3811[Diary entry: 8 April 1760] (Washington Papers)
8. Much Rain, wind variable.
3812[Diary entry: 9 April 1760] (Washington Papers)
Wednesday Apl. 9th. Wind at No. Et. Very Cloudy and sometimes Misty. The Heavy Rains that had fallen in this few days past had made the Ground too wet for Plowing; I therefore set about the Fence which Incloses my Clover Field. Doctr. Laurie came here. I may add Drunk. Observd the Trefoil wch. I sowd on the 3d. Inst. to be coming up, but in a Scattg. manner. The Lucerne wch. was sewd at the...
3813[Diary entry: 9 April 1760] (Washington Papers)
9. No. Et. very cloudy sometimes Misty.
3814[Diary entry: 10 April 1760] (Washington Papers)
Thursday Apl. 10th. Mrs. Washington was blooded by Doctr. Laurie who stayd all Night. This Morning my Plows began to Work in the Clover Field, but a hard Shower of Rain from No. Et. (where the Wind hung all day) abt. 11 Oclock, stopd them for the Remainder of the day. I therefore Employd the hands in making two or three hauls of the Sein, & found that the Herrings were come. Val Crawford...
3815[Diary entry: 10 April 1760] (Washington Papers)
10. Do. Do. Do.
3816[Diary entry: 11 April 1760] (Washington Papers)
Friday Apl. 11th. Set one Plow to Work again in the Morning the other about 10 Oclock in the Clover Field. Tryd the new Plow brot. Yesterday, found she did good Work and run very true but heavy—rather too much so for two Horses, especially while the Gd. was moist. Abt. 11 Oclock set the People to Hauling the Sein and by Night and in the Night Catchd and dressd Barrels of Herring and 60 White...
3817[Diary entry: 11 April 1760] (Washington Papers)
11. So. Et. & fresh. Cleard abt. Noon.
3818[Diary entry: 12 April 1760] (Washington Papers)
Saturday April 12th. Hard No. West the whole day, very clear and Cool. Hauld the Sein but without Success. Some said it was owing to the wind setting of the Shore, which seems in some Measure confirmd by the quantity we catchd Yesterday when the Wind blew on upon it. About 11 Oclock finishd plowing the Clover Field. Abt. 1 Mullatto Jack began harrowing it with the wide Toothd Harrow and got...
3819[Diary entry: 13 April 1760] (Washington Papers)
Sunday April 13th. Fine clear still Morng. Abt. 10 Oclock the Wind (what little there was before being So.) came Easterly, blew fresh and Clouded. Towards Evening the Atmostphere was quite Overcast and threatned Instant Rain. My Negroes askd the lent of the Sein to day but caught little or no Fish. Note the Wind blew upon the shore to day.
3820[Diary entry: 14 April 1760] (Washington Papers)
Monday Apl. 14. Fine warm day, Wind So[uther]ly and clear till the Eveng. when it clouded. No Fish were to be catchd to day neither. Mixd my Composts in a box with ten Apartments in the following manner viz.—in No. 1 is three pecks of the Earth brought from below the Hill out of the 46 Acre Field without any mixture—in No. All mixd with the same quantity & sort of Earth in the most effectual...
3821To George Washington from Robert Stewart, 14 April 1760 (Washington Papers)
Next day after parting I got here, where I found Colo. Byrd and Paddy is to join him in a few days; I hope ’ere now Bishop is with you; Colo. Byrd says you must send the General a man in his room. Major Lewis by Express informs the Colo. that on the 30th Ulto Capt. Gist was at Bryant’s attack’d by a Body of Cherrokees which he by the advantage of some Houses that he avail’d himself off Beat...
3822To Benjamin Franklin from Isaac Norris, 15 April 1760 (Franklin Papers)
Letterbook copy: Historical Society of Pennsylvania It is so long since we received any Accounts of our Publick Affairs in England, that I hope the old Saying “that No News is good News,” may be our Case, with respect to the Bills Pass’d by Governor Denny the last Year, should the ReEmitting Act (of which I own I was very Apprehensive) be repealed it would now throw us into extream Confusion....
