31From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 22 July 1798 (Washington Papers)
I am very sorry to learn by Mr. Dalton’s family (now here) that your ague and fever stick by you. If not such as to confine you, your Coming & remaining here while his visit lasts wd. be a kindness to me and company for him; many matters pressing upon me at this time, that cannot, without much inconvenience be postponed, will not suffer me to pay him those attentions I could wish. I am Your...
32From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 12 December 1794 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 5th instt, and the Receipt for the second payment of the lots I purchased on the Eastern branch, in the Federal City, came duly to hand. You are perfectly at liberty to examine my Presses and Trunks at Mount Vernon for any papers I may have respecting the transactions of the Directors of the Potomack Compa., or any matters & things which may concern the navigation of that...
33From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 6 May 1796 (Washington Papers)
This letter will be put into your hands by Mr Volney—who proposes to visit the Federal City. If you are not acquainted with him personally, I am sure you must have a knowledge of his character—his travels & works; I therefore recommend him to your civilities while he remains in the Federal City. I am always and sincerely Yours ALS , DLC : Tobias Lear Papers. Claypoole’s American Daily...
34From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 4 April 1796 (Washington Papers)
As your letter of the 30th. Ulto. gives me room to expect you here in a few days. I shall do no more than acknowledge the receipt of it, repeat the request contained in a joint letter (written by Mrs. Washington and myself to you) of the 30th. Ulto.—and request, if a vessel from Liverpool called the Commerce, commanded by Capt. Tuttle should have arrived at George Town, that Mr. Pearce may...
35From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 2 November 1795 (Washington Papers)
Your letters of the 19th & [ ] Ult. came duly to hand; and I expected ’ere this to have been decisive upon the contents of them; but the case being otherwise, I shall postpone writing fully to you until the next, or another Post. It may not be amiss however, briefly to observe, that Colo. Rochfontain (being in this city) was asked how it came to pass, as he had seen the site at the confluence...
36From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 12 April 1793 (Washington Papers)
I have received your letter of the 8th., but as I am on the eve of my return to Philadelphia, and have many letters to write, I shall do little more than acknowledge the receipt of it. The advices which I may receive by the Post to-night, will decide whether I shall proceed by the direct rout—or by the one I intended to have come. The enclosed from the Attorney General I return to him through...
37From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 15 February 1796 (Washington Papers)
On thursday last I received your letter of —— (now in the hands of Colo. Pickering, & date not remembered). The business relative to the Arsenal at the mouth of Shenandoah, has been shamefully neglected: and, (but under the rose I make the observation) I fear with design; for I was continually reminding the Officer whose duty it was to carry the measure into effect, of the improvident delay;...
38From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 30 March 1793 (Washington Papers)
Late this afternoon, and in company, I r[e]ceived your letter of yesterday’s date. Proposing to set out early in the morning, and the trifling incidents wch happened to occur on the road being related in the enclosed letter, I shall conclude with best wishes for yourself, Mrs Lear and the Child —and assurances of being Your sincere friend and Affectionate Servant ALS , IGK . GW was on his way...
39From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 21 June 1793 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 17th came by the Post of yesterday—and as, by the purport of it, there is a probability that this letter may find you either at George town or Mount Vernon, I write it for the purpose of declaring that, your going to the latter place is viewed by me as a very kind & friendly Act. The Acct given of Mr Whiting by Doctr Craik, is a very distressing one; not only as it respects...
40From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 28 August 1794 (Washington Papers)
It gave me very sincere pleasure to find by your letter of the 22d instt (which by the by did not come to my hands until the evening of the 26th; not time enough to acknowledge the receipt of it by the Post of next day) that you had arrived in good health at George Town with a valuable cargo of Goods, & that you had arranged your business to your satisfaction in England, Scotland and Holland....
41From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 10 October 1791 (Washington Papers)
Your letters of the 2d & 5th came to my hands on Saturday morning. Yesterday I allotted to acknowledge the rect of them & to write several letters; but company coming in before breakfast, and from thence till dinner, and an early succession again to day—I can do no more than say they came duly to hand, and approve of your getting the Rooms (mentioned in your letter of the 2d) Painted—The...
42From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 31 August 1794 (Washington Papers)
On the 28th. I wrote you two letters. In one of them I intended (but forgot it) to have made a request that you would enquire after the lad that used to wait at Suter’s (William I think his name was) whose servitude had expired, and if disengaged and his character good, as well as handy, to engage him for me at eight Dollars P. Month, (with the other allowances known to you) being what I am...
43From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 26 December 1795 (Washington Papers)
This letter will be handed to you by Captn Myers, of whom I have made mention in a former letter. Being desirous of knowing whether the Directors of the Potomack Compa. are disposed to employ him as an Engineer & Superintendant of their lock navigation, and on what terms, he has resolved to wait upon them for those purposes. The testimonials of his skill as an Architect, and of his knowledge...
44From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 13 January 1797 (Washington Papers)
It is nearly, if not quite a month, since I enclosed you a letter from the Revd Mr Van Vleck, agreeing to take Colo. Ball’s daughter, along with Maria. In that letter, he mentioned his terms; his wishes to know their exact ages; and informed you what necessaries they ought to come provided with. To these I added , that knowing many unsuccessful attempts had been made to get girls admitted to...
45From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 25 November 1796 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 20th instt was received yesterday, and the principal design of this is to cover the copy of a letter from Mr Van Vleck to me, respecting the reception of Maria at the School for young Ladies in Bethleham. It will be necessary for you to fix (for I presume it will be necessary that Mr Van Vleck should know) precisely, when she will enter; for as he is pressed by others; and...
