southerly.

27. Wind blowing fresh and cold all day from the No. West & freezing very hard. With Clouds.

28. Snowing till the Afternoon but not fast—ground coverd abt. 2 Inches. Very cold River quite shut up. Wind Northerly.

29. Wind in the same place & Cold. In the Afternoon abt. an Inch more Snow.

30. A kind of a Sleet after the Morning continued all day with the Wind abt. No. Et.

31. Clear and not so cold as yesterday. A great deal of Rain fell in the Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 1 February 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

Feby. 1st. At home all day. Mr. Fairfax went away after Breakfast. In & abt. Dinner time Nancy Carlyle came.


Title: [Diary entry: 2 February 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

2. I still continued home—alone except Mr. Crawford.


Title: [Diary entry: 3 February 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

3. Set out after an early Dinner (with Lund Washington) for Mr. Calverts, to Mr. Custis’s Wedding who was this Eveng. married to Miss Nelly Calvert.


Title: [Diary entry: 5 February 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

5. Returnd home to a late Dinner. Found Mr. Gist here who came the day I left home. Also found Doctr. Rumney & Val. Crawford here.


Title: [Diary entry: 8 February 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

8. Rid into the Neck to the Plantation’s there. And to the fishing Landing—where my Carpenters were at Work. Came home by Muddy hole. Mrs. Slaughter dind here & went away afterwards.


Title: [Diary entry: 9 February 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

9th. At home all day. In the Afternoon Mr. Matthew Campbell & Captn. Crawford came.


Title: [Diary entry: 10 February 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

10th. At home all day. After Breakfast Mr. Campbell went away and in the Afternoon Mr. Hugh Stephenson came.


Title: [Diary entry: 11 February 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

11. At home all day. Mr. Thos. Rutherford came here to dinner & Mr. Resin Bell in the afternn.


Title: [Diary entry: 12 February 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

12. After dinner the two Crawfords & Mr. Stephenson set out for Wmsburg. & Mr. Rutherford and Mr. Beall for their respective homes.


Title: [Diary entry: 13 February 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

13. At home all day alone.


Title: [Diary entry: 14 February 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

14. Again at home all day. To Dinner came Master Geo. Carlyle—who went away afterwards with his Sister Nancy. In the Afternoon Captn. Bullet & his Brother Cuthbert came & stayed all Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 15 February 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

15. These Gentlemen went away. I went to a Vestry at the New Church & returnd in the Aftern.


Title: [Diary entry: 16 February 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

16. At home all day alone—being engaged in writing.


Title: [Diary entry: 19 February 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

19. Went a Hunting in the Neck see three Foxs but killd none. Mr. Lawson went away after Breakfast.


Title: [Diary entry: 20 February 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

20. At home all day. Mr. Willm. Brent & Mr. Notley Rozer came to Dinner & stayd all Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 21 February 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

21. A Wm. Stevens came here in the Evening, & stayd all Night. I continued at home all day.


Title: [Diary entry: 22 February 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

22. At home all day. Stevens went away Early. Miss Digges Miss Betcy Digges, & Mrs. Slaughter Dind here & went away afterwards.


Title: [Diary entry: 23 February 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

23. At home all day. Mr. Robt. Adam came to dinner and Mr. B. Fairfax and Captn. Crawford came after Dinner—the whole staying all Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 24 February 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

24. Went a huntg. in the Morning and from thence to the Vestry. Mr. Adams going away—upon my return found Doctr. Craik, Val. Crawford & Mr. Thos. Gist.


Title: [Diary entry: 25 February 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

25. At home all day. Mr. Fairfax & Doctr. Craik went away after Breakfast. Hancock Lee came to Dinr. & went away after it.


Title: [Diary entry: 26 February 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

 26. At home all day. Captn. Crawford and Mr. Gist went away after Breakfast.


Title: [Diary entry: 27 February 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

27. At home all day alone.


Title: [Diary entry: 28 February 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

28. Mr. Tayler, Mr. Wagener & one Mordaica Red came to Breakfast & went away afterwards.


Title: [February 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

Feby. 1st. At home all day. Mr. Fairfax went away after Breakfast. In & abt. Dinner time Nancy Carlyle came.

