181[Diary entry: 1 October 1784] (Washington Papers)
October 1st. Dined at Mr. Gabriel Jones’s, not half a mile from Mr. Lewis’s, but seperated by the South fork of Shannondoah; which is between 80 and a hundred yards wide, & makes a respectable appearance altho’ little short of 150 Miles from its confluence with Potomack River; and only impeded in its navigation by the rapid water & rocks which are between the old bloomery and Keys’s ferry; and...
182[Diary entry: 14 January 1786] (Washington Papers)
Saturday 14th. Thermometer at 26 in the Morng.—35 at Noon and 36 at Night. Went out with the Hounds, & run a fox from 11 Oclock untill near 3 Oclock when I came home and left the Dogs at fault after which they recovered the Fox & it is supposed killed it. Before the Chase, I visited my Ferry & Dogue run Plantations.
183[Diary entry: 4 February 1786] (Washington Papers)
Saturday 4th. Thermometer at 46 in the Morng.— at Noon and 40 at Night. Clear morning with very little wind—after which it sprung up but not fresh, from the Eastward, and lowered. Mr. Porter and Doctr. Craik went away before Breakfast and Mr. Rumsay after dinner. Having assembled the Men from my Plantations, I removed the garden Houses which were in the middle of the front walls to the extreme...
184[Diary entry: 29 December 1785] (Washington Papers)
Thursday 29th. Thermometer at 29 in the Morning— at Noon and 40 at Night. Morning clear with very little wind and that from the South. Pleasand all day until the evening when it began to lower and about eight at Night set in to raining with a strong Southerly wind wch. continued through the Night. Count Castiglioni went away after breakfast, on his tour to the Southward. Mr. Jenny also left...
185[Diary entry: 27 May 1785] (Washington Papers)
Friday 27th. Mercury at 60 in the Morning—62 at Noon and 62 at Night. Wind at No. Wt. all day with flying clouds and little sprinklings of rain. Cold and disagreeable. Mr. Magowan went away after breakfast.
186[Diary entry: 16 June 1785] (Washington Papers)
Thursday 16th. Mercury at 80 in the Morning—84 at Noon And 86 at Night. Light wind from the Southward all day. Weather very warm. Some appearances of rain in the afternoon, but none fell here.
187[Diary entry: 31 May 1785] (Washington Papers)
Tuesday 31st. Mercury at 66 in the Morning—66 at Noon and 66 at Night. Govrs. Lee & Johnson, Colo. Fitzgerald & Colo. Gilpin came here according to appointment. Fanny Bassett returned. Raining more or less all day—in the Evening & Night much fell. The directors of the Potowmack Company agreed at this meeting to divide the clearing of the Potomac into two areas of responsibility, one above and...
188[Diary entry: 6 July 1785] (Washington Papers)
Wednesday 6th. Mercury at 80 in the Morning 84 at Noon and 84 at Night. Clear and warm, with but little Wind & that variable. Mrs. Blackburn and her daughter went away before breakfast. General Lincoln & his Son; Mr. Porter, & a Doctr. Milne came to Dinner & returned afterwards. Received from Genl. Lincoln 3 young trees of the Spruce Pine and two of the Fir or Hemlock in half Barrels which...
189[Diary entry: 20 June 1785] (Washington Papers)
Monday 20th. Mercury at 79 in the Morning—84 at Noon and 86 at Night. Clear with very little wind, Sultry in the Afternoon. My Brother John went up to Alexandria after an early Breakfast. Began to pull the seeds of the Blew, or English grass, and cut the top from the Walnut tree wch. I transplanted in the Spring, as it seemed to be declining; the leaves which had put out falling off by...
190September [1785] (Washington Papers)
Thursday first. Mercury at 70 in the Morng.—69 at Noon and 68 at Night. Cloudy Morning—with the Wind at East. Between 9 & 10 Oclock it began to drip slow rain, in which I planted the remainder of the Wheat from the Cape of Good Hope leaving 230 grains to replant the missing seeds, & some that had been washed up by the late rains; the whole number of grains given me by Colo. Spaight amounting...
191[Diary entry: 10 July 1785] (Washington Papers)
Sunday 10th. Mercury at 76 in the Morng.—78 at Noon and 78 at Night. Morning calm—but the Wind fresh afterwards from the Eastward. Cool and pleasant. At home all day alone.
