George Washington Papers

To George Washington from William Bean, 28 August 1788

From William Bean

Nottingham [Md.] August 28th 1788

Sir

I have Understood By an Accquaintance of mine From Redstone, that You propose selling Your Mill You have in that Country, If So I would Be Glad to know Your terms & What Quantity of Land You will Sell with the Mill, I have Been in that Country But Never Seen Your Land nor mill But from the Inteligence I have had It may Be A place that would please me if your Terms Seem Favourable I Shall Go & See the place & If I Find it Suits—will pay you A Visit on the Subject Except You have Some Agent in that Country Who will Act for You—I have A Brother in Law Who has A Desire to Go to that Country who perhaps Will Deal with you For Fouer or Five hundred Acres that Would Be Convenient to the mill—If he Can Comply with Your terms—I Shall Be happy in Receiving An Answer from You as Soon as you can Conveniently1—I Remain Sir Your Very humble Sert

William Bean

N.B. A Letter Directed to me in East Nottingham Cesil County Maryland—To the Care of Mr David Poe Baltimore Town will Soon Come to hand.2

ALS, DLC:GW.

The township of Nottingham in Cecil County at the Pennsylvania line northeast of Baltimore was laid out early in the eighteenth century and was first settled by Quakers.

1GW replied from Mount Vernon on 15 Sept.: “Sir, your letter of the 18th of August came safe to my Hands. A Colo. [John] Cannon of Washington County—the county adjoining to that in which the land you express a desire to purchase lay’s—is authorised to sell the whole tract; which consists, of between 16 and 1700 Acres. The price fixed upon it is 40/ pr acre estimating dollars at 7/6. One fourth to be paid down—the other ¾ in annual Payments with Interest. The whole tract is good, but some parts better than others; and near the Mill indeed within 30 yards of the House there is, in my opinion, the greatest appearance of a valuable Mine bank I have ever seen. If the price, and terms of payment are approved, it would be better for you and your Brother in law, and others if you chose to admit more, to take the whole tract; for if I divide it the price of the parts will be proportioned the quality of the soil, and value of the improvements. I am Sir &ca Go. Washington” (LB, DLC:GW). See GW to John Canon, 15 September.

2David Poe, who in 1777 was appointed commissary at Baltimore and served in that capacity until the end of the war, was a merchant in the town.

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