3823[Diary entry: 15 April 1760] (Washington Papers)
Tuesday April 15th. Sent Tom and Mike to Alexandria in my Boat for 20 or 25 Bushels of Oats. Went up myself there to Court after calling at Mr. Green’s & leaving Mrs. Washington there. Mr. Darrell not being there the Execution of his Deeds were again put of. Being informd that French, Triplet and others were about buying (in conjunction) a piece of Land of Simon Piarson lying not far from my...
3824[Diary entry: 16 April 1760] (Washington Papers)
Wednesday Apl. 16. My Boat which the Wind and Rain prevented from returning Yesterday came home this Morning the Wind being at North West and Fresh. Mr. Triplet & his Brother came this day to Work. Abt. 10 Oclock they began, and got the Wall between the House and Dairy finishd. Thinking the Ground Rather too wet for Sowing I set my Horses to Carting Rails, and both my Plows were stopd Cook...
3825The Interest of Great Britain Considered, [17 April 1760] (Franklin Papers)
The Interest of Great Britain Considered, With Regard to her Colonies, And the Acquisitions of Canada and Guadaloupe. To which are added, Observations concerning the Increase of Mankind, Peopling of Countries, &c . London: Printed for T. Becket, at Tully’s Head, near Surry-Street in the Strand. MDCCLX . (Yale University Library); draft (five scattered pages only): American Philosophical...
3826[Diary entry: 17 April 1760] (Washington Papers)
Thursday April 17th. By 3 Oclock in the afternoon Mr. Triplet finishd the Wall between the Dairy and Kitchen. The Rain from that time prevented his Working. Sowed my Clover Field with Oats, 24 Bushels. The upper part next the Peach Orchard was Harrowed in during the Rain but before it began to Clog much. Also sowd 18 Rows of Lucerne in the 12 Acre Field below the Hill. The first 4 Rows were...
3827To Benjamin Franklin from David Hall, 18 April 1760 (Franklin Papers)
Letterbook copy: American Philosophical Society In my last to you, of the 31st ult. by the Roebuck, Capt. Jones, to Holyhead, I inclosed you the third Copy of a Bill of Exchange for £200 Sterling. I have now sent you the first Copy of another Bill of Exchange for £100 Sterling more, which, with what was before sent you, makes up Two Thousand Forty-nine Pounds, Twelve Shillings, and Five-pence...
3828[Diary entry: 18 April 1760] (Washington Papers)
Friday April 18th. Righted up all my Fencing. Planted other Pine Trees in the Fencd place at the Cornr. of the Garden the first being broke, and much hurt by Creatures. Began Sowing my Clovr. and got 4 Acres sowd 14 lb. to the Acre. Harrowd it in with the fine toothd Harrow as light as I coud. Tryd my Roller wch. find much too light. Sowd 69 Rows more of Lucerne which makes 87 in all. Got my...
3829[Diary entry: 19 April 1760] (Washington Papers)
Saturday Apl. 19th. Crossd at Mr. Possey’s Ferry and began my journey to Williamsburg about 9 Oclock. Abt. 11 I broke my Chair and had to Walk to Port Tobo. where I was detaind the whole day getting my Chair mended—no Smith being with 6 Miles. Lodgd at Doctr. Halkerston’s. John Posey’s ferry crossed the Potomac River from the lower point of the Mount Vernon neck to Marshall Hall in Charles...
3830To Benjamin Franklin from David Hall, 20 April 1760 (Franklin Papers)
Letterbook copy: American Philosophical Society In mine to you, of the 18th Instant, by the Friendship, Capt. Falconer, was inclosed the first Copy of a Bill of Exchange for £100 Sterling; which, with what I had sent you before, I told you amounted to Two Thousand Forty-nine Pounds, Twelve Shillings, and Five Pence Sterling, remitted you since you left Philadelphia, and for which I desired you...