2. I still continued home—alone except Mr. Crawford.

3. Set out after an early Dinner (with Lund Washington) for Mr. Calverts, to Mr. Custis’s Wedding who was this Eveng. married to Miss Nelly Calvert.

   On 15 Dec. 1773 GW had written to Rev. Myles Cooper, president of King’s College, N.Y., that his hopes of Jacky’s continuing his education were “at an end; & at length, I have yielded, contrary to my judgment, & much against my wishes, to his quitting College; in order that he may enter soon into a new scene of Life, which I think he would be much fitter for some years hence, than now; but having his own inclination, the desires of his mother & the acquiescence of almost all his relatives, to encounter, I did not care, as he is the last of the family, to push my opposition too far; & therefore have submitted to a Kind of necessity” (DLC:GW).

4. At Mr. Calverts all day. With much other company.

5. Returnd home to a late Dinner. Found Mr. Gist here who came the day I left home. Also found Doctr. Rumney & Val. Crawford here.

6. At home all day. Mr. Gist went away after Breakfast.

7. Went with Mrs. Washington and Nancy Carlyle by the New Church to Captn. McCartys. Dind there & came home in the Afternoon. Doctr. Rumney went away after Breakfast.

8. Rid into the Neck to the Plantation’s there. And to the fishing Landing—where my Carpenters were at Work. Came home by Muddy hole. Mrs. Slaughter dind here & went away afterwards.

9th. At home all day. In the Afternoon Mr. Matthew Campbell & Captn. Crawford came.

10th. At home all day. After Breakfast Mr. Campbell went away and in the Afternoon Mr. Hugh Stephenson came.

   Hugh Stephenson, a son of GW’s old friend Richard Stephenson of Frederick County and a half brother to Valentine and William Crawford, lived in the Shenandoah Valley until the Revolution. In response to a request by the Continental Congress in June 1775, Virginia raised two companies of riflemen, most of whom came from the Valley and the frontier. The two companies, led by Capt. Daniel Morgan and Capt. Hugh Stephenson, marched to Cambridge and participated in the siege of Boston. A year later (June 1776) Stephenson, now a colonel, was put in command of a combined Virginia-Maryland rifle regiment in the Continental service and died that summer during the New York campaign (BERGFred Anderson Berg. Encyclopedia of Continental Army Units: Battalions, Regiments, and Independent Corps. Harrisburg, Pa., 1972., 120, 132; HEITMAN [1]Francis B. Heitman. Historical Register of Officers of the Continental Army during the War of the Revolution, April, 1775, to December, 1783. 1893. Rev. ed. Washington, D.C., 1914., 381).

11. At home all day. Mr. Thos. Rutherford came here to dinner & Mr. Resin Bell in the afternn.

   Rutherford is probably Robert Rutherford’s brother Thomas, of Berkeley (later Jefferson) County (see GREENE [3]Katherine Glass Greene. Winchester, Virginia, and Its Beginnings, 1743–1814. Strasburg, Va., 1926., 375–82). Rezin Beall (1723–1809), whose name is variously spelled, was a descendant of Thomas Beall the immigrant and lived on Little Paint Branch, one mile north of Beltsville in northern Prince George’s County, Md. (BEALLFielder M. M. Beall. Colonial Families of the United States Descended from the Immigrants Who Arrived Before 1700, Mostly from England and Scotland, and Who Are Now Represented by Citizens of the Following Names, Bell, Beal, Bale, Beale, Beall. Washington, D.C., 1929., 112–13). From 16 Aug. to 1 Dec. 1776 Beall served as a brigadier general with Maryland troops in the campaign in the Jerseys (HEITMAN [1]Francis B. Heitman. Historical Register of Officers of the Continental Army during the War of the Revolution, April, 1775, to December, 1783. 1893. Rev. ed. Washington, D.C., 1914., 79; BERGFred Anderson Berg. Encyclopedia of Continental Army Units: Battalions, Regiments, and Independent Corps. Harrisburg, Pa., 1972., 42, 67, 108).

