Title: [Diary entry: 23 May 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Wednesday 23d. No more States being represented I rid to Genl. Mifflins to breakfast—after which in Company with him Mr. Madison, Mr. Rutledge and others I crossed the Schuylkill above the Falls. Visited Mr. Peters—Mr. Penns Seat, and Mr. Wm. Hamiltons. Dined at Mr. Chews—with the Wedding guests (Colo. Howard of Baltimore having married his daughter Peggy). Drank Tea there in a very large Circle of Ladies.


Title: [Diary entry: 24 May 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

 Thursday 24th. No more States represented. Dined and drank Tea at Mr. John Ross’s. One of my Postilion boys (Paris) being sick, requested Doctr. Jones to attend him.


Title: [Diary entry: 25 May 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Friday 25th. Another Delegate coming in from the State of New Jersey gave it a representation and encreased the number to Seven which forming a quoram of the 13 the Members present resolved to organize the body; when, by a unanimous vote I was called up to the Chair as President of the body. Majr. William Jackson was appointed Secretary and a Comee. was chosen consisting of 3 Members to prepare rules & regulations for conducting the business and after [ap]pointing door keepers the Convention adjourned till Monday, to give time to the Comee. to report the matters referred to them. Returned many visits to day. Dined at Mr. Thos. Willings and sp[en]t the evening at my lodgings.


Title: [Diary entry: 27 May 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Sunday 27th. Went to the Romish Church—to high Mass. Dined, drank Tea, and spent the evening at my lodgings.


Title: [Diary entry: 29 May 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Tuesday 29th. Attended Convention and dined at home—after wch. accompanied Mrs. Morris to the benifit Concert of a Mr. Juhan.


Title: [Diary entry: 30 May 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Wednesday 30th. Attended Convention. Dined with Mr. Vaughan. Drank Tea, and spent the evening at a Wednesday evenings party at Mr. & Mrs. Lawrence’s.


Title: [Diary entry: 31 May 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

[Thursday 31st.] The State of Georgia came on the Floor of the Convention to day which made a representation of ten States. Dined at Mr. Francis’s and drank Tea with Mrs. Meredith.


Title: [May 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Tuesday—May first. Mercury at  in the Morng.— at Noon and  at Night.
Wind Southerly with appearances in the forenoon of rain but the Wind shifting to the No. Wt. it cleared.
Notwithstanding my fatiegue I rid to all the Plantations to day. The Ditchers in the Neck had compleated about 500 yards of the 5 feet ditch—or in other words about 2 rods each pr. day.
The Drill plow would about finish the 2d. cut of No. 3 by Noon. The Barley by the Barn is either not all come up, or was irregularly sown. The clover among it is up in places thick. The first planted Corn is coming up & destroyed by the Birds as fast as it appears. Harrowing in Timothy Seed on the middle cut of Rye. This must have been much too long delayed as the Rye was almost on the point of putting forth its ear—but being thin did not appear to be much, if any injured by the harrowing and trampling.
At Muddy hole, the Plows and hands employed as yesterday. No appearance of the first planted Corn at this place coming up.
At Dogue run Parsnips all but the two last rows of them, west of the road leading from the gate to the Houses were sown in the same manner, and with the same preparation of the grd. as the Carrots had been. In other respects all things were going on as yesterday.
At French’s—the same as yesterday; except that a harrow was crossing the plowing in No. 2.

Wednesday 2d. Mercury at  in the Morning— at Noon and  at Night.
Cooler than yesterday, and clear Wind being at No. West.
Rid to the Fishing landing where few fish were caught and to the Ferry, French’s & Dogue run Plantations—also to the Carpenters.
At the Ferry, the Work going on as yesterday except that the drill plow having finished the No. end (beyond a sml. branch) was stopped till the harrow could make head before it. In the meanwhile the Plow man went to crossing in the other part of the field which was intended for Corn in the common way, 5 feet, a Plow was listing in Stony field part of No. 1—Women &ca. working in the New grd.

At French’s, the same work going on as yesterday.
At Dogue run the same. The drill plow about Noon had got on the East side of the road leading up to the Houses.
The Oats every where in strong and moist land seem to thrive; but appear at a std. elsewhere. The Barley at French’s look well. And the Cape wheat at Dogue run is forwarder than the common Wheat; but not more branched—perhaps less so, and of a paler green. It was, as has been observed before, more eaten by the Sheep and other Stock that had been fed upon the field than any of the other—whether owing to any peculiar taste or to its being generally forwarder cannot be determined with precision.
A Mr. Wilson of Elizabh. Town, in the State of New Jersey called here to know on wht. terms I would dispose of my tract of Land in Fayette & Washington Counties. These I gave him agreeably to what I had mentioned in my letter to Colo. Jno. Cannon.
At Fredericksburgh, I was informed by Mr. Chs. Yates, a Gentleman on whose veracity entire confidence may be placed, that he has tried the experiment of raising Irish Potatoes by laying them on unbroken, hard, or grassy ground & covering them with straw and found them to succeed admirably. The following he gave as an instance—viz.—an irregular piece of ground 28 of his Steps one way which he computed might be abt. 23 yards—18 wide at one end, and 8 or 10 at the other, reduced in the same proportion will not exceed 255 sqr. yards. These he says produced 36 bushls. of fine large well tasted Potatoes, and 12 bushl. of Seed Potatoes. In this proportion an Acre would yield 900 Bushels but as Mr. Yates said that he computed at the time upon 700 bushls. it is probable there may be some mistake as to measurement of the ground or Roots. The way he managed was this—In April he laid the Seed Potatoes (after cutting them in the usual manner) on the ground (no matter what sort of land he thinks) in rows 2 feet a sunder, and the cuttings 8 or 9 inches apart in the rows. The whole of this Space was then covered 6 inches thick with straw. When the Potatoe vines had risen 6 Inches through this bed of straw another layer of equal thickness—that is 6 inches—was spread between the rows and close up to the Stems—after which nothing more was done with them. The Land on which these Potatoes grew was perfectly cleansed of weeds &ca. when the Potatoes and Straw were taken of and ameliorated.
Mr. Yates also mentioned another matter worthy of attention, respecting Potatoes; which was discovered accidentally—viz.—that some in a Corn field which had remained over (being left when the rest were dug, or unattended to) being covered with Corn

stalks in the usual manner when they are cut down and thrown into heaps grew (the tops) through the stalks and yielded abundantly of very fine Potatoes. Query whether this covering, laid on thicker will not do instead of Straw.
It seems to be agreed by the farmers about Fredericksburgh that 6 bushels of Clover in the pug, or chaff is equal to 16 lbs. of clean Seed and that either is sufficient for an Acre. Colo. Carter sows 2 Bushels of Orchard grass (when alone) to an Acre and One peck when unmixed with other Seed, of Timothy. When clover and Orchard grass are sown together he gives 10 lb. of the first and a bushel of the latter.
Sowed the Turnip patch, and last years Cowpens in front of the Mansion house with Oats 11 bushels—Orchard Grass 3 Bushels, and Clover 1 Bushel. The qty. of ground my Farmer thinks is near 4 Acres but I believe this is large guessing. Perhaps there may be about .

   my tract of land in fayette & washington counties: GW advertised for sale his two tracts of land in Pennsylvania: a 2,800–acre tract in Washington County and a 1,650–acre tract, originally in Washington County and subsequently in Fayette County when that county was formed in 1784 (advertisement for sale of lands, 22 Sept. 1786, DLC:GW). In this postrevolutionary period a number of the new settlers in southwestern Pennsylvania were from New Jersey (George McCarmick to GW, 31 Oct. 1786, and Israel Shreve to GW, 7 April 1787, DLC:GW). Col. John Canon was GW’s agent in that area (GW to Canon, 13 April 1787, DLC:GW; and see entry for 18 Sept. 1784, n.3). Charles Yates (1728–1809), the son of Rev. Francis Yates of Whitehaven, Eng., emigrated to Virginia in 1752 and settled in Fredericksburg, where he became a prosperous merchant (Va. Mag., 7 [1899–1900], 91–92). He probably had a plantation in Spotsylvania County, for in 1783 he owned 37 slaves there, and he was interested in agricultural experimentation (GW to Charles Carter, 10 Jan. 1787, DLC:GW; Va. Mag., 4 [1896–97], 297).

Thursday 3d. Mercury at  in the Morning— at Noon and  at Night.
Clear all day, wind at No. Wt. and cold all the forenoon—but little wind and that Southerly afterwards.
Rid to the Fishing landing—and thence to the Ferry, French’s Dogue run, and Muddy hole Plantations with my Nephew G. W. to explain to him the Nature, and the ordr. of the business at each as I would have it carried on during my absence at the Convention in Philadelphia.
At the Ferry the same work going on as yesterday.
Likewise at French the same.
The Same also at Dogue Run.

And at Muddy hole nothing differing from yesterday. At the latter the Corn ground will go near to be. broke up this day.

Friday 4th. Mercury at  in the Morning— at Noon and  at Night.
Morning clear and cool, tho the Wind was Southerly; and in the afternoon fresh with appearances of rain.
Rid into the Neck to explain to G.W. the business to be done there, and mode of conducting it.
At this place the Post and rail fence around field No. 9 would be closed, and entirely compleated (except the ditch) by Noon. Harrowing, drilling, and listing in field No. 3 going on as usual. The first planted Corn in this field appears to have been much destroyed by the birds and the first planting of all not to have come up. Finished planting in field No. 9, the So. Wt. cut and began the middle cut with the Corn from Nomeny.
At Muddy hole finished breaking up the Corn ground, ordered the two plows from French’s home; and the plows of the Plantation to cross plow the 9th. square allotted for experiments (to be previously dunged as the others had been) in order to receive the bunch homeny bean, the common homeny bean, and the common black eyed Pease.
At Dogue run, the Harrow, drill, and other plows were working as yesterday. Finished Hooing the Tobacco grd. which had been inclosed by French’s for Corn. And sowed 9 gallons of Clover Seed on the Barley in the Island in the Great Meadow and ordered it to be rolled in.
At French’s the Harrow at work as usual—the two Plows from Muddy hole would return home to their work after dinner And the Rest of the People were grubbing along the sides of the Meadow, and preparing them for grass.
A Person calling himself Hugh Patton dined here & returned to Alexandria afterwards.

   homeny bean: Phaseolus vulgaris, kidney bean or common garden pole bean. The bush or “bunch” variety is P. vulgaris humilis. “The Hominy-Bean is a sort of kidney-bean, and very productive” (PARKINSONRichard Parkinson. A Tour in America, in 1798, 1799, and 1800. Exhibiting Sketches of Society and Manners, and a Particular Account of the American System of Agriculture, with Its Recent Improvements. 2 vols. London, 1805., 2:341). GW raised both red and white varieties in the climbing and bush forms. Later he tried the lima bean, P. limensis, sending a packet to William Pearce 27 April 1794, with instructions that they were to be planted the first of May (NBLiHi). He also tried Vicia faba, broad or Windsor bean, which both he and Jefferson called the horse bean. Jefferson wrote John Taylor, 29 Dec. 1794, “The President has tried it without success” (BETTS [2]Edwin Morris Betts, ed. Thomas Jefferson’s Garden Book, 1766–1824: With Relevant Extracts from His Other Writings. Philadelphia, 1944., 221). It failed for Jefferson, too, perhaps because it was not suited to the hot Virginia summers.

