To George Washington from John William Bronaugh, 7 October 1796
From John William Bronaugh
Aquia [Va.] 7th Octor 1796.
Sir,
Yours of the 28th Augt on the subject of the bond you hold of my Fathers I have received.1
I find on inquiry of my Father that he has conveyed the Land to Mr Muse, my Father says he saw you about seven years ago in Alexandria, and that he then informed you, that Muse had made application to him to convey this Land, but he refused to do so, untill he received instruction from you, he also mentioned that you told him you had at that time forgot every thing relative to the business but you cou’d inform yourself as soon as you got to Mount Vernon, and if Mr Muse was not to have the conveyance made; you would write him in a few days, and if you did not write him he was then to make the conveyance as Mr Muse had requested—I think my Father mentiond that, you and Muse had made an exchange of Lands—that Mr Muse held land joining your large tract on the Kanhawas, and as you wished your land all in one body you had made the exchange2—these circumstances may perhaps bring to your recollection what is the exact situation of the business—The conveyance my Father made Mr Muse has been recorded in the General Court at Richmond—I am Sir, Yr most obt Servt
John W. Bronaugh
ALS, DLC:GW. No reply from GW to Bronaugh has been found, but GW replied to Bronaugh’s letter of 24 Oct. on 13 November.
Bronaugh next wrote GW from Loudoun County, Va., on 24 Oct.: “I find on conversing a second time with my Father, that I have not informed you right with respect to the conveyance he made of the 2000 acres of Land on the great Kanhawa he has conveyed the Land to Colo. Powell instead of Mr Muse this was done by Muse’s instructions, I have enclosed you a copy of your letter to my Father in 1775. on the subject of the exchange you made with Mr Muse, and have also enclosed you a copy of the Deed from my Father to Colo. Powell with the certificate of the Clerk of the General Court of its having been recorded—I have requested Colo. Powell to inform you that the Land conveyed in the enclosed Deed is the same Land for which you have my Fathers bond for conveyance—After you satisfy yourself that the condition of my Father’s bond has been complyed with, will be greatly obliged to you to enclose the bond to me, to be lodged in the post office at Dumfries” (ALS, DLC:GW). For the enclosed letter, see GW to William Bronaugh, 18 Jan. 1775, in 10:238–39. The enclosed 14 Oct. 1791 certified deed from William Bronaugh to Leven Powell specified that Powell had paid £500 in exchange for the parcel of land in Botetourt County belonging to William Bronaugh (DLC:GW). No letter from Leven Powell to GW regarding the land conveyance has been found.
1. See GW to John William Bronaugh, 28 Aug., found at Bronaugh to GW, 19 July, n.2; see also Bronaugh to GW, 18 Oct. 1795, and n.1.
2. For the exchange of land between GW and George Muse, see Muse to GW, 30 Nov. 1774, and the source note to that document, in 10:192–193; see also GW to Battaile Muse, 6 April 1789.