   Beall had brought a note from Jonathan Boucher recommending him for the job Valentine Crawford had just accepted from GW (see 27 Jan. 1774). On 15 Feb., GW explained to Boucher: “Before Mr. Beall deliver’d me your Letter of the 10th . . . (under a supposition of his willingness to undertake my business on the Ohio) I had conditionally agreed with Mr. Vale. Crawford for this purpose; who you must know, had Imbark’d in a Courting Scheme (in this neighbourhood) and, as I conceiv’d the task of pleasing a Master & Mistress, equal to that of two Masters, I made a point of his settling this business somehow or other with the Lady before he undertook mine; and this he did unfavourably to his wishes, the very day Mr. Beall came here & was at liberty for me” (NN; see main entry for 27 Jan. 1774).

12. After dinner the two Crawfords & Mr. Stephenson set out for Wmsburg. & Mr. Rutherford and Mr. Beall for their respective homes.

   Valentine Crawford and Hugh Stephenson were carrying a letter from GW to Governor Dunmore, dated 11 Feb., attesting to their satisfactory military service in the early 1760s, by which they hoped to qualify for western bounty land under the royal Proclamation of 1763 (ViW). Thomas Rutherford was carrying a letter from GW dated this day recommending him as an assistant surveyor (PPiU).

13. At home all day alone.

14. Again at home all day. To Dinner came Master Geo. Carlyle—who went away afterwards with his Sister Nancy. In the Afternoon Captn. Bullet & his Brother Cuthbert came & stayed all Night.

   Capt. Thomas Bullitt, who had been surveying land in the Ohio Valley for Governor Dunmore and others, was now reporting to GW on his trip and on land he had chosen for GW. Thomas’s brother Cuthbert Bullitt (d. 1791) was an attorney living in Prince William County. In 1788 Cuthbert Bullitt was elected by the General Assembly an additional judge of the Virginia General Court (VSPWilliam P. Palmer et al., eds. Calendar of Virginia State Papers and Other Manuscripts. 11 vols. Richmond, 1875–93., 4:537). Another Bullitt brother, Benjamin, had been killed while serving with GW in the Virginia Regiment (HARRISON [6]“Harrison of Northern Virginia” and “The Harrison Family of Northern Virginia.” Virginia Magazine of History and Biography 23 (1915): 214–16, 331–33, 443–45; 24 (1916): 97–99, 211–13, 314–15., 24:212).

15. These Gentlemen went away. I went to a Vestry at the New Church & returnd in the Aftern.

   The main business for the Truro vestry at this meeting was recorded in the vestry book: “George Mason Esqr. Executor of Daniel French dec[ease]d, Undertaker [contractor for the construction] of the Church near Pohick, having finished the said Church tender the same to this Vestry . . . and the said Vestry being of Opinion that the said Church is finished . . . do receive the same . . . the said George Mason undertaking to finish the Horse Blocks and Benches under the Trees” (Truro Vestry Book, 160, DLC).

16. At home all day alone—being engaged in writing.

17. Went a Hunting. Found a dog fox in this Neck and killed him after treeing 3 times and running about 2 hours.

18. At home all day alone Writing. In the Aftn. Mr. Jas. Lawson came.

   This is probably James Lawson of Glasgow, who had come to Virginia to settle the accounts of the financially troubled Occoquan ironworks, which his brother-in-law John Semple had taken over from John Ballendine in the early 1760s (SKAGGSDavid C. Skaggs and Richard K. MacMaster, eds. “Post-Revolutionary Letters of Alexander Hamilton, Piscataway Merchant.” Maryland Historical Magazine 63 (1968): 22–54; 65 (1970): 18–35., 63:28, n. 15; Va. Gaz., P&D, 13 June 1771). Lawson was now planning to sail for Scotland “to settle all his Business in Glasgow, and return here with his Wife and family to spend the rest of his Life” (Alexander Hamilton to James Brown & Co., 27 June 1774; MACMASTERRichard K. MacMaster and David C. Skaggs, eds. “The Letterbooks of Alexander Hamilton, Piscataway Factor.” Maryland Historical Magazine 61 (1966): 146–66, 305–28; 62 (1967): 135–69., 61:166).

