8751[Diary entry: 31 August 1768] (Washington Papers)
31. Dined with Mr. Jno. Smith who was marryed yesterday to the widow Lee. John Smith (1715–1771) of Fleets Bay plantation on Indian Creek, Northumberland County, was a second cousin to GW. He had previously been married to Mary Jaquelin (1714–1764) of Jamestown and had lived for many years at Shooter’s Hill plantation, Middlesex County. In 1767 he established a smallpox inoculation hospital at...
8752[Diary entry: 31 August 1768] (Washington Papers)
31. Clear with the Wind Westwardly & not warm.
8753[Diary entry: 30 August 1768] (Washington Papers)
30. Hauling the Sein on the Bars near Hollis’s Marsh & other places.
8754[Diary entry: 30 August 1768] (Washington Papers)
30. Very calm—& warm all day.
8755Observations—in—August [1768] (Washington Papers)
Augt. 1st. Began to tread out Wheat at the Mill. Also began to draw it in, in the Neck. 2. Began to draw it in (that is to carry it from the field on this side the Run over to the Barn) with only my Ox Cart at Doeg R. 5. Began to cut my Timothy Seed—there. Getting Wheat in at Muddy hole. 6. The Hound Bitch Lady brought four Puppys that is 3 dogs and a bitch distinguished by the following...
8756To Benjamin Franklin from [Alexander] Jacob, 29 August 1768 (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society Mr. Jacob presents his Compliments to Dr. Franklyn and begs the favour of his Company to meet honest friend Cumming at the Chaplain’s Room at St. James’s to morrow to take a bit of the King’s Mutton at three oClock. The Rev. Alexander Jacob (d. 1785) was vicar of St. Dunstan’s in the West and one of the King’s chaplains in ordinary. He is best known as the...
8757To Benjamin Franklin from John Swinton, Jr., 29 August 1768 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society May I beg the Favor that you will transmit the enclosed Letter to your Son. He desired me to pay to you four Guineas which he was so good as [to ad]vance for me, and accordingly you have herewith an order for that Sum. I am Sir with great Regard your most obedient and most humble Servant Endorsed: 127 J Swinton for W F. £4 4 s . 0 d . John Swinton, a...
8758[Diary entry: 29 August 1768] (Washington Papers)
29. Went into Machodack Ck. fishing and dind with the Revd. Mr. Smith. Lower Machodoc Creek empties into the Potomac River about two miles below Nomini Bay in Westmoreland County, forming a bay about one mile wide at its mouth. This creek is not to be confused with Jackson’s Creek, also in Westmoreland County, which empties into the Potomac six miles below Lower Machodoc Creek and was...
8759[Diary entry: 29 August 1768] (Washington Papers)
29. Brisk Eastwardly Wind in the Morning. Calm midday, & Westwardly Wind in the Evening.
8760[Diary entry: 29 August 1768] (Washington Papers)
29. Began to Sow Wheat at Ditto.
8761[Diary entry: 28 August 1768] (Washington Papers)
28. Went to Nomony Church & returnd to my Brother’s to Dinner.
8762[Diary entry: 28 August 1768] (Washington Papers)
28. Warm with but little wind and some Clouds, but no Rain.
8763On Absentee Governors: II, 27 August 1768 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted in The Pennsylvania Chronicle , January 2–9, 1769, from The Public Advertiser , August 27, 1768. There are some advocates for the Ministers so extremely forward, that they cannot wait till they obtain a true information of facts. Even Daylight unluckily is very much in the dark himself. The truth is, that NOT ONE of the officers he mentions, except Sir Jeffery Amherst, have been...
8764[Diary entry: 27 August 1768] (Washington Papers)
27. Hauling the Sein upon Hollis’s Marsh Bar & elsewhere for Sheeps heads but catchd none. Hollis Marsh was at the upper cape of Nomini Bay.
8765[Diary entry: 27 August 1768] (Washington Papers)
27. Very warm also with very little wind. Abt. 1 Oclock Thunder, but no rain. At Nomony.
8766On Absentee Governors: I, 26 August 1768 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted in The Pennsylvania Chronicle , November 28–December 5, 1768, from The Public Advertiser , August 26, 1768. It is wonderful what a Clamour an unreasonable Opposition will often make against Measures of Government in themselves the most reasonable, just and prudent. The Assembly of Virginia had granted an ample fix’d Salary for the Support of their Governor. The Event was, that the...
