Thursday 9th. Set off very early from Moores but the proper ferry boat being hauled up, we were a tedious while crossing in one of the Boats used in the navigation of the River; being obliged to carry one carriage at a time, without horses1 & crossways the Boat on planks. Breakfasted at a Widow pains 172 Miles on the No. side of the River, and lodged at a Mrs. Jordans a private house where we were kindly entertained and to which we were driven by necessity having Rode not less than 25 miles from our breakfasting stage through very bad Roads in a very sultry day witht. any refreshments3 & by missing the right road had got to it.
From the River to the Widow Pains, & thence to Andersons bridge over the North Anna Branch of Pamunky, the Lands are not good, nor thickly settled on the Road but are a good deal mixd. w. Pine; 4 nor does the Soil & growth promise much (except in places) from thence for several miles further; but afterwards, throughout the County of Louisa, which is entered after passing the Bridge, the River over which it is made dividing it from Goochland they are much better & continued so with little exception quite to Mrs. Jordons.
GW apparently breakfasted with Jane (Jean) Smith Chichester Payne of White Hall, Goochland County, widow of Col. John Payne (1713–1784), whom she married in 1757 (Va. Mag., 6 [1898–99], 315–16, 427–38, 31 [1923], 174). GW’s lodgings were at Jerdone Castle, home of Sarah Macon Jerdone of Louisa County, whose husband Francis Jerdone (1720–1771) had been a prominent merchant (Va. Mag., 62 [1954], 208; , 1st ser., 6 [1897–98], 37–38).
GW was mistaken about Anderson’s bridge. It was on the South Anna River near the mouth of Deep Creek and lay entirely in Louisa County, being about a mile northeast of the Goochland County line. The South Anna roughly parallels the boundary between Louisa and Goochland but forms no part of it. The North Anna River, which GW crossed the next day, forms Louisa’s northern border with Orange and Spotsylvania counties. Both the South and North Anna are branches of the Pamunkey River.
1. “without horses” added above line.
2. “17” substituted for “15.”
3. “witht. any refreshments” inserted above line.
4. “but are a good deal mixd. w. Pine” inserted above line.