301[Diary entry: 15 September 1797] (Washington Papers)
15. Great appearances of R. with light drippings in the forenoon—Mer. 78. In the Afternoon abt. 6 Oclock it began a sober rain & cond. till 11 Ock.
302From George Washington to Clement Biddle, 15 September 1797 (Washington Papers)
The picture frames are received, and without the smallest injury to the glasses, for the careful packing of which I feel myself obliged. I pray you to send me four more gilt frames, at a dollar a foot running measure for paintings; no glasses; the size of the frames, to shew the canvass one foot 7¾ Inches, by 1.4¼ within the frame. Upon a more careful examination of the place for which the...
303From George Washington to George Pearson, 15 September 1797 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 12th of May has been received, but not until within these few days: to which you will please to consider the following as a reply. Having been long in public life, and but little in this State for the last five and twenty years; and moreover, having had but very little agency in the Administration of the deceased Colo. Thomas Colvils affairs even antecedant thereto, no...
304[Diary entry: 16 September 1797] (Washington Papers)
16. Clear, with the Wind at No. W. but neither hard, nor cold. Mer. at 68. Mr. Lear came to dinner.
305[Diary entry: 17 September 1797] (Washington Papers)
17. Clear & calm. Mercury at 72. Mr. Lear went away after breakfast.
306[Diary entry: 18 September 1797] (Washington Papers)
18. Raining in the forenoon and afternoon—Mer. at 69. Wind Southerly.
307From George Washington to Anthony Heusler, 18 September 1797 (Washington Papers)
I should have written to you at an earlier period, but for the following reasons. First, because as I informed you, I had written to Scotland for a complete Gardner under Indentures; and expected every day to learn the result of my application. I could not therefore, enter into engagements with another without hazarding a disappointment to one of the parties, or a surplusage of men in that...
308[Diary entry: 19 September 1797] (Washington Papers)
19. Clear all day and Wind fresh from No. Wt. Mer. 66. Mr. Geo. Lee of Loudoun dined here. George Lee (c.1768–1805) was a son of Thomas Ludwell Lee (1730–1778).
309[Diary entry: 20 September 1797] (Washington Papers)
20. Clear with little or no wind. A slight white frost. M. 64.
310From George Washington to Augustine Davis, Matthew Brown, and Leonard Yundt, 20 September 1797 (Washington Papers)
Be pleased to insert the enclosed advertisement four times in your Paper with proper intervals between —and consider me as a Subscriber to it from the first of next Month at which time you will begin to forward them to Sir Your Very Hble Servt ALS (letterpress copy), NN : Washington Papers. Augustine Davis had been editor of the Virginia Gazette, and General Advertiser in Richmond since 1790....
311[Diary entry: 21 September 1797] (Washington Papers)
21. Clear & very pleasant—slight white frost. Wind Easterly. Mer. 68.
312[Diary entry: 22 September 1797] (Washington Papers)
22. Cloudy all day, with the Wind at No. Et. Mer. 67.
313[Diary entry: 23 September 1797] (Washington Papers)
23. Just such a day as yesterday. Mer. at 64. Wind at No. E.
314[Diary entry: 24 September 1797] (Washington Papers)
24. The same. Wind in the same quarter with a little sprinkling of Rain. Mer. at 62. Went to Church in Alexa.
315From George Washington to William Triplett, 24 September 1797 (Washington Papers)
I have examined my land papers, but find I possess none which relate to my purchase from Mr Simon Pea[r]son, all of them having been turned over, with my transfer, to Mr Lund Washington. I can form no idea of what Grafton Kirk &ca are to exhibit in evidence on this occasion. I sincerely believe that all the proceedings in, & docking of, the entail of the land to which Mr Thos Pearson now sets...
316[Diary entry: 25 September 1797] (Washington Papers)
25. Wind at No. West and clear. Mer. at 72. Went to Alexandria on business.
317[Diary entry: 26 September 1797] (Washington Papers)
26. Clear in the forenoon lowering afterwards & turning cold. Wind brisk from the No. Wt. The Attorney Genl. Lee & Lady & Mrs. Edmund Lee dined here. Charles Lee was appointed attorney general of the United States in 1795. He served in this post until 1801, then returned to his law practice. His last years were spent at his Fauquier County home near Warrenton. Lee was married in 1789 to Anne...
