Sunday 7th. Thermometer at 56 in the morng.—67 at Noon and 66 at Night.
Clear with the wind fresh, but not cold, from the No. West all day. Towards night it died away, & inclined to the Southward more. Mr. Porter, Mr. Murray, (Young) Mr. Bowen, and a Captain Aitkins came (by invitation) to dine with us today, and returnd to Alexandria in the Evening. Just as we were about to set down to Dinner Doctr. Craik, his Wife, Son William, and daughters (Miss Craik & Miss Nancy) came in—Dined and stayed all Night.
John Murray and Obadiah Bowen (1763–1793), eldest son of Jabez Bowen of Providence, R.I., were partners in the mercantile house of Murray, Bowen & Munford (Montfort) of Alexandria. John Munford, the third partner, was from New York City, where the firm also had a store (, 2:329–30; Alexandria City Hustings Court Deeds, Book B, 366–70, Vi Microfilm).
Joseph Atkins (died c.1787), a sea captain, was a friend and business associate of Thomas Porter. His ship Hope had arrived in Alexandria in early April from North Carolina and sailed for Dieppe with a load of tobacco in mid-May (, 10:181; Va. Journal, 6 April and 25 May 1786).