To George Washington from Michael Jenifer Stone, 22 July 1789
From Michael Jenifer Stone
22 July [1789]. Encloses a group of letters from Maryland applicants for public office for GW’s inspection.1
ALS, DLC:GW.
Michael Jenifer Stone (1747–1812) was a Charles County, Md., lawyer, who earlier served in the Maryland legislature and attended the state’s ratifying convention. He represented Maryland in the First Congress and from 1791 to 1802 was judge of the first Maryland judicial district.
1. Stone identifies these letters, which were probably addressed to him or to other Maryland public officials, as being from John Davidson, William Kilty, and Christopher Richmond, whom he characterized as “men of reputation”; from Dr. Edward Johnson; from Col. Richard Barnes, “a Gentleman of undoubted Honor & integrity”; from William H. Dorsey, “an Attorney at Law of unblemished reputation”; from John Wright and Alexander Furnival, and from George Biscoe, who “has the reputation of being an Excellent Naval Officer under the State of Maryland which reputation I believe he merits”; from Robert Chesley, who “has the Character of having Actively fought for his Country of being a Bold generous Honest Man”; from Charles Chilton, who was “honest Steady & industrious”; and from one “Lewis,” one of the “members of the House Delegates of Maryland,” probably Tubman Lowes (1764–1815), a representative from Somerset County in the Maryland lower house in 1789. Several of these letters are in DLC:GW. A letter from William Deakins, Jr., to GW, 21 Aug., recommending Lynn as “a Young Man of Strict honor & Integrity, & of very good abilities” also is in DLC:GW.