318[Diary entry: 27 September 1797] (Washington Papers)
27. Cold No. Wt. Wind in the Morning—more moderate afterwards. Mer. at 62. Mr. H. Peake & a Romh. Priest—Mr. Caffray dind here. Mr. H. Peake is Henry (Harry) Peake, son of Humphrey and Mary Stonestreet Peake. mr. caffray : Anthony Caffrey (McCaffrey), a Catholic priest who came from Ireland in 1792, was the founder and first pastor of St. Patrick’s Church in Washington. In 1794 he bought the...
319[Diary entry: 28 September 1797] (Washington Papers)
28. A small white frost; clear, Calm & very pleasant. Mer. at 65. Mr. Edmd. Lee Mr. Scudder—Doctr. English & brother dined here. Edmund Jennings Lee (1772–1843) was the fifth son of Henry Lee of Leesylvania. He and his wife had settled in Alexandria where he practiced law. Mr. Scudder may be a son or brother of Nathaniel Scudder (1733–1781) of Monmouth County, N.J., who had been a member of...
320[Diary entry: 29 September 1797] (Washington Papers)
29. A very thick & heavy fog with appearances [of rain] but none fell. But little wind & that at No. Wt. Mer. 65. Col. Gilpin & Mr. Hartshorne dined here.
321[Diary entry: 30 September 1797] (Washington Papers)
30. Cloudy all day with the wind at No. Et. Mer. at 65. Mr. Carter of Shirley & Mr. Fitzhugh of Chatham came to Dinner. mr. carter of shirley : Charles Carter (1732–1806) of Shirley in Charles City County. mr. fitzhugh of chatham : William Fitzhugh (1741–1809) of Chatham. The Fitzhughs planned to move to Alexandria, and the Fitzhugh home, Chatham, in Stafford County, was put on the market in...
322October 1797 (Washington Papers)
1. Began raining in the Night and contind. to do so, more or less, until Noon—when the Wind got to the Westward & cleard—Mer. 63. 2. Clear, warm & pleasant. Mer. at 66. Mr. Carter & Mr. Fitzhugh went away & Mr. Washington & Mr. Foot came to dinr. & returned afterwards. Mr. Washington undoubtedly is Lawrence Washington (1740–1799) of nearby Belmont, brother of GW’s cousin and wartime manager,...
323[Diary entry: 1 October 1797] (Washington Papers)
1. Began raining in the Night and contind. to do so, more or less, until Noon—when the Wind got to the Westward & cleard—Mer. 63.
324[Diary entry: 2 October 1797] (Washington Papers)
2. Clear, warm & pleasant. Mer. at 66. Mr. Carter & Mr. Fitzhugh went away & Mr. Washington & Mr. Foot came to dinr. & returned afterwards. Mr. Washington undoubtedly is Lawrence Washington (1740–1799) of nearby Belmont, brother of GW’s cousin and wartime manager, Lund Washington (see entries for 10 Mar. and 27 July 1785 ). mr. foot : probably William Hayward Foote, usually called Hayward...
325From George Washington to Thomas Law, 2 October 1797 (Washington Papers)
Your note of the 28th Ult. by Mr Frestal, was received on Friday last. My expences are so great and my resources so small, that it is but little in my power to promote such plans as you advocate. To clear me out of Philadelphia, & to lay in a few necessaries for my family, I sold two valuable tracts of land in the State of Pennsylvania a short time before I left the City for 22,000 dollars;...
326[Diary entry: 3 October 1797] (Washington Papers)
3. Clear & very warm. Wind Southerly—Mer. at 68. Doctr. Stuart came hear to Dinner. Washington Custis came home. George Washington Parke Custis was home after an unsuccessful year at the College of New Jersey at Princeton. His academic career was distinctly checkered and caused GW much concern. During the early years of the presidency, GW had sent the boy to a small private school in New York...
