51From George Washington to William Pearce, 23 November 1794 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 16th with the reports—except the Carpenters, which I have been without for several weeks—came to my hands yesterday. As I expected, so it happened, my letters to Colo. Willm Washington of Westmoreland, did not reach him until a few days ago. As you seem to be of the same opinion wch I entertained at first, namely, that from the easy and simple manners of Donaldson, he wd not...
52From George Washington to William Pearce, 10 January 1796 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: to William Pearce, 10 Jan. 1796 . On 17 Jan., Pearce wrote GW: “I Receved your Letter of the 10th Inst.”
53From George Washington to William Pearce, 1 February 1795 (Washington Papers)
I write to you this week, more for the sake of letting you know that your l⟨e⟩tter of the 25th Ulto with the reports, came safe, than because I have any thing to communicate that is in any degree material. I have no doubt of Ceder making a good hedge—but I have very great ones of your getting them to live, when transplanted; and if they should not, your labour as well as the plants will be...
54From George Washington to William Pearce, 5 April 1795 (Washington Papers)
I perceive by your last report—enclosed in your letter of the 29th ulto —that Carter Ben, at River farm, has been laid up many weeks; with a person to attend him, the whole time. What is the nature of his complaint? When these extraordinary cases happen, let the report respecting them, say what the cause is; without which, and at this distance from the scene, it is not easy for me to...
55From George Washington to William Pearce, 15 February 1795 (Washington Papers)
Your letter, and the reports of the preceeding Week, came duly to hand. It is my earnest wish to have my land on four mile run resurveyed, and the bounds thereof ascertained, that the pretence of not knowing the lines may—no longer—be an excuse for the tresspasses which are committed thereon, to the great diminution of its value; the wood being the more important, as the land is of a mean...
56From George Washington to William Pearce, 8 March 1795 (Washington Papers)
I am sorry to find by your letter of the 1st of this instt enclosing the weekly reports —that the Wheat on the ground is in so unpromising a way. Another short crop of this article will fall very heavy upon me. How does the Barley look? It was not my intention to use the Rollers until the frosts were over, & the ground was settled. If the absconding of French’s Paul did not proceed from a...
57From George Washington to William Pearce, 19 January 1794 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 14th instt came to my hands to day, when the Post ought to have been in yesterday. Having been very full in my late letters to you, I shall have less to say in this—The condition you describe my stock to be in at Union farm, and at Dogue run, & want of shelter for them at those places, is a fresh instance of the misconduct of Crow & McKoy; and of the neccessity of watching...
58From George Washington to William Pearce, 21 September 1794 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 14th instt and the weekly reports, have been recd. We left our Quarters at German Town yesterday, and are again fixed in this City. Thomas Green’s quitting my business of his own accord—whatever the pretence may be—is in my opinion a lucky circumstance, as my repugnance to turning him away was on account of his helpless family. These you may suffer to remain where they are,...
59From George Washington to William Pearce, 10 August 1794 (Washington Papers)
I have duly received your letter of the 3d, with the reports of the preceeding week. If you think the Oat ground at River farm, will not be too much drawn by a succeeding Crop of Wheat, for Clover; I have no objection to your sowing it with Wheat. but I have serious doubts on this head; and doubts equally serious of another kind, viz.—that on such stiff & baking land as mine is, sowing Clover...
60From George Washington to William Pearce, 4 May 1794 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 29th ulto, and the reports which were enclosed, came duly to hand. I am sorry to find by the first that the Ship Peggy had not then arrived at George Town, from London. I fear the White thorn Plants (5,000 in number) which I have on board, together with Mr Lears fruit Trees, will suffer very much, if they are not entirely destroyed; by the advanced season. Let the ground...
61From George Washington to William Pearce, 21 February 1796 (Washington Papers)
Since my last to you, I have received your letters of the 7th & 14th Instant. I am under no apprehension of flour falling; but keep me advised of the Alexandria price. The fears expressed by the purchasers, of its falling, is calculated to alarm the Sellers. They know full well, it is not likely to happen. The scarcity and demand being so great. As I wish, after this Crop of Wheat is...
62From George Washington to William Pearce, 26 October 1796 (Washington Papers)
Cyrus was obliged to come on to this place, in order to take the horses back, which Mr Frestal & Mr La Fayette rode, which is the cause of his delay. Mrs Washington desires me to inform you that there was some Butter left in the Cellar, and some Beef in a Tub which (after supplying James ) may be applied to any uses you think proper. Let my Study be cleaned out, & the Room afterwards locked...
63From George Washington to William Pearce, 1 January 1797 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found : to William Pearce, 1 Jan. 1797 . GW wrote James Anderson on 8 Jan. : “My last letter (this day week) to Mr Pearce.”