   A Hugh Patton (d. 1790) was a merchant in Richmond after the Revolution (Va. Mag., 13 [1905–6], 427).

Saturday 5th. Mercury at  in the Morning— at Noon and  at Night.
A few drops of rain fell in the Night—the Morning cloudy and the Wind brisk from the Southward. A good shower abt. 10.
Rid to the Fishing landing, Ferry, French’s and D. run Plantations.
At the first Plantation One Plow was listing in the Stoney field, another crossing in the flat, and the harrow preparing for the drill plow. The Women preparing, & hoeing the New grd. in front of the House;
At Frenchs two Plows were set to plowing alongside the Meadow, where the roots and Grubs had been taken out in order to prepare it for grass seeds but making bad work my farmer thought the grd. cd. not be made fit to receive them this Spring. One harrow was harrowing as usual And the rest of the People grubbing. The clover seemed to be coming up pretty thick in places among the flax. The flax & Barley seemed to grow pretty well.
At Dogue-run, one Plow was crossing in the last years Tobo. grd. for Corn. In the laps of the fence Inclosg. it 139 pumpkin hills were Planted. Drilling corn, & listing going on as usual there.
At Muddy hole, the Plows began to break up the ground which was in drill Corn last year for Turnips, Pease, Potatoes &ca. Finished Plantg. their parts of the New ground in front of the home house with Corn—in every other 4th. row of which and 10th. hill two Pumpkin seeds were planted through the whole ground.
Ordered this to be done on the other side by the Ferry People.
Mr. Bull—A Delegate in Congress from South Carolina on his return to that came here to dinner and stayed all Night.

   John Bull (c.1740–1802) was returning home, his third (and last) one-year term having expired on 21 Feb. 1787 (SALLEY [1]A. S. Salley, Jr. Delegates to the Continental Congress from South Carolina, 1774–1789, With Sketches of the Four Who Signed the Declaration of Independence. Columbia, S.C., 1927., 34–35; JCCWorthington Chauncey Ford et al., eds. Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789. 34 vols. Washington, D.C., 1904–37., 30:410).

Sunday 6th. Mercury at  in the Morng.— at Noon and  at Night.
Wind Southerly, lowering at times till about 12 Oclock when it began to rain and continued to do so slowly for an hour but not so as wet more than a thin Surface of the Earth.
Colo. Fitzgerald, Doctr. Stuart and Doctr. Craik came here to dinner and returned afterwards.

Monday 7th. Mercury at  in the Morng.— at Noon and  at Night.
Clear, with the wind pretty fresh at No. Wt. all day but not cold.

At home preparing for my journey to Philadelphia.
In the Afternoon Cols. Simms and Darke came in, the first expecting to meet the Governr. here, the other on business of the Potomack Compy. Both returned in the Evening.

   the governr.: Edmund Randolph had been elected governor of Virginia in Nov. 1786.

Tuesday. 8th. Mercury at  in the Morning— at Noon and  at Night.
The Weather being squally with Showers I defer’d setting off till the Morning. Mr. Chas. Lee came in to dinner but left it afterwards.

   Following his entry for 8 May 1787 GW set off for Philadelphia to attend the Constitutional Convention scheduled to convene on 14 May. He soon realized, however, that his current Mount Vernon diary (which he had numbered volume eight [Regents’ No. 33]) had, he wrote George Augustine Washington, “by mistake” been “left behind” (27 May 1787, CSmH). Before arriving in Philadelphia GW bought another blank leaf booklet, probably in Baltimore, and began another journal (Regents’ No. 34) with an initial entry for Friday, 11 May 1787, the day he left Baltimore on his journey to Philadelphia. The first part of this Philadelphia journal covers the period of the Constitutional Convention and ends with GW’s return to Mount Vernon on 22 Sept. He apparently intended at first to transfer his Philadelphia journal entries into the diary he had left at Mount Vernon but decided instead to make the 23 Sept. entry in his Philadelphia volume, and he continued to make his Mount Vernon entries in the Philadelphia volume until the last blank page was filled with his entry of 15 Nov. At this point GW returned to volume eight of his Mount Vernon diary (Regents’ No. 33) where, following his entry for 8 May, he proceeded to copy (and expand) all of his entries from his Philadelphia journal through 22 Sept., the date he had returned to Mount Vernon. GW turned next to abstracting the farm reports that George Augustine Washington had sent to him during his absence in Philadelphia but quickly realized that such elaborate recopying of other records would be a waste of time and effort, as he explains in the diary. He then went on to transfer into volume eight of the Mount Vernon diaries the remainder of his daily entries from his Philadelphia journal (i.e., his Mount Vernon entries beginning with his entry of 23 Sept.). When this volume was full he was only through 27 Oct. 1787. He then began a new volume (nine [Regents’ No. 35]), completing his transfer into that volume seriatim through the last entry in his Philadelphia journal, that of 15 Nov. 1787.

   Now well into his ninth volume of postwar Mount Vernon diaries, GW resumed making his original entries with that for 16 Nov. 1787, in which he noted: “remained within doors all day.” It may have been on this rainy day that he did his copying from his Philadelphia journal into the eighth and ninth volumes of his Mount Vernon diaries. This date seems particularly likely because when he copied his entry of 15 Nov. from the Philadelphia journal he added the information that Mr. O’Kelly and George Steptoe Washington had appeared at Mount Vernon on the fifteenth. The remainder of

his 1787 diary appears in the ninth manuscript volume of the postwar Mount Vernon diaries. It should be noted here that when GW copied in his daily entries from his Philadelphia journal to volumes eight and nine of his Mount Vernon diaries he added temperature readings taken each day at Mount Vernon, presumably from his nephew’s farm reports. After the Philadelphia volume was copied, it was probably stored away and seldom referred to, for it is in much better condition than the regular Mount Vernon diaries to which GW often turned to check previous weather and crop entries.

   GW’s second and more complete (revised) version of his entries from 9 May through 15 Nov. (found in Regents’ Nos. 33 and 35) is used as the text in this edition of the diaries. Although the information contained in the two versions does not differ greatly, there is considerable variation in length, wording, and tone. The original version of the entries from 9 May through 15 Nov. (Regents’ No. 34) is therefore printed in reduced type in this volume immediately following the diaries for 1787.

A concise acct. of my Journey to Philadelphia, and the manner of spending my time there, and places where, will now follow—after whih. I shall return to the detail of Plantation occurrances as they respect my Crops & intended experiments agreeably to the reports which have been made to me by my Nephew Geo: Auge. Washington in my absence.

Wednesday 9th. Crossed from Mt. Vernon to Mr. Digges a little after Sun rise & pursuing the rout by the way of Baltimore—dined at Mr. Richd. Hendersons in Bladensbg. and lodged at Majr. Snowdens where feeling very severely a violent hd. ach & sick stomach I went to bed early.

   Thomas Snowden (1751–1803) lived at Montpelier about 20 miles south of Baltimore in Prince George’s County (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., 439; W.P.A. [2]W.P.A. Writers’ Project. Maryland: A Guide to the Old Line State. American Guide Series. New York, 1940., 310; and see RICEHoward C. Rice, Jr., and Anne S. K. Brown, eds. The American Campaigns of Rochambeau’s Army, 1780, 1781, 1782, 1783. 2 vols. Princeton, N.J., 1972., 2: pl. 127).

Thursday 10th. Very great appearances of rain in the morning, & a little falling, induced me, tho’ well recovered, to wait till abt. 8 Oclock before I set off. At one Oclock I arrived at Baltimore. Dined at the Fountain, & Supped & lodged at Doctr. McHenrys. Slow rain in the Evening.

   The Fountain Inn, which GW had visited several times before, was now in its new location on Light Lane (Md. Journal, 3 Dec. 1782). The inn was probably copied after the old George Inn at Southwark, Eng., with balconies surrounding an open courtyard, and was considered one of the outstanding public houses in the United States. Daniel Grant, the builder and first proprietor, advertised the business for sale in 1795, and the description in the advertisement reveals something of the size and appearance of the house. “The House is 100 feet front, and 44 deep, and laid out in the following manner, viz. Excellent Cellars, floored and properly divided, under the whole House, six Parlours, or Rooms of different sizes, for company to meet in.

Twenty-four Bed-Rooms, eight Garrets for servants, three kitchens with Garrets over them, a Laundry, Spring-House, and Larder, Ice-House, and Barber’s Shop, four Brick Stables containing 84 Stalls. . . . The principal part of the inside work of the House, is finished with Mahogany” (ANDREWSMatthew Page Andrews. The Fountain Inn Diary. New York, 1948., 17, 44, 62–63, 67).

   James McHenry (1753–1816) immigrated in 1771 from Ireland to Philadelphia, where he studied medicine with Benjamin Rush. During the Revolutionary War he was an aide to GW and later to Lafayette. After the war he settled in Baltimore and served several years as a Maryland delegate to the Continental Congress, and was chosen one of the five Maryland delegates to the Constitutional Convention. McHenry had a town house at the corner of Baltimore and Fremont streets and a country estate, Fayetteville, near the city.

Friday 11th. Set off before breakfast. Rid 12 miles to Skirretts for it. Baited there and proceeded without halting (weather threatning) to the Ferry at Havre de gras where I dined but could not cross the wind being turbulent & squally. Lodged here.

   skirretts: Skerrett’s tavern, at the head of the Bird River in Baltimore County, went through many changes of owners and names. It was probably the “Cheyns’s” tavern GW recorded having breakfast at on 7 May 1775.

Saturday. 12th. With difficulty (on acct. of the Wind) crossed the Susquehanna. Breakfasted at the Ferry house, on the East side—Dined at the head of Elk (Hollingsworths Tavern) and lodged

at Wilmingtons at O’Flins. At the head of Elk I was overtaken by Mr. Francis Corbin who took a seat in my Carriage.