8767[Diary entry: 26 August 1768] (Washington Papers)
26. Reachd my Brother John’s at Night. While the Washingtons were in Westmoreland County, Jacky Custis became “much disorder’d by an intermitting fever, attended with billeous vomittings,” and Dr. Charles Mortimer of Fredericksburg was called to treat him. Jacky was soon better, but he remained so “very weak & low,” that “his Mamma” insisted on taking him to Mount Vernon until he was fully...
8768[Diary entry: 26 August 1768] (Washington Papers)
26. Exceeding Hot with very little or no Wind all day.
8769[Diary entry: 26 August 1768] (Washington Papers)
26. Finishd drawing in & securing my Wheat in the Neck.
8770On Civil War, 25 August 1768 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted in The Pennsylvania Chronicle , November 28–December 5, 1768, from The Public Advertiser , August 25, 1768. Threescore years did the oppressed United Provinces maintain a war in defence of their liberties against the then powerful kingdom of Spain, with all the wealth of the Indies at it’s command; and finally obliged [it] to acknowledge their independency in a formal treaty, sitting...
8771[Diary entry: 25 August 1768] (Washington Papers)
25. Hauling the Sein upon the Bar of Cedar point for Sheeps heads but catchd none. Run down below the Mouth of Machodack & came to. Upper Machodoc Creek, in Stafford (now in King George) County, flows into the Potomac about 14 miles above GW’s birthplace at Pope’s Creek, Westmoreland County.
8772[Diary entry: 25 August 1768] (Washington Papers)
25. Warm with very little Wind and that Southwardly.
8773[Diary entry: 24 August 1768] (Washington Papers)
24. Imbarkd on board my Schooner for Nomomy. Lay of Captn. Laidler’s. John Laidler (d. 1773), of Laidler’s ferry, just above Lower Cedar Point in Charles County, Md. Laidler’s was the major ferry crossing to the Virginia shore on that part of the Potomac River.
8774[Diary entry: 24 August 1768] (Washington Papers)
24. Warmer, but still cool, with the Wind from the Eastward.
8775[Diary entry: 23 August 1768] (Washington Papers)
23. Hauling the Sein under Mr. Lawrence Washington’s shore.
8776[Diary entry: 23 August 1768] (Washington Papers)
23. The Wind fresh from the No. West all day and very cold.
8777[Diary entry: 22 August 1768] (Washington Papers)
22. Still at my Brothers with other Company—his Child being Christned. This child was one of several that did not live to maturity ( Fitzpatrick, Diaries John C. Fitzpatrick, ed. The Diaries of George Washington, 1748–1799 . 4 vols. Boston and New York, 1925. , 1:285n).
8778[Diary entry: 22 August 1768] (Washington Papers)
22. Clear and Warm with very little Wind from the So. West. Abt. 11 Oclock at Night the Wind (witht. any Cloud or apparent cause) came out hard at No. West & blew so all Night.
8779[Diary entry: 21 August 1768] (Washington Papers)
21. At my Brothers. Colo. Lewis & my Brothr. Charles came there.
8780[Diary entry: 21 August 1768] (Washington Papers)
21. Clear & cool. Wind So. West.
8781From Benjamin Franklin to Joseph Galloway, 20 August 1768 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Clements Library I wrote a pretty long Letter to you by Falconer, in which I acquainted you with what had heretofore pass’d between Lord Hillsborough and myself relating to the Change of our Government; and that I proposed waiting on him again in a few Days, in consequence of an Intimation I had received that he was now disposed to favour the Petition. I have accordingly been with him,...
8782[Diary entry: 20 August 1768] (Washington Papers)
20. Set of for my Brother Sam’s & Nomomy. Crossd at the Mouth of Nangamy & went to my Brothers. Mrs. Washington and Patsy Custis accompanied GW on this trip, and Jacky Custis, taking a vacation from his studies, met them today at Samuel Washington’s house ( GW to Jonathan Boucher, 19 Aug. 1768 , owned by Mr. Sol Feinstone, Washington Crossing, Pa.). During the family’s stay in the Chotank...