64From George Washington to William Pearce, 18 December 1793 (Washington Papers)
The paper enclosed with this letter will give you my ideas, generally, of the course of Crops I wish to pursue. I am sensible more might be made from the farms for a year or two—but my object is to recover the fields from the exhausted state into which they have fallen, by oppressive crops, and to restore them (if possible by any means in my power) to health & vigour. But two ways will enable...
65From George Washington to William Pearce, 20 December 1795 (Washington Papers)
Having received neither the weekly reports nor a letter from you yesterday, as usual, I fear you are unwell, or something else is the cause of it, as I got other letters by the Southern Mail. Flour keeps up to 13½ dollars pr barl. If I have any therefore on hand, to dispose of, I wish it were sold at that price, on a reasonable credit; allowing for the freight to this place; which is all that...
66From George Washington to William Pearce, 24 May 1795 (Washington Papers)
I have duly received your letter, and the reports of the 17th instant. The enclosed sketches, will give my ideas so fully, of the Barn, proposed to be built at River farm, as to leave me scarcely any thing to add to it. If 2 Inch (white oak) plank, is thought sufficient for the threshing floor of the Barn, I do not want it to be got any thicker; and if Inch & quarter (Pine) plank, is thick...
67From George Washington to William Pearce, 23 December 1793 (Washington Papers)
The letter which I wrote to you on the 18th and the papers therein enclosed with the Plans of the several farms (which Mr Lewis was directed to leave with you) were designed to give you a general view of the business entrusted to your care. I shall now, as intimated in that letter, give you my sentiments on many other matters of a more particular nature. Among the first things to be done after...
68From George Washington to William Pearce, 29 May 1796 (Washington Papers)
No Mail beyond Baltimore (Southerly) was received at the Post Office in this City yesterday; consequently, I got no letter from you; what may have been the cause I know not, unless the considerable falls of rain which happened here during last week, may have rendered the waters between Alexandria and Baltimore (if they extended so far) impassible. You have never mentioned in any of your late...
69From George Washington to William Pearce, 4 December 1796 (Washington Papers)
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. 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 severe —I have but little to found my letter upon at this...
70From George Washington to William Pearce, 25 January 1795 (Washington Papers)
Since my last of this day week, I have received your letters of the 11th & 18th instt, with the weekly reports—and an acct of sundry payments and the rects therefor. The latter (that is the vouchers) I did not wish to have had sent—it would have been time enough to exhibit these when I come home, and settled the accts regularly. All I wanted for the present, or rather for the past year—was a...
71From George Washington to William Pearce, 7 September 1794 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 31st ulto with the Reports, I have received. A few days ago I received a letter from Mr Pyne dated in the City of Washington still expressing a desire to be employed at Mount Vernon, and a wish to be there some short time before Butler left it, that he might get a little insight into the nature of the business, previous to his entering upon duty. I referred him for his being...
72From George Washington to William Pearce, 9 August 1795 (Washington Papers)
The day before I left home, I rode by the field at Dogue run called Davy’s field—and intended to have had some further conversation with you on the subject of a second wheat field at that place this seeding time; but the suddenness of my departure prevented it. In looking at the field above mentioned, it did not strike me as sufficient, in addition to No. 5 for a wheaten crop at that farm (if...
73From George Washington to William Pearce, 3 April 1796 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 27th Ulto, with a Post[s]cript of the 29th, came duly to hand yesterday. As I have expectation that by the time this letter will have reached you, a Vessel from Liverpool called the Commerce will have arrived at George Town with eight bushels of the field Pea; as much of the Chiccory as will sow four Acres of land; and eight bushels of the Winter Vetch—for, and on my...
74From George Washington to William Pearce, 29 November 1795 (Washington Papers)
The Post of yesterday brought me your letter of the 26th instt, and the weekly reports of the 14th & 21st preceeding. I am sorry to find by them that you have had much sickness among the Negros; and that the prospect of a good crop of corn as well as a tolerable one of Wheat, is diminishing. As the latter of these is got out, and the horses more at liberty, I hope every diligence will be used...
75From George Washington to William Pearce, 20 March 1796 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 13th instt and the reports of the preceeding week came duly to hand yesterday—and will, I presume, do so regularly through the course of the Spring & Summer. I am sensible that by dividing my farms into small tenements I add very much to the consumption of my Timber, (and perhaps of the fuel) until hedges sufficient against every thing but Hogs could be raised (which of...
76From George Washington to William Pearce, 19 October 1795 (Washington Papers)
Owing to the bad weather, and the sickness on the road of both Washington and one of the Postilions (Joe) I am no farther advanced yet; & do not expect to reach Philadelphia at soonest, before tuesday afternoon. As my Wheat would be a heavy loss to me, if the Weavil should get much into it; I must again request that no time may be lost in getting it out of the straw, and ground up as fast as...