192March 1786 (Washington Papers)
Wednesday 1st. Thermometer at in the Morning— at Noon and at Night. The Snow which fell in the night was little, if any over an inch deep this Morning. The forenoon of the day was variable and foggy—the afternoon clear, warm, and pleasant till the evening, when it lowered and threatned a disagreeable change. After a very early breakfast at Abingdon I set off for the meeting at the Great falls...
193[Diary entry: 29 March 1786] (Washington Papers)
Wednesday 29th. Thermometer at 48 in the Morning—60 at Noon and 62 at Night. Lowering in the forenoon, and sometimes dropping Rain—clear afterwards—Wind Southerly all day and at times fresh. Finished crossing the ground at Muddy hole plantation, intended for experiments. Began to plow a piece of grd. in the Neck for Burnet, Saintfoin and Rib grass, in front of the overseers house. Rid to all...
194[Diary entry: 19 April 1786] (Washington Papers)
Wednesday 19th. Thermometer at 50 in the morning—62 at Noon and 60 at Night. Calm and warm in the forenoon. What little [wind] there was came from the Southward. In the afternoon the wind sprung up—but not fresh from the East. Rid to my Ferry Plantation, and walked into the Neck. At the first few fish were caught. At the latter I found (including what was sowed yesterday and Saturday) 50 rows...
195[Diary entry: 9 May 1786] (Washington Papers)
Tuesday 9th. Thermometer at 60 in the Morng.—66 at Noon and 64 at Night. Clear & warm, with but little Wind and that did not spring up till about 11 Oclock—first from the No. Et.—shifting afterwards to So. Et. Rid to all my Plantations between Breakfast and dinner. Found the Flax in the Neck had come up, and full thick; and that the grass Seeds (rather Millet) obtnd. from Colo. Cary had come...
196[Diary entry: 23 April 1786] (Washington Papers)
Sunday 23d. Set off after breakfast, on a journey to Richmond—to acknowledge in the General Court some Deeds for Land sold by me as Attorney for Colo. George Mercer which, it seems, could not be executed without. Dined at Dumfries and lodged at Stafford Court House. Very cloudy all day with but little wind and that from the Eastward.
197[Diary entry: 29 January 1785] (Washington Papers)
Saturday 29th. Mercury at 42 in the Morning and the same at Noon & Night. Raining until about 10 Oclock when it ceased. About 12 the Sun appeared and the day became exceedingly pleasant afterwards. The Wind, until some time after noon came from the Southward but not very fresh. Towards the evening it inclined to the westward more—blew fresh & grew cold.
198[Diary entry: 13 May 1786] (Washington Papers)
Saturday 13th. Thermometer at 60 in the Morning—64 at Noon and 64 at Night. Lowering all the forepart of the day with drops of rain (but no more) now and then. Evening clear—Wind variable, but mostly at So. Et. I rid to Muddy hole, Dogue run & Ferry plantations; and to the fishery at the latter. Ordered my People to quit hauling, and bring home my Seins. Finished (yesterday evening) planting...
199[Diary entry: 19 February 1785] (Washington Papers)
Saturday 19th. Mercury at 40 in the Morning, 43 at Noon, and 48 at Night. Morning lowering, but the Clouds dispelling about Noon, it became warm & pleasant afterwards. The Sun set in a bank. Little or no wind at any time of the day. Went to Mr. Tripletts and rectified the mistakes in running the Lines and finished the business respecting the quantities of Land given in Excha. and the partition...
200[Diary entry: 16 October 1785] (Washington Papers)
Sunday 16th. Thermometer at 66 in the Morng. 68 at Noon and 72 at Night. Morning thick and lowering, with appearances of rain, which vanished about Noon; after which it was clear and very pleasant—wind continuing at South. Mr. Grayson went away very early in the Morning, & Mr. Griffith, Mrs. Lund Washington and Miss Stuart after Dinner.
201[Diary entry: 3 June 1786] (Washington Papers)
Saturday 3d. Thermometer at 69 in the Morning—72 at Noon and 71 at Night. Morning very heavy, sometimes misting, and then raining till 9 oclock—lowering afterwards till the afternoon, when it became calm & clear with a good horizon at the Suns setting. The wind was at No. Et. all the fore part of the day, & pretty fresh. Rid to the Plantations at the Ferry, Dogue run, and Muddy hole. At the...
