1501[Diary entry: 3 September 1768] (Washington Papers)
3. Went to Mr. John Stiths & dined there. Returnd in the afternoon. GW’s host is probably John Stith (1724–1773), son of Drury and Elizabeth Buckner Stith; John married Elizabeth Wray (d. 1806) of Hampton and King George County.
1502[Diary entry: 4 September 1768] (Washington Papers)
4. Went to Church. Dined at Colo. Harrison & returnd to my Brs. in the afternoon. Nathaniel Harrison (1703–1791), of Brandon, Prince George County, was the eldest son of Nathaniel Harrison (1677–1727) and Mary Cary Harrison of Wakefield, Surry County. After the death of his first wife, Mary Digges Harrison (1717–1743), he married Lucy Carter, daughter of Robert “King” Carter and widow of Henry...
1503[Diary entry: 5 September 1768] (Washington Papers)
5. Crossd over to the lower point of Nangemoy where I met my Chariot & returnd home.
1504[Diary entry: 6 September 1768] (Washington Papers)
6. Went in the Forenoon to the Mill—Doeg Run & Muddy hole. In the Afternoon paid a visit to Majr. Fairfax (Brother to Lord Fx.) at Belvoir. Maj. Robert Fairfax (1707–1793), of Leeds Castle, Yorkshire, Eng., was the younger brother of Thomas Fairfax, sixth Baron Fairfax of Cameron. Robert had recently arrived from England to visit his relatives, dividing his time between Belvoir and Lord...
1505[Diary entry: 7 September 1768] (Washington Papers)
7. Dined at Belvoir with Mrs. W——n &ca.
1506[Diary entry: 8 September 1768] (Washington Papers)
8. Went to a Ball in Alexandria.
1507[Diary entry: 9 September 1768] (Washington Papers)
9. Proceeded to the Meeting of our Vestry at the New Church and lodgd at Captn. Edwd. Paynes. The “New Church,” built for the vestry by Edward Payne to serve the upper part of Truro Parish, was about 12 miles north-northwest of Colchester. Although the building was not quite finished at the time of this meeting, the vestrymen, “understanding that it is the general Desire of the People in this...
1508[Diary entry: 10 September 1768] (Washington Papers)
10. Returnd home & dind at Belvoir with Lord Fairfax &ca.
1509[Diary entry: 11 September 1768] (Washington Papers)
11. At Home all day.
1510[Diary entry: 12 September 1768] (Washington Papers)
12. Lord Fairfax, & his Brother & Colo. Fairfax & Mr. B. Fairfax dind here. The latter stayd all Night.
1511[Diary entry: 13 September 1768] (Washington Papers)
13. Went a fox huntg. with Lord Fairfax Colo. Fairfax & B. Fairfax. Catchd nothg.
1512[Diary entry: 14 September 1768] (Washington Papers)
14. Mr. B. Fairfax & myself went a huntg. Started a Fox & run it into a hole but did not catch it.
1513[Diary entry: 15 September 1768] (Washington Papers)
15. Dined at Belvoir with Colo. Robt. Burwell. Robert Burwell (1720–1777), a planter from Isle of Wight County, was a member of the council 1764–76. Besides his home plantation in Isle of Wight, he owned land in Surry, Loudoun, Prince William, and Frederick counties ( isle of wight “Isle of Wight County Records.” William and Mary Quarterly , 1st ser., 7 (1899): 205–315. , 311–13).
1514[Diary entry: 16 September 1768] (Washington Papers)
16. Went into the Neck. Returnd to dinner.
1515[Diary entry: 17 September 1768] (Washington Papers)
17. At home—Colo. Robt. Burwell, Mr. Grymes & Colo. Fairfax dind here. The latter went home in the Evening. In GW’s lifetime the Grymes family of most prominence in Virginia descended from John Grymes (1691–1748), grandson of Charles Grymes the immigrant. John, who was receiver general of Virginia, 1723–48, bought Brandon in Middlesex County, which became the Grymes family seat. At the time of...
1516[Diary entry: 18 September 1768] (Washington Papers)
18. Colo. & Mrs. Fairfax dind & lodgd here.
1517[Diary entry: 19 September 1768] (Washington Papers)
19. Went to Court with Colo. Burwell &ca. On this day the Fairfax County court formally received a new commission of the peace from the governor and the council. Dated 29 July 1768, it authorized 23 justices for the county, including all the current justices but one and adding three new members to the court: GW, Daniel French, and Edward Payne ( va. exec. jls. H. R. McIlwaine et al., eds....
1518[Diary entry: 20 September 1768] (Washington Papers)
20. Colo. Burwell &ca. went away to Belvoir—& Mrs. Washington & the two Childn. went up to Alexandria to see the Inconstant, or way to Win him Acted. The Inconstant, or The Way to Win Him , by the Irish playwright George Farquhar (1677–1707), was first produced in London in 1702. Although not one of Farquhar’s better farces, it became highly popular later in the century, enjoying long runs at...
1519[Diary entry: 21 September 1768] (Washington Papers)
21. Stayd in Town all day & saw the Tragedy of Douglas Playd. Douglas , written by John Home (1722–1808), a Presbyterian clergyman of Edinburgh, was produced first in Edinburgh in Dec. 1756 and opened in London at Covent Garden the following year. The play was considered one of the finest British tragedies of the period and with its medieval Scottish setting, probably drew well in Alexandria,...