327From George Washington to Thomas Coleman Martin, 3 October 1797 (Washington Papers)
I have already erected a thrashing Machine on Mr Bookers plan, and was on the point of putting up one or two more when I received a letter from a Gentleman of my acquaintance informing me that you had invented one which did more execution with less force. This had induced me to suspend the erection of those in Mr Booker’s plan until I can receive better information relative to yours, and this...
328[Diary entry: 4 October 1797] (Washington Papers)
4. A Shower of Rain in the Morning & the wind very high from No. Wt. afterwards—Mer. at 65. Mr. B. Bassett & Mrs. Dunbar & Mr. McCarty came to dinner. The latter returned afterwards. Mrs. Dunbar may be Elizabeth Thornton Dunbar, wife of Robert Dunbar, a Scots merchant of Falmouth. She was a sister of Charles Washington’s wife, Mildred Thornton Washington. Mr. McCarty is Daniel McCarty, Jr....
329[Diary entry: 5 October 1797] (Washington Papers)
5. Clear & very pleasant with but little Wind—Mer. at 62. Mr. Basset & Mrs. Dunbar wt. away after breakfast.
330[Diary entry: 6 October 1797] (Washington Papers)
6. Warm & pleasant. Wind So. Mer. 65.
331[Diary entry: 7 October 1797] (Washington Papers)
7. Calm, clear & warm in the forenoon with appearances of Rain afterwds. Mer. 66. Mr. La Colombe & a Doctr. Flood came here to Dinner. The last returned. Mr. T. Peter & Mrs. Peter came in the Afternoon. Louis Saint Ange Morel, chevalier de La Colombe (1755–c.1800), had come with Lafayette to America in 1777 as an aide-de-camp. He was later made a captain of the King’s Dragoons and retired as a...
332From George Washington to William Thornton, 7 October 1797 (Washington Papers)
Genl Washington presents his compliments to Doctr Thornton. Mrs Washington recollecting her promise of saving him a few of the Spanish Chesnuts, some are now sent. They are immediately from the tree, & should, without delay, be planted where they are intended to remain—or put into a box with earth, otherwise they will soon get hard and worm eaten, & the vegetation be prevented. AL , DLC :...
333To Alexander Hamilton from George Washington, 8 October 1797 (Hamilton Papers)
The ardent desire which Mr. La Fayette feels to embrace his Parents and Sisters in the first moment of their liberation, induces him to set out for New York, or further Eastward, in search of a Passage to France. It was my opinion that he had better have awaited authentic accounts of this event; but his eagerness to see his friends—the fear of a Winter passage—and a conviction that he is under...
334[Diary entry: 8 October 1797] (Washington Papers)
8. Clear, brisk Southerly Wind. Mer. 65. Mrs. Stuart & two of her daughters came to dinner as did Mr. Lear. Mr. La Tombe went awy. mr. la tombe : GW means Louis Saint Ange Morel, chevalier de La Colombe, who came on the previous day. He has confused the name with that of Philippe André Joseph de Létombe, the current French minister plenipotentiary to the United States.
335From George Washington to Alexander Hamilton, 8 October 1797 (Washington Papers)
The ardent desire which Mr La Fayette feels to embrace his Parents and Sisters in the first moments of their liberation, induces him to set out for New York, or further Eastward, in search of a Passage to France. It was my opinion that he had better have awaited authentic accounts of this event; but his eagerness to see his friends—the fear of a Winter passage—and a conviction that he is under...
336From George Washington to Lafayette, 8 October 1797 (Washington Papers)
This letter will, I hope and expect, be presented to you by your Son, who is highly deserving of such Parents as you and your amiable Lady. He can relate, much better than I can describe, my participation in your sufferings—my solicitude for your relief—the measures I adopted (though ineffectually) to facilitate your liberation from an unjust & cruel imprisonment—and the joy I experienced at...
