From George Washington to John Page, 23 September 1795
To John Page
Mount Vernon 23d Septr 1795.
Dr Sir,
You, probably, are better acquainted with the writer of the enclosed letter than I am I therefore take the liberty of giving you the trouble of forwarding, or returning my letter to him, according to the idea you may entertain of the abilities of the Gentleman to comply with the terms I offer the Land on—left open for your perusal.1 I have also had proposals to rent it—pray what ought I to ask? I am told there is no building on it; the fencing all destroyed—& depredations committing on the Timber.
Be so good when you write to me, which I hope will be as soon as your convenience will permit,2 to let me know the highest price (by the acre) you conceive I may get for my interest in the Dismal Sw⟨amp⟩3—I have an offer for it, & as the property is rather expensive than productive, I am disposed to part with it.4 With great esteem & regard, I am Dr Sir &c.
G.W.
Df, in Bartholomew Dandridge, Jr.’s writing, ViMtvL. The internal address gives “Gloucester” as Page’s place of residence. A purported ALS was offered for sale by Stan. V. Henkels, Catalog 1023, 31 Jan. 1911. The catalog transcription of that document shows no significant variation from the draft.
1. GW enclosed a letter of 24 Aug. from Samuel Anderson of Gloucester County, Va., who wrote: “I have lately taken a view of a tract of Land of yours in this County, lying between North & Ware River, containing as I am informed 400 Acres. This land as I am also informed is for sale—and that you would give a considerable time of credit having the purchase money made ultimately sure, & the interest annually paid.” Anderson asked the president to write him “as soon as convenient—informing me your price, & the length of time you would indulge, on receiving the Interest annually. If they are such as I can accede to I will immediately on having a title made to the Land give incontestable Security for the performance on my part.” GW had acquired the 400-acre tract in 1789 from John Dandridge in partial payment of a debt (see source note in Dandridge to GW, 27 Oct. 1788).
Anderson suggested that GW might desire “to nominate some Gentleman in this County as your Agent, with whom I may negotiate, as it would be extremely inconvenient; & even difficult for me to carry Security to you.” Should Anderson purchase the property, he desired to take possession of it “as soon as possible, for I am sorry to observe that the land of late has been considerably plundered of timber, and the depredation seems to be going on rapidly at this time” (ALS, DLC:GW).
In his reply to Anderson of 23 Sept., GW wrote: “the price I set upon the 400 acres of Land which I hold in Gloucester county 1s eight hundred pounds (dollars at Six shillings) with interest thereon from the first of April 1789 to the day of conveyance; it being the … cost of it to me. One fourth of the money to be paid at the time of conveyance, the other three fourths in equal annual payments, with interest until discharged with security by mortgage on the Land” (ADfS, NjP: De Coppet Collection).
2. Page sent an answer to GW on 14 October.
3. At this point, an asterisk referenced the following phrase, which GW wrote below the letter: “allowing a credit upon interest of 3 or 4 years.”
4. GW sold his Dismal Swamp lands to Henry Lee in November (see GW to the Dismal Swamp Land Co., 16 Nov., DLC:GW).