   Hollingsworth’s tavern, at Head of Elk on Elk Creek, Cecil County, Md., is shown in COLLESChristopher Colles. A Survey of the Roads of the United States of America, 1789. Edited by Walter W. Ristow. Cambridge, Mass., 1961., 172.

   o’flins: Patrick O’Flynn (1748–1818), an immigrant from Ireland, was a Delaware militia captain in the Revolution. He settled in Wilmington, where he opened a tavern, Sign of the Ship. Located on Third and Market streets, it was a popular tavern for ceremonial dinners, including occasional meetings of the Delaware Society of the Cincinnati (O’BRIENMichael J. O’Brien. George Washington’s Associations with the Irish. New York, 1937., 48–51).

   Francis Corbin was apparently on a trip to Philadelphia. When, in late June, a vacancy occurred in the Virginia delegation, Corbin, who was a member of the Virginia legislature and already in Philadelphia, was recommended to fill that vacancy. No appointment, however, was made (George Mason to Beverley Randolph, 30 June 1787, MASON [2]Robert A. Rutland, ed. The Papers of George Mason, 1725–1792. 3 vols. Chapel Hill, N.C., 1970., 3:918).

Sunday. 13th. About 8 Oclock Mr. Corbin and myself set out, and dined at Chester (Mrs. Withy’s) where I was met by the Genls. Mifflin (now Speaker of the Pennsylvania Assembly) Knox and Varnum—The Colonels Humphreys and Minges and Majors Jackson and Nicholas—With whom I proceeded to Philada. At Grays Ferry the City light horse commanded by Colo. Miles met me, and escorted me in by the Artillery Officers who stood arranged & saluted me as I passed. Alighted through a crowd at Mrs. Houses—but being again warmly and kindly pressed by Mr. & Mrs. Rob. Morris to lodge with them I did so and had my baggage removed thither.
Waited on the President, Doctr. Franklin as soon as I got to Town. On my arrival, the Bells were chimed.

   The inn of Mary Withy (Withey), located on the northeast corner of Market and Fifth streets in Chester, was well known for the quality of its food (CHASTELLUXMarquis de Chastellux. Travels in North America in the Years 1780, 1781 and 1782. Translated and edited by Howard C. Rice, Jr. 2 vols. Chapel Hill, N.C., 1963., 1:315).

   Thomas Mifflin (1744–1800), who began service in the Revolution as GW’s first aide-de-camp and later resigned as quartermaster general under a cloud, was now a Pennsylvania delegate to the convention. From 1790 to 1799 he was governor of Pennsylvania.

   James Mitchell Varnum (1748–1789), of Rhode Island, served as a brigadier general in the Continental Army and was with GW at Valley Forge. After the Revolution he became a founder of the Society of the Cincinnati, now holding a general meeting in Philadelphia, and was, in 1787, a member of the Continental Congress for Rhode Island.

   minges: Col. Francis Mentges (d. 1805), born in France, was a dancing teacher in Philadelphia before the Revolution. He joined the Pennsylvania line in 1776 and was with GW at Valley Forge. In 1781, following the victory at Yorktown, he supervised military hospital services in Virginia and resigned from the army in 1783. He was an active member of the Cincinnati and at this time was inspector general of the Pennsylvania militia (Pa. Mag., 45 [1921], 385).

   Maj. William Jackson (1759–1828), born in England and raised in South Carolina, served in the Revolution in the southern theater. After returning from a mission to Europe in 1781 he was appointed assistant secretary at war and subsequently settled in Philadelphia, where he studied law and became an active member of the Society of the Cincinnati (Pa. Mag., 2 [1878], 353–69). nicholas: Maj. Francis Nichols (d. 1812), of Pottsgrove, Pa., participated in the seige of Quebec (1775) and retired from the Continental Army as a major in the 9th Pennsylvania Regiment. He was later appointed United States marshal for the eastern district of Pennsylvania (Pa. Mag., 20 [1896], 504; Nichols to GW, 21 Aug. 1789, DLC:GW).

   grays ferry: The Lower Ferry over the Schuylkill took its name from George Gray, who ran it in the 1740s. A floating bridge, built at the Middle Ferry by the British during their occupation of Philadelphia (1777–78) was, upon their evacuation in 1778, moved by the Americans downstream to Gray’s ferry, where it remained until swept away by a flood in 1789. The bridge was crossed by GW in his march to Yorktown in 1781 and in his trip to be sworn in as president of the United States in April 1789 (SCHARF [1]J. Thomas Scharf and Thompson Westcott. History of Philadelphia. 1609–1884. 3 vols. Philadelphia, 1884., 1:454, 3:2141, 2143; SNYDERMartin P. Snyder. City of Independence: Views of Philadelphia before 1800. New York, 1975., 152).

   Col. Samuel Miles (1739–1805), of Montgomery County, Pa., who had served in the Braddock expedition, was commissioned colonel of the state’s rifle regiment in 1776 and later served as auditor, quartermaster, and brigadier general of state forces. In 1790 he was elected mayor of Philadelphia. From 1786 to 1788 he was captain of the First City Troop of Light Horse, founded in 1774 as a gentlemen’s arm of the local militia which participated in public ceremonies (Pa. Mag., 46 [1922], 72–73).

   Mrs. Mary House’s boardinghouse, on the southwest corner of Fifth and Market streets, was just a few doors down Market Street from the Morris house. Within the week George Read, a delegate from Delaware, found that “Mrs. House’s, where I am, is very crowded” (FARRANDMax Farrand, ed. The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787. Rev. ed. 4 vols. New Haven, 1966., 3:25). Benjamin Franklin was at this time president of the Supreme Council of Pennsylvania. bells were chimed: The Pennsylvania Packet, 14 May 1787, reported the next day that “His Excellency General Washington, a member of the grand convention, arrived here. He was met at some distance and escorted into the city by the troop of horse, and saluted at his entrance by the artillery. The joy of the people on the coming of this great and good man was shewn by their acclamations and the ringing of bells.”

Monday 14th. This being the day appointed for the Convention to meet, such Members as were in town assembled at the State Ho[use]; but only two States being represented—viz.—Virginia & Pensylvania—agreed to attend at the same place at 11 ’Oclock to morrow.
Dined in a family way at Mr. Morris’s.

Tuesday 15th. Repaired, at the hour appointed to the State Ho[use], but no more States being represented than were yesterday (tho’ several more members had come in) we agreed to meet again to morrow. Govr. Randolph from Virginia came in to day.

Dined with the Members, to the Genl. Meeting of the Society of the Cincinnati.

   Edmund Randolph, in his capacity as governor of Virginia, was the head of the Virginia delegation. Randolph was active in the convention but disapproved of some of the provisions of the Constitution and refused to sign it. Later, however, he supported its ratification by the state of Virginia. cincinnati: GW was dining with about 20 delegates of various state societies of the Cincinnati, in Philadelphia for the second general meeting of the society. The general meeting reelected GW president.

Wednesday 16th. No more than two States being yet represented, agreed till a quoram of them should be formed to alter the hour of Meeting at the State house to One oclock.
Dined at the President Doctr. Franklins and drank Tea, and spent the evening at Mr. Jno. Penns.

   Benjamin Franklin later commented on this dinner: “We have here at present what the French call une assemblée des notables a convention composed of some of the principal people from the several States of our confederation. They did me the honor of dining with me last Wednesday” (Franklin to Thomas Jordan, 18 May 1787, FARRANDMax Farrand, ed. The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787. Rev. ed. 4 vols. New Haven, 1966., 3:21). Franklin’s dining room seated

24 comfortably, which was about the number of delegates in the city by this date.

   John Penn (1729–1795) of Lansdowne, a grandson of William Penn, was the last proprietary lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania. After 1776 he lived in political retirement, dividing his time between his country estate, Lansdowne, and his town house in Philadelphia.

Thursday 17th. Mr. Rutledge from Charleston and Mr. Chs. Pinkney from Congress having arrived gave a representation to So: Carolina and Colo. Mason getting in this Evening placed all the Delegates from Virginia on the floor of Convention.
Dined at Mr. Powells and drk. Tea there.

   John Rutledge, who had been a war governor of South Carolina, was later appointed a justice of the United States Supreme Court. Charles Pinckney (1757–1824), cousin of Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, was a member of Congress from South Carolina from 1784 until Feb. 1787 and a prime mover for the Constitutional Convention, where he played an active role. Four times elected governor of South Carolina, he subsequently left the Federalists to become a leader of the Republicans in South Carolina.

   The Virginia General Assembly, through a joint ballot of both houses, elected a seven-man delegation (any three providing a minimum for a quorum), which could cast Virginia’s vote in the convention by a majority vote within the delegation. The returns show GW first, followed by Patrick Henry, Edmund Randolph, John Blair, James Madison, George Mason, and George Wythe (FARRANDMax Farrand, ed. The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787. Rev. ed. 4 vols. New Haven, 1966., 3:561). Of the seven originally chosen, GW vacillated for months before accepting (see FREEMANDouglas Southall Freeman. George Washington: A Biography. 7 vols. New York, 1948–57., 6:75–84). Only Patrick Henry declined outright. To Henry’s place Governor Randolph appointed Thomas Nelson, who declined. Randolph then turned to Richard Henry Lee. Lee declined, on account of poor health. Finally on 2 May Randolph appointed Dr. James McClurg (1746–1823), a member of the Virginia Council of State, who was at that time in Philadelphia (FARRANDMax Farrand, ed. The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787. Rev. ed. 4 vols. New Haven, 1966., 3:21, 558, 561). Hence, GW’s notation on 16 May in his Philadelphia journal that “Doctr. McClerg of Virginia came in” probably records McClurg’s first day of attendance at the convention.

   colo. mason: Three days after his arrival, George Mason wrote to his son, George Mason, Jr.: “the Virg[ini]a Deputies (who are all here) meet and confer together two or three Hours, every Day; in order to form a proper Correspondence of Sentiments” (MASON [2]Robert A. Rutland, ed. The Papers of George Mason, 1725–1792. 3 vols. Chapel Hill, N.C., 1970., 3:880).

   Samuel Powel’s house was on the west side of Third Street between Spruce and Walnut streets (GW ATLASLawrence Martin, ed. The George Washington Atlas. Washington, D.C., 1932., pl. 44; BAKER [2]William Spohn Baker. Washington after the Revolution: MDCCLXXXIV - MDCCXCIX. Philadelphia, 1898., 75n).

