Copy, in Robert Hanson Harrison’s writing, NjMoHP. For the full text of this letter, see GW to John West, Jr., 4 July 1773, n.2, in Papers, Colonial Series, description begins W. W. Abbot et al., eds. The Papers of George Washington, Colonial Series. 10 vols. Charlottesville, Va., 1983–95. description ends 9:263–64.

Moody was a nephew of Thomas Colvill’s deceased widow Frances (Francina). In 1768 he had purchased about 600 acres of land on Accotink Creek in Fairfax County from the estate of Thomas Colvill, of which GW, Frances Colvill, and John West, Jr., who had died in 1777, were the executors.

A settlement was reached in November 1781 when Moody signed a bond for £329 in payment of the debt. For additional details on GW’s dealings with Moody, in GW’s capacity as a trustee of the Colvill estate, see GW to West, 4 July 1773, notes 1 and 2, in Papers, Colonial Series, description begins W. W. Abbot et al., eds. The Papers of George Washington, Colonial Series. 10 vols. Charlottesville, Va., 1983–95. description ends 9:261–64; see also GW to Josiah Watson, 15 Dec. 1786, and the notes to that document, in Papers, Confederation Series, description begins W. W. Abbot et al., eds. The Papers of George Washington, Confederation Series. 6 vols. Charlottesville, Va., 1992–97. description ends 4:455–56. For GW’s other complicated and long-drawn-out dealings as executor in settling Colvill’s estate, see the source note to Thomas Montgomerie to GW, 24 Oct. 1788, in Papers, Presidential Series, description begins W. W. Abbot et al., eds. The Papers of George Washington, Presidential Series. 19 vols. to date. Charlottesville, Va., 1987–. description ends 1:63–66.