From George Washington to Charles Pettit, 3 January 1781
To Charles Pettit
New Windsor, 3 Jan. 1781. GW has received no information regarding the remaining half of the proceeds due him from Pettit’s sale of his bills of exchange on the commissioners at Paris, France.1 GW reminds Pettit that he was to have deposited the money in the Virginia loan office, taking out the certificates in GW’s name as attorney for George Mercer.2 He asks Pettit to procure the articles listed in an enclosed memorandum.3 If the money he has sent for purchasing the items is insufficient, GW promises to send the balance when advised of the amount. He requests that Pettit inquire as to whether a knowlegeable, trustworthy, and assiduous family steward is available for hire.4
ALS, in private hands.
1. For the report of the sale, see Pettit to GW, 21 Feb. 1780.
2. For these directions, see GW to Pettit, 11–12 February. For GW’s involvement with the complicated affairs of George Mercer’s estate, see Lund Washington to GW, 29 Oct. 1775, n.7.
3. In a memorandum of this date, GW listed the following articles which he desired Pettit to purchase: two skeins of white silk, two skeins of buff silk, four sticks of buff twist (tightly twisted sewing silk) to match a piece of cloth that he enclosed, six toothbrushes, two almanacs for 1781, and half a pound of brown thread (NjMoHP).