George Washington Papers
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https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/02-08-02-0062

From George Washington to Robert Cary & Company, 5 May 1768

To Robert Cary & Company

Williamsburg 5th May 1768

Gentn

I have just time before I leave this place to acknowledge the receipt of your Letters of the 22d of Decr by Eston and 1st of Feby by Captn Outram.1 By the Latter I shall send you all my own Tobo consisting of Fifteen Hhds and about Twenty-five of Mastr Custis’s—on both which parcels please to Insure Ten pounds pr Hhd. As the scarcity of Tobo, and high prices thereof in the Country are facts too well known to be doubted of, it consequently becomes unnecessary for me to add that unless the Sales with you are high, we shall be a considerable looser by adhering to our usual custom of assisting your Ships here, this we hope you will endeavour to avoid, and make the advantages reciprocal; at least that we do not suffer by our Attachment to your House.2

Herewith you will receive a Bill of Exchange drawn by James Kirk on Messrs Crosbies & Trafford for One hundred and Seven pounds ten shillings Sterlg3—as also two other Bills of Mr J. Wales’s drawing on Messrs Farrel & Jones of Bristol amounting together to One hundd and twenty pounds Sterg—which Sums when receivd please to give my Acct credit for4—At present I shall only add that I am Gentn Yr Most Obedt Hble Servt

Go: Washington

ALS, owned (1988) by Dr. H. Kalendar, Hamme/Sieg, Germany; ALB, DLC:GW. GW’s letter-book copy is faithful to the original receiver’s copy. For the sending of this letter, see the source note in GW’s letter to Capel and Osgood Hanbury, this date. At the bottom of his letter-book copy, GW wrote, “8 Hhds JC 7 Ditto DPC for GW”; JC and DPC were the Custis markings for York River tobacco which GW had continued to use.

1Neither letter has been found. William Outram was captain of the ship Liberty.

2GW netted £165.17.2 on the fifteen hogsheads of his own tobacco sent in the Liberty. See General Ledger A description begins General Ledger A, 1750–1772. Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, Series 5, Financial Papers. description ends , folio 284.

3James Kirk, who lived across the Potomac in Maryland, was a wheat merchant in Alexandria.

4John Wayles (d. 1773), of Charles City County, did business with Farrel & Jones regularly.

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