7751[Diary entry: 10 December 1768] (Washington Papers)
10. Also Cloudy, with sometimes Sunshine & Warm—being still. No frost.
7752[Diary entry: 11 December 1768] (Washington Papers)
11. They went away after breakfast—alone aftds.
7753[Diary entry: 11 December 1768] (Washington Papers)
11. Again cloudy & like for rain but none fell. Wind shifting to the No. West but not cold. No frost.
7754To Benjamin Franklin from James Parker, 12 December 1768 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society This Opportunity is embraced, as No Packet is come in here for some time past, to tell you we are yet in the Land of the Living and that’s as much as we can boast of. All your Friends are as usual, well. We have Nothing extraordinary, but dull and melancholly Times. You never have acquainted me whether ever you received any Thing from the Custom-Office for...
7755To Benjamin Franklin from William Robertson, 12 December 1768 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I was favoured with your letter of the 26th recommending Sir Rogers of New York to a degree in Divinity. I hope that I need not say that every request from you, has with me the authority of a command, because I am sure you will recommend no person who is not entitled to that mark of our respect which you sollicit for him. On this occasion, I have not the...
7756Nathaniel Rogers to ——, 12 December 1768 (Franklin Papers)
I Wrote you a few days ago, and did not then think of troubling you upon any private affair of mine, at least not so suddenly; but within this day or two, I have had a conversation with Mr. Oliver, secretary of the province, the design of which was my succeeding to the post he holds from the crown, upon the idea, that provision would be made for governor Bernard, and the lieutenant governor...
7757[Diary entry: 12 December 1768] (Washington Papers)
12. Rid to the Mill Doeg run & Muddy hole. Miss Carlyle & Miss Dalton came here. Elizabeth Dalton was the daughter of John Dalton of Alexandria.
7758[Diary entry: 12 December 1768] (Washington Papers)
12. Lowering Morning, but clear & calm Noon. No Wind nor frost.
7759[Diary entry: 13 December 1768] (Washington Papers)
13. Set of abt. 12 Oclock for Towlston to hunt with Mr. Bryan Fairfax. Got there in the Afternn.
7760[Diary entry: 13 December 1768] (Washington Papers)
13. Fine mild & warm forenoon, Wind Southwardly—but lowg. afternoon wind No. Et. & Cold.
7761Observation’s—in—Decr. [1768] (Washington Papers)
13th. Killd Hogs.
7762[Diary entry: 13 December 1768] (Washington Papers)
13th. Killd Hogs.
7763[Diary entry: 14 December 1768] (Washington Papers)
14. Stayd there all day. In the Evg. went to see his new Mill.
7764[Diary entry: 14 December 1768] (Washington Papers)
14. Snowd the best part of last Night and till 2 Oclock this day.
7765Thomas Moffat to ——, 15 December 1768 (Franklin Papers)
In November last I wrote you from N. London, and inserted in that letter a copy of what I had written to the lords of the treasury and the Earl of Hillsborough, relative to the compensation of the sufferers in the riot at Newport 1765. I hope and very much wish that letter may have come to your hand, because in it you will see how strictly and soon I follow your counsel in making affidation to...
7766[Diary entry: 15 December 1768] (Washington Papers)
15. Returnd home, by the way (that is near Muddy hole) started & catchd a Fox.
7767[Diary entry: 15 December 1768] (Washington Papers)
15. Snowd again this Morng. & cold Wind Northwardly. Snow 8 or 10 Inches deep.
7768[Diary entry: 16 December 1768] (Washington Papers)
16. At home all day. Jacky Custis came home from Mr. Boucher’s.
7769[Diary entry: 16 December 1768] (Washington Papers)
16. Clear & cool tho the Wind was Southwardly.
7770[Diary entry: 17 December 1768] (Washington Papers)
17. Rid out with my Gun but killd nothg. Mary Wilson came to live here as a Ho. keeper a[t] 15/. pr. Month. Mrs. Mary Wilson was probably a widow. She left her position at Mount Vernon in June 1769 ( General Ledger A General Ledger A, 1750–1772. Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, Series 5, Financial Papers. , folio 288).
7771[Diary entry: 17 December 1768] (Washington Papers)
17. Wind Southwardly yet cold & raw with great appearances of Snow.
7772[Diary entry: 18 December 1768] (Washington Papers)
18. At home all day. Miss Sally Carlyle & Miss Betcy Dalton went away & Mr. Stedlar came.
7773[Diary entry: 18 December 1768] (Washington Papers)
18. A Little rain fell in the Night & this day lowering. But mild & thawg. Wind So.
7774[Diary entry: 19 December 1768] (Washington Papers)
19. Went up to Court & returnd at Night. Although today was the third Monday in the month, the day on which the Fairfax County court normally began its monthly sessions, the court apparently did not meet today or any other day in December because of a lack of pressing business.