Friday 18th. The representation from New York appeared on the floor to day.
Dined at Greys ferry, and drank Tea at Mr. Morris’s—after which accompanied Mrs. [Morris] and some other Ladies to hear a Mrs. O’Connell read (a charity affair). The lady being reduced in circumstances had had recourse to this expedient to obtain a little money. Her performe. was tolerable—at the College-Hall.

   greys ferry: The recently opened public gardens on the west bank of the Schuylkill at Gray’s ferry were an innovation in public amusement gardens for Philadelphia. Patterned after the public gardens of London, the Gray’s ferry gardens placed artificial grottoes and waterfalls among beds of flowers and exotic plants, set in several acres of the natural landscape along the Schuylkill River. Here concerts, illuminations, and fireworks were presented, especially on holidays. Refreshments and meals were served at the ferry inn, incorporated into the gardens (SCHARF [1]J. Thomas Scharf and Thompson Westcott. History of Philadelphia. 1609–1884. 3 vols. Philadelphia, 1884., 2:942–44).

   mrs. o’connell: On this day the Pennsylvania Packet reported: “the Lecture which was to have been read by a lady in the University last evening was postponed until tonight, at the particular desire of several ladies and gentlemen of distinction. The Lecture to be read this evening is a continuance of the Dissertation on Eloquence, which commenced in the first course.”

Saturday 19th. No more States represented.
Dined at Mr. Ingersolls. Spent the evening at my lodgings—& retird. to my room soon.

   Jared Ingersoll (1749–1822), originally of Connecticut, became a prominent attorney in Philadelphia. In 1785 his residence was near the northeast corner of Fourth and Market streets, but by 1791, when in his first term as attorney general of Pennsylvania, he had moved to a house on Chestnut Street across from the Pennsylvania State House. An early advocate of a revision of the Articles of Confederation, he became a Pennsylvania delegate to the convention (GW ATLASLawrence Martin, ed. The George Washington Atlas. Washington, D.C., 1932., pl. 44; JACKSON [3]Joseph Jackson. America’s Most Historic Highway, Market Street, Philadelphia. New ed. Philadelphia and New York, 1926., 110).

Sunday 20th. Dined with Mr. & Mrs. Morris and other Company at their farm (called the Hills). Returned in the afternoon & drank Tea at Mr. Powells.

   the hills: While visiting Philadelphia in July 1787 Manasseh Cutler recorded how he rode “out of the city on the western side . . . in view of the Schuylkill, and up the river several miles, and took a view of a number of Country seats, one belonging to Mr. Robert Morris. . . . His country seat . . . is not yet completed but it will be superb. It is planned on a large scale, the gardens and walks are extensive and the villa situated on an eminence has a commanding prospect down the Schuylkill to the Delaware” (Pa. Mag., 12 [1888], 105; and see SNYDERMartin P. Snyder. City of Independence: Views of Philadelphia before 1800. New York, 1975., 140, 188).

Monday 21st. Delaware State was represented.
Dined, and drank Tea at Mr. Binghams in great Splender.

   mr. binghams: William Bingham (1752–1804), scion of an old Pennsylvania family, was born in Philadelphia, graduated from the University of Pennsylvania (1768), and was a British consul in Martinique before the Revolution and an American commercial agent in the West Indies during the Revolution. In 1780 he returned to Philadelphia with a large fortune and married Anne Willing (1764–1801), a daughter of Thomas Willing and renowned as a great beauty and a brilliant hostess. After spending several years in Europe

the Willings returned to Philadelphia to build an elaborate town house on the west side of Third Street above Spruce Street, where they entertained extensively during the 1790s.

Tuesday 22d. The Representation from No. Carolina was compleated which made a representation for five States.
Dined and drank Tea at Mr. Morris’s.

Wednesday 23d. No more States being represented I rid to Genl. Mifflins to breakfast—after which in Company with him Mr. Madison, Mr. Rutledge and others I crossed the Schuylkill above the Falls. Visited Mr. Peters—Mr. Penns Seat, and Mr. Wm. Hamiltons.
Dined at Mr. Chews—with the Wedding guests (Colo. Howard of Baltimore having married his daughter Peggy). Drank Tea there in a very large Circle of Ladies.

   Mifflin’s country seat, overlooking the falls of the Schuylkill, was one of his three homes; the other two were a farm in Berks County and a town house in Philadelphia (ROSSMANKenneth R. Rossman. Thomas Mifflin and the Politics of the American Revolution. Chapel Hill, N.C., 1952., 174; and see SNYDERMartin P. Snyder. City of Independence: Views of Philadelphia before 1800. New York, 1975., 157, 193).

   Richard Peters (1744–1828), secretary of the Board of War (1776–81), was later appointed by GW a judge of the United States District Court for Pennsylvania. His country seat, Belmont, where he carried out large-scale agricultural experimentation, was on the west side of the Schuylkill below the falls (BAKER [2]William Spohn Baker. Washington after the Revolution: MDCCLXXXIV - MDCCXCIX. Philadelphia, 1898., 76n). mr. penns seat: Lansdowne, an Italianate house built c.1773 by lieutenant governor John Penn. Located on the west side of the Schuylkill about halfway between the falls and the Middle Ferry, Lansdowne was later incorporated into Fairmount Park (see SNYDERMartin P. Snyder. City of Independence: Views of Philadelphia before 1800. New York, 1975., 169, 173).

   William Hamilton (1745–1813), a wealthy Philadelphia patron of the arts, was particularly devoted to landscape gardening. Hamilton employed trained gardeners and was responsible for the introduction of many new plants. When Meriwether Lewis sent plant specimens back from the Lewis and Clark expedition (1804–6), some were forwarded to Hamilton by Thomas Jefferson for experimentation. In Mar. 1792 Hamilton shipped a small collection of plants and cuttings to Mount Vernon, including several species which GW had not planted before. Today GW is visiting Hamilton at Bush Hill, located just north of the city. He had inherited the property from his uncle James Hamilton upon the latter’s death in 1783 (see SNYDERMartin P. Snyder. City of Independence: Views of Philadelphia before 1800. New York, 1975., 156, 159).

   Benjamin Chew’s daughter Margaret (Peggy) Chew (1760–1824) married John Eager Howard (1752–1827) on 18 May 1787. Howard had served as an officer of Maryland troops under Nathanael Greene during most of the Revolution, participating in the Jersey campaigns with GW before being reassigned to the southern theater, where he distinguished himself. In 1788 Howard was elected governor of Maryland. This party was probably at the town house of Benjamin Chew, on Third Street between Walnut and Spruce streets. The house, built in the 1770s for William Byrd III of Westover, was later bought by Benjamin Chew, who was proscribed as a Tory during the Revolution. During the winter of 1781–82, GW made the Chew town house his headquarters (see EBERLEINHarold Donaldson Eberlein and Cortlandt Van Dyke Hubbard. “Music in the Early Federal Era.” Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography 69 (1945): 103–27., 103–27; VIRKUSFrederick Adams Virkus, ed. The Compendium of American Genealogy: The Standard Genealogical Encyclopedia of the First Families of America. 7 vols. Chicago, 1925–42., 5:730).

Thursday 24th. No more States represented.
Dined and drank Tea at Mr. John Ross’s.
One of my Postilion boys (Paris) being sick, requested Doctr. Jones to attend him.

   Dr. John Jones (1729–1791), who had studied medicine in Europe, helped organize the medical department of the Continental Army, published several important medical papers, and was an organizer and first vice-president of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia.

Friday 25th. Another Delegate coming in from the State of New Jersey gave it a representation and encreased the number to Seven which forming a quoram of the 13 the Members present resolved to organize the body; when, by a unanimous vote I was called up to the Chair as President of the body. Majr. William Jackson was appointed Secretary and a Comee. was chosen consisting of 3 Members to prepare rules & regulations for conducting the business and after [ap]pointing door keepers the Convention adjourned till Monday, to give time to the Comee. to report the matters referred to them.
Returned many visits to day. Dined at Mr. Thos. Willings and sp[en]t the evening at my lodgings.

   A unanimous vote for GW as president had been generally expected by the delegates. Benjamin Franklin, the only other possible candidate for the honor, had planned to nominate GW, but he was unwell and Robert Morris made the nomination, seconded by John Rutledge. James Madison’s notes described the scene: “General [Washington] was accordingly unanimously elected by ballot, and conducted to the chair by Mr. R. Morris and Mr. Rutlidge; from which in a very emphatic manner he thanked the Convention for the honor they had conferred on him, reminded them of the novelty of the scene of business in which he was to act, lamented his want of [better qualifications], and claimed the indulgence of the House towards the involuntary errors which his inexperience might occasion” (FARRANDMax Farrand, ed. The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787. Rev. ed. 4 vols. New Haven, 1966., 1:3–4).

   William Jackson, who later served as one of GW’s secretaries, was not the only candidate for secretary of the convention. John Beckley, clerk of the Virginia House of Delegates, accompanied Governor Randolph to Philadelphia “in expectation of being appointed clerk” of the convention (James Monroe to Thomas Jefferson, 27 July 1787, JEFFERSON [1]Julian P. Boyd et al., eds. The Papers of Thomas Jefferson. 41 vols. to date. Princeton, N.J., 1950–., 11:631). William Temple Franklin, secretary to his grandfather Benjamin Franklin when he was in Paris, was nominated by the Pennsylvania delegation, but Jackson, who actively solicited GW and other delegates for support, was elected (FARRANDMax Farrand, ed. The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787. Rev. ed. 4 vols. New Haven, 1966., 1:4, 3:18). In Nov. 1795 GW attended Jackson’s wedding to Elizabeth Willing, daughter of Thomas Willing, GW’s dinner host today (Pa. Mag., 2 [1878], 366, 21 [1897], 27).

   Thomas Willing’s three-story town house was on Third Street just below Walnut Street.

Saturday 26th. Returned all my visits this forenoon. Dined with a club at the City Tavern and spent the evening at my quarters writing letters.

   my visits: In 1780 Chastellux remarked that following breakfast, “we went to visit the ladies, according to the Philadelphia custom, where the morning is the most proper hour for paying calls” (CHASTELLUXMarquis de Chastellux. Travels in North America in the Years 1780, 1781 and 1782. Translated and edited by Howard C. Rice, Jr. 2 vols. Chapel Hill, N.C., 1963., 1:135).

   For the City Tavern, see entries for 4 Sept. 1774, 12 May 1775, and 26 July 1786.

Sunday 27th. Went to the Romish Church—to high Mass. Dined, drank Tea, and spent the evening at my lodgings.

   romish church: Of the two Roman Catholic chapels in Philadelphia at this time GW probably attended the larger, St. Mary’s, on Fourth below Spruce Street. The chapel had been extensively renovated in 1782 (SCHARF [1]J. Thomas Scharf and Thompson Westcott. History of Philadelphia. 1609–1884. 3 vols. Philadelphia, 1884., 2:1372).

