George Washington Papers
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From George Washington to Robert Cary & Company, 22 January 1764

To Robert Cary & Company

Williamsburg 22d Jany 1764.

Gentn

Captn Mather whom I met with at this place a day or two ago, seeming to be pretty much distressd to compleat his Loading before the lay days are out, I shall, in order to facilitate his dispatch, give him all the Tobacco I have ready upon York River amounting to Fifty two Hhds, on which please to make Insurance and proportion the charge hereafter for I cannot at this Instant tell what part is mine, nor have I time to enquire, as Captn Whiting by whom I now write, is just ready to Sail—I expect we shall have Seventy, perhaps Eighty Hhds more on this River and these shall be reserved for the Nautilus; but my Crops upon Potomack are vastly deficient, in short a wet Spring, a dry Summer, and early Frosts have quite demolished me.1

At our next April General Court I expect I shall have occasion to draw upon you in behalf of Master John Parke Custis to the amount of Seven, eight, or more hundred pounds, £500 certainly, and take this oppertunity of giving you advice of it.2

Shoud this Letter get to your hands before the Shipping Sail for Potomack, please to send me over and above what are mentioned in my Invoice, 25 M 8d. 25 M 10d. & 25 M 20d. Nails3—I shall write to Mr Jno. Searles of Madeira for another Pipe of Wine directing him to draw upon you for the Costs which I hope will be paid.4 I am Gentn Yr Most Obedt Servt

Go: Washington

ALB, DLC:GW. GW wrote at the end of his letter-book copy of the letter, “Sent by Captn Jno. Whiting.” Whiting departed from the York River naval district in the Nelly on 20 Jan. 1764.

1Captain Mather, probably Thomas Mather, was master of the British King. Of the 52 hogsheads of tobacco from the York River plantation shipped in the British King, 15 belonged to GW and 37 to John Parke Custis (see GW to Cary, 1 May 1764). GW received £123.19 for the fifteen hogsheads (General Ledger A description begins General Ledger A, 1750–1772. Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, Series 5, Financial Papers. description ends , folio 198).

2On 30 April 1764 GW drew £800 current money on John Parke Custis’s account with Cary to lend to Fielding Lewis and James Gibson. See GW to Cary, 1 May 1764.

3Cary sent the nails with the invoice dated 2 April 1764, and on 10 Aug. 1764, GW acknowledged having received them. The sizes of nails sent, however, differ somewhat from GW’s order.

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