1From George Washington to William Pearce, 30 November 1794 (Washington Papers)
As the experiment of grinding a hundred bushels of Wheat into flour, is found more profitable than to sell the like quantity in grain; I would have you proceed in the manufactury of what little I have made. and I desire the particulars of the experiment may be sent to me. and the Miller must be careful that he keeps up to it. or I may be deceived thereby. Caution Sally Green against dealing...
2From George Washington to William Pearce, 17 April 1796 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 10th instt with a Postcript three days later, came to hand in due course of Post. I am sorry to hear that Maria continues unwell—& that Charles Washington was siezed with a fever: Let them want for nothing, and whenever it is needful get Doctr Craik to attend them. It would be unlucky, as my crop of Wheat last year turned out but indifferently, and the prospect of a good one...
3From George Washington to William Pearce, 9 February 1794 (Washington Papers)
since writing you a few lines on the 3d instant, I have received your letter of the 28th of last month, and that of the third of the present. If you are satisfied with Mr Butlers conduct and exertions, I shall be so. He has always appeared to me as a well disposed man, obliging and sober one who has seen better days: and must have had a good deal of practical knowledge in husbandry. If you can...
4From George Washington to William Pearce, 16 November 1794 (Washington Papers)
By the Post of yesterday I received your letter of the 11th instt, with the Reports of the three preceeding weeks; (except those of the Carpenters). I did not write to you last week, not having heard from you by the two Posts before. I am glad to hear that your Potatoes & Corn are likely to turn out well, & that the Wheat now in the ground looks promising. The last Crop of that article...
5From George Washington to William Pearce, 14 June 1795 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 7th instant, and the weekly reports, were received yesterday. On wednesday night, thursday, & part of friday, we had a great deal of rain in this city, and as it appeared to be general, I hope you partook of it. If the Corn is not destroyed by the insect you complain of, I do not despair (on account of its backwardness) of making a good crop, yet. It is in the months of July...
6From George Washington to William Pearce, 3 October 1794 (Washington Papers)
If this letter should reach your hands, it will be delivered by Mr Weston, who with his lady may take a ride from Alexandria to Mount Vernon. Should this happen, I request you will make their visit as agreeable as your situation will enable you to do. I am Your friend &ca ALS (photocopy), reproduced in Historical Review of Berks County , vol. III, no. 2 (January 1938). GW probably was...
7From George Washington to William Pearce, 27 October 1793 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 19th came duly to hand. Tomorrow I leave this for Philadelpa or the vicinity of it; where, when you have occasion to write to me, direct your letters. As you seemed to be in doubt whether a proper character could be engaged in the part of the Country you live in, to look after my Negro Carpenters; and (having much work to do in their way, & not being willing to leave matters...
8From George Washington to William Pearce, 3 August 1794 (Washington Papers)
I removed to this place On Wednesday last, in order to avoid the heat of the City of Philadelphia. It is probable I shall remain here until about the middle of September—but letters will come to me as regularly as if I had remained in the City. Your letter of the 27th Ulto, and the reports, I received yesterday as usual; & wish the rains we have been complaining of, may not be much wanted...
9From George Washington to William Pearce, 9 March 1794 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 3d instt is this moment received. The badness of the roads has occasioned irregularity in the Post. I approve your repairing my house in Alexandria with my own People (preparing every thing that can be, at home) and of your doing it in the manner proposed; that is, to board between the houses in a neat & workman like manner & to do the three sides of the lot with White Oak...
10From George Washington to William Pearce, 5 September 1796 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 31st of Augt from Chester Town, came duly to hand; but as you did not acknowledge the receipt of the one I wrote you from hence, this day week, I presume it had not got to hand; Owing, I conceive to a misapprehension of mine as to the time of closing the Mail for the Eastern shore which I find is an hour and an half earlier than those which go Southerly or Easterly. I put my...
