1From George Washington to William Augustine Washington, 26 June 1798 (Washington Papers)
If you could have foreseen the length of passage, to which your letter of the 23d of April was destined, there would have been no occasion to have hurried yourself in writing it in order to receive a conveyance by the brother of Mr Neale: for Saturday last was (and by the way of Richmond too) the first of its appearance, in my hands. Knowing that Mr Corbin Washington had arrived safe in...
2From George Washington to William Augustine Washington, 21 October 1793 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 16th came to my hands the 19th and the Post by which this goes is the first that has occurred since. As one of Mr. Stone’s carpenters is a White lad, and two of them but green hands, I decline employing them,—I have already more white people about my house than are governed properly in my absence—tho’ for the sake of getting an honest, skilful & industrious person to...
3From George Washington to William Augustine Washington, 28 September 1794 (Washington Papers)
You will be disposed to think I am very fickle & unsteady (if you have received the letter I wrote you abt a week ago) when you find that the purport of this letter, is to request that you will take no measures in consequence of my last. The reason for this request is, that since the date thereof, I have met with a man in this city (just arrived from Scotland) who from his character,...
4From George Washington to William Augustine Washington, 29 October 1799 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 8th instant has been duly received, and this letter will be handed to you by Mr Lawe Lewis, to whom I have rented my Mill & Distillery, and who comes into your parts to see if he can procure (on reasonable terms) grain with which to keep them employed. Your advice and aid in enabling him to obtain these would be serviceable to him, & obliging to me. Mr Lewis is a cautious...
5From George Washington to William Augustine Washington, 17 February 1793 (Washington Papers)
The last time I had the pleasure of seeing you, you promised (hearing me complain of the difficulty I found in procuring Oyster shells) to use your endeavors to engage the Skippers of the small Craft in your neighbourhood, to supply me. The season is approaching in which I shall stand in great need of them—and must suffer very much unless I can obtain a supply. Mr Whiting who looks after my...
6From George Washington to William Augustine Washington, 17 May 1795 (Washington Papers)
If the enclosed should get to your hands in time, it may serve to remove doubts, and for that purpose I give it a chance in the course of Post. I am always—& sincerely Your affectionate ALS , NN : Gansevoort-Lansing Collection. GW addressed the letter to his nephew at “Haywood-Westmoreld Cty Virginia” and wrote on the cover: “Recomd to the care of the Post Master Fredericksbg.” The letter has...
7From George Washington to William Augustine Washington, 5 April 1798 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 23d Ulto addressed to the care of Mr Edmd Lee has been received, & I feel obliged by your endeavours to discover the genealogical descent from Lawrence Washington, the younger brother of our Ancestor John; and for your enquiries after flour barrel Staves. If any material information should be obtained relatively to the first matter, I shall be oblidged by the communication...
8From George Washington to William Augustine Washington, 14 February 1799 (Washington Papers)
Mr H: Washington affords me a very good opportunity to inform you, that if your Crop enables you to supply me with a hundred Barrels of Corn over and above the quantity Contracted for, I shall be willing to take it on the terms I do the Five hundred Barrels; and that I shall be willing to receive a part of the whole at any time you may find it convenient to forward it, as the danger of Frost,...
9From George Washington to William Augustine Washington, 3 March 1793 (Washington Papers)
From the information I continually receive from Mr Whiting (who superintends my business at Mount Vernon) it is likely that I shall, very soon, suffer considerably for want of lime to carry on a building which is now in hand, and which will require about 40,000 bricks for the ground work of it. Mr Whiting has endeavored, in vain, to engage some of the Small Craft in the upper part of the River...
10From George Washington to William Augustine Washington, 23 November 1794 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 12th instt came to my hands yesterday. As Congress are now in Session, and Gentlemen from all the states North of this are assembled, I will make particular enquiry into the characters of the different Seminaries & will let you know the result. In the meantime, inform me how far to the Eastward you would consent that your Sons should go; to come at the best schools. There...
11From George Washington to William Augustine Washington, 3 October 1798 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 27th of July has remained unacknowledged ’till now, that I embrace the opportunity afforded by General Lee’s return, to do it. To a person not in the habit of sending regularly to the Post Office, nearest to them, it is almost useless to write by the Mail; and with very few exceptions, addressing letters by private hands, is almost as bad; very few people paying much...
12From George Washington to William Augustine Washington, 10 June 1799 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 1st instant, and the Corn also in good order, has been received; the a/c of which Mr Anderson, my Manager, will render you; with a certificate from respectable Merchants in Alexa. of the Cash prices of that article at the times of delivery. It never was, nor is it my intention, to delay payment a moment longer than might suit your own convenience; of course you may draw upon...
13From George Washington to William Augustine Washington, 22 September 1799 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 15th instt from New Post, has been received. I am sorry to be disappointed of the visit you promised us; and regret the cause of it. In the Spring, and at all times, when your health will permit, and it suits your convenience, we shall be happy in seeing you & Mrs Washington under our Roof. Are there any Crops of Wheat for Sale in your Neighbourhood? I want to keep my Mill...