19. Went a Hunting in the Neck see three Foxs but killd none. Mr. Lawson went away after Breakfast.

20. At home all day. Mr. Willm. Brent & Mr. Notley Rozer came to Dinner & stayd all Night.

   At least two William Brents lived along the Potomac at this time. One was William Brent of Charles County, Md.; the other was William Brent (1733–1782), of Richland, near Aquia Creek in Stafford County, Va., who married Eleanor Carroll (d. 1804), daughter of Daniel Carroll of Upper Marlboro, Md. (BRENTChester Horton Brent. The Descendants of Collo. Giles Brent, Capt. George Brent, and Robert Brent, Gent., Immigrants to Maryland and Virginia. Rutland, Vt., 1946., 123). Notley Rozer was a son of Henry and Eleanor Neale Rozer, of Piscataway Parish, Prince George’s County, Md. (BOWIEEffie Gwynn Bowie. Across the Years in Prince George’s County: A Genealogical and Biographical History of Some Prince George’s County, Maryland and Allied Families. Richmond, Va., 1947., 572).

21. A Wm. Stevens came here in the Evening, & stayd all Night. I continued at home all day.

   GW hired William Stevens to accompany the expedition of workers GW was sending west to seat his Kanawha lands (GW to William Stevens, 6 Mar. 1775, DLC:GW; General Ledger BGeneral Ledger B, 1772–1793. Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, Series 5, Financial Papers., folio 103).

22. At home all day. Stevens went away Early. Miss Digges Miss Betcy Digges, & Mrs. Slaughter Dind here & went away afterwards.

23. At home all day. Mr. Robt. Adam came to dinner and Mr. B. Fairfax and Captn. Crawford came after Dinner—the whole staying all Night.

24. Went a huntg. in the Morning and from thence to the Vestry. Mr. Adams going away—upon my return found Doctr. Craik, Val. Crawford & Mr. Thos. Gist.

   Meeting again “at the new Church near Pohick,” the Truro vestry assigned pews, first to those (including GW) who bought pews at auction in the fall of 1772. Other pews were then assigned: the “Upper Pew . . . adjoining the South Wall . . . to the Use of the magistrates and Strangers, and the Pew opposite thereto to the use of their Wives, and the two Pews next below

them . . . to the Vestrymen and Merchants and their Wives.” The “eight Pews below and adjoining the Cross Isle of the Church [were] assigned to the Use of the most respectable Inhabitants and House Keepers of the Parish, the Men to sit in the four Pews next the South Wall, and the Women in the other four next the North Wall” (Truro Vestry Book, 161–62, DLC).

   The vestry also ordered “that the new Church . . . be furnished with a Cushion for the Pulpit and Cloths for the Desks & Communion Table of Crimson Velvet with Gold Firing, and that Colo. George Washington be requested to import the same” (Truro Vestry Book, 162, DLC). This was the last vestry meeting GW is recorded as having attended, although he remained a vestryman until he resigned the position in 1784 (GW to Daniel McCarty, 22 Feb. 1784, DLC:GW).

25. At home all day. Mr. Fairfax & Doctr. Craik went away after Breakfast. Hancock Lee came to Dinr. & went away after it.

   Hancock Lee (1740–1819), of Greenview, Fauquier County, did much exploring and surveying in the Ohio Valley and later settled in Kentucky (LEE [1]Cazenove Gardner Lee, Jr. Lee Chronicle: Studies of the Early Generations of the Lees of Virginia. Edited by Dorothy Mills Parker. New York, 1957., 268, 355–56; WEAKSMabel Clare Weaks, ed. Calendar of the Kentucky Papers of the Draper Collection of Manuscripts. Madison, Wis., 1925., 420, 436). Lee, newly commissioned as a surveyor, was preparing to accompany Capt. William Crawford on a surveying trip down the Ohio River (MASON [2]Robert A. Rutland, ed. The Papers of George Mason, 1725–1792. 3 vols. Chapel Hill, N.C., 1970., 1:448).

