George Washington Papers
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Farm Reports, 6–12 December 1789

Farm Reports

[Mount Vernon, 6–12 December 1789]

Decr
6th Murcury in the Morng 48 SWt Clear Noon 50 Clear Night 55 NEt Clear
NEt
7th Morning 56 SWt Clear Noon 58 Cloudy Night 60 SWt Cloudy
SW
8th Morning 56 SWt Cloudy Noon 59 Cloudy Night 62 SWt Cloudy
SWt
9th Morning 44 NW Clear Noon 45 Clear Night 45 NW Cloudy
NW
10th Morning 41 NW Clear Noon 42 Clear Night 44 NW Clear
NW
11th Morning 44 NEt Cloudy Noon 45 Rain Night 46 NW Cloudy
NEt
12th Morning 41 NW Clear Noon 41 Clear Night 41 NW Clear
NW
12th Decr
Days
Dr. Dogue Run Plantn for the work of 7 Men & 11 Women Amtg ⅌week to 108
Cr. By breaking up ground in No. 1 4
By breaking up a p[iec]e of low ground next to the Tumbling dam joining No. 7 12
By breaking up ground at River plantn in No. 5 8
By hauling Corn 6
By gathering ditto 18
By Husking ditto 42
By Sickness Lucy in Child bed 6 days, Brunswick 6, Matt 6 days  18
Total 108

Sent to the Mill 60 Bushels of Oats to grind, 16 Bushels of Corn, 3 Barrels Soft ditto for the hogs, Recd from ditto 3½ Bushels B. Meal and 5½ ditto Ship stuff; Sent to Mansn House 30 Bushels Oats, Used by the Horses 10 Bushels of ditto, fed to the Hogs 3 Barrels soft Corn. Stock 56 head Cattle, 92 Old Sheep, 35 Lambs, 8 working Horses, 16 Calves from Mansn House.

Days
Dr. Ferry & Frenches Plantn for the work of 7 Men 16 Women and 3 Boys Amtg ⅌ week to 156
Cr. By breaking up ground in No. 2 42
By hauling Corn 10
By ditto wood at the Mansn House 2
By gathering Husking and lofting Corn 72
By Spinning 6
By Lucy Confined to the House on acct of her Swell’d legg, & sowing 6
By Sickness, Cupid 6 days, Lucy 6, Daphney 6 days 18
Total 156

Recd from the Mill 11½ Bushels B. Meal, Sent to ditto 9¼ Bushels Corn, Sent to Mansn House 4¾ Bushels black Eyed pease, 4¾ Bushs. red ditto and 3 pecks small round ditto, Stock 81 head Cattle, 88 old Sheep, 28 Lambs, 15 Working Horses, 2 ditto Mules, 2 ditto Spring Mules Ferriages 20/.

Days
Dr. Muddy Hole Plantn for the work of 3 men & 10 women
Amtg ⅌ week to 78
Cr. By breaking up ground in No. 6 24
By hauling Corn and Housing ditto 2
By hauling Corn at Dogue Run 4
By gathering Corn 19
By rip[in]g a House for the Overseer 17
By grubing in No. 6 6
By Sickness Sacky 6 days  6
Total 78

Increase 7 Cows Sent from Mansn House, Sent to the Mill 5 Bushels Corn Recd from ditto 11 Bushels bran and Oats Mixed for horse feed and 5½ Bushels B. Meal, Measured this week 7 Barrels Sound Corn 9 ditto of Nubbings, 2 ditto of Soft ditto—Stock 29 head Cattle 20 old Sheep 4 Lambs, 9 Working Horses.

Days
Dr. River Plantn for the work of 7 Men 17 women 3 Boys and 1 girl Amtg ⅌ week to 162
Cr. By breaking up ground in No. 5 34
By hauling Corn; and at Mill 1 day 22
By dressing Flax 12
By Striping Tobo 15
By threshing Oats 18
By gathering and Husking Corn 55
By Sickness Essex 6 days   6
Total 162

Decrease 1 Sheep Sent to the Mill 11½ Bushels Corn 10½ Bushl. Oats fed to the Horses this week 21 Bushels Oats, 1½ to D. Run Horses Stock 91 head Cattle, 129 Old Sheep, 53 Lambs, 14 Working Horses.