Monday 28th. Met in Convention at 10 Oclock. Two States more—viz.—Massachusetts, and Connecticut were on the floor to day.
Established Rules—agreeably to the plan brot. in by the Comee. for the governmt. of the Convention & adjourned. No com[municatio]ns without doors.
Dined at home, and drank Tea, in a large circle at Mr. Francis’s.

   no com[municatio]ns without doors: GW is referring to the secrecy rule which was proposed in the convention on this day. It was referred to the rules committee and adopted on the following day (FARRANDMax Farrand, ed. The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787. Rev. ed. 4 vols. New Haven, 1966., 1:13, 15).

   Tench Francis, Jr. (1730–1800), was the son of Tench Francis (d. 1758) and an uncle of Tench Tilghman, one of GW’s aides during the Revolution. In 1787 he lived on Chestnut Street between Third and Fourth streets. He later became first cashier of the Bank of North America (Pa. Mag., 11 [1887], 299, n.2, 49 [1925], 82).

Tuesday 29th. Attended Convention and dined at home—after wch. accompanied Mrs. Morris to the benifit Concert of a Mr. Juhan.

   benifit concert: Members of the local music community, made up of native Americans and post-Revolution musical migrants from England and the Continent, sometimes participated in benefit concerts in which the musician who benefited took the financial risks and received all the profits (SONNECKO. G. [T.] Sonneck. Early Concert-Life in America, (1731–1800). Leipzig, Germany, 1907., 123). Today’s concert, which featured pieces by the contemporary European composers Haydn, Sarti, and Martini (Schwartzendorf), also included “A New Overture” by Alexander Reinagle, the local musical impresario, a flute concerto by the local composer and organist William Brown, a “Concerto Violoncello” by Henry (Henri) Capron, whom GW later hired as a music

teacher for Nelly Custis, and several pieces for violin and piano by “Mr. Juhan” (Pa. Packet, 29 May 1787; PHi: GW Household Accounts, 1793–97; see entry for 28 May 1795; and see COVEYCyclone Covey. “Of Music, and of American Singing.” In Seeds of Liberty: The Genesis of the American Mind, by Max Savelle, 490–552. New York, 1948., 517).

   In the spring of 1783 James Juhan (Joan, Juan), who advertised himself as a teacher of harpsichord, violin, flute, “Tenor Fiddle,” violincello, and guitar, and also as a maker of harpsichords and “the great North American fortepianos,” arrived in Philadelphia, and on 6 Aug. presented “a grand Concert of music, Vocal and Instrumental” (Pa. Gaz., 25 June, 6 Aug. 1783; SONNECKO. G. [T.] Sonneck. Early Concert-Life in America, (1731–1800). Leipzig, Germany, 1907., 123–24, 265). He may have been related to Alexander Juhan, Jr., who advertised himself as “Master of Music, lately arrived in this city,” who offered to teach “the Harpsichord and Violin” as well as singing, and who cosponsored a series of subscription concerts in 1786–87 in Philadelphia (Pa. Packet, 23 Dec. 1783; SONNECKO. G. [T.] Sonneck. Early Concert-Life in America, (1731–1800). Leipzig, Germany, 1907., 80).

Wednesday 30th. Attended Convention.
Dined with Mr. Vaughan. Drank Tea, and spent the evening at a Wednesday evenings party at Mr. & Mrs. Lawrence’s.

   Mr. Vaughan is probably Samuel Vaughan rather than one of his sons. The elder Vaughan was in Philadelphia until about Dec. 1787 when he sailed to visit his holdings in Jamaica. He returned to Philadelphia by 1789 but left again in 1790 to take up permanent residence in England (STETSON [3]Sarah P. Stetson. “The Philadelphia Sojourn of Samuel Vaughan.” Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, 73 (1949), 459-74., 472–74).

   John Lawrence (1724–1799), who in the colonial period had been a mayor of Philadelphia and a judge of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, was proscribed a Tory during the Revolution. Mrs. Lawrence was Elizabeth Francis Lawrence (1733–1800), a sister of Tench Francis, Jr., whom GW visited twice this week, and an aunt of GW’s wartime aide Lt. Col. Tench Tilghman. In 1790 Lawrence lived on Chestnut Street below Sixth Street (Pa. Mag., 24 [1899], 403; HEADS OF FAMILIES, PA.Heads of Families at the First Census of the United States Taken in the Year 1790: Pennsylvania. 1908. Reprint. Baltimore, 1970., 225).

[Thursday 31st.] The State of Georgia came on the Floor of the Convention to day which made a representation of ten States.
Dined at Mr. Francis’s and drank Tea with Mrs. Meredith.

   the state of georgia: In his Philadelphia diary GW specified William Houstoun (1757–1812), who was an active convention participant, and William Pierce (d. 1789), who participated little but left some notes of the convention, including character sketches of delegates (FARRANDMax Farrand, ed. The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787. Rev. ed. 4 vols. New Haven, 1966., 1:xxi, 3:87–97).

   mrs. meredith: Margaret Cadwalader, daughter of Dr. Thomas Cadwalader (d. 1799) and a sister of Lambert and John Cadwalader, both of whom served under GW. She married Samuel Meredith (1741–1817) in 1772.


Title: [Diary entry: 1 June 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Friday 1st. June. Attending in Convention and nothing being suffered to transpire no minutes of the proceedings has been, or will be inserted in this diary.  Dined with Mr. John Penn, and spent the evening at a superb entertainment at Bush-hill given by Mr. Hamilton—at which were more than an hundred guests.


Title: [Diary entry: 2 June 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Saturday 2d. Majr. Jenifer coming in with sufficient powers for the purpose, gave a representation to Maryland; which brought all the States in Union into Convention except Rhode Island which had refused to send delegates thereto. Dined at the City Tavern with the Club & spent the evening at my own quarters.


Title: [Diary entry: 6 June 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Wednesday 6th. In Convention as usual. Dined at the Presidents (Doctr. Franklins) & drank Tea there—after which returnd. to my lodgings and wrote letters for France.


Title: [Diary entry: 7 June 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Thursday 7th. Attended Convention as usual. Dined with a Club of Convention Members at the Indian Queen. Drank Tea & spent the evening at my lodgings.


Title: [Diary entry: 8 June 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Friday 8th. Attended the Convention. Dined, drank Tea, and spent the evening at my lodggs.


Title: [Diary entry: 10 June 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Sunday 10th. Breakfasted by agreement at Mr. Powell’s, and in Company with him rid to see the Botanical garden of Mr. Bartram; which, tho’ Stored with many curious plts. Shrubs & trees,

many of which are exotics was not laid off with much taste, nor was it large. From hence we rid to the Farm of one Jones, to see the effect of the plaister of Paris which appeared obviously great—First, on a piece of Wheat stubble, the ground bearing which, he says, had never recd. any manure; and that the Wheat from whence it was taken was so indifferent as to be scarcely worth cutting—The white clover on this grd. (without any seed being sown & the plaister spread without breaking up the soil) was full high enough to mow, and stood very thick. The line between this and the herbage around it, was most obviously drawn, for there nothing but the naked stubble, some weeds & thin grass appeared with little or no white clover. The same difference was equally obvious on a piece of mowing grd. not far distant from it for where the Plaister had been spread the White and red clover was luxuriant and but little of either beyond it and these thin. The Soil of these appeared loamy—slightly mixed with Ising-glass and originally had been good; but according to Jones’s account was much exhausted. He informed us of the salutary effect of this plaister on a piece of heavy stiff meadow (not liable however to be wet) where it transcended either of the two pieces just mentioned in the improvement. This manure he put on the 29th. of October in a wet or moist spot, and whilst the Moon was in its increase, which Jones says he was directed to attend to (but this must be whimsical) and at

the rate of about 5 bushls. to the Acre. When it is laid on grass land or Meadow he advises harrowing, previously, to the laying it thereon in order to raise the mould for incorporation. From hence we visited Mr. Powells own farm after which I went (by appointment) to the Hills & dined with Mr. & Mrs. Morris. Returned to the City abt. dark.


Title: [Diary entry: 11 June 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Monday 11th. Attended in Convention. Dined, drank Tea, and spent the evening in my own room.


Title: [Diary entry: 12 June 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Tuesday 12th. Dined and drank Tea at Mr. Morris’s. Went afterwards to a concert at the City Tavern.


Title: [Diary entry: 13 June 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Wednesday 13th. In Convention. Dined at Mr. Clymers & drank Tea there. Spent the evening at Mr. Binghams.


Title: [Diary entry: 14 June 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Thursday 14th. Dined at Major Moores (after being in Convention) and spent the evening at my own lodgings.


Title: [Diary entry: 15 June 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Friday 15th. In Convention as usual. Dined at Mr. Powells & drank Tea there.


Title: [Diary entry: 17 June 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

 Sunday. 17th. Went to Church. Heard Bishop White preach, and see him ordain two Gentlemen Deacons—after wch. rid 8 Miles into the Country and dined with Mr. Jno. Ross in Chester County. Returned in the Afternoon.


Title: [Diary entry: 18 June 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Monday 18th. Attended the Convention. Dined at the Quarterly meeting of the Sons of St. Patrick—held at the City Tavn. Drank Tea at Doctr. Shippins with Mrs. Livingston.


Title: [Diary entry: 19 June 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Tuesday 19th. Dined (after leaving Convention) in a family way at Mr. Morris’s and spent the Evening there in a very large Company.


Title: [Diary entry: 22 June 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Friday 22d. Dined at Mr. Morris’s & drank Tea with Mr. Frans. Hopkinson.


Title: [Diary entry: 23 June 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Saturday 23d. In Convention. Dined at Doctr. Ruston’s & drank Tea at Mr. Morris’s.


Title: [Diary entry: 24 June 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Sunday 24th. Dined at Mr. Morris’s & spent the evening at Mr. Meridiths—at Tea.


Title: [Diary entry: 25 June 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Monday 25th. Attended Convention. Dined at Mr. Morris’s—drank Tea there—& spent the evening in my chamber.


Title: [Diary entry: 26 June 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Tuesday 26th. Attended Convention. Partook of a family dinner with Govr. Randolph and made one of a party to drink Tea at Grays ferry.


Title: [Diary entry: 28 June 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Thursday 28th. Attended Convention. Dined at Mr. Morris’s in a large Company—(the news of his Bills being protested, arriving last night a little mal-apropos). Drank Tea there, & spent the evening in my chamber.


Title: [Diary entry: 29 June 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Friday 29th. In Convention. Dined at Mr. Morris and spent the evening there.


