To George Washington from James Hill, 21 October 1796
From James Hill
Baltimore Ocbr the 21. 1796
Respeted Friend
Being informd by a Yong man from that quarter that the[e] intended to rent thy mill for a terms of Years.1 I therefore take the liberty to inform the that it is my intentesion to rent A Mill in that state, if the has not rented thine and would let it on reasonable terms. if the Could make it convenient to inform me of the perticuls I would call and see thee—I having another in View wich obliges Me to give an answer in a month From thiss date. but being rather inclind to think That thine will suit me better from the information of Chs Gwin who has seen it and is to be consernd If I take it,2 I therefore wish the to inform me Amediately for what time the proposes to lease it[.] The Very probablely may wish some information Respecting my Carracter. if so. I must refer the To jery brown of little britain lancaster County Who introdusd me to the as a miller in may last Or levy Hollingworth a ⟨illegible⟩ of philadelphia.3 I Am Respectfully Yors
James Hill
N.B. If the rites Direct to me [at] pertapsico4 Or to Chs Gwin baltimore.
ALS, DLC:GW. No reply from GW to Hill has been found.
1. For GW’s offer to lease the mill at Mount Vernon, see Advertisement, 1 Feb. 1796; see also Lease Terms, that date.
2. Charles Gwinn, of Baltimore, owned a mercantile firm in the early nineteenth century. In 1813, he introduced steam power for a flour mill at his warehouse at the end of Commerce Street wharf.
3. No letter of introduction for Hill from Jeremiah Brown to GW has been found.
Jeremiah Brown (c.1750–1831) owned a prosperous grist and sawmill in Little Britain (now Fulton Township), Lancaster County, Pa., and also operated several slate quarries. He served in the state legislature and as an elder in the Society of Friends.
Philadelphia flour merchant Levi Hollingsworth (1739–1824) served as quartermaster for the Philadelphia light horse early in the Revolutionary War and also assisted in procuring provisions for the Continental army. He was a member of the agriculture society in Philadelphia.
4. Hill is likely referring to Patapsco in Baltimore County (now Carroll County), Maryland. He may also be referring to Patapsco in Anne Arundel County.