337From George Washington to Elizabeth Foote Washington, 8 October 1797 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of yesterday’s date I have received, and will by tomorrows Post write to my nephew Mr Bushrod Washington (though I fear he is not in Richmond at present) for the Papers contained in the memm you enclosed to me. Having had as little to do with Lawyers as any man of my age I pretend not to be a competent judge of Mr Swan’s demand. I know as little too of his eminence as a Lawyer—but...
338[Diary entry: 9 October 1797] (Washington Papers)
9. Wind brisk from the No. Wt. & turning cold—Mer. 64. Mr. Lear & Mr. Peter went awy.
339GW to William Herbert, 9 October 1797 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: GW to William Herbert, 9 Oct. 1797. On 9 Oct. Herbert wrote GW : “I received the letter you did me the Honor to Write to me this day.”
340From George Washington to Samuel Stanhope Smith, 9 October 1797 (Washington Papers)
I have duly received your several letters of last month; but as an expression of my regret, at the conduct & behaviour of young Custis would avail nothing I shall not trouble you by the attempt. I am persuaded that your conduct towards him has been such as friendship inspired, and the duties of your important trust required. And as you have seen, in a degree, what my solicitude, advice &...
341From 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,...
342[Diary entry: 10 October 1797] (Washington Papers)
10. The Wind continuing at No. Wt. it brew colder—Mer. at 58.
343GW to William Herbert, 10 October 1797 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: GW to William Herbert, 10 Oct. 1797. On 10 Oct. Herbert wrote GW “In Answer to your favor of this date.”
344From George Washington to William Thornton, 10 October 1797 (Washington Papers)
Your favours of the 6th & 8th instant have both been received, and I pray you to accept my best thanks for the rare & valuable present you have made me. Being the produce of your own Estate renders it more acceptable, and nothing will add more to the go’vt of it, than your coming sometimes to parcipitate in the taste—fog, or no fog. I have no doubt but that the section of Square No. 21 is...
345From George Washington to Francis Walker, 10 October 1797 (Washington Papers)
In answering your favor of the 28th Ulto which has been duly received—I wish it was in my power to give you more satisfactory information than you will find, in this letter, relative to the lands near Suffolk. Some years ago (before, if my memory serves me, I was called to administer the Government of the U. States) Mr John Lewis, as Executor of his father Colo. Fielding Lewiss Will, informed...
346[Diary entry: 11 October 1797] (Washington Papers)
11. Wind at No. Wt. & fresh after the Morning. Mer. at 56—Mrs. Stuart & Daughters & Mrs. Peters went after breakfast.
347[Diary entry: 12 October 1797] (Washington Papers)
12. Cold & frosty Morning, Mer. 54. Mr. G. W. La Fayette & Mr. Frestal left this for Geo. Town to take the stage for New York to embark for France. I accompanied them to the Fedl. City. Young George Washington Motier Lafayette had received reports from correspondents in Hamburg that his father, together with his mother and sisters who had voluntarily joined him in prison, had been released...
348[Diary entry: 13 October 1797] (Washington Papers)
13. I returned home to dinner. Captn. Huie dined here & went away afterwards. Mer. at 5⟨ ⟩. Wind Southerly. Captain Huie may be Capt. James Huie of the Dumfries firm of Smith, Huie, Alexander & Co. ( Fitzpatrick, Diaries John C. Fitzpatrick, ed. The Diaries of George Washington, 1748–1799 . 4 vols. Boston and New York, 1925. , 4:261, n.3).
349[Diary entry: 14 October 1797] (Washington Papers)
14. Great appearances of Rain—but none fell. Wind Southerly—Mer. 54. Mr. McDonald & Mr. Rich Birth. Com. came to dinner. Christopher set out for Lebanon. mr. mcdonald & mr. rich : Thomas Macdonald and Henry Pye Rich, British commissioners under Article VI of the Jay Treaty. Article VI provided that the United States make full compensation for losses owed to British merchants and others “in all...
350GW to Matthias Slough, 14 October 1797 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: GW to Matthias Slough, 14 Oct. 1797. Slough wrote GW on 20 Oct. “to acknoledge the receipt of your Esteemed favour of the 14th Currt.”