1From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 15 January 1784 (Washington Papers)
I have received your letter of the 22d Ulto—the former one, accompanying my Trunks, also came safe. When I came to examine the Chimney pieces in this House, I found them so interwoven with the other parts of the Work and so good of their kind, as to induce me to lay aside all thoughts of taking any of them down—for the only room which remains unfinished I am not yet fixed in my own mind but...
2From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 22 January 1785 (Washington Papers)
The enclosed letter was brought here some days ago. I desire you will present Mr Ryan’s note to him for payment; which, if not immediately made, or such assurances as you can rely on, that he will make in a very short time, return it to me or to Mr Rumsey, if he is in Richmond, as I do not incline to transfer the debt from him to Ryan. It was not my intention to receive an order upon any one,...
3From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 3 April 1785 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 20th Ulto did not come to my hands until the 31st —Whenever you have occasion to write to me from the line of the Post, always put your letter into the Mail. all other conveyances are uncertain; at best, irregular. Not expecting you were going to Richmond, I did, previously to the receipt of your letter, write to the Attorney General (to whose care my letter to you had been...
4From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 13 April 1786 (Washington Papers)
If royal gift will administer, he shall be at the Service of your Mares, but at present he seems too full of royalty, to have any thing to do with a plebean race. perhaps his stomach may come to him—if not, I shall wish he had never come from his most Catholic Majesty’s Stables. Your Papa has not been here, yet. I am just come in from a ride—the Dinner bell rings—and your Man says he must go...
5From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 30 September 1786 (Washington Papers)
I was from home when your Servant arrived, found him in a hurry to be gone when I returned, have company in the house, and am on the eve of a journey up the river, to meet the Directors of the Potomack Company. These things combining, will not allow me time to give any explicit answer to the question you have propounded. Generally speaking, I have seen as much evil as good result from such...
6From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 15 November 1786 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 31st of Octr in reply to mine of the 30th of Septr came safe to hand. It was not the intention of my former letter either to condemn, or give my voice in favor of the Patriotic Society of which you are a member. I offered observations, under the information you gave of it, the weight of which were to be considered. As first thoughts they were undigested, and might be very...
7From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 10 January 1787 (Washington Papers)
I condole most sincerely with you, my Sister & family, on the death of my Brother. I feel most sensibly for this event; but resignation being our duty, to attempt an expression of my sorrow on this occasion would be as feebly described, as it would be unavailing when related. If there are any occasional services which I can render my Sister or any of you, I shall have great pleasure in the...
8From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 9 November 1787 (Washington Papers)
In due course of Post, I received your letters of the 19th & 26th Ult.; and since, the one which you committed to the care of Mr Powell. I thank you for the communications therein, & for a continuation, in matters of importance, I shall be obliged to you. That the Assembly would afford the people an opportunity of deciding on the proposed Constitution I had hardly a doubt; the only question...
9From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 3 December 1787 (Washington Papers)
A Mr H. Banks, of your Assembly is disposed to be kind to me or has some view of being so to himself. Charity leads to the first—suspicion to the latter opinion. He has informed me that the Sherif of Greenbrier has a considerable demand upon me for the taxes of my land on the Great Kankawa, in that Country—but has forborne (through his means) from proceeding to extremities till he could advice...
10GW to Bushrod Washington, 24 December 1787 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: GW to Bushrod Washington, 24 Dec. 1787. Letter listed in American Book Prices Current, 27 (1921), 1021.
11From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 29 December 1787 (Washington Papers)
Altho’ I have little expectation that this letter will find you in Richmond I still send it thither. Under this persuation, I shall add no more than to acct for the enclosure being so long in my possession. The truth of the case is, with a letter for myself, from Mr Smith, it was enclosed with the Papers with which he was furnished for prosecuting the ejectments of the People living on my...
12From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 17 November 1788 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 9th came to my hand last night. What the abilities of my deceased brother Samls Estate towards paying his debts, may be, I am unable to say; but I much fear that the management of it is in very bad hands; as the hours of your Uncle Charles are—I have reason to believe—spent in intoxication. This circumstance, added to a natural indolence, leaves too much to the Steward to...
