From George Washington to Robert Townsend Hooe, 7 August 1793
To Robert Townsend Hooe
Phila. Augt 7. 93
Dear Sir
The Commiss[ioner]s having given it as their opinion that one hundred & fo[r]ty pounds Virga Cury wd be a proper compensation to Mr Keith for the trouble he has had with the Accts relating to Colo. Colville’s estate—I have given him a draught upon you for that sum, wh. you will be good as to pay out of the balce that may remain in yr hands due to me after settling the Acct of Mr Bennets.1
As this balce will not be payable to me ’till the middle of Septr I suppose it will be convenient for Mr Keith to wait until that time, unless it shd be equally as convenient for you to pay it when the order is presented as at this time.2 With great respect & esteem I am Dr Sir, Your mo. Ob. St
G. W——n
Df, in Tobias Lear’s writing, ViMtvL; LB, DLC:GW.
1. On the compensation that John Fitzgerald and William Herbert recommended for James Keith’s services in settling the estate of Col. Thomas Colvill and on the money due Henry Astley Bennett, see Keith to Tobias Lear, 15 July 1793, and notes 2–3, 5–6. The balance that Hooe owed GW for flour purchased from Mount Vernon was £1,068.16.0 Virginia currency (, 365).
2. Hooe replied to GW with a letter written at Alexandria on 10 August. After acknowledging receipt of GW’s letter on the evening of 9 Aug., Hooe wrote: “I have Accepted your order in favor of Mr Keith, paid him part of the Money, & will in a day or two take up the whole.
“The Ballance due from the Exr of the late Colo. Thos Colville [to Henry Astley Bennett] was £443.18.8 Sterling, equal to £591.18.2 3/4 Currency for which I have deliver’d Mr Keith a Rect & charged you in my own Books with it. Your Excellency will therefore be pleased to have that much noticed on the back of my Note” (DLC:GW). After Hooe, who was Bennett’s agent, subtracted from his own debt to GW the amount that GW owed Bennett, and the fee of £140 Virginia currency paid Keith, this left a balance of £366.17.9 1/4, which Hooe paid GW on 28 Sept. 1793 (, 365).