From George Washington to Thomas Digges, 5 November 1787

To Thomas Digges

Mount Vernon Novr 5th 1787.

Revd Sir,

If this letter should be put into your hands, it will be delivered by Mr Powell a Gentleman of character from Philadelphia; who with his Lady are returning from a visit to Mrs Byrd (Sister to Mrs Powell) in this State.1

As I am sure it will afford pleasure to Mrs Digges and yourself to shew them civility, I will make no apology for the liberty I take in introducing them to your acquaintance but with respectful compliments to that Lady, in which Mrs Washington’s are united, beg leave to assure you of the respect and regard with which I have the honr to be Revd Sir, Yr Most Obedt Hble Ser.

Go: Washington

ALS, ViMtvL. GW addresses the letter to “The Revd Mr Digges Mellwood Honored by Mr Powell.”

After the death of his brother Ignatius Digges in 1785, the Rev. Thomas Digges, a Roman Catholic priest, continued to live at Melwood in Prince Georges County, Md., with his brother’s widow, Mary Carroll Digges (d. 1825).

1. Samuel and Elizabeth Willing Powel arrived at Mount Vernon on Sunday evening, 4 Nov., and on the following Tuesday crossed “the river to Mr. Digges a little after Sunrise” (Diaries description begins Donald Jackson and Dorothy Twohig, eds. The Diaries of George Washington. 6 vols. Charlottesville, Va., 1976–79. description ends , 5:211–12). Mary Willing Byrd was the widow of William Byrd III. Powel wrote to GW from Philadelphia on 13 November.

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Source Project: Washington Papers
Title: From George Washington to Thomas Digges, 5 November 1787
Author: Washington, George
Recipient: Digges, Thomas
Date: 5 November 1787

Reference

Cite as: “From George Washington to Thomas Digges, 5 November 1787,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/04-05-02-0377. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Confederation Series, vol. 5, 1 February 1787 – 31 December 1787, ed. W. W. Abbot. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1997, pp. 408–409.]