1To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 4–5 November 1790 (Washington Papers)
Agreeably to the directions given in your letter of the 27th of October, I have endeavoured to get the rent of the house in which you are to reside fixed with the Committee; but my endeavours have been ineffectual. The footing upon which they have placed the matter with Mr Morris puts it out of their power to ascertain the rent at present. I am informed by Mr Mires Fisher, one of the most...
2To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 19 June 1793 (Washington Papers)
I have just returned to this place from Mount Vernon, where I found and left poor Whiting in a situation that his life could not be counted upon from one hour to another. He was unable to move without assistance, and could only speak a few words at a time. He could give me but little information of the state of the matters under his care; but observed, generally, that he trusted they could be...
3To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 20 September 1790 (Washington Papers)
Since I had the honor to write to you on the 17th Inst. I have received a letter from Mr Morris, in which he thinks it best that the furniture should not be removed sooner than the first of next month. This is about the time I had fixed upon for our departure from this place; and everything will then be in perfect readiness for shipping. It is a work of more time than I had any idea of, to...
4To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 26–27 May 1795 (Washington Papers)
I had the honor of writing to you on the 20th instant, and therein acknowledged the receipt of your respected favor of the 17th instant. Since which I have applied for your account with the Commissioners, and informed that I would settle it when presented. It has not yet been handed in; but as soon as there is a little leisure from the present press of business at their office I presume it...
5To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 9 November 1793 (Washington Papers)
A thousand times after my letter to you, enclosing Observations on the Potomack &c. had gone, did I wish to recall it: for the more I reflected on your situation at this moment, in point of business, the more did I see the impropriety, as well as the unfriendliness of my adding to that burthen, which I could not but know was at least as great as it ought to be, and more especially as mine was...
6To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 24 December 1794 (Washington Papers)
I have this moment been honored with your respected favor of the 21st instant—and shall, as soon as possible, obtain information on the several points therein mentioned, which shall be immediately communicated to you. The law for extending the time for opening the navigation of the Potomac has been passed in this State as well as Virginia. I take the liberty to enclose a packet for Mr...
7To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 24 March 1799 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Tobias Lear, 24 March 1799. On 26 Mar., GW wrote Lear : “Your letter of the 24th. Inst. . . . was delivered to me last night.”
8To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 20 November 1796 (Washington Papers)
I received your kind & respected favor of the 16th inst. with much pleasure. No apology, my dear Sir, can be necessary for your not having recollected my having put the Certificate for one hundred Bank Shares into your hands. I only wonder, that, under the multiplicity of important, and often anxious, cares which lay on your mind, you can recollect one half you do. I am rejoiced, however, that...
9To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 21 July 1792 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to inform you that we arrived here yesterday, and had the pleasure to find all our friends in good health. Our passage from New York to Providence was a very pleasant one, and performed in about 36 hours. We met with no accident during the journey, and were highly favored in the weather. Agreeably to your directions I called upon Mr Morris before I left Philadelphia, and...
10To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 26 February 1796 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Tobias Lear, 26 Feb. 1796 . On 2 March, Lear wrote to GW: “I had the honor to address you under date of the 26th ultimo”; in GW’s letter to Lear of 13 March , he acknowledged receipt of “letters of the 26th Ulto and 2d Instant.”
11To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 19 April 1796 (Washington Papers)
Could I beleive, for a moment, that you thought my Opinions were grounded on interested motives, or influenced by party views, I should blush to appear before you; but having long known the liberality of your mind, I have never hesitated to declare my sentiments to you, without reserve, on such points as occasionally occurred between us; and I am pleased to think that you do not esteem me less...
12To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 14 December 1795 (Washington Papers)
I am yet without information as to the result of the potomac business in the legislature of this State. Of course the board can come to no determination respecting Mr Myres. I have conversed with the Directors on the subject of that Gentleman’s services and it appears to be the universal wish to have him here, if he shall be disengaged when we feel able, from funds, to make engagemts. I have...
13To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 17 November 1795 (Washington Papers)
I should ere’ this have acknowledged the receipt of your respected favor of the 2d inst. but waited for a further communication, or for the arrival of Colo. Rochefontaine. The latter has just taken place. And I have informed Colo. Gilpin thereof, who told me a few days ago that he would be ready at a moments’ warning to accompany that Gentleman to the junction of the Potomac & Shanandoah; I,...
14To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 27 March 1791 (Washington Papers)
Since I had the honor to write to you on the 24th Inst. I have been informed that the Indians on the frontier of New York have lately given indications of a hostile disposition—and that the legislature of that State were about to take some measures of a temporary nature for conciliating the Indians—or, if that should prove ineffectual, to defend their frontiers. These measures, however, it was...
15To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 4 March 1798 (Washington Papers)
I enclose a deed for the Potomac Shares which you subscribed for the use of the Potomac Company, which you will be so good as to execute whenever it may be convenient. The form of the Receipt to be given to those who convey their Shares is also enclosed, which will be given when the deed shall be delivered. It was thought best to have those shares conveyed to the President of the Company...
