George Washington Papers

To George Washington from Joseph Valentine, 23 November 1768

From Joseph Valentine

Novr 23d 1768

Sir

Jack now sets off from Queens ⟨mutilated⟩th Taylor and ⟨h⟩is family to soffolk ⟨he also mutilated⟩ the negro ⟨mutilated Sam⟩ & 85 lb. of wool from your Qur in K. Wm and 3 Casks of Cyder from Rockahock which is all the appels wod make[.]1 I am very shore th⟨ei⟩r was not half the appels ass I Saw their alittle while before they w⟨e⟩re got and people has ben ⟨seen⟩ toating them off in the night how to prevent those things I Can’t tel ass ⟨thes⟩ Seen by negros. I am Very short of goods for Mr Custises people this year though I Shall get them all Cloahed with what I Can get th⟨em⟩ I shall Cloath 140 people of Mr Custises this year and you Can Judg Sir what Quantity of Cotten and linning it will take to Cloath so many people. I Remain Sir your most humble Sert

Joseph Valentine

ALS, ViHi: Custis Papers. The letter is addressed to GW at Mount Vernon, to be conveyed “by ⟨his⟩ man Jack.”

1Taylor is probably William Taylor, overseer of GW’s Ship Landing plantation, near Williamsburg on Queens Creek in York County. GW owned a dower slave named Sam who lived at Claiborne’s, his plantation in King William County.

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