13From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 25 November 1788 (Washington Papers)
Mr Packet handed me your letter of the 20th—In one thing my sentiments are perfectly in unison with yours, and that is, to manage a Virginia Estate well there cannot be a divided attention—because with all the attention that can be given they are rarely productive—How far Alexandria above other places may claim a preference in prospective, for your place of residence requires better...
14From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 16 January 1789 (Washington Papers)
The Man who lives in my House in Town is there, I am told, on curtesy; and was only to have a reasonable previous notice to remove—Under these circumstances, if you can make the House and Stable (for of the latter there was once a very good one) convenient for your purposes, you shall be welcome to the use of them. This lott was once, well inclosed, but has no fence I believe at present;...
15From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 27 July 1789 (Washington Papers)
Among the first acts of my recommencing business (after lying six weeks on my right side) is that of writing you this letter in acknowledgement of yours of the ultimo —Not being fairly on my seat yet, or in other words not being able to sit up without feeling some uneasiness, it must be short. You cannot doubt my wishes to see you appointed to any office of honor or emolument in the new...
16From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 8 January 1792 (Washington Papers)
I have long suspected—but, such has been my situation for some years back, that I have not been able to ascertain the fact—that a tract of about 1200 acres wch I hold on four mile-run near Alexandria has had the wood thereon dealt pretty freely with by unauthorised persons in its vicinity. The enclosed from Mr Whiting gives information of a particular act. He is directed in a letter of this...
17From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 8 February 1793 (Washington Papers)
I am sorry to think I have cause to accuse you of inattention to my requests. When you were at Mount Vernon last, I told you I had been informed that, the Assignees of Semple, against whom I, as the Surviving Exr of Colo. Thos Colvill had obtained judgment on a Bond, either had thrown, or was about to throw the matter into Chancery; and I desired if this was, or should be the case that you...
18From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 23 February 1794 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 13th instt with the enclosures, came duly to hand. I thank you for draughting the answer which I have put my signature to; and with the Bill, now return. If I mistake not, my renunciation of the Executorship of Colo. Fairfax’s Will already stands on record in the Genl Court, on some former occasion; be this however as it may, I have always refused, & never intended—directly...
19From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 30 April 1794 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 22d instt came to my hands yesterday afternoon. I thank you for the information contained in it, and for your kindness in offering to draw my answer to Henshaws Bill, now in the high Court of Chancery; before whom it seems, I am to appear. It is really hard that I am so often called before Courts in matters in which I have no interest; but am continually saddled with the...
20From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 10 February 1796 (Washington Papers)
You are very welcome to a part of the Guinea—or Chinese Hogs which you saw at my Mill—But it is necessary to inform you, that except the Sow which you might have seen in a pen & her Pigs wch were running about it, I have none others, unmixed at that place. This happens from their running at large. There is a Vessel now up (in this Port) for Norfolk & Richmond; to Sail, by adverti⟨s⟩ement, on...
21From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 10 February 1796 (Washington Papers)
On Saturday last I received your letter of the 24th Ulto. Presuming that Mr Keith has sent you all the attested accounts of my Executorship of the Estate of Colo. Thomas Colvill, in which the affairs of John Colvill his brother (to whom he was Executor) were involved—together with the Will of the former and the claims originating from an extraordinary devise which you will find therein, I am...
22From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 14 February 1796 (Washington Papers)
Since my last to you, relative to my Executorship of Colo. Colvills Estate, I sent, as therein mentioned, to the person from whom I had purchased the Guinea, or Chinese Hogs which you saw at my Mill, and obtained two; a boar & a sow; the latter with Pig. He informed me, however, that they were not of the whole blood; but, in his opinion, improved from their mixture with another breed of Hogs...
23From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 9 March 1796 (Washington Papers)
Owing to some irregularity of the Post, your letter of the 29th Ulto did not reach my hands until 8 oclock last Night. I shall leave the management of the chancery business respecting Colvils estate entirely to you; not only for the purpose of closing it speedily, but effectually also; as I want to be quieted in this business, & to be finally done with it. Mr Keith has, to the present stage of...
24From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 21 March 1796 (Washington Papers)
Presuming that you have received my last, sent thro’ the hands of Mr Keith, with such aids as he was able to afford you respecting my Administration of Colo. Colvils estate, and supposing, as the Chancery term is closed or about to close, that the enclosed letter from that Gentleman would not get to your hands in time to influence your measures I resolv⟩ed, at first, not to send it. ⟨But upon...