11From George Washington to William Pearce, 23 March 1794 (Washington Papers)
The weekly reports, and your letter of the 18th instant, came regularly to hand. The insufferable neglects of my Overseers in not plowing as they ought to have done in the Fall, begins now to be manifest; for I perceive by the account given of the plowing, that I am driven to the alternative of putting my Oats into ground not half plowed, & prepared, & thereby little to expect from it; or, in...
12From George Washington to William Pearce, 1 March 1795 (Washington Papers)
I have to acknowledge the rect of your letter of the 22d ulto, and shall give you my sentiments upon the several matters required. With respect to the fishery, I am of opinion, that, selling them all to one man, is best: and that if Mr Smith will give five shillings pr thousand for herrings, and twelve shillgs a hundred for the shad, and will oblige himself to take all you have to spare, that...
13From George Washington to William Pearce, 3 January 1796 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 27th with the reports came to hand yesterday —and I am glad to find you have met with a supply of twine in Alexandria, as there is no prospect that has yet opened, of getting it from hence in time and I have no doubt that under all chances fishing yourself will be more profitable than hiring out the landing for Sixty pounds. I am not disposed to take any thing less for my...
14From George Washington to William Pearce, 12 July 1795 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 5th, and the reports of the preceeding week, have been received. I am glad to hear your wheat harvest is secured. If it yields well it will be fortunate as there is no doubt of the price being good. The Indian corn will have no cause to complain from the want of heat, for some days past. If nothing more than I foresee at present, happens to prevent it, I shall leave this...
15From George Washington to William Pearce, 6 September 1795 (Washington Papers)
I was glad to find by your letter of the 30th of August, and the reports of the preceeding week, that you had recommenced seeding, ⟨w⟩ith more favorable weather. If the latter should continue good, and the ground can be put in tolerable order, all the Wheat, sowed by the middle of this month will be in the ground in good Season; and if the Autumn is favorable, any time before the end of it,...
16From George Washington to William Pearce, 28 September 1794 (Washington Papers)
I have received your letter of the 21st instt, and the Reports of the preceeding week. I am glad to find your seeding of Wheat is over, and that it is compleated in such good time. There cannot, in my opinion, be the smallest occasion for opening the new road, which under different circumstances than those which exist at present, was ordered by the Court at my particular request —Nor would it...
17From George Washington to William Pearce, 31 May 1795 (Washington Papers)
I am quite surprized to find by your letter of the 24th instant (which with the Reports came duly to hand) that your crops had stood in need of Rain. There has been no three days together without it, at this place, since I arrived here; and some times for whole days and nights, with little or no intermission. The exhausted state of Provisions (bread) in Europe; the demand for flour there; and...
18From George Washington to William Pearce, 12–13 April 1795 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 5th, with its enclosures, I received yesterday. I propose to commence my journey for Mount Vernon tomorrow—but as the road through Maryland, by information, is almost impassable, & business will detain me a day or two at the federal city, I do not expect to reach home before Sunday (this day week). This being the case, my letter will be short; I shall add however, that I...
19From George Washington to William Pearce, 25 May 1794 (Washington Papers)
I learn with concern from your letter of the 18th instant, that your crops were still labouring under a drought, and most of them very much injured. At disappointments and losses which are the effects of Providential acts, I never repine; because I am sure the alwise disposer of events knows better than we do, what is best for us, or what we deserve. Two or three fine rains have fallen here in...
20From George Washington to William Pearce, 18 May 1794 (Washington Papers)
I am sorry to find by your letter of the 11th Instt that the Crops & every thing else were suffering from a drought. yet, by the weekly report which accompanied the letter, it appears that rain had fallen the 6th, only five days before, but I suppose this must have been a slight one. It is not only unlucky, but unaccountable, that the Oats should not have been received with the other things....