77From George Washington to William Pearce, 29 March 1795 (Washington Papers)
I have received your letter of the 22d instt with its enclosures. Had Mr Pierce Bailey accepted the terms on which I offered him my land on difficult run, without proposing an abatement of interest, after I had declared I never would lower them, the bargain would have been concluded on my part. As he did not, but is still attempting to make other terms, I shall suspend saying any thing further...
78From George Washington to William Pearce, 28 December 1794 (Washington Papers)
I have duly received your letter of the 21st instt with its enclosures. Your idea of fencing the ground at the mansion house for Corn, accords exactly with mine (as far as I understand it) except in joining the fence which comes from the first (outer gate) in the hollow to the corner of the clover lot, north of the road, by the deep washed gully. My idea was, to continue that fence on, (making...
79From George Washington to William Pearce, 20 July 1794 (Washington Papers)
Yesterday brought me your letter, & the Reports of the preceeding week; the first dated the 16th instt & the other the 12th. Frequent Rains at this season, if they do not fall too heavily, nor are of too long a continuance, will be the making of the Corn & Buckwheat; but if they are of such a nature as to prevent plowing it will be bad; however, it may so happen, that if you cannot plow in one...
80From George Washington to William Pearce, 19 August 1796 (Washington Papers)
At this place I have seen Mr Thos Ringgold, who is very desirous of availing himself of your testimony in his pending suit. I have told him, that my consent to this measure has been freely given—and that it depended entirely upon yourself, and the state of your health, whether you attended or not. Mentioning to him the probability of your quitting the Superintendance of my business, he said it...
81From George Washington to William Pearce, 30 March 1794 (Washington Papers)
The Reports, and your letter of the 25th instt have been duly recd. If you are satisfied from repeated trials, that the pieces of the treading floor at Dogue run Farm, are well placed at an inch and half a part, it would be well to lay them all at that distance, that you may derive as much benefit as you can from it in the present Crop, and that it may be ready against the next year. The Oats...
82From George Washington to William Pearce, 12 August 1795 (Washington Papers)
I forgot to ask you, what prospect there was of your saving clover seed, sufficient for your next years purposes? If it is a good one, there will be no occasion of buying, if it is not, the sooner I am informed thereof, the better. I hope you will, not only of this kind of seed, but of all others, endeavor to save as much as will answer my own demands, as the purchase of them falls heavy upon...
83From George Washington to William Pearce, 26 August 1793 (Washington Papers)
I intended to have written to you somewhat sooner, but business of a public nature & pressing, prevented it until now. Although I have conviction in my own mind, that a hundred guineas pr annum is more than my Mount Vernon Estate will enable me to give the Superintendent of it; yet, the satisfaction (when one is at a considerable distance from property they possess, under circumstances which...
84From George Washington to William Pearce, 13 December 1795 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 6th instt, enclosing the weekly reports, has been duly received. I am glad to find by it that the sickness among my people is abating. If Cyrus continues to give evidence of such qualities as would fit him for a waiting man, encourage him to persevere in them; and if they should appear to be sincere & permanent, I will receive him in that character when I retire from public...
85From George Washington to William Pearce, 10 May 1795 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 3d instt, with the Reports of the preeceding week, was received yesterday; and I am glad to find by it that the Wheat & grass continues to mend—I hope the warm days we have had, and the showers of rain (if they have extended to you) have also brought on the Oats. It is high time they were advancing, if much is to be expected from them. Considering the quality of my flour...
86From George Washington to William Pearce, 14 December 1794 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 7th instt, enclosing the reports of the preceeding week, came duly to hand. I approve your idea of clearing up the wood between the fence and the road, and letting it lay over to another year; but quere, would it not be better, instead of cleaning the ground thoroughly , and exposing the earth to the rays of the summers sun, to have it well grubbed, & lye with all the brush...
87From George Washington to William Pearce, 28 June 1795 (Washington Papers)
I have received your letter of the 21st with its enclosures, and am very glad to find by it that your Wheat crop is likely to turn out pretty well. The sample of the grain which you sent me is not bad; but are the ears large, or small ? If the former, and filled with grain as good as that which you sent me, I shall have no cause to repine; notwithstanding the injury it sustained by the rains...
88From George Washington to William Pearce, 12 January 1794 (Washington Papers)
Taking it for granted that you have arrived at Mount Vernon, before this, I shall direct this letter to you at that place, & shall mention such things as have occurred to me, proper for your notice & government. From a review of the plan of rotation which has been already communicated to you, it appears (if it can be carried into affect this year) that you will want the following seeds, and at...