1520[Diary entry: 22 September 1768] (Washington Papers)
22. Came home in the forenoon.
1521[Diary entry: 23 September 1768] (Washington Papers)
23. Went a fox hunting & catchd a Bitch Fox, after abt. 2 Hours Chase.
1522[Diary entry: 24 September 1768] (Washington Papers)
24. At Home all day. Colo. Henry Lee & Lady, & Miss Ballendine came to dinner & stayd all Night. Col. Henry Lee (1729–1787) of Leesylvania, Prince William County, was a younger son of Henry Lee (1691–1747) of Lee Hall, Westmoreland County, and a cousin of William and Arthur Lee. His wife was Lucy Grymes Lee, daughter of Charles Grymes of Moratico, Richmond County. Colonel Lee, like GW, was...
1523[Diary entry: 25 September 1768] (Washington Papers)
25. At Home. The above Company went away after Breakfast.
1524[Diary entry: 26 September 1768] (Washington Papers)
26. Went Fox huntg. in the Neck. Started & run a Fox or Foxes 3 Hours & then lost.
1525[Diary entry: 27 September 1768] (Washington Papers)
27. Rid to Muddy hole, Doeg Run, & Mill.
1526[Diary entry: 28 September 1768] (Washington Papers)
28. Dined at Colo. Fairfax’s and returnd in the Afternoon.
1527[Diary entry: 29 September 1768] (Washington Papers)
29. Went to a Purse Race at Accatinck & returnd with Messrs. Robt. and George Alexander. GW spent 12s. 6d. at the race and also paid Robert Sanford 12s. “for Pacing my Horse” ( General Ledger A General Ledger A, 1750–1772. Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, Series 5, Financial Papers. , folio 277). George Dent Alexander (d. 1780), of Fairfax County, was a younger brother of Robert...
1528[Diary entry: 30 September 1768] (Washington Papers)
30. At Home all day. After Dinner Mr. Geo. Alexander went away. The other (Robt.) stayd.
1529Remarks—of the—Weather [September 1768] (Washington Papers)
Septr. 1. Brisk Eastwardly Wind in the Morning. Northwardly afterwards & Cool. 2. Wind at No. West and very cool. 3. Cool wind, tho very little of it Eastwardly. 4. Warm. Wind rather Westwardly tho but little of it. 5. Tolerably pleast. Wind Eastwardly in the Morning & Evening but calm Midday. 6. Very little Wind and that Eastward and rather Cool. 7. Cloudy forenoon, with appearances of Rain;...
1530[Diary entry: 1 September 1768] (Washington Papers)
Septr. 1. Brisk Eastwardly Wind in the Morning. Northwardly afterwards & Cool.
1531[Diary entry: 2 September 1768] (Washington Papers)
2. Wind at No. West and very cool.
1532[Diary entry: 3 September 1768] (Washington Papers)
3. Cool wind, tho very little of it Eastwardly.
1533[Diary entry: 4 September 1768] (Washington Papers)
4. Warm. Wind rather Westwardly tho but little of it.
1534[Diary entry: 5 September 1768] (Washington Papers)
5. Tolerably pleast. Wind Eastwardly in the Morning & Evening but calm Midday.
1535[Diary entry: 6 September 1768] (Washington Papers)
6. Very little Wind and that Eastward and rather Cool.
1536[Diary entry: 7 September 1768] (Washington Papers)
7. Cloudy forenoon, with appearances of Rain; & Wind Southwardly.
1537[Diary entry: 8 September 1768] (Washington Papers)
8. Heavy Cloud in the Night, with thunder & lightning, but not rain sufft. to lay dust.
1538[Diary entry: 9 September 1768] (Washington Papers)
9. Very cool & clear, with the Wind at No. West.
1539[Diary entry: 10 September 1768] (Washington Papers)
10. Cool & clear again, Wind Shifting to the Southward.
1540[Diary entry: 11 September 1768] (Washington Papers)
11. Great appearances of Rain in the Morning, with thunder & Lightning but no Rain fell.
1541[Diary entry: 12 September 1768] (Washington Papers)
12. Clear and Cool. Wind at No. West.
1542[Diary entry: 13 September 1768] (Washington Papers)
13. Clear but not so cold as yesterday Wind being Southwardly.
1543[Diary entry: 14 September 1768] (Washington Papers)
14. Wind Southwardly with a fog in the Morning & Clouds all day.
1544[Diary entry: 15 September 1768] (Washington Papers)
15. But little Wind yet cool with some appearances of Rain.
1545[Diary entry: 16 September 1768] (Washington Papers)
16. Wind Northwardly & cool—with great appearances of Rain—especially in the Afternoon.
1546[Diary entry: 17 September 1768] (Washington Papers)
17th. But little Wind & that Westwardly. Cool—with appearances of Rain.
1547[Diary entry: 18 September 1768] (Washington Papers)
18. Wind at No. West & very cool, with great appearances of Rain in the Forenoon, but clear afterwards.
1548[Diary entry: 19 September 1768] (Washington Papers)
19. A Severe frost, wch. killd much Tobo. &ca. abt. Ravensworth & higher up. Wind Shifting Southwardly became warmer.
1549[Diary entry: 20 September 1768] (Washington Papers)
20. Warm with the Wind at South.
1550[Diary entry: 21 September 1768] (Washington Papers)
21. Very warm. Wind still Southwardly with appearances of Rain in the Morning and Evening but none fell.