21From George Washington to William Pearce, 1 June 1794 (Washington Papers)
I am glad to find by your letter of the 27th ulto that you had had some good rains, previous to the date of it. Those rains, with such as have followed since, may give a very different appearance both to your Oats & flax; & may enliven, & push forward the Corn and B. Wheat; but I fear much for any grass that may have been cut, there having been no weather to cure it (in this part of the...
22From George Washington to William Pearce, 6 April 1794 (Washington Papers)
Your letter & Reports of the 1st instant I have received, and am glad to find by the first that you have got your family safe to Mount Vernon; as, unquestionably, it will be a satisfaction to you to have them along with you. Change of Air may, and I hope will, restore your eldest daughter to health again. I had no doubt but that the late capture of our Vessels by the British Cruisers, followed...
23From George Washington to William Pearce, 2 November 1794 (Washington Papers)
I have had neither leizure for, nor opportunity of, writing to you since I did it from Carlisle, ’till my return to this place; which happened on Tuesday last. In the meantime I have received your several letters of the 28th of Septr—and 5th 17th and 23d of last month. As the accident I met with in June last, prevented my riding about my farms when I was last at home, I should have been very...
24From George Washington to William Pearce, 16–17 March 1794 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 11th with its enclosures came to hand at the usual time; but not so as that, enquiry co[ul]d be made into the prices of linnen, & you to be informed, by the Post of tomorrow (this day being Sunday)—Go on therefore, until you hear further from me, to get linnen as fast as it can be worked up. The 11½ d. linnen is as good as any for the boys, girls & small people, who do...
25From George Washington to William Pearce, 8 February 1795 (Washington Papers)
Your letter with its enclosures, came to my hands as usual, by the Mail of yesterday. The general accounts, as I mentioned in a late letter, may remain for settlement, until my arrival at Mount Vernon, up to the close of the last year. I do not, among the things sent to Mount Vernon by Mrs Styles (as in the possession of Austin) see any shirts mentioned. Was it an omission, or were there none...
26From George Washington to William Pearce, 25 October 1795 (Washington Papers)
The Post of yesterday, brought me your letter of the 21st instant, and the Reports of the preceeding Week. I am sorry to hear you have been sick, but glad to find you have recovered. That the fly should be much in your Wheat is to be regretted; but proves the necessity of converting it as speedily as possible into flour: or even selling it in grain, if it cannot be ground in time; & a good...
27From George Washington to William Pearce, 28 August 1795 (Washington Papers)
The enclosed letter for Miss Betcy Custis relates to a matter, respecting which, I have made some enquiry in her behalf — Put it into her own hands, if she is at Mount Vernon—and as she might wish, perhaps, to revolve the subject a little, before she communicates the contents to any oth⟨ers⟩ give it to her when she is alo⟨ne⟩⟨ mutilated ⟩ letter also, which only serves to cover it. I am Your...
28From George Washington to William Pearce, 24 April 1796 (Washington Papers)
I am sorry to find by your letter of the 17th instant, accompanying the reports of the preceeding week, that the drought continued; and that the prospect for good crops of small grain was so unpromising. I should hope, however, that they cannot be so much injured yet, as not to be recovered by seasonable weather. If the grain stands sufficiently thick on the ground, I shall not regard the...
29From George Washington to William Pearce, 22 May 1796 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 15th instt, enclosing the Reports of the preceeding Week, came duly to hand. I am glad to hear that the weather has been Seasonable of late; but sorry indeed, to find by your letter that the grain & grass has received so little benefit from the rains which have fallen; here, in great abundance. And it is peculiarly unfortunate after giving so high a price for clover Seed,...
30From George Washington to William Pearce, 2 March 1794 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 25th Ulto, & Reports of the preceeding week, came to hand this day. Enclosed, agreeably to the promise contained in my last, I send you the copy of an advertisement which the Printers of Baltimore & George Town have been directed to publish four times; in each of their Gazettes; alternate weeks; that is—to insert it one Week & leave it out the next, until it has been four...