8783[Diary entry: 20 August 1768] (Washington Papers)
20. Clear, & not warm—wind, what little there was, abt. So. West.
8784[Diary entry: 19 August 1768] (Washington Papers)
19. At home—settled & paid the Sheriff. Once a year the justices of each county would submit the names of three of their number to the governor and council, who would choose one of the three to be sheriff for the ensuing year. The Virginia county sheriff was more an administrator than a law officer, having the major responsibility for running elections, serving summonses, and collecting the...
8785[Diary entry: 19 August 1768] (Washington Papers)
19. Clear with the Wind fresh from the No. West—& cool.
8786From George Washington to Jonathan Boucher, 19 August 1768 (Washington Papers)
Your Letter to the Revd Mr Addison was sent to him immediately upon its getting to my hands—Inclos’d you will receive an answer to it. Being confind to Company till this moment, I mean for two or three days past, & the bearer obligd to depart (in order to meet us in time at my Brothers in Stafford) I have only time to request the favour of you, to permit Mastr Custis to meet us there also...
8787Queries, 16–18 August 1768 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The London Chronicle , August 16–18, 1768 QUERIES recommended to the Consideration of those Gentlemen who are for vigorous Measures with the Americans . 1. Have the Colonists refused to answer any reasonable requisitions made to their Assemblies by the Mother Country? 2. If they have not refused to grant reasonable aids in the way, which they think consistent with liberty , why must...
8788[Diary entry: 18 August 1768] (Washington Papers)
18. Rid round all my Plantations after the above gentlemen went away.
8789[Diary entry: 18 August 1768] (Washington Papers)
18. Clear and warm—also still.
8790From Thomas Jefferson to William Preston, 18 August 1768 (Jefferson Papers)
I sit down to petition your suffrage in favor of a friend, whose virtues and abilities have made him such to me, and will give him equal place in your esteem whenever you have an opportunity of becoming acquainted with them. The gentleman I speak of is the Revd. James Fontaine, who offers himself as a candidate for the place of chaplain to the house of burgesses. I do not wish to derogate from...
8791[Diary entry: 17 August 1768] (Washington Papers)
17. Dined at Belvoir with the above Gentlemen & returnd in the afternoon.
8792[Diary entry: 17 August 1768] (Washington Papers)
17. Clear and warm in the first part of the day—with a fine Rain tho rather heavy abt. 5 Oclock lasting 2 hours first from the So. West—then from the North.
8793[Diary entry: 16 August 1768] (Washington Papers)
16. At home with the above Gentlemen. Mrs. Fairfax & Miss Nicholas went home after Dinner.
8794[Diary entry: 16 August 1768] (Washington Papers)
16. Clear and Warm with very little Wind.
8795[Diary entry: 15 August 1768] (Washington Papers)
15. Went to Court. Mr. Igns. Digges Mr. Lee and Mr. Hill came here. Ignatius Digges (1707–1785) of Melwood, Prince George’s County, Md., was the grandson of William Digges (d. 1698), who moved from Virginia to Maryland in the late seventeenth century. Ignatius, a first cousin to William Digges of Warburton, married Elizabeth Parnham, and after her death Mary Carroll, daughter of Daniel Carroll...
8796[Diary entry: 15 August 1768] (Washington Papers)
15. Great appearances of Rain but none fell with us. Warm.
8797[Diary entry: 15 August 1768] (Washington Papers)
15. Set in to Sowing Wheat at Muddy hole.
8798[Diary entry: 14 August 1768] (Washington Papers)
14. At home. Mrs. Fairfax & Miss Nicholas came in the Afternoon.
8799[Diary entry: 14 August 1768] (Washington Papers)
14. Wind abt. Southwest & tolerably fresh, otherwise Warm. Clouds to the Westward & thunder with a great deal of Rain upwards—but none here.
8800From Benjamin Franklin to Richard Bache, 13 August 1768 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from Mrs. E[lizabeth] D[uane] Gillespie, A Book of Remembrance (Philadelphia and London, 1901), facsimile ALS facing pp. 22–3. I received yours of May 20, as also the preceding Letters mentioned in it. You must have been sensible that I thought the step you had taken, to engage yourself in the Charge of a Family, while your Affairs bore so unpromising an Aspect with Regard to the...