From George Washington to William Pearce, 4 December 1796
To William Pearce
Philadelphia 4th Decr 1796.
Mr Pearce
Getting no letter from you by the Post of yesterday—nor receiving any account from home, leads me to conclude that something more than common has happened, as your last letter is dated the 17th of November.1
Hearing nothing of the state, in which my business is, for so long a time, especially too as the weather, for the Season, has been severe2—I have but little to found my letter upon at this time.
Enclosed you have a bill of lading, and Invoice of Goods shipped on board of Captn Ellwood, on my account. Let the Oil & paint be put into some secure Cellar, there to remain until I come home; and such of the Oznabrigs as is necessary for cloathing the people (most wanting) to be cut out, and made up as fast as circumstances will permit.3 In doing this, I beg every care and attention may be used to prevent waste or embezzlement in the Act of cutting out, and by taking a list, to be left, of all who are served; otherwise the same persons, if they thought they could succeed, would apply over and over again. Give out but one roll of Oznabrigs at a time, & see how that is cut, worked up, and disposed of, before another piece is delivered. How far the Gardeners wife, or Allisons wife is to be depended upon in a business of this sort, I know not; but this I know, it is as little as either of them can do for the inconvenience I sustain by their living there, and the attendance they receive from my People.4
The enclosed letter to the Gardener, relative to the planting of shrubs, seal & deliver to him after you have read it;5 and if such freezing weather should arrive, before your departure, as I have described, give him all the assistance you can to improve it; and in case it does not, let Mr Anderson know what my wishes are respecting this matter. I repeat to you my solicitude to have the Ice house prepared for, & well filled, & rammed, when Ice is formed.6 It will be of immense importance to me when I get home.
I hope Frank has taken particular care of the Tarriers. I directed him to observe when the female was getting into heat, and let her be immediately shut up, and no other than the male Tarrier get to her.7 I wish you well, and am Your friend
Go: Washington
ALS, ViMtvL.
1. Pearce’s silence may have been due to his recent absence from Mount Vernon while traveling to the Eastern Shore of Maryland (see his letter to GW, 13 Nov., and n.12). Pearce wrote GW on 30 Nov., though that letter has not been found.
2. GW is probably referring to the recent drought in Virginia (see Pearce to GW, 13 Nov., and n.11).
3. The bill of lading and invoice have not been found. The Philadelphia Gazette & Universal Daily Advertiser for 25 Nov. reported that the sloop Harmony, Capt. John Ellwood, Jr., would sail from that city “in a few days” for Alexandria, Va., and Georgetown, D.C. GW may have shipped the “bale of Oznabrigs” that he had purchased for $320.67 on 24 Nov. (). For inquiries into prices for osnaburgs and paint, and for another invoice listing similar items, see Pearce to GW, 13 Nov., and GW to Pearce, 14 and 20 Nov.; see also GW to James Maury, 5 December.
4. Catherine Ehlers, the wife of Mount Vernon gardener John Christian Ehlers, had been given oversight of sewers, knitters, and spinners at Mansion House farm four years earlier (see GW to Anthony Whitting, 14 Oct. 1792, and n.16). “Allisons wife” was the wife of overseer John Allison (Allistone).
5. GW’s letter to Ehlers has not been found.
6. For GW’s earlier request to have the ice house filled and replenished, see his Memorandum for James Anderson and Pearce of 5 November.
7. The terriers may refer to the dogs that James Maury had sent GW (see GW to Maury, 5 Dec.).