Title: [Diary entry: 30 June 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Saturday 30th. Attended Convention. Dined with a Club at Springsbury—consisting of several associated families of the City—the Gentlemen of which meet every Saturday accompanied by the females of the families every other Saturday. This was the ladies day.


Title: [June 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Friday 1st. June. Attending in Convention and nothing being suffered to transpire no minutes of the proceedings has been, or will be inserted in this diary.

Dined with Mr. John Penn, and spent the evening at a superb entertainment at Bush-hill given by Mr. Hamilton—at which were more than an hundred guests.

Saturday 2d. Majr. Jenifer coming in with sufficient powers for the purpose, gave a representation to Maryland; which brought all the States in Union into Convention except Rhode Island which had refused to send delegates thereto.
Dined at the City Tavern with the Club & spent the evening at my own quarters.

   Although the state of Maryland appointed five delegates to the Constitutional Convention, their official instructions provided that the presence of a single delegate was enough to fully represent the state. James McHenry, the first of the five Maryland delegates to join the convention (28 May), was still the only Maryland delegate present when he was forced to leave on 1 June because of illness in his family. Hence the arrival on 2 June of Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer, the second Maryland delegate to join the convention, again allowed the state to be fully represented (FARRANDMax Farrand, ed. The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787. Rev. ed. 4 vols. New Haven, 1966., 1:xxi, 3:586).

Sunday. 3d. Dined at Mr. Clymers and drank Tea there also.

   George Clymer (1739–1813) was a Philadelphia merchant and financier and an early advocate of independence. As a member of the Continental Congress (1776–78, 1780–83) he was active on committees dealing with finance, prisoners of war, Indian relations, commissary reform, and penal law revision. Clymer was a Pennsylvania delegate to the Federal Convention and a representative in the First Congress. In 1785 he resided on Fourth Street between Walnut and Spruce streets (Pa. Mag., 11 [1887], 300n).

Monday 4th. Attended Convention. Representation as on Saturday.
Reviewed (at the importunity of Genl. Mifflin and the officers) the Light Infantry—Cavalry—and part of the Artillery, of the City.
Dined with Genl. Mifflin & drk. Tea with Miss Cadwallader.

   miss cadwallader: probably either Rebecca Cadwalader (1746–1821) or Elizabeth Cadwalader (1760–1799), daughters of Dr. Thomas Cadwalader of Philadelphia. Rebecca, who some time after 1791 became the second wife of Philemon Dickinson, and Elizabeth, who never married, were probably the “Misses” Cadwalader listed in 1790 as “Spinsters” living next door to Philemon Dickinson on Chestnut Street in Philadelphia (HEADS OF FAMILIES, PA.Heads of Families at the First Census of the United States Taken in the Year 1790: Pennsylvania. 1908. Reprint. Baltimore, 1970., 225).

Tuesday 5th. Dined at Mr. Morris’s with a large Company, & Spent the Evening there. Attended in Convention the usual hours.

Wednesday 6th. In Convention as usual. Dined at the Presidents (Doctr. Franklins) & drank Tea there—after which returnd. to my lodgings and wrote letters for France.

Thursday 7th. Attended Convention as usual. Dined with a Club of Convention Members at the Indian Queen. Drank Tea & spent the evening at my lodgings.

   The Indian Queen, on Fourth Street between Market and Chestnut streets, was the lodging house for a number of delegates to the convention. It was described by a visitor that summer as being “kept in an elegant style” (Pa. Mag., 12 [1888], 103).

Friday 8th. Attended the Convention. Dined, drank Tea, and spent the evening at my lodggs.

Saturday 9th. At Convention. Dined with the Club at the City Tavern. Drank Tea, & set till 10 oclock at Mr. Powells.

Sunday 10th. Breakfasted by agreement at Mr. Powell’s, and in Company with him rid to see the Botanical garden of Mr. Bartram; which, tho’ Stored with many curious plts. Shrubs & trees,

many of which are exotics was not laid off with much taste, nor was it large.

   From hence we rid to the Farm of one Jones, to see the effect of the plaister of Paris which appeared obviously great—First, on a piece of Wheat stubble, the ground bearing which, he says, had never recd. any manure; and that the Wheat from whence it was taken was so indifferent as to be scarcely worth cutting—The white clover on this grd. (without any seed being sown & the plaister spread without breaking up the soil) was full high enough to mow, and stood very thick. The line between this and the herbage around it, was most obviously drawn, for there nothing but the naked stubble, some weeds & thin grass appeared with little or no white clover. The same difference was equally obvious on a piece of mowing grd. not far distant from it for where the Plaister had been spread the White and red clover was luxuriant and but little of either beyond it and these thin. The Soil of these appeared loamy—slightly mixed with Ising-glass and originally had been good; but according to Jones’s account was much exhausted. He informed us of the salutary effect of this plaister on a piece of heavy stiff meadow (not liable however to be wet) where it transcended either of the two pieces just mentioned in the improvement.
This manure he put on the 29th. of October in a wet or moist spot, and whilst the Moon was in its increase, which Jones says he was directed to attend to (but this must be whimsical) and at

the rate of about 5 bushls. to the Acre. When it is laid on grass land or Meadow he advises harrowing, previously, to the laying it thereon in order to raise the mould for incorporation.

   From hence we visited Mr. Powells own farm after which I went (by appointment) to the Hills & dined with Mr. & Mrs. Morris. Returned to the City abt. dark.

   William Bartram (1739–1823) operated a botanical garden with his brother John, Jr. (1743–1812), on the west bank of the Schuylkill three miles from Philadelphia. The establishment was still called John Bartram & Sons although it had passed into the hands of the sons upon the death of its founder, John Bartram (1699–1777). William’s reputation as a traveler-naturalist was enhanced by the publication in 1791 of his Travels through North and South Carolina. GW was a subscriber to the book but declined a request that it be dedicated to him. On 2 Oct. 1789 GW sent word to Clement Biddle, his agent in Philadelphia, that he wanted the Bartrams’ list of plants plus a note about the care of each kind (PHi: Washington-Biddle correspondence). In Mar. 1792 he obtained plants of 106 varieties, the surviving list bearing the heading “Catalogue of Trees, Shrubs & Plants, of Jno. Bartram” (DLC:GW). These plants were sent to George Augustine Washington,

GW’s manager at Mount Vernon, and a second shipment was sent down in November to replace the plants that had not flourished. While it is assumed that GW purchased the plants, it is quite possible that they were a gift from Bartram. mr. powells own farm: Samuel Powel owned land across the Schuylkill River southwest of Philadelphia.

Monday 11th. Attended in Convention. Dined, drank Tea, and spent the evening in my own room.

Tuesday 12th. Dined and drank Tea at Mr. Morris’s. Went afterwards to a concert at the City Tavern.

   This benefit concert, with tickets at 7s. 6d., was for Alexander Reinagle (1756–1809), born into a musical family of Austrian descent who lived in England. He was accomplished both as a composer and a performer on several instruments. In 1786 he immigrated to America and soon became Philadelphia’s leading musical impresario. This concert, scheduled to begin at “exactly” 7:45 P.M., opened with an overture by Bach, and included compositions by the then current European composers Sarti, André, Fiorillo, and Piccini as well as pieces by the local musicians Henry Capron and William Brown. The concert concluded with two works by Reinagle, a piano sonata and “a new Overture” (Pa. Packet, 12 June 1787; SONNECKO. G. [T.] Sonneck. Early Concert-Life in America, (1731–1800). Leipzig, Germany, 1907., 80, 131–32).

Wednesday 13th. In Convention. Dined at Mr. Clymers & drank Tea there. Spent the evening at Mr. Binghams.

Thursday 14th. Dined at Major Moores (after being in Convention) and spent the evening at my own lodgings.

   Although there were several Major Moores in Philadelphia at this time, GW is probably visiting Maj. Thomas Lloyd Moore (d. 1819), on Pine Street between Second and Third streets. At the end of the Revolutionary War, GW referred to Moore as among “the best Officers who were in the Army” (GW to Thomas Mifflin, 21 Dec. 1783, DNA:PCC, Item 152).

Friday 15th. In Convention as usual. Dined at Mr. Powells & drank Tea there.

Saturday 16th. In Convention. Dined with the Club at the City Tavern and drank Tea at Doctr. Shippins with Mrs. Livingstons party.

   Anne Hume Shippen (1761–1841) was the daughter of Dr. William Shippen (1736–1808). She married (1781) Henry Beekman Livingston, son of Judge Robert R. Livingston (1718–1775), but at this time the Livingstons were separated.

Sunday. 17th. Went to Church. Heard Bishop White preach, and see him ordain two Gentlemen Deacons—after wch. rid 8 Miles into the Country and dined with Mr. Jno. Ross in Chester County. Returned in the Afternoon.

   William White (1748–1836), a native of Philadelphia, was the assistant minister and then, during the Revolution, the successor to Jacob Duché as minister for Christ and St. Peter’s Anglican churches in Philadelphia. White had recently returned from England, where earlier this year he had been consecrated an Anglican bishop, thus becoming empowered to consecrate deacons for the newly formed Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States of America, which he was instrumental in organizing following the Revolution. White’s sister Mary was the wife of GW’s Philadelphia host Robert Morris.

   deacons: One of the deacons was apparently a son of Dr. Gerardus Clarkson (Pa. Mag., 12 [1888], 105).

   John Ross’s farm, Grange Farm, or The Grange, was located on the old Haverford Road near Frankford in Chester County. He bought the property, formerly called Clifton Hall, from his father-in-law, Capt. Charles Cruikshank, in 1783 and renamed it in honor of Lafayette’s home in France (Pa. Mag., 23 [1899], 77–85).

Monday 18th. Attended the Convention. Dined at the Quarterly meeting of the Sons of St. Patrick—held at the City Tavn. Drank Tea at Doctr. Shippins with Mrs. Livingston.

   sons of st. patrick: Founded in 1771 in Philadelphia by Irish-American merchants and their friends, the Society of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick strongly supported the American Revolution and several of its dinners were attended by GW, who was “adopted” by the society (DOUGHERTYDaniel J. Dougherty. History of the Society of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick . . . March 17, 1892-March 17, 1951. Philadelphia, 1952., 1–21).

Tuesday 19th. Dined (after leaving Convention) in a family way at Mr. Morris’s and spent the Evening there in a very large Company.

Wednesday. 20th. Attended Convention. Dined at Mr. Meridiths & drank Tea there.

   mr. meridiths: Samuel Meredith (1741–1817) had been a brigadier general under GW during the New Jersey campaigns (1777–78) and was now a Pennsylvania delegate to Congress. In 1789 GW appointed him first treasurer of the United States. His home was on Front Street between Arch and Race streets.