46From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 23 September 1791 (Washington Papers)
No. 28. Dear Sir, MOUNT VERNON, Septr. 23d. 1791. Your letter of the 18th. with the Gazettes came duly to hand, and I wish you to forward the latter (such as were sent last) by Wednesday’s and Friday’s Post; in which case they will arrive in Alexandria, on Mondays and Fridays when I shall have a messenger at the Post-Office in readiness to receive them. Accompany the papers with occurrencies...
47From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 4 July 1798 (Washington Papers)
I have received your letter and A/c of the 2d Instt and presume it is all right. I wish however you had charged the Scow, & given credit for the articles had from Mr Anderson, as it was my wish to have seen a complete State of it. The thousand dollars lent, was not on usury; and therefore I desire it may be struck out of your A/c, as I shall do it out of mine, when it comes to be entered in my...
48From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 4 March 1795 (Washington Papers)
Your favor of the 23d instant came duly to hand. The letters which I write to acquaintances, or friends, are done at no great expence of time, or thought. They are off-hand productions; with little attention to composition or correctness; and even under these circumstances, are rarely attempted when they interfere with my public duties. From what you have written, and from what I have heard...
49From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 10 September 1797 (Washington Papers)
I have almost determined to build the Walls of the House intended for a Distillery (at my Mill) of Stone, for the sake of expedition; as the Carpenters work can be carrying on at the same time. Having this in contemplation, I would thank you for informing at what price foundation Stone from the Falls could be delivered to a Boat as near to my Mill as the Vessel could get and whether any person...
50From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 12 November 1790 (Washington Papers)
I am about to write you another short letter for tomorrow’s post,—although, in the course of the Mail, it cannot reach you before Tuesday night. The intention of it is, to inform you again that I depend upon Page’s Coach, Horses and driver,—for the removal of the children &ca., to Philadelphia, and that I shall not, unless I hear something to the contrary, from you, make any other provision...
51From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 27 September 1790 (Washington Papers)
Since my last to you (the date I do not recollect, keeping no copies of my letters to you) I have received yours of the 17th and 20th instant, & shall answer such parts of them as require it. I am glad to find that the House, according to Mr Morris’s notification to you, will be ready about the time you had made arrangements for the removal of my furniture—the mode of doing which, is, I am...
52From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 27 March 1796 (Washington Papers)
Your letters of the 21st & 23d instant have filled us with pain and anxiety, from which, probably, we shall not be relieved before tuesday; tho’ we shall hope, on that day, to hear that both Fanny and Maria are much better, if not entirely recovered. Upon receipt of the first of the letters abovementioned, I made immediate enquiry in what train the business respecting the arsenal on Potomack...
53From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 14 October 1791 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 9th was forwarded to me yesterday morning by the Post-Master in Alexandria (having sent no person to that place the evening before). I am glad of the intimation given of the intentions of the Minister of France; and pleased, tho’ distressed at the same time, at the information that, the 24th instt is the day fixed on for the meeting of Congress. I had no more idea of this...
54From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 10 July 1797 (Washington Papers)
If nothing happens more than I foresee to prevent it,—I propose to be in the Federal City on Monday or Tuesday in next week; but it will depend on your being there. I request therefore to be informed by the Post if this will be the case; or whether business at that time will call you from it. When that far I shall extend my ride to the little and great falls of the River,—at the last of which...
55From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 22 December 1794 (Washington Papers)
Looking into an old Portfolio, which I had not seen this many a day, I found the papers which accompany this note, relative to the River Potomac. I do not know that any of them will be useful to you; but as well for the purpose of keeping them together as to afford you an opportunity of deciding for yourself, they are now forwarded to you. I also send you the sketch which has been presented to...
56From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 17 November 1790 (Washington Papers)
I am just setting off for Alexandria—bad as the day is—to a dinner given by the Citizens of that place to me; —and hope by the mail of this evening to be placed upon some certainty with respect to Page’s Stage Coach, and that my Journey to Philadelphia may, as was intended, commence on Monday next the 22d. Upon examining the Caps of Giles and Paris I find they (especially Paris’s) are much...
57From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 11 June 1791 (Washington Papers)
Yesterday we arrived at this place in good health, but with horses much worn down. To morrow I expect to reach Mt Vernon —where, even if my horses were able to proceed, I am obliged to remain until the 27th instant—the day appointed by me at the last meeting, to meet the Commissioners at George town, in order to fix on the spot for the public buildings, and for other purposes, arising from the...
58From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 18 March 1799 (Washington Papers)
I recollect no business of sufficient importance to require your return hither, sooner than Doctr Thornton conceives will allow him sufficent time to effect your cure. Were the case however otherwise, far would it be from me, to request this return before so desirable an object is accomplished. I do not therefore wish you to hurry it, on account of my business. Charles takes a horse up for...
59From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 3 April 1791 (Washington Papers)
Since my last to you—from George Town—I have, I believe, received your letters of the 23d, 24th, & 27th ult. Whether a certain Gentleman is the man I conceived him to be, or such a one as is hinted at in the letter you enclosed me, is not yet certain; but, admitting the latter, it is too late to look back. —I cannot be in a less productive situation by the engagement than I was;—the principal...
60From George Washington to Tobias Lear, 21 March 1796 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 14th Instant did not get to my hands before Saturday. Mine dated the 13th acknowledging the receipt of your favors of the 26th Ulto & 2d Inst. must, I presume, have been received in due course of the Post, and therefore to repeat the contents of it is unnecessary. A Mr Summers of Alexandria, is very desirous of purchasing my vacant lot in that Town, and having been told that...