   Although GW was not present, the Truro Parish vestry met again on this day to finish details regarding the new church. Among the business was an order “that William Bernard Sears gild the Ornaments within the Tabernacle Frames the Palm Branch and Drapery on the Front of the Pulpit (also the Eggs on the Cornice of the small Frames if the Gold will hold out) . . . to be done with the Gold Leaf given to the Parish by Colo. George Washington” (Truro Vestry Book, 164, DLC).

26. At home all day. Captn. Crawford and Mr. Gist went away after Breakfast.

27. At home all day alone.

28. Mr. Tayler, Mr. Wagener & one Mordaica Red came to Breakfast & went away afterwards.

   mr. tayler: possibly Hancock Taylor, who accompanied his first cousin, Hancock Lee, on a surveying trip into Kentucky in the spring of 1774. During that trip Taylor was killed by Indians (Va. Gaz., P&D, 15 Sept. 1774). Mordecai Redd, of Frederick County, later bought a piece of land in Frederick County from the estate of George Carter, for which GW was a trustee (see main entry for 10 Mar. 1769).


Title: [Diary entry: 2 February 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

2. Still warm and thawing with little or no Wind. Ice upon the River beginning to Break & move about.


Title: [Diary entry: 4 February 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

4. Clear, but rather cold, wind Westerly & pretty fresh. Ground froze in the Morng. but thawing afterwards.


Title: [Diary entry: 5 February 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

5. Cloudy & a good deal like Snow with little or no wind.


Title: [Diary entry: 6 February 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

6. Clear with the Wind pretty fresh from the No. West in the Forenoon, but calm, & not cold afterwards.


Title: [Diary entry: 7 February 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

7. Pleasant Morning, being clear and Calm. Afterwds. windy from the westward, & Cold with appearances of Snow.


Title: [Diary entry: 8 February 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

8. Clear Calm & pleasant again in the Morning. Wind Southerly afterwards and tolerably fresh. Afternoon a little Muddy.


Title: [Diary entry: 9 February 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

9th. Wind shifting to the No. West it turnd very cold & freez’d exceeding hard before Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 10 February 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

 10. Not so Cold as yesterday. Wind getting more westerly.


Title: [Diary entry: 12 February 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

12. Last Night fell a good deal of Rain. Forenoon Cloudy and afternoon Raining Wind being Easterly.


Title: [Diary entry: 13 February 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

13. The forenoon of this day Cloudy & afternoon Rainy.


Title: [Diary entry: 14 February 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

14. Snow this morning abt. 3 Inches deep & weather very Cold—Wind being at No. Wt.


Title: [Diary entry: 15 February 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

15. Clear & Cold with but little Wind, & Northerly. River quite Shut up again.


Title: [Diary entry: 16 February 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

16. Clear, with but little [wind] & that Inclining to the Southward. Weather moderating.


Title: [Diary entry: 17 February 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

17. Clear and pleasant—but little Wind and that southerly. Ice breaking fast.


Title: [Diary entry: 18 February 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

18. Remarkably fine, with little or no Wind in the Morng. After Noon Raing. Wind at No. Et.


Title: [Diary entry: 19 February 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

19. Pleasant and Warm in the Morning—after much Rain. Afternoon windy from the No. West but not Cold.


Title: [Diary entry: 20 February 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

20. Ground not froze—day clear, calm, & very pleasant.


Title: [Diary entry: 21 February 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

21. Morning lowering, but clear Calm & pleasant afterwards.


Title: [Diary entry: 22 February 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

22. Very white frost, & ground a litle froze—but clear and pleasant with but little Wind.


Title: [Diary entry: 23 February 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

23. Clear calm and exceeding pleasant. Ground little or nothing froze.


Title: [Diary entry: 24 February 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

24. Again exceeding pleasant being Calm & clear without any frost.


Title: [Diary entry: 26 February 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

 26. Clear, with very little Wind, and exceeding pleasant—being warm.


Title: [Diary entry: 27 February 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

27th. Lowering in the Morning but clear afterwards being also warm & pleasant.