Thursday 21st. Attended Convention. Dined at Mr. Pragers, and spent the evening in my Chamber.

   Mr. Prager is probably Mark Prager, Sr., a member of the Jewish mercantile family that came to Philadelphia shortly after the Revolution. The firm, at

first called Pragers, Liebaert & Co., was some time before 1791 changed to Pragers & Co. GW had written William Fitzhugh on 23 July 1784 introducing Mr. Prager, who had been strongly recommended to him as “a Gentleman who is very extensively engaged in Trade, & a partner in several very capital Houses in Europe. He is taking a review of the State of our Trade & Ports, & probably, if he finds them answerable to his wishes, will fix a House in this State” (DLC:GW). Prager evidently found Philadelphia more to his liking.

Friday 22d. Dined at Mr. Morris’s & drank Tea with Mr. Frans. Hopkinson.

   Francis Hopkinson, lawyer, musician, composer, and poet, and, as a delegate from New Jersey, signer of the Declaration of Independence, was at this time a judge in the admiralty court of Pennsylvania. During the Revolution he wrote and published a series of satiric essays and pamphlets supporting the American cause, and in 1787–88 wrote essays supporting the proposed new Constitution. In 1788 Hopkinson published a collection of his compositions, Seven Songs, which he dedicated to GW. GW was pleased, but took exception to the dedication, pleading that although he would “defend your performance, if necessary, to the last effort of my musical Abilities . . . what, alass! can I do to support it? I can neither sing one of the songs, nor raise a single note on any instrument to convince the unbelieving” (GW to Hopkinson, 5 Feb. 1789, DLC:GW).

Saturday 23d. In Convention. Dined at Doctr. Ruston’s & drank Tea at Mr. Morris’s.

   Dr. Thomas Ruston, a native of Chester County, Pa., attended the College of New Jersey and received a medical degree from the University of Edinburgh in 1765. He practiced in England until after the Revolution. In 1785 Ruston returned to Philadelphia where he became an associate of Robert Morris in land speculations. He was jailed for debt in 1796 (RUSHL. H. Butterfield, ed. Letters of Benjamin Rush. 2 vols. Princeton, N.J., 1951., 1:92, n.1). Ruston had been introduced to GW by George William and Sally Fairfax in a letter of 2 July 1785 as “not only a good American by birth, but also in sentiments” (DLC:GW). Ruston had a town house built for him on Chestnut Street. In the 1790 census he appears on West Market Street between Eighth and Ninth streets (Pa. Mag., 8 [1884], 111; HEADS OF FAMILIES, PA.Heads of Families at the First Census of the United States Taken in the Year 1790: Pennsylvania. 1908. Reprint. Baltimore, 1970., 226; JACKSON [3]Joseph Jackson. America’s Most Historic Highway, Market Street, Philadelphia. New ed. Philadelphia and New York, 1926., 232).

Sunday 24th. Dined at Mr. Morris’s & spent the evening at Mr. Meridiths—at Tea.

Monday 25th. Attended Convention. Dined at Mr. Morris’s—drank Tea there—& spent the evening in my chamber.

Tuesday 26th. Attended Convention. Partook of a family dinner with Govr. Randolph and made one of a party to drink Tea at Grays ferry.

   Edmund Randolph first boarded at Mrs. House’s, where George Read had been obliged to give up a larger room “for Governor Randolph, it being then expected he would have brought his lady with him, which he did not, but she is expected to follow some time hence” (Read to John Dickinson, 21 May 1787, FARRANDMax Farrand, ed. The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787. Rev. ed. 4 vols. New Haven, 1966., 3:25). A week later Randolph “engaged a couple of rooms in a House at a small distance” from Mrs. House’s. “As Mr. Randolph expects his lady his situation is too Confined in this House. He is to dine at our Table” (Read to Dickinson, 25 May 1787, FARRANDMax Farrand, ed. The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787. Rev. ed. 4 vols. New Haven, 1966., 4:61). A week later Randolph wrote his cousin Lt. Gov. Beverley Randolph: “the prospect of a very long sojournment here has determined me to bring up my family” (FARRANDMax Farrand, ed. The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787. Rev. ed. 4 vols. New Haven, 1966., 3:36).

Wednesday 27th. In Convention. Dined at Mr. Morris’s. Drank Tea there also and spent the evening in my chamber.

Thursday 28th. Attended Convention. Dined at Mr. Morris’s in a large Company—(the news of his Bills being protested, arriving last night a little mal-apropos). Drank Tea there, & spent the evening in my chamber.

   Over a month earlier, Robert Morris’s “£50,000 sterling of . . . bills of exchange” had been protested in London. The protest interrupted the financier’s purchase of American tobacco and threatened to disrupt the American tobacco trade with France, for which Morris had an exclusive contract with the French Farmers General (James Maury to Thomas Jefferson, and William Short to Jefferson, 21 May 1787, JEFFERSON [1]Julian P. Boyd et al., eds. The Papers of Thomas Jefferson. 41 vols. to date. Princeton, N.J., 1950–., 11:370–71, 373).

Friday 29th. In Convention. Dined at Mr. Morris and spent the evening there.

Saturday 30th. Attended Convention. Dined with a Club at Springsbury—consisting of several associated families of the City—the Gentlemen of which meet every Saturday accompanied by the females of the families every other Saturday. This was the ladies day.

   In his original Philadelphia journal GW refers to the club at Springettsbury as the Cold Spring Club. springsbury: One of the original manors set aside by William Penn for his family was named Springettsbury, taking its name from the family name of Penn’s first wife, Gulielma Maria Springett. Much of the original manor, encompassing thousands of acres just north of the original city, was gradually sold off, but a portion retaining the manor name was kept in the family and developed in the mid-eighteenth century by William Penn’s son Thomas Penn (1702–1775). The manor house, within an easy walk from Bush Hill, was the temporary country home of Robert Morris in 1779 and 1780. In the 1780s its overgrown gardens, random springs, and abandoned buildings offered a gothic setting for pastoral outings (see SNYDERMartin P. Snyder. City of Independence: Views of Philadelphia before 1800. New York, 1975., 200; BAKER [2]William Spohn Baker. Washington after the Revolution: MDCCLXXXIV - MDCCXCIX. Philadelphia, 1898., 81n).


Title: [Diary entry: 1 July 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

July. 1st. Dined and spent the evening at home.


Title: [Diary entry: 3 July 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Tuesday. 3d. Sat before the meeting of the Convention for Mr. Peale who wanted my picture to make a print or Metzotinto by. Dined at Mr. Morris’s and drank Tea at Mr. Powells—after which, in Company with him, I attended the Agricultural Society at Carpenters Hall.


Title: [Diary entry: 4 July 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Wednesday 4th. Visited Doctr. Shovats Anatomical figures and (the Convention having adjourned for the purpose) went to hear an Oration on the anniversary of Independance delivered by a Mr. Mitchell, a student of Law—After which I dined with the State Society of the Cincinnati at Epplees Tavern and drank Tea at Mr. Powells.


Title: [Diary entry: 5 July 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Thursday 5th. Attended Convention. Dined at Mr. Morris’s and drank Tea there. Spent the evening also.


Title: [Diary entry: 6 July 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Friday 6th. Sat for Mr. Peale in the Morning. Attended Convention. Dined at the City Tavern with some members of Convention and spent the evening at my lodgings.


Title: [Diary entry: 7 July 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

 Saturday 7th. Attended Convention. Dined with the Club at Springsbury and drank Tea at Mr. Meridiths.


Title: [Diary entry: 9 July 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Monday 9th. Sat in the Morning for Mr. Peale. Attended Convention. Dined at Mr. Morris’s & accompanied Mrs. Morris to Doctr. Redmans 3 Miles in the Country where we drank Tea and returned.


Title: [Diary entry: 10 July 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Tuesday. 10th. Attended Convention. Dined at Mr. Morris’s. Drank Tea at Mr. Binghams & went to the Play.


Title: [Diary entry: 11 July 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Wednesday 11th. Attended Convention. Dined at Mr. Morris’s and spent the evening there.


Title: [Diary entry: 12 July 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Thursday 12th. In Convention. Dined at Mr. Morris’s & drank Tea with Mrs. Livingston.


Title: [Diary entry: 13 July 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

 Friday 13th. In Convention. Dined, drank Tea, & Spent the Evening at Mr. Morris’s.


Title: [Diary entry: 14 July 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Saturday. 14th. In Convention. Dined at Springsbury with the Club and went to the play in the Afternoon.


Title: [Diary entry: 15 July 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Sunday 15th. Dined at Mr. Morris’s & remaind. at home all day.


Title: [Diary entry: 16 July 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Monday 16th. In Convention. Dined at Mr. Morris’s and drank Tea with Mrs. Powell.


Title: [Diary entry: 17 July 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Tuesday 17th. In Convention. Dined at Mrs. Houses, and made an excursion with a party for Tea to Grays Ferry.


Title: [Diary entry: 18 July 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Wednesday 18th. In Convention. Dined at Mr. Milligans and drank Tea at Mr. Meridiths.


Title: [Diary entry: 19 July 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Thursday 19th. Dined (after coming out of Convention) at Mr. John Penn the youngers. Drank Tea & spent the evening at my lodgings.


Title: [Diary entry: 20 July 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Friday 20th. In Convention. Dined at home and drank Tea at Mr. Clymers.


Title: [Diary entry: 22 July 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

 Sunday 22d. Left Town by 5 oclock A.M. Breakfasted at Genl. Mifflins. Rode up with him & others to the Spring Mills and returned to Genl. Mifflins by Dinner after which proceeded to the City.


Title: [Diary entry: 23 July 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Monday 23d. In Convention as usual. Dined at Mr. Morris’s and drank Tea at Lansdown (the Seat of Mr. Penn).


Title: [Diary entry: 24 July 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Tuesday 24th. In Convention. Dined at Mr. Morris’s and drank Tea, by appointment & partr. Invitation at Doctr. Rush’s.


Title: [Diary entry: 26 July 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Thursday 26th. In Convention. Dined at Mr. Morris’s, drank Tea there, and stayed within all the Afternoon.


Title: [Diary entry: 27 July 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Friday 27th. In Convention, which adjourned this day, to meet again on Monday the 6th. of August that a Comee. which had been appointed (consisting of 5 Members) might have time to arrange, and draw into method & form the several matters which had been agreed to by the Convention as a Constitution for the United States. Dined at Mr. Morris’s, and drank Tea at Mr. Powells.


