To George Washington from Nicholas Cooke, 30 November 1775
From Nicholas Cooke
Providence Novemr 30th 1775
Sir
I take the Liberty of addressing your Excellency in Behalf of Mr James Aborn who waits upon you with this Letter. I can assure your Excellency that he is a worthy honest Man, and hath upon all Occasions approved himself a sincere Friend to the Liberties of his Country. He sent a Vessel last Spring to the Eastward to trade and Fish, and to cover his Interest from the Enemy made Use of a Friend in Nova-Scotia to whom he made a Bill of Sale of her; although the Property is really and truly vested in Mr Aborn.1 If this shall appear to your Excellency to be a true State of the Matter I have no Doubt of your giving him every Assistance in recovering his Interest. I am with great Truth and Regard Sir Your most obedt hble Servt
Nichs Cooke
LS, DLC:GW.
1. James Aborn owned the sloop Phoebe that Nicholson Broughton and John Selman captured off Nova Scotia on 31 October. See Broughton to GW, 2 Nov., and William Bartlett to GW, 8 Nov. 1775. On 2 Dec. Stephen Moylan wrote to Bartlett: “I have examined the Papers belonging to the Sloop Phebe, & from them & other Circumstances it does not appear, that Captain Broughton has good Reasons for making Seizure of her, added to this, Governour Cooke of Rhode Island has wrote a Letter to his Excellency by Mr James Aborn, who is realy the Owner of this Sloop, tho’ she was, in order to protect her from the Enemy, made over to A Mr Enoch Rust of Nova Scotia—it is therefore his Excellency’s Orders that you Deliver the Sloop aforesaid with her Cargo & Appurtenances, unto Mr Aborn or Capt. Hawkins, who will deliver you this, for which this Shall be your Sufficient Warrant, at the Same time taking a Receipt for the Same” (DLC:GW). See also GW to Cooke, 6 Dec. 1775.