Days
Dr. Mansn House for the work of 14 Men 9 Boys & 6 Girls Amtg ⅌ week to 174
Cr. By waggon hauling Hay 4
By hauling wood for the House, lime kiln, and at Mill 2
By 1 Cart hauling wood and water 6
By 1 ditto hauling lime and Sand to the green House 6
By Cuting wood 6
By diging post holes and puting up post and rail fence 64
By baking bread 3 days, tending dairy 2 ditto 5
By Cuting and Clearing the New road by the Mill 2
By Cuting Stuff for rails 2
By loading the waggon with Hay 2 days going to Alexa. with flower 1 Do 3
By Stoped by rain 6 days, Seting lime kiln 2 ditto 8
By tending the brick layers 24
By feeding beeves and Stowing away Hay 6
By beating out timothy Seed and Stowing away Hay 6
By Carrying Shells to lime kiln 6 days, Sifting lime 6 days 12
By Making Baskets 6
By tending Stock and heaping up Manure 6
By tending Jacks and going of errands   6
Total 174

Decrease 7 Cows Sent to Muddy Hole Recd from the Mill 27 Bushels B. Meal Stock 17 head Cattle, 38 Old Sheep, 3 wethers, 18 Lambs, 5 last spring Mules 1 ditto 2 Years Old, 4 ditto spring ditto, 3 ditto Spring Colts, 2 ditto Spring Jennies, 3 ditto Old ditto, 3 ditto Jacks, 1 ditto spring ditto.

Days
Dr. ditchers for the work of 5 Men Amtg ⅌ week to  30  
Cr. By ditching finished 28½ roods 20
By Mortising posts and lost on Acct of rain
By Sickness, Charles, 4 days, Botswain 3 ditto Robin ½ ditto   7½
30
-
Dr. Joinners & Carpenters for the work of 4 Men Amtg ⅌ week to 24
Cr. By Thos Mohony About the green House window Shetters 4
By Isaac engaged about ditto 6
By James & Sambo Sawing 8 pieces for the green House & 8 laths 16 feet long 2
By James Confined to the House having fallen from the saw pit & wounded himself 5
By Sickness Thos Mohony 2 days 2
By rounding Shingles 1
By hewing 10 Stocks 16 feet long 10 Inches deep  4
Total 24
Mill Grist Dr. Wht Corn Rye Oats
Rem[ainin]g in the Mill 890½ 14½
To toll this week 14
 
To Dogue Run plantn 15½ 60
To River plantn 11½ 11
To Muddy Hole Plantn 5
To Ferry & Frenches Plantn 9
900
53¼  6
Remg in the Mill 900
Contra Cr. Ship
B. Ml st[uff] Brn Hoy Oats
By D. Run plantn 4 3
By Muddy Hole Plant. 4 3
By F. & Frenches Pltn 11½
By Mansn House 27 1
By Miller & Coopers 1
                        
53¼ 10 8 1 6
Days
Dr. Coopers for the work of 3 Men Amtg ⅌ week to 18
-
By Cuting hoop poles Cr.
By triming pales
By going to Alexa. with flower
By puting the flower on board of the boat  3½
Total 18

D, in the writing of George Augustine Washington, DLC:GW.

This report and other similar accounts were sent by George Augustine Washington and GW’s later managers on a weekly basis during GW’s absences from Mount Vernon. During the presidential years GW clearly read the reports carefully and used them in preparing his detailed instructions to his managers on the administration of his plantations during the absences. In comparison to their numbers, relatively few of these reports have survived. See also editorial note to Farm Reports, 26 Nov. 1785–30 Dec. 1786.

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