202[Diary entry: 9 March 1785] (Washington Papers)
Wednesday 9th. Mercury at 38 in the morning, 44 at Noon and 48 Night. A great deal of rain fell last Night and the heaviest Sleet I ever recollect to have seen. The bows of all the trees were incrusted by tubes of Ice, quite round, at least half an Inch think—the weight of Which was so great that my late transplantation in many instances sunk under it either by bending the bodies of the young...
203[Diary entry: 6 November 1785] (Washington Papers)
Sunday 6th. Thermometer at 64 in the Morning—68 at Noon and 68 at Night. Clear, Calm, and remarkably pleasant all day. Sun set in a bank. Mr. Webster and Mr. Lee went away after breakfast. Mr. Geo. Washington & wife went to Church at Alexandria—as did Mr. Shaw. The two first returned to dinner. The other not ’till some time in the Night—after the family were in bed. Although it was omitted in...
204[Diary entry: 23 February 1785] (Washington Papers)
Wednesday 23d. Mercury at 36 in the Morning—40 at Noon and 42 at Night. In the Morning it was calm and clear. About 10 oclock the wind, for about an hour, blew pretty fresh and cool from the No. West. It then shifted to the Eastward—died away and grew cloudy and towards Night had all the appearances of falling weather. Planted trees on the South Shrubbery similar to those of yesterday, in the...
205[Diary entry: 20 October 1785] (Washington Papers)
Thursday 20th. Thermometer at 67 in the Morng. 66 at Noon and 65 at Night. Wind fresh at South East and weather threatning, with Showers of rain (some pretty heavy) through the day. George Washington & his wife, Bushrod Washington, his wife Sister & Brother, the two Mr. Bassetts, Mr. Craik and Mr. Shaw, notwithstanding the weather set out for the races at Alexandria, and were disappointed of...
206[Diary entry: 13 March 1785] (Washington Papers)
Sunday 13th. Mercury at 42 this Morning, 46 at Noon and 48 at Night. Wind very fresh from the So. West, and great appearances of Rain in the forenoon. About Noon the wind ceased, and the Sun came out—after which it again clouded—the wind shifted to the No. Et. and it set in for a serious rain about 5 oclock which was unlucky on acct. of an open Boat load of Flour from my Mill, bound to...
207[Diary entry: 10 November 1785] (Washington Papers)
Thursday 10th. Thermometer at 59 in the Morning— at Noon and at Night. There having fallen so much rain in the Night as to convince me that the Straw which I had placed between the Cieling & the Wall of my Ice House, must have got wet, and being in some doubt before of the propriety of the measure, lest it should get damp, heat, & rot; I had it all taken out, leaving the Space between unfilled...
208[Diary entry: 3 April 1785] (Washington Papers)
Sunday 3d. Mercury at 38 in the Morning—42 at Noon and 44 at Night. Wind very fresh all day from So. Wt. & West, and unpleasant. After Dinner Mr. George Lewis & his wife & Mr. Chas. Carter and his wife and Child came here having been detained on the Road by the Weather. George Lewis (1757–1821) was a son of Fielding and Betty Washington Lewis. At the beginning of the Revolution, he had been...
209[Diary entry: 10 September 1784] (Washington Papers)
10th. Set off a little after 5 Oclock altho’ the morning was very unpromissing. Finding from the rains that had fallen, and description of the Roads, part of which between the old Town & this place (old Fort Cumberland) we had passed, that the progress of my Baggage would be tedeous, I resolved (it being Necessary) to leave it to follow; and proceed on myself to Gilbert Simpson’s, to prepare...
210[Diary entry: 26 September 1785] (Washington Papers)
Monday 26th. Thermometer at 63 in the Morning—62 at Noon and 60 at Night. Clear day, and calm Morning but brisk wind afterwards from the No. West. Went up to Alexandria to meet Colonels Gilpin & Fitzgerald on business of the Potomack Compa. Doctr. La Moyer, Mr. B. Bassett and G. A. Washington accompanied me the first of whom remained there. Dined at the New Tavern, kept by Mr. Lyle. Brought...