89From George Washington to William Pearce, 20 November 1796 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 13th instt, and the Reports of the preceeding week, were received yesterday. I am sorry to hear that the growing Wheat is suffering for want of Rain—but hope you had some on Tuesday last (three days subsequent to the date of your letter). If the fact however is otherwise, let the ground in which the Egyptian Wheat was deposited, be watered, & continu’d to be so until the...
90From George Washington to William Pearce, 11 January 1795 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 4th instt, with the reports, is received —but the Miller, I perceive has left off, or rather I believe, has not yet begun to report what wheat is manufactured, & what flour is made. The price of both these articles have fallen in this market as well as in that of Alexandria; but as I see no permanent cause for it, and know that the last years crop of Wheat was very short...
91From George Washington to William Pearce, 15 March 1795 (Washington Papers)
I have received your letter of the 8th instt, with the reports of the preceeding week. By the Sloop Harmony, Captn Ellwood, who talked of Sailing today, I send you as pr Bill of lading enclosed, a bale of Oznabrings consisting of ten pieces, amounting to 972½ yards. The Box, & band box, therein mentioned, are for Mrs Fanny Washington as marked; and is to remain with Colo. Gilpin ’till she...
92From George Washington to William Pearce, 17 August 1794 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 10th has been duly received, and I am glad to find by it that your Corn still retains a favorable appearance, and that the ground on which it grows is in tolerable good order for the reception of Wheat. I wish it had been in perfect order, as I have no idea of the propriety of seeding where it is not. You have not yet answered a question in one of my late...
93From George Washington to William Pearce, 8 May 1796 (Washington Papers)
I am glad to find by your letter of the first instant, that the rain wch fell here on the 27th Ulto had extended to you. The cold & drying Winds I knew would deprive the plants of some of its good effects; but benefit must have resulted to them notwithstanding. If the frosts which accompanied those Winds have injured the fruit (as you fear) it will be a circumstances much to be regretd altho’...
94From George Washington to William Pearce, 9 March 1796 (Washington Papers)
As I did not receive your letter of the 28th Ulto, until eight o’clock last night; and am hurried this morning in preparing other letters for the Post—I shall do no more than inform you, that besides the Cask of Clove[r] Seed by Captn Hand, there went a small box of Apple grafts for the Gardener. The apples are of a most extraordinary large size, & good for eating. Desire Ehler (as I hope he...
95Memorandum for James Anderson and William Pearce, 5 November 1796 (Washington Papers)
I shall communicate such directions as have occurred to me since I left Mount Vernon, and are necessary to be followed, in this way; that such of them as may not be executed, or executed in part only, by Mr Pearce, may be consigned over & compleated, or attempted to be completed by his Successor, Mr Anderson. The Plan for the Crops of next year (as handed to me by Mr Pearce) may be adopted: or...
96From George Washington to William Pearce, 6 October 1794 (Washington Papers)
I wrote you a few lines from Reading the first instant—and the only design of writing to you now is, to inform you that I clearly see that it will not be in my power to visit Mount Vernon before the meeting of Congress, and of course not ’till the Spring. I mention this matter that you may not, whenever the situation of your business will permit you to be absent, delay your journey to the...
97From George Washington to William Pearce, 28 September 1794 (Washington Papers)
In a seperate letter of this date, I have wrote you pretty fully respecting the New Road which you are appointed Overseer of, with orders to open; that the letter may be shewn to the Court—to Mr Mason—or whomsoever is the mover in this business, without having other matters of a more private nature blended therewith. Since writing to you this day week, I have engaged a Scotchman, just arrived...
98From George Washington to William Pearce, 28 February 1796 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 21st instt with the Reports of the preceeding week came to my hands yesterday. I do not recollect that I have missed writing to you by Mondays Posts since you returned from the Eastern shore. I have no doubt of your having many applications to Rent, both my farms and Mill; but I question if it be from such persons, or on such terms, as I would chuse to engage; for which...
99From George Washington to William Pearce, 22 February 1795 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 15th instt and the reports, have come to hand as usual. I was affraid the open weather we have had, with frost, would have injured the wheat. A short crop of this article two years running, wod fall heavy upon me; as it seems to be the only thing, to any sort of amount, from which the means is derived, by which the various, and heavy expences of my estate, is borne. If the...
100From George Washington to William Pearce, 19 November 1794 (Washington Papers)
Enclosed I send you thirteen hundred dollars; out of which I desire you will discharge and take in my bond, with a receipt thereon in full, from Mr Lund Washington. The letter to him is left open for your perusal and government in this business. The accounts therein are, for aught I know to the contrary, correct; but if any errors should be found in them, there can be no objection to the...