George Washington Papers

From George Washington to Thomas Smith, 26 December 1788

To Thomas Smith

Mount Vernon December 26th 88

Sir,

I have received your letter of the 29 Ulto 1 and have forwarded the one enclosed to my Nephew Bushrod Washington who will undoubtedly give you every information in his power respecting the land of which I am wholly ignorant.

As you have not acknowledged the rect of my letter of the 15th of September I fear it has miscarried and therefore enclose you a duplicate.2

Any money that you may have received on my account may be lodged in Philadelphia as heretofore—and I can assure you it would never come more opportunely than at present. I am &c.

Go: Washington

LB, DLC:GW.

Thomas Smith (1745–1809) was born near Aberdeenshire, Scotland, and studied at the University of Edinburgh. He was a half brother of William Smith (1727–1803), a prominent Pennsylvania clergyman and provost of the College of Philadelphia. After immigrating to America Smith settled in Bedford, Pa., where he studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1772. During the American Revolution he served in the Pennsylvania militia, as a delegate to the Pennsylvania Constitutional Convention in 1776, in the state legislature 1776–80, and in the Continental Congress 1780–82. He was a judge of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court 1794–1809. In 1785 and 1786 Smith acted as GW’s attorney in ejectment proceedings against the squatters on his Millers Run lands (see Brice McGeehon to GW, 18 Oct. 1788, source note), and at this time he was still handling the collection of funds proceeding from his agency for GW’s legal affairs in Pennsylvania.

1Letter not found.

2This letter concerned the collections made by Smith and enclosed GW’s letter of 15 Sept. 1788 to John Canon.

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