14From George Washington to William Augustine Washington, 20 May 1799 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 2d instant by Captn Bowcock came safe, as the Corn did, in good order; and I should have written to you by his return but the Vessel went from the Landing at which she delivered the Corn unknown to me. But not without the Whiskey and Fish; as I had, previously, directed these to be shipped. The first I hope you will find good, if no pranks are played with it; Mr Anderson (my...
15From John Adams to William Augustine Washington, 11 July 1798 (Adams Papers)
An Address so replete with sentiments purely American and so respectful to me subscribed with the Names of four hundred respectable Citizens of Virginia is to me of inestimable Value— The declaration that our People are hostile to a Government, made by themselves, for themselves, and conducted by themselves, if it were true, would be a demonstration that the people despise and hate themselves;...
16From George Washington to William Augustine Washington, 18 February 1795 (Washington Papers)
I am sorry to find by your letter of the 29th Ult. wch I recd yesterday by Mr Turberville that my letter of Novr last had but just got to hand. Had it been received by you in due season, I might have obtained the carpenter I was enquiring after; and could have given you earlier information of the result of my enquiries respecting the schools to the northward. Not doing it, I concluded you had...
17From George Washington to William Augustine Washington, 31 March 1795 (Washington Papers)
By yesterdays Post, I recd the enclosed letter from Mr Cabot (one of the Senators from Massachusetts) covering another from Judge Phillips (one of the most respectable characters in Andover, where the Academy is). Mr Cabot—who is a sensible and judicious man—is the person I requested to make enquiry into the present state of things at Andover (having had two, or more sons educated at that...
18From George Washington to William Augustine Washington, 24 May 1799 (Washington Papers)
The enclosed was written (as you will perceive by the Superscription) to go by General Lee; who, four days ago appointed to be here on his return to Westmoreland, but is not yet arrived. In the meantime; your second letter by Captn Bowcock (dated the 20th instant) has been received. When the enclosed was written I thot the Whiskey had been sent; but Captn Bowcock postponed taking it on board...
19From George Washington to William Augustine Washington, 5 October 1798 (Washington Papers)
The enclosed letter was written, as you will perceive, to go by General Lee; who I know is at George Town, and promised to call here on his way down. But as his ways are not like the ways of other men, and Jerry has called here on his return from Corbin Washington’s, I embrace his, as the most speedy & certain conveyance of the two. All those who have lots in the Federal City, contiguous to...
20From George Washington to William Augustine Washington, 29 April 1793 (Washington Papers)
Whilst I was at Mount Vernon in the early part of this month, I recd your letter of the 20th of March, and was in hopes it would have been followed by the Oyster shells you gave me reason to expect; but none had arrived the 24th, when I last heard from Mr Whiting. If I am to relinquish all expectation of getting them I wish to be informed thereof, that I may try, through some other source, to...
21From George Washington to William Augustine Washington, 7 October 1799 (Washington Papers)
Strange as it may seem, it is nevertheless true, that your letter of the 30th of August never got to my hands until the 4th instant. But it is not unusual for letters by private hands, to be thus delayed; and often to miscarry. By the Post they are certain of getting to hand, & in time. You will not be surprised after receiving this information, that your request in favour of Mr James Digges...
22From Thomas Jefferson to William Augustine Washington, 15 July 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved your letter of yesterday & am thankful for this mark of attention & the opportunity offered of obtaining a supply of coal. the fact is that I have a standing correspondent at Richmond who annually purchases my stock of coal there at such time as he finds most advantageous, and in autumn he freights a vessel & sends it on to this place. he is a good judge of quality & is generally...
23From George Washington to William Augustine Washington, 21 September 1794 (Washington Papers)
Compassion for a helpless woman and a number of small children, was the principal inducement to my retaining in service another year, the same man who has overlooked my Carpenters a number of years back—and consequently was the cause why I did not employ the person (whose name I have forgot) and his two negro Carpenters & white apprentice whom you recommended to me, last fall, as a...
24From George Washington to William Augustine Washington, 21 April 1795 (Washington Papers)
On the 16th instt, at Baltimore, I met your letter of the 10th; and the next day forwarded it to Mr Cabot, as the most certain mode of making your ideas known to Judge Philips; who seemed desirous of being made acquainted with your determination respecting your sons, as soon as the nature of the case would admit. Whether the information was conveyed in Judge Philipss letter to Mr Cabot...
25From George Washington to William Augustine Washington, 14 November 1796 (Washington Papers)
Philadelphia, 14 Nov. 1796. GW advises his nephew of a letter he received several years earlier from Isaac Heard, Garter Principal King at Arms, “enclosing our Armorial; and requesting a genealogical account of our progenitors since the first arrival of them in this country.” GW adds that he replied to Heard with the “best information” he had, and “wrote … to Lawrence Washington for an account...
26From George Washington to William Augustine Washington, 27 February 1798 (Washington Papers)
Mr Rice called here in his way to Alexandria, & delivered me your letter of the 15th instant. Of the recent afflicting event, which was related therein, we had received previous accounts; and on that, as on the former occasions of a similar nature, sympathized sincerely in your sorrows. But these are the decrees of an Allwise Providence, against whose dictates the skill, or foresight of Man...