3831[Diary entry: 20 April 1760] (Washington Papers)
Sunday Apl. 20th. Set out early, and crossd at Cedar point by 10; the day being very calm & fine, Dind and lodgd at my Brother’s. The Evening Cloudy with Rain. Wind tho little at So. West. The lower of the two Cedar Points in Maryland was about a 13–mile ride south from Port Tobacco. GW most likely used Hooe’s ferry, although several ferries crossed the Potomac from Cedar Point in 1760. His...
3832[Diary entry: 21 April 1760] (Washington Papers)
Monday Apl. 21st. Crossd at Southern’s and Tods Bridge and lodgd at Major Gaines’s. After leaving his brother’s home GW rode about three miles below Leedstown to Southern’s (earlier Southings) ferry on the Rappahannock River, whose owner lived on the far side of the river in Essex County. In 1755 the ferryboat was manned by two Negroes ( HENING William Waller Hening, ed. The Statutes at Large;...
3833[Diary entry: 22 April 1760] (Washington Papers)
Tuesday April 22d. Crossd Pamunky at Williams’s Ferry, and visited all the Plantations in New Kent. Found the Overseers much behind hand in their Business. Went to Mrs. Dandridges and lodgd. From Major Gaines’s, GW rode south through King William County to cross the Pamunkey River into New Kent County at Williams’s ferry. The crossing brought him very near the Custis plantations in the...
3834[Diary entry: 23 April 1760] (Washington Papers)
Wednesday Apl. 23d. Went to Colo. Bassetts and remaind there the whole day. Burwell Bassett’s home, Eltham in New Kent County, was less than a mile up the Pamunkey River from West Point, where the Pamunkey joins the Mattaponi to form the York River.
3835[Diary entry: 24 April 1760] (Washington Papers)
Thursday April 24th. Visited my Quarters at Claibornes and found their business in tolerable forwardness. Also went to my other Quarter at where their was an insufficient quantity of Ground prepard—but all that coud be had—it was sd. Dind at Mr. Bassetts and went in the Evening to Williamsburg. claibornes : This Custis plantation lay in King William County on the neck of land the Pamunkey...
3836[Diary entry: 25 April 1760] (Washington Papers)
Friday Apl. 25th. Waited upon the Govr. The governor of Virginia was an appointee of the king. Since, in the British imperial practice, the governorship was considered to be a source of revenue as well as an administrative responsibility, the governor often obtained the royal appointment of a lieutenant governor, who would live in Virginia as the colony’s chief executive officer, and with whom...
3837[Diary entry: 26 April 1760] (Washington Papers)
Saturday Apl. 26th. Visited all the Estates and my own Quarters about Williamsburg. Found these also in pretty good forwardness. Receivd Letters from Winchester informing me that the Small Pox had got among my Quarter’s in Frederick; determind therefore to leave Town as soon as possible and proceed up to them. estates: John Parke Custis’s plantations in York County. He had also inherited the...
3838[Diary entry: 27 April 1760] (Washington Papers)
Sunday Apl. 27th. Went to Church. In the Afternoon some Rain, & a great deal of severe Lightning but not much Thunder. church: probably Bruton Parish Church on Duke of Gloucester Street in Williamsburg.
3839[Diary entry: 28 April 1760] (Washington Papers)
Monday Apl. 28th. Let my House in Town to Colo. Moore, for Colo. Dandridge, who is to come into it in the Fall, and pay me 45 £ pr. Ann. In the meanwhile I am to paint it. In the Afternoon after collecting what Money I coud I left Town and reachd Colo. Bassetts. This day agreed with Mr. Jno. Driver of Nansemond for 25,000 shingles to be deliverd in October. They are to be 18 inch shingles and...
3840From George Washington to Robert Cary & Company, 28 April 1760 (Washington Papers)
On board the Russia Merchant Captn Boyes I have shipd you Fifteen Hhds more of my own, and Jno. Parke Custis’s Tobo which please to Insure in the usual manner —By mistake four of the 54 Hhds intended you by the Cary were left out (serving now to make up the above 15)—I suppose the Insurance of them may be withdrawn. Please to send two Seins by the first Ship to York River directed to the care...