Title: Acct. of the Weather in Feby. [1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

Feby. 1st. Tolerably warm, and thawing all day. Wind Southerly.

2. Still warm and thawing with little or no Wind. Ice upon the River beginning to Break & move about.

3. Raining very close and constant all the Morning with the Wind fresh from the So. West. Ice a good deal dispersd. In the Evening clear & Wind at No. West.

4. Clear, but rather cold, wind Westerly & pretty fresh. Ground froze in the Morng. but thawing afterwards.

5. Cloudy & a good deal like Snow with little or no wind.

6. Clear with the Wind pretty fresh from the No. West in the Forenoon, but calm, & not cold afterwards.

7. Pleasant Morning, being clear and Calm. Afterwds. windy from the westward, & Cold with appearances of Snow.

8. Clear Calm & pleasant again in the Morning. Wind Southerly afterwards and tolerably fresh. Afternoon a little Muddy.

9th. Wind shifting to the No. West it turnd very cold & freez’d exceeding hard before Night.

10. Not so Cold as yesterday. Wind getting more westerly.

11. But little Wind, and that for the most part Easterly. Afternoon very lowering.

12. Last Night fell a good deal of Rain. Forenoon Cloudy and afternoon Raining Wind being Easterly.

13. The forenoon of this day Cloudy & afternoon Rainy.

14. Snow this morning abt. 3 Inches deep & weather very Cold—Wind being at No. Wt.

15. Clear & Cold with but little Wind, & Northerly. River quite Shut up again.

16. Clear, with but little [wind] & that Inclining to the Southward. Weather moderating.

17. Clear and pleasant—but little Wind and that southerly. Ice breaking fast.

18. Remarkably fine, with little or no Wind in the Morng. After Noon Raing. Wind at No. Et.

19. Pleasant and Warm in the Morning—after much Rain. Afternoon windy from the No. West but not Cold.

20. Ground not froze—day clear, calm, & very pleasant.

21. Morning lowering, but clear Calm & pleasant afterwards.

22. Very white frost, & ground a litle froze—but clear and pleasant with but little Wind.

23. Clear calm and exceeding pleasant. Ground little or nothing froze.

24. Again exceeding pleasant being Calm & clear without any frost.

25. Very pleasant, but somewhat Cooler, ground froze & Wind at No. West but neither hard nor Cold.

26. Clear, with very little Wind, and exceeding pleasant—being warm.

27th. Lowering in the Morning but clear afterwards being also warm & pleasant.

28. Clear, Wind blowing pretty fresh from the No. West and turning some what cooler—but not Cold.


Title: [Diary entry: 1 March 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

March 1. Mr. & Mrs. Calvert & Miss Calvert with Mr. Custis & his Wife & Mr. George Digges came to Dinner.


Title: [Diary entry: 2 March 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

2. Walkd with Mr. Calvert &ca. to my Mill & Back. Mr. Muir, Mr. Piper, & Mr. Adams came to Dinner & stayd all Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 3 March 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

3. Miss Carlyle, Miss Ramsay, Mr. Dulany Doctr. Rumney, & Messrs. Herbert, Brown, Fitzgerald, Harrison Campbell and Alexr. Steward came to Dinner & Stayd all Night—as did Vale. Crawford. Piper Adam & Muir went away after Dinner.


Title: [Diary entry: 5 March 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

5. Mr. Dulany & Doctr. Rumney went away after Dinner.


Title: [Diary entry: 6 March 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

6. The rest of the Company remaining.


Title: [Diary entry: 7 March 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

7. Mr. Calvert, Lady, & daughter with Mr. Geo. Digges went away after breakfast.


Title: [Diary entry: 8 March 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

8. I set of for Berkley &ca. & to Meet Mr. James Mercer at Bull run, on a div[isio]n of that Land between him and his Brothers. Dined at Moss’s & lodgd at Leesburg.

GW was a court-appointed trustee for James Mercer’s brother George, who was in England.