25From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 29 June 1796 (Washington Papers)
You have not informed me what or whether any thing has been done in the Court of Chancery (in this State) for bringing the acct of my administration of Colo. Colvills Estate to a close, that my hands may be entirely clear, of it. I therefore give you the trouble of this enquiry: as I am extremely anxious to be acquitted. The balance due from me, (and at present lodged in the Bank of...
26From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 10 January 1797 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found : to Bushrod Washington, 10 Jan. 1797 . Washington wrote GW on 21 Jan. : “I recd your favor of the 10th.”
27From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 24 July 1797 (Washington Papers)
We shall be very glad to see you & Mrs Washington here on thursday next, and my Chariot shall meet you at Colchester at 3 Oclock on that day. By your Fixing on that hour for its being there, I presume you did not intend to be here at dinner (it being the hour at which we dine) of course shall niether expect or wait for you. Mrs Washington joins me in best regards for you & Mrs Washington &...
28From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 28 July 1797 (Washington Papers)
Mr King, our Minister at the Court of London—to whom I sent the Decree of the High Court of Chancery of this State, with a request to have it published according to the direction therein contained “in some Public Paper in the Kingdom of Great Britain for two months successively”—has caused the same to be inserted agreeably thereto in the London Gazette, as may be seen by one herewith enclosed...
29From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 9 October 1797 (Washington Papers)
Mr Thomas Pearson, heir in tail to Simon Pearson his brother, has brought suit in the Court of this County for the lands which the latter sold to Willm Triplett, George Johnson & myself, five & thirty years ago. I understand from Colo. Simms who is Pearsons Lawyer, that his complaint is founded upon some irregularity in the proceedings of the Jury, who met on the land to value the same,...
30From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 23 October 1797 (Washington Papers)
A Mrs Forbes, who was Housekeeper to Governor Brooke, has been strongly recommended by his brother Mr John Brooke to Mr Anderson (my Manager) as a person who would answer my purposes well —She has been written to once or twice, and no answer is obtained. Let me request the favour of you (as it is said she lives somewhere in Richmond) to ascertain her character & fitness, and if such as you...
31From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 30 October 1797 (Washington Papers)
Your several letters—Opinion—and Copy of the Deed to William Williams for 589 Acres of Land have been duly received—and for which I offer you my best thanks. It is a little singular that the proceedings for docking the Intail of the abovementioned Land, should not be found among the Records of the General Court, or in the Secretary’s Office, from whence it issued, and to which it most...
32From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 3 November 1797 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 30th Ult. was receive by the last Post. Your Aunts distresses for want of a good house keeper are such, as to render the wages demanded by Mrs Forbes (though unusually high) of no consideration; and we must, though very reluctantly, yield to the time she requires to prepare for her fixture here. We wish however that it might be shortned. If you are in habits of free...
33From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 22 November 1797 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 13th instt has been duly received, as I believe all your others have. The order for settling my accts as Exr of Colvill was immediately sent to Mr Keith; who asks, as “the order of Court must be published, for a month in the Alexandria Gazette—and the time fixed upon for auditing the accounts made known at the foot of the order, a copy of the order served upon Mr West with a...
34From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 18 December 1797 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 26th Ulto came safe in the usual course of the Mail, and about a week ago Mrs Forbes arrived; and from her appearance, and conduct hitherto, gives satisfaction to your Aunt. Having, as she says, obtained ten dollars of you, to defray her expences to this place; I herein return them, with thanks for the aid it afforded to get her here. and as you may have paid for the copies...
35From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 10 January 1798 (Washington Papers)
When you send me the Auditors Account of the taxes due on my land in Kanhawa County, be so good as to forward, at the same time, Genel Lee’s Deed of conveyance to me, of two tracts of land in the State of Kentucky, one for two, and other 3000 acres. They were, I believe, included in one Deed of Bargain and Sale, and recorded in the General Court Office. It is the original Deed I ask for. We...