Title: [Diary entry: 30 July 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Monday. 30th. In company with Mr. Govr. Morris, and in his Phaeton with my horses; went up to one Jane Moores in the vicinity of Valley-forge to get Trout.


Title: [Diary entry: 2 August 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Thursday 2d. Dined, Drank Tea, & Spent the Evening at Mr. Morris’s.


Title: [Diary entry: 5 August 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Sunday 5th. Dined at Colo. Ogdens, early; after which in the company with which I came, I returned to Philadelphia at which we arrived abt. 9 Oclk.


Title: [Diary entry: 6 August 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Monday 6th. Met, according to adjournment in Convention, & received the rept. of the Committee. Dined at Mr. Morris’s and drank Tea at Mr. Meridiths.


Title: [Diary entry: 7 August 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Tuesday 7th. In convention. Dined at Mr. Morris’s and spent the evening there also.


Title: [Diary entry: 8 August 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Wednesday 8th. In Convention. Dined at the City Tavern and remained there till near ten oclock.


Title: [Diary entry: 9 August 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Thursday 9th. In Convention. Dined at Mr. Swanwicks and spent the Afternn. in my own room—reading letters and accts. from home.


Title: [Diary entry: 11 August 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Saturday 11th. In Convention. Dined at the Club at Springsbury and after Ten returnd. home.


Title: [Diary entry: 12 August 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Sunday 12th. Dined at Bush hill with Mr. William Hamilton. Spent the evening at home writing letters.


Title: [Diary entry: 13 August 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Monday 13th. In Convention. Dined at Mr. Morris’s, and drank Tea with Mrs. Bache, at the Presidents.


Title: [Diary entry: 15 August 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Wednesday 15th. The same—as yesterday.


Title: [Diary entry: 18 August 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Saturday 18th. In Convention. Dined at Chief Justice McKeans. Spent the afternoon & evening at my lodgings.


Title: [Diary entry: 19 August 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Sunday 19th. In company with Mr. Powell rode up to the white Marsh. Traversed my old Incampment, and contemplated on the dangers which threatned the American Army at that place. Dined at German town. Visited Mr. Blair McClenegan. Drank Tea at Mr. Peters’s and returned to Philadelphia in the evening.


Title: [Diary entry: 20 August 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Monday 20th. In Convention. Dined, drank Tea and spent the evening at Mr. Morris[’s].


Title: [Diary entry: 22 August 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Wednesday 22d. In Convention. Dined at Mr. Morris’s farm at the Hills. Visited at Mr. Powells in the Afternoon.


Title: [Diary entry: 24 August 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Friday 24th. Did the same this day.


Title: [Diary entry: 26 August 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Sunday 26th. Rode into the Country for exercise 8 or 10 miles. Dined at the Hills and spent the evening in my chamber writing letters.


Title: [Diary entry: 27 August 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Monday 27th. In Convention. Dined at Mr. Morris’s and drank Tea at Mr. Powells.


Title: [Diary entry: 28 August 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Tuesday 28th. In Convention. Dined, drank Tea, and spent the evening at Mr. Morris’s.


Title: [Diary entry: 29 August 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Wednesday 29th. Did the same as yesterday.


Title: [Diary entry: 30 August 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Thursday 30th. Again the same.


Title: [Diary entry: 31 August 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Friday 31st. In Convention. Dined at Mr. Morris’s and with a Party went to Lansdale & drank Tea with Mr. & Mrs. Penn.


Title: [Diary entry: 2 September 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Sunday 2d. Rode to Mr. Bartrams and other places in the Country, dined & drank Tea at Grays ferry and returned to the City in the evening.


Title: [Diary entry: 3 September 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Monday 3d. In Convention. Visited a Machine at Doctr. Franklins (called a mangle) for pressing, in place of Ironing, clothes from the wash. Which Machine from the facility with which it dispatches business is well calculated for Table cloths & such Articles as have not pleats & irregular foldings and would be very useful in all large families. Dined, drank Tea, & spent the evening at Mr. Morris’s.


Title: [Diary entry: 4 September 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Tuesday. 4th. In Convention. Dined &ca. at Mr. Morris’s.


Title: [Diary entry: 5 September 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Wednesday 5th. In Convention. Dined at Mrs. Houses & drank Tea at Mr. Binghams.


Title: [Diary entry: 6 September 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

 Thursday 6th. In Convention. Dined at Doctr. Hutchinson’s and spent the afternoon and evening at Mr. Morris’s.


Title: [Diary entry: 7 September 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Friday 7th. In Convention. Dined and spent the afternoon at home (except when riding a few Miles).


Title: [Diary entry: 8 September 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Saturday 8th. In Convention. Dined at Springsbury with the Club and spent the evening at my lodgings.


Title: [Diary entry: 9 September 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Sunday 9th. Dined at Mr. Morris’s after making a visit to Mr. Gardoqui who as he says came from New York on a visit to me.


Title: [Diary entry: 10 September 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Monday. 10th. In Convention. Dined at Mr. Morris’s & drank Tea there.


Title: [Diary entry: 11 September 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Tuesday 11th. In Convention. Dined at home in a large Company with Mr. Gardoqui. Drank Tea and spent the evening there.


Title: [Diary entry: 12 September 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Wednesday 12th. In Convention. Dined at the Presidents and drank Tea at Mr. Pines.


Title: [Diary entry: 13 September 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Thursday 13th. Attended Convention. Dined at the Vice Presidents Chas. Biddles. Drank Tea at Mr. Powells.


Title: [Diary entry: 14 September 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Friday 14th. Attended Convention. Dined at the City Tavern, at an entertainmt. given on my acct. by the City light Horse. Spent the evening at Mr. Meridiths.


Title: [Diary entry: 15 September 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Saturday 15th. Concluded the business of Convention, all to signing the proceedings; to effect which the House sat till 6 Oclock; and adjourned till Monday that the Constitution which it was proposed to offer to the People might be engrossed and a number of printed copies struck off. Dined at Mr. Morris’s & spent the evening there. Mr. Gardoqui set off for his return to New York this forenoon.


Title: [Diary entry: 16 September 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Sunday 16th. Wrote many letters in the forenoon. Dined with Mr. & Mrs. Morris at the Hills & returned to town in the Eveng.


Title: [Diary entry: 18 September 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

 Tuesday 18th. Finished what private business I had to do in the City this forenoon. Took my leave of those families in wch. I had been most intimate. Dined early at Mr. Morris’s with whom & Mr. Gouvr. Morris I parted at Grays ferry and reached Chester in Company with Mr. Blair who I invited to a seat in my Carriage ’till we should reach Mount Vernon.


Title: [Diary entry: 19 September 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Wednesday 19th. Prevented by rain (much of which fell in the Night) from setting off till about 8 Oclock, when it ceased, & promising to be fair we departed. Baited at Wilmington—dined at Christiana and lodged at the head of Elk—at the bridge near to which my horses (two of them) and Carriage had a very narrow escape. For the rain which had fallen the preceeding evening having swelled the Water considerably there was no fording it safely. I was reduced to the necessity therefore of remaining on the other side or of attempting to cross on an old, rotten & long disused bridge. Being anxious to get on I preferred the latter and in the attempt one of my horses fell 15 feet at least the other very near following which (had it happened) would have taken the Carriage with baggage along with him and destroyed the whole effectually. However, by prompt assistance of some people at a Mill just by and great exertion, the first horse was disengaged from his harness, the 2d. prevented from going quite through and drawn off and the Carriage rescued from hurt.


Title: [Diary entry: 20 September 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Thursday. 20th. Sett off after an early breakfast. Crossed the Susquehanna and dined in Havre de gras at the House of one Rogers and lodged at Skirretts Tavern 12 Miles short of Baltimore.


Title: [Diary entry: 21 September 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Friday 21st. Breakfasted in Baltimore—dined at the Widow Balls (formerly Spurriers) and lodged at Major Snowdens who was not at home.


Title: [Diary entry: 24 September 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Monday. 24th. Thermometer at 62 in the Morning—70 at Noon and 70 at Night. Wind Westerly with some Clouds. After breakfast I rid to the Plantatns. at the Ferry—Frenchs—Dogue run & Muddy hole. At the first, the hands were getting out Wheat & Rye; and the Plows were putting in Wheat in field No. 6. At the next, 4 plows were putting in Rye in No. 6 and the rest of the hds. grubbing in the New Meadow. At Dogue run the plows were covering Wheat in No. 6 and the other hands employed chiefly in grubbing the Swamp between the upper Meadows. At Muddy hole the Plows were (3 of them) following for Wheat in No. 4—the other people gathering fodder. In the Afternoon Doctr. Stuart, Mrs. Stuart & the Girls returned to Abingdon.


Title: [Diary entry: 25 September 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Tuesday 25th. Thermometer at 62 in the Morning—68 at Noon and 64 at Night. Calm in the Morning—cloudy afterwards—wind, what there was of it—So. Wt. Mr. Blair left this before Sun rise in my carriage which carried him to the junction of the Roads at Boggess’ where he met the Stage. After breakfast I rode into the Neck—hands chiefly employed in getting fodder.


Title: [Diary entry: 26 September 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Wednesday 26th. Thermometer at 63 in the Morning—74 at Noon and 72 at Night. Foggy morning—calm, & clear for the most part of the day. Rid to all the Plantations—the hands at each employed nearly as they were yesterday.


Title: [Diary entry: 27 September 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Thursday 27th. Thermometer at 68 in the morning—76 at Noon and 74 at Night. Cloudy in the Morning—clear afterwards—wind at South all day. Visited all the Plantations—same employment at each as yesterday.


Title: [Diary entry: 28 September 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

 Friday 28th. Thermometer at 62 in the Morning—66 at Noon and 65 at Night. Clear all day with variable winds. Rid to the Plantations at the Ferry, Frenchs, Dogue run, and Muddy hole—engaged in the same work at each. Mrs. Jenifer came here to dinner.


Title: [Diary entry: 29 September 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Saturday 29th. Thermometer at 54 in the Morning—62 at Noon and 62 at Night. Clear all day, with the Wind at No. Wt. Rid into the Neck and set Six plows to breaking up the Orchard Inclosure (wch. was an Oat Stubble) for Wheat & grass Seeds, &ca. After Breakfast Mr. Corbin Washington and his wife, and Miss Fanny Ballendine (who came here on Thursday afternoon) returned and after dinner Majr. G. A. Washington left this for Fredericksbg.


Title: [Diary entry: 30 September 1787]
From: Washington, George
To:

Sunday 30th. Thermometer at 57 in the Morning—66 at Noon and 62 at Night. Clear all day with the wind at No. Wt. in the morning & Southerly afterwards.