Title: [Diary entry: 9 March 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

9. Dined at Snickers’s & lodgd at Fairfield.


Title: [Diary entry: 10 March 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

10. Went by my Tenants on Bullskin to my Brothers at Harewood.


Title: [Diary entry: 11 March 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

11. At Harewood all day.


Title: [Diary entry: 12 March 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

12. Returnd by my Tenants on Bullskin to Fairfield.


Title: [Diary entry: 13 March 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

13. At Fairfield all day with others.


Title: [Diary entry: 14 March 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

14. Set of for my Tenants in Fauquier, and lodged at one Lewis Lemarts a Tenants.


Title: [Diary entry: 15 March 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

15. At Lewis Lemarts till the Afternoon with my Tenants & making Leases. Rid to Cap. Ashby’s in the Afternoon.


Title: [Diary entry: 16 March 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

16. Viewed my Land on Chattins Run & Goose Creek, & came to Mr. Thos. Wests to Dinner to meet Mr. Mercer.


Title: [Diary entry: 18 March 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

 18. On the same business again. Returnd to Mr. Wests at Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 19 March 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

19. At Wests (my Horses being lost) till One Oclock then (after they were found) rid down to Mr. Edd. Paynes & lodgd there.


Title: [Diary entry: 20 March 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

20. Got home to Breakfast.


Title: [Diary entry: 21 March 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

21. At home all day. Alone.


Title: [Diary entry: 23 March 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

23. At home all day. Doctr. Rumney came to Dinner.


Title: [Diary entry: 25 March 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

25. At home all day. Doctr. Rumney went away after Dinner.


Title: [Diary entry: 27 March 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

27. Went to Pohick Church and returnd to Dinner.


Title: [Diary entry: 28 March 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

28. Doctr. Craik went away after Breakfast. I went up to Alexandria to the Sale of the Anne & Elizabeth which I bought myself at the price of £175. Returnd home in the Afternoon.


Title: [Diary entry: 29 March 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

29th. At home all day alone.


Title: [Diary entry: 31 March 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

31. Mr. George Johnston dind here. I rid as [far as] the Gumsp[rin]g with my People and Vale. Crawford who were moving to the Ohio.


Title: [Diary entry: 1 March 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

March 1. Rather raw & Cold in the forenoon—pleasant afterwards and clear.


Title: [Diary entry: 2 March 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

 2. Warm in the forepart of the day with Rain and the Wind at So. West. Afterwards Cooler.


Title: [Diary entry: 3 March 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

3. Clear with the Wind at No. West but neither Cold nor hard.


Title: [Diary entry: 4 March 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

4. Pleasant & Clear in the forenoon with the Wind Southerly. Afternoon lowering.


Title: [Diary entry: 5 March 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

5. Raining constantly all day with the Wind pretty fresh from the No. East.


Title: [Diary entry: 6 March 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

6. Drizling, & Cloudy all the forenoon. Afternoon clear & pleasant.


Title: [Diary entry: 7 March 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

7. Clear, wind very hard, and tolerably cold from the No. West all day.


Title: [Diary entry: 8 March 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

8. Very pleasant in the forenoon with but little wind. Afternoon lowering & wind at N. E.


Title: [Diary entry: 9 March 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

9. Rain last Night. Wind high & Cool from the No. West all day but moderating towards Night.


Title: [Diary entry: 10 March 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

10. Wind abt. So. West & tolerably fresh, but pleasant notwithstanding being also clear.


Title: [Diary entry: 11 March 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

11. Very pleasant & Warm with but little wind & that Southerly.


Title: [Diary entry: 12 March 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

12th. Wind fresh & Cool from the No. West in the Morning. Shifting to the No. Et. in the Afternoon & raw.


