To George Washington from Joseph Valentine, 20 January 1766
From Joseph Valentine
Yorke 20th Jan⟨y⟩ 1766
Sir
I Recd your Letter yesterday of the 2⟨illegible⟩ Decmber1 Crosher graves Left Claiborns before Crismos I have taken all the greatest Care I Cud of the place I have ben at the place three times sence Crismos and should ben their oftener but going to other places & meashe⟨r⟩ing of their Corn & deliverind of the poorke prevented me from going oftener I got Crosher graves to go to the place two or three times ⟨a⟩ weak have got a good peace of ground Ca⟨mutilated⟩own and am in hopes if the overseer Cums in a Little time to have the plantation in good order for a Crop in time2—have sold thirteen thousand weight of porke @22/6 and sum @25/ have got Sum at Claiborns in the ⟨p⟩en yet was not got up so soon ⟨mutilated⟩ Sir I have not Recd one farding of money of Colo. Byrd yet not for either of the two years rent or the Charge of doing the Ri⟨illegible⟩ I insisted so hard on him @the oyer Cort ass he had given me many promises tel he was very angry and soor [swore] pine Blank he wod not pay any tel April I wish I had never had any thing to don with him.3
the Crops of Corn are ass follows
| at Claiborns | 295½ | Barels |
| Bridg Qurter | 104½ | |
| Ship Landing | 61 | |
| at Rockahock | 228 | |
| Brick House | 252½ | |
| old Quarter | 239 | |
| at Harlows4 | 160 | |
| at mill Quarter & wheare I live it is not measherd yet. | ||
Joseph Valentine
ALS, ViHi: Custis Papers.
1. GW’s letter has not been found.
2. Richard Croshor (Crowshaw, Croshire) Graves had left his position as overseer at Claiborne’s plantation, and Joseph Davenport had not yet arrived from Frederick County to take over the job.
3. William Byrd leased Custis lots in Williamsburg. See Cash Accounts, April 1764. GW also leased to James Cocke of Williamsburg on 5 Nov. 1767 property in York County behind the Governor’s Palace. The land, adjoining “the Governors Pasture,” belonged to John Parke Custis (ViWC).
4. Rockahock, Brick House, Old Quarter, and Harlow’s, all in New Kent County, belonged to John Parke Custis.