36From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 19 January 1798 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 8th instant came to hand opportunely, as Mr Augustus Woodward (in whose favour the Sheriff of Kanhawa had drawn for the taxes of my lands in that County) was here on his return from Philadelphia, and received the full amount of his draught. I am perfectly at a loss to know what is meant by the Auditors A/c as coming from “The Sheriff of Greenbrier who says he has returned a...
37From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 30 January 1798 (Washington Papers)
I had heard with much concern, before your letter of the 21st instant was received, of your illness; and congratulate you on your recovery. Be careful in guarding against a relapse, by taking cold. I hope my letter of the 19th of this month got safe to your hands (by the Post); contained therein, were $120 to enable you to do the needful relative to the taxes of my Western Lands; accompanied...
38From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 7 February 1798 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 1st instant came to my hands by Saturdays Post; with the Auditors Receipts. If no bad consequences flow, from the delay, in that Office, it is immaterial when I obtain the result of his investigation of the state of my taxes, on the Western Waters; but to prevent it, let me request you, to keep his enquiries alive. The tract of 587 Acres lyes, I presume, in the County of...
39From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 8 March 1798 (Washington Papers)
As some time has elapsed since I have heard from you, and some things remained to be done by the Auditor of which you were to give me the result I have been apprehensive of a return of your fever and wish to hear of the perfect recovery of yourself & Mrs Washington who we are informed has also been sick. In one of my last letters to you, was enclosed a certified copy of the publication of the...
40From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 22 April 1798 (Washington Papers)
Enclosed are Deeds from me to General Lee, and from him to me. They were copied from his original deed to me, without my previous examination of it, supposing (I understood it was drawn by Mr Charles Lee) that it was correct in all its parts. When we were about to execute the New one⟨s⟩ I found that his title to the old one was not recited—whether this is essential to the conveyance I know...
41From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 12 August 1798 (Washington Papers)
I have received your letter of the 7th instant, giving an extract of Mr Nicholas’s letter to you. With respect to the request contained in it, I leave the matter entirely to his own discretion with your advice to advance, or halt, according to the tenableness of his ground, & circumstances. If he could prove, indubitably, that the letter addressed to me, with the signature of Jno. Langhorne,...
42From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 27 August 1798 (Washington Papers)
At the time your letter of the 20th instant (with others) was brought to this place, I was not in a situation to acknowledge the receipt of it: and no Post has happened since, by which I could do it. That of tomorrow, of which I shall avail myself, will be the first which offers. On the 18th at night, I was siezed with a fever; of which I took little notice until the 21st; when I was obliged...
43From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 24 October 1798 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 19th instant came duly to hand. I think you were perfectly right in accepting the appointment of Associate Judge—Not only for the reasons you have mentioned, but on every other account. I only regret that Judge Wilson had it not in his power to have postponed his exit (which I am persuaded he was not indisposed to do) to a later period. The Elections in New Jersey are not...
44From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 31 December 1798 (Washington Papers)
It gave me pleasure to hear by Judge Cushing, that you had returned from your Southern Circuit in good health. I presume you will soon have to undertake another journey, w⟨hen I shall hope⟩ to see you. I was not unmindful of your application in behalf of Captn Blackburne. But when the list of applicants came to be unfolded, it was found that there were so many requests of a similar nature,...
45From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 5 May 1799 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 26th Ulto—as also that of the 10th, have been duly received. The Elections of Generals Lee and Marshall are grateful to my feelings. I wish however both of them had been Elected by greater majorities; but they are Elected, and that alone is pleasing. As the tide is turned, I hope it will come in with a full flow; but this will not happen if there is any relaxation on the...
46From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 15 January 1783 (Washington Papers)
You will be surprized perhaps at receiving a letter from me—but if the end is answered for which it is written, I shall not think my time miss-spent. Your Father, who seems to entertain a very favourable opinion of your prudence, & I hope, you merit it; in one or two of his letters to me, speaks of the difficulty he is under to make you remittances. Whether this arises from the scantiness of...
47From George Washington to Bushrod Washington, 22 September 1783 (Washington Papers)
With this you will receive the letter of your Aunt Lewis, to me. Altho’ I believe the ground she is proceeding upon, has more of the ideal than real advantages, which she expects from it, yet I have no objection to the experiments being made, & pray you to pursue the dictates of her letter, & communicate to me the result as soon as the necessary enquiries are made. Let me beg of you to make...