7775[Diary entry: 19 December 1768] (Washington Papers)
19. Clear & pleast. forenoon. Lowering Aftern. with a good deal of Snow in the Night.
7776[Diary entry: 20–22 December 1768] (Washington Papers)
20. At home all day. } Snowing. 21. Ditto—Ditto. 22. Ditto—Ditto. Today GW bought “Fish &ca. of the New Englandman,” which apparently visited Mount Vernon several times ( General Ledger A General Ledger A, 1750–1772. Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, Series 5, Financial Papers. , folio 112, 286).
7777[Diary entry: 20 December 1768] (Washington Papers)
20. Snowing best part of the day—abt. 6 or 8 Inches deep.
7778From Benjamin Franklin to Deborah Franklin, 21 December 1768 [–26 January 1769] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I have now before me your Favours of Oct. 1. 18, 23, 30, and Nov. 5. which I shall answer in order. I wonder to hear that my Friends were backward in bringing you my Letters when they arrived, and think it must be a mere Imagination of yours, the Effect of some melancholy Humour you happened then to be in. I condole with you sincerely on poor Debby’s...
7779[Diary entry: 21 December 1768] (Washington Papers)
21. Snowing on and of all day. With but little Wind.
7780[Diary entry: 22 December 1768] (Washington Papers)
22. Snowing fast the forepart of the day with the Wind at No. West. Snow very deep; I suppose 15 or 18 Inches generally.
7781[Diary entry: 23 December 1768] (Washington Papers)
23. Went a Pheasant Huntg. Carrd. hounds & they started & followd a Deer.
7782[Diary entry: 23 December 1768] (Washington Papers)
23. Clear & cold. Wind at No. West & fresh. Towards Evening it shifted Southwardly.
7783To Benjamin Franklin from Noble Wimberly Jones, 24 December 1768 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society By direction of the Commons House of Assembly of this Province, I herewith transmit you their Address to our Most Gracious Sovereign, which I on their behalf desire you will please to have presented, as soon after the receipt, as possibly May be, the manner of presenting, whether in person or otherways is left to you. I also enclose you the Resolution of...
7784[Diary entry: 24 December 1768] (Washington Papers)
24. Rid to the Mill & Doeg run.
7785[Diary entry: 24 December 1768] (Washington Papers)
24. More moderate. Wind Southwardly. Clear Morng. & Eveng.—threatng. Noon.
7786[Diary entry: 25 December 1768] (Washington Papers)
25. At home all day.
7787[Diary entry: 25 December 1768] (Washington Papers)
25. Clear, with the Wind moderately from the No. West and not very cold.
7788[Diary entry: 26 December 1768] (Washington Papers)
26. Ditto—Do.—L. W——n. set of for Staffd.
7789[Diary entry: 26 December 1768] (Washington Papers)
26. Wind rather to the East of North and Cloudy, but not cold. Frost this Mg.
7790[Diary entry: 27 December 1768] (Washington Papers)
27. Ditto—Do.—except Shooting between breakfast & Dinner.
7791[Diary entry: 27 December 1768] (Washington Papers)
27. No frost. Foggy & misty all day and thawing fast.
7792[Diary entry: 28 December 1768] (Washington Papers)
28. At home all day alone.
7793[Diary entry: 28 December 1768] (Washington Papers)
28. Raining more or less all Night, Snow mostly gone—off the open ground entirely. Good deal of Rain this day also—no frt.
7794[Diary entry: 29 December 1768] (Washington Papers)
29. Went a fox hunting. Started one but did not catch it. In the Afternoon Messrs. Dalton, Piper & Riddell came here. Also Mr. Mag[owa]n. Mr. Riddell is probably either John or Henry. John was a merchant in Dumfries. Henry, to whom GW later wrote concerning the seating of his western lands, was a merchant at Piscataway, Md., and the chief Maryland factor for Glassford & Co. of Glasgow, Scot. (...
7795[Diary entry: 29 December 1768] (Washington Papers)
29. Cloudy—Misting—& sometimes rain with the wind southwardly. No frost.
7796[Diary entry: 30 December 1768] (Washington Papers)
30. At home with them all day.
7797[Diary entry: 30 December 1768] (Washington Papers)
30. Clear. Wind at No. West, & fresh in the Morning but incling. Southwardly in the afternoon. No frost.
7798[Diary entry: 31 December 1768] (Washington Papers)
31. Went a hunting & catchd a bitch fox—the above Gentlemn. with me. GW played cards on this date, losing an unspecified amount ( General Ledger A General Ledger A, 1750–1772. Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, Series 5, Financial Papers. , folio 286).
7799[Diary entry: 31 December 1768] (Washington Papers)
31. No frost. Wind southwardly—& Cloudy—but no rain. Evening clear.
7800To Benjamin Franklin from [Theodore Forbes?] Leith, before 20 December 1773 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in Lloyd’s Evening Post , Dec. 20–22, 1773 The Parmesan Cheese is not made at present in the neighbourhood of Parma, but is solely the produce of the State of Milan, and especially of the country betwixt Placentia and Milan; that made near Lodi is the most esteemed. The following account is given from an observation of the whole process, as conducted at a considerable Farmer’s on the...