From George Washington to Thomas Freeman, 8 May 1786
To Thomas Freeman
Mo[un]t Vernon 8th May 1786
Sir,
Being informed that Mrs Crawford is on the point of having her negroes sold to discharge a Debt due from her late husband, Colo. Crawford, to Mr James Cleveland, for whom you are Agent; I will, rather than such an event shall take place, agree to apply any money of mine, which may be in your hands, towards the discharge of the execution; and desire, in that case, you will receive such security as Mrs Crawford can give for reimbursing me.1 I am Sir &c.
G: Washington
LB, DLC:GW.
1. See Hannah Crawford’s earlier plea for help, 4 June 1784. See also her letter to GW of 16 Mar. 1787, written after the Virginia legislature on 9 Jan. 1787 had acted positively on her petition for aid as the widow of William Crawford. Crawford was killed while serving “his country during the late war” ( 83, 150). In 1775 GW sent James Cleveland out to his Ohio lands with a party of workers (see GW’s instructions to Cleveland, March 1775, and Cleveland to GW, 12, 21 May 1775).