To George Washington from William Preston, 9 April 1775
From William Preston
April 9th 1775.
Dear Sir
Yours of the 27th Ult. came to hand yesterday with my Fee & that to Mr Floyd with which1 we are Sattisfied.
Henderson I hear has made the Purchase & got a Conveyance of the great and Valluable Country below the Kentucky from the Cherokees. He and about 300 adventurers are gone out to take Possession, who it is said intends to set up an independant Government & form a Code of Laws for themselves. How this may be I cant say, but I am affraid the steps taken by the Government have been too late. Before the Purchase was made had the Governor interfered it is beleived the Indians would not have Sold. Abt 12 or 1300 of them met at the Treaty & I hear near one half went off much displeased, as they shared no part of the Goods given by the Company.2
Mr Floyd has sent you a Description of 3000 Acres of Land he surveyed last Summer and which has not been appropriated. Should this suit, let me know by a Line & I will make out a Certificate & send it to any Place you direct. As I imagine you will receive this before you set off for the Congress, you can send an Answer to the Care of Alexr Craig in Wmsburg at the meeting of the Merchants from whence I can readily get it.3
But if this Land will not answer your Purpose I can readily have a Tract Surveyed as Floyd sets off to morrow for the Ohio & I can when I receive your Letter have an Oppy of writing to him. The Warrant should be lodged with me, if it is sent to Mr Craig I can get it safe. I am with profound Respect Dr Sir your most humble Servt
Wm Preston
ALS, DLC:GW. The letter was addressed “To the care of the Revd Mr Waddel, to be left with Colo. Fielding Lewis,” and is postmarked “Fredericksburg Apr:26.” It has been docketed: “Inclosing Mr Floyds discription of 3000 Acres of Land.”
1. Preston wrote “wehich.”
2. For Richard Henderson’s treaty with the Cherokee and his purchase of land in Kentucky, see GW to Preston, 27 Mar. 1775, n.3.
3. Alexander Craig of Williamsburg was acting as agent for several officers claiming land under the Proclamation of 1763, including Robert McKenzie, Walter Steuart, and William Polson’s heir (A List of Surveys Made by Thos Bullitt and Deputys under the claimers of the Proclamation of 1763, May 1774, DLC: Breckinridge Family Papers).