George Washington Papers

[Diary entry: 10 January 1771]

10. Mr. Robt. Adam & Mr. Josh. Watson dined and lodged here. Before they came I had rid to my Mill in the forenoon.

Robert Adam had recently entered into a business partnership with two friends, Matthew Campbell (d. 1782) and James Adam (died c.1787), both merchants of Alexandria. Known as Robert Adam & Co., this firm dealt in several agricultural commodities including wheat, corn, flour, and fish and had plans to import goods from Great Britain and the West Indies for sale in Alexandria. The partnership lasted until the end of 1776, when it was dissolved because of “Declining Business,” but Robert Adam continued to operate his own milling and baking enterprises until his death in 1789 (General Ledger A description begins General Ledger A, 1750–1772. Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, Series 5, Financial Papers. description ends , folio 324, 326, 341; Va. Gaz., D&H, 14 Feb. 1777; Robert Adam to GW, 10 April 1778, DLC:GW).

Joseph Watson (d. 1773), burgess for Dunmore County 1772–73, was a friend of both GW and Robert Adam (Adam to GW, 16 Sept. 1773, DLC:GW; Va. Gaz., P&D, 23 Sept. 1773).

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