Title: [Diary entry: 13 March 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

13. Clear and pleasant with but little Wind.


Title: [Diary entry: 14 March 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

14. Lowering Morning & Rainy Afternoon. Slow Rain.


Title: [Diary entry: 15 March 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

15. Pretty cool in the Morning but moderate & pleasant afterwards.


Title: [Diary entry: 18 March 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

 18. Misting and very much like Rain all day but none fell. Wind at No. Et.


Title: [Diary entry: 19 March 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

19. Snowing in the forenoon with a Mixture of Rain and Misting afterwards. Wind No. Et.


Title: [Diary entry: 22 March 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

22. Clear—Wind pretty fresh from the Westward and Cool.


Title: [Diary entry: 23 March 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

23. Clear Wind still pretty fresh from the Westward & Cool.


Title: [Diary entry: 24 March 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

24. Pretty smart frost—ground being hard.


Title: [Diary entry: 27 March 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

27. Forenoon a good deal like Rain, but none fell. Afterwards clear. Wind Southerly and rather Raw.


Title: [Diary entry: 28 March 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

28. Clear and Warm. Wind still Southerly, & fresh.


Title: [Diary entry: 30 March 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

30. Moderate Rain, from Morning till Evening. Wind Northerly. Evening clear.


Title: [Diary entry: 31 March 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

31. Clear and Cool Wind being at No. West but not very hard.


Title: Acct. of the Weather, in Mar. [1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

March 1. Rather raw & Cold in the forenoon—pleasant afterwards and clear.

2. Warm in the forepart of the day with Rain and the Wind at So. West. Afterwards Cooler.

3. Clear with the Wind at No. West but neither Cold nor hard.

4. Pleasant & Clear in the forenoon with the Wind Southerly. Afternoon lowering.

5. Raining constantly all day with the Wind pretty fresh from the No. East.

6. Drizling, & Cloudy all the forenoon. Afternoon clear & pleasant.

7. Clear, wind very hard, and tolerably cold from the No. West all day.

8. Very pleasant in the forenoon with but little wind. Afternoon lowering & wind at N. E.

9. Rain last Night. Wind high & Cool from the No. West all day but moderating towards Night.

10. Wind abt. So. West & tolerably fresh, but pleasant notwithstanding being also clear.

11. Very pleasant & Warm with but little wind & that Southerly.

12th. Wind fresh & Cool from the No. West in the Morning. Shifting to the No. Et. in the Afternoon & raw.

13. Clear and pleasant with but little Wind.

14. Lowering Morning & Rainy Afternoon. Slow Rain.

15. Pretty cool in the Morning but moderate & pleasant afterwards.

16. Clear in the forenoon & warm all day with but little Wind. Afternoon lowering.

17. Clear in the forenoon, but cloudy & lowering afterwards with a good deal of Rain in the Night.

18. Misting and very much like Rain all day but none fell. Wind at No. Et.

19. Snowing in the forenoon with a Mixture of Rain and Misting afterwards. Wind No. Et.

20. Misting, and Raining, more or less all day. Wind in the same Quarter.

21. Misting with Rain in the forenoon. Clouds dispersg. afterwards—Wind west[erl]y.

22. Clear—Wind pretty fresh from the Westward and Cool.

23. Clear Wind still pretty fresh from the Westward & Cool.

24. Pretty smart frost—ground being hard.

25. Lowering but no Rain, Wind Southerly.

26. Wind at No. West and fresh also Cool.

27. Forenoon a good deal like Rain, but none fell. Afterwards clear. Wind Southerly and rather Raw.

28. Clear and Warm. Wind still Southerly, & fresh.

29. Clear. Wind Southerly.

30. Moderate Rain, from Morning till Evening. Wind Northerly. Evening clear.

31. Clear and Cool Wind being at No. West but not very hard.


Title: [Diary entry: 1 April 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

April 1st. At home all day. Price Posey dined here.


Title: [Diary entry: 4 April 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

4. The above Gentlemen went away early in the morning & Mrs. Washington and myself went & dined at Mr. Digges’s with Mr. & Mrs. Custis on their way to Mr. Calverts.


Title: [Diary entry: 6 April 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

6. At home all day.


Title: [Diary entry: 7 April 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

7. At home all day. Captn. Posey went away after Dinner as Mrs. Barnes also did to her own habitation.


Title: [Diary entry: 11 April 1774]
From: Washington, George
To:

11. At home all day. Mr. Milner & a Mr. Marle dined here.