16To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 1 April 1793 (Washington Papers)
I know of nothing relative to public affairs that has transpired since your departure. In our domestic concerns we go on as usual. General Knox is mending; but he has not yet been out of his room. I saw him yesterday, when he told me he had just received a letter from General Lincoln, and that he might be expected here about the middle of the present week. As General Knox observed that he was...
17To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 19–20 June 1791 (Washington Papers)
I have had the honor to receive your letters of the 12th & 15th of this month. The former of which I should have acknowleged by the last post had I not been absent on a journey to New York when it arrived in this City. The cause of my Journey to New York was to attend my mother to this place where she proposes to spend a week or two on a visit to Mrs Lear & myself. She had a favorable...
18To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 17 April 1791 (Washington Papers)
Since I had the honor of writing to you on the 15th Inst. Young Fraunces has informed me that he has received a letter from his father, in which he mentions his intention of coming on here to take the place of Steward in this family, agreeably to the answer given to his application for that purpose. The reason which he assigns for not having made known his determination on this subject sooner,...
19To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 27 April 1798 (Washington Papers)
I wrote to Cornelius the day after I was last at Mount Vernon; but have not yet recd any answer from him. When I last saw him he was about removing from Loudon [to] Berkley, which may have prevented his receiving my letter. I think it uncertain, however, whether he would incline to go so far from his family for a long job, as he is now about to make a new fixture, and has several Children...
20To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 18–19 September 1791 (Washington Papers)
The Instructions, and other papers relating thereto, I returned to General Knox on Thursday forenoon. And immediately on my return home, after accompanying you out of town, I secured your room in a manner agreeable to your wishes, and took the key into my possession; so that before I had the pleasure of receiving Mr Dandridge’s letter from Chester, the directions contained in it had been...
21To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 29 May 1795 (Washington Papers)
In the postscript of a Letter which I had the honor of writing to you on the 26th instant, I acknowledged the receipt of your respected favor of the 25th (which P.S. was added, however, on the evening of the 27th when your letter got to hand and the mail was just closing) in which I noted the sum of money & order on the Bank of Alexa. enclosed in that letter; but on recurring to the order, I...
22To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 2 July 1798 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Tobias Lear, 2 July 1798. On 4 July GW wrote Lear : “I have received your letter and A/c of the 2d Instt.”
23To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 30 January 1795 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 14th of december, which was directed to me in Richmond, did not find its way to this place till yesterday, which I trust, will account for what must have appeared neglectful on my part, my not having before acknowledged the receipt of it. Upon reflection, I am strongly impressed with the propriety of your declining to write, on the subject of extending the time for opening...
24To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 3 April 1793 (Washington Papers)
I have been honored with your letter of the 30th ultimo, from Baltimore—and was happy to learn that you had proceeded that far on your journey without any material accident. I have seen Mr De Barth, who informs me that he is not able to discharge his bond—and that it is impossible for him to say, with any precision, when he shall be able to do it. The reasons which he offers for his want of...
25To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 18 March 1795 (Washington Papers)
On the day that I left this place to accompany Mr Weston up the River, I had the honor of writing a few lines to you on a certain subject mentioned in your respected favor of the 4th instant. Having returned from that trip but yesterday, no further oppurtunity of obtaining information on the point alluded to has yet occurred. I am much pleased to inform you that Mr Weston found time to visit...
26To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 17 May 1795 (Washington Papers)
On my reaching this place yestreday, I was invited to a dinner where a large number of the most respectable merchants of the town were collected. While at dinner Genl S. Smith rece[iv]ed a letter from Mr John Purveyance, at Halifax, to which place he was carried in the ship Pomona. After perusal, Genl Smith handed the letter to me, in which I found the following Statement. That the owners of...
27To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 11 October 1791 (Washington Papers)
I have been this day honored with your letter of the 7th instant. Upon examining the blankets in this place again, and comparing them with the prices & descriptions contained in the memorandum & your letter, I am of opinion it would be best to get them here; for the quality of these in this place is said, by several persons whom I have requested to examine them as Judges, to be good for the...
28To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 21 September 1791 (Washington Papers)
I had the honor of writing to you on the 18th; since which nothing has transpired among us worth relating. The arrival of a Vessel from Liverpool brings European Accounts down to the 28th of July. I have not learnt that she has brought any other intelligence than what is contained in the enclosed papers. An insurrection of the Negroes in Hispaniola seems to have put the inhabitants and...
29To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 8 May 1791 (Washington Papers)
Since I had the honor of writing to you on the first of this month, nothing of a public nature, sufficiently important to trouble you with a communication, has come to my knowledge. Our domestic Affairs are in the same state they were when I had the honor to write last. The family is in good health. Fraunces has not yet come on; but his son called yesterday to tell me that he would certainly...
30To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 23 June 1791 (Washington Papers)
After acknowledging the receipt of your letter of the 19th Inst. with which I have been this moment honored, I have to communicate to you the melancholly account of the death of the good and amiable Doctor Jones. He died this morning! He had for two or three days past been so much indisposed as to be confined to his bed; but his friends had no idea of his being in immediate danger. I saw him...