Sir, WILLIAM HILLHOUSE TO ABRAHAM REDWOOD, JR. By Edwa'd Byams Esq. order I heave sent you enclosed a bill of Loading for one bag of Cotton wich came to hand after the Gouenor had got the bills of Loding for the six hhd. of Rome and had enclosed them in his Letter, therefor he desired me to send you it with an acc't. thereof which is as onder nath wich is all at present from, sur, your Most Humbell Servant To Command, WILL. HILLHOUSE Invoise of one bag of Cotton shiped by Edwad Byam Esqr one the Schooner Mercy Capt. Richard Gill, Master, one act. of Mr Abram Redwood Jun. being markd as Margin [A.R.] etc. Respected Kinsman Abraham Redwood, HAVEING the good fortune by my sons marring to bee still nearer related then before makes me take the Liberty to give the a few Lines; and understanding thy Interest hear is like to be in thy one posesion in a short time, I have 1 In 1727 Manchester was said to contain at least fifty thousand persons, and its prosperity rested upon the manufacture of cotton in all its varieties. This industry, evidences of which are found at Manchester as early as 1635, owed its preeminence to immigrants from Antwerp about 1685, and drew its material "from beyond the sea." The cotton wove thin came from the Levant, and fustians were the principal product. As early as 1727 the eastern cotton had been largely supplanted by cotton from the English colonies in America. 2 The original is in the Newport Historical Society. this Request to the to lett my husband have the management of it, whoe I belive the may trust and find him verry just and honest to thee in that affair, and the may give the Governer a hint that my self being thy Relation the was willing my husband should have the offer off it. If the writes to Cousin Langford he will I know forward it he being our perticular friend; but I beg thy favor that none of them may know that I write to the, because it may make some people that are now uppon it our Enimis as wee are strange but may only signifye that the hears my husband meets with noe seafareing buisness which put the uppon imploying him in thy affairs, soe that will be verry sufficient for a Reason soe Dr. Cousin I beg thy Consideration and a speedy anser before any one tryes to intercept us with kind Loue to thy self and spouse I am thy Verry Obliged Kinswoman, Parah Parson pray my Loue to all my new Relation as well as old ones. as the hast fredom. Sir ROWLAND FRYE TO ABRAHAM REDWOOD, JR. London, 18 April, 1729. I HAVE by order of Mr. Edward Byam Esq. the Governour of Antigua, sent to Boston Certain Lead and Iron Work for your Account amounting to £91:0:9 as per Invoice and Bill of Lading enclosed. there will be no Vessell from hence for some time, bound directly to Rhode Island, or should I have sent the Goods to this place, but was directed if there was not, to send them by the first Ship to New England, and have also ensured £100 on the said Goods which at 2 per Ct. policy and Commission is £2: 14:6. I have also ensured per order of Governour Byam £80 on Capt. Davis to this place at the same Premio. The charge is £2:4:6. The Ship1 arrived yesterday with 8 Casks of Sugar for your account, which I shall dispose of to your best advantage and will then transmitt you the Account of Sales per Capt. Hammerden3 I am, Sir, Sir ur most humble law Your Rond frye On the other side is Copy of what I wrote you by Capt. Hammerden. this encloses Copy of the Invoice and 2d Bill of Lading. I have sold your 8 Casks Sugar per Davis at 25/ and hope to send you the Acct. Sales very shortly. I am Sir, Your most humble Servant London 8, May, 1729. [Endorsed,] Per Capt. Henderson via Boston. ROW'D FRYE JONAS LANGFORD TO ABRAHAM REDWOOD Deare Cousin, By Capt. Pearce I was favoured with thine, and perceive that thou intendst to give thy partes that feel to thee by they Fathers death to thy mother. I am not at all against thy being kind to her and her Children but I 1 The Parham Galley. 2 A cask, hogshead or chest of sugar contained twelve hundred pounds — more or less. These eight casks gave a net sale of £60. 14. 6. "On Tuesday morning the 22d Currant, a New Ship Burthen about 180 Tons, Francis Hammerden Commander, lying at the Long-Wharffe [Boston], took fire as is supposed by a Candle, and was burnt, the Value whereof is reckoned about Two Thousand Pounds." New England Weekly Journal, August 28, 1727. His father had married for a second wife Patience (Howland) Phillips, daughter of Joseph Howland, of Duxbury, Mass. As Jonas Langford Redwood, the eldest son, had been killed in 1724, by a fall from a horse, Abraham inherited the Antigua property. would have thee be well inform'd what Estate thou art master of and then thou mayst be as liberall as thou pleaseth. I return thee my hearty thanks for thy kind present of Cheeses, and am with due regard to thy self, Wife, and family, they assured friend and Loving Cousin, Antigua, 27th of Sept., 1729. JONAS LANGFORD P. S. I understand that thou hast an undoubted right to 2 thirds of they Fathers Negroes, and thy Mother the other third during her life; so that if thou canst buy her third, it would be better than any Body else should have them. Vale. WILLIAM HILLHOUSE TO ABRAHAM REDWOOD Antegua, Aprill 4th, 1729. Negro Mane named John SUR, according to Edward Byam, Esqr. order I heare in put you a bill of Loding for a which came from Road Island amendment and I wish he may come saf to your Hands which is all from your Most Humbell Servant to comand. WILL HILLHOUSE Sir, HENRY BONNIN TO ABRAHAM REDWOOD Antigua, the 21st August, 1729. I REC'D yours directed in the absence of Capt. Rob't Carr to me, and as per bill of Ladeing I have rec'd the Ninty bbs. of Flow'r, Twenty Seven Boxes of Sope and Seven boxes [of] Candels, and shall disposte of them to your best advantage as soone as possible and make you returns by same Sloop, not haveing an oppertunity to dispose of her as order'd. Nor is their any Salt at Anguilla or St. Martins or likely to bee. Shingles, and Stave unsold. You loste Fifteen Sheep the rest have solde at Thirteen Shill's each. Flower is at Eighteen but sells slowly. Our Cuntry produce of all sorts is scarce and dear, Rum from Twenty One pence to Two Shill's, Sugar 22/6 per Cwt at your owne Estate, Cotton 10 pence per pound, Mollasses none to be had, unless should happen any from Guardeloupe. We have had noe Advice whear Capt. Rob't Carr is arrived but hope him well. My Deligence shall not be wanting for the Dispatch of your Sloop, unless a Chapman should offer. in the Interim I remain with Respects Your Oblidged Humble Servant Henry Bonnin P. S. Capt. Dan'l Pearce arrived the 14th Instant. [Endorsed,] To Mr. Abraham Redwood, Merchant at New Porte Rhodeisland. Per Capt. Tillinghast, Q. D. C. Sir, ROWLAND FRYE TO ABRAHAM REDWOOD I WROTE you lately by Capt. Shewell since which I have honoured your Bill £180: 13:4 to Mr. George Byam. as the Crop is now over I propose to send your Account Current by the next Ship. Sugar still bears a low price and there does not seem to be any prospect of its rising, for the French have supplyed the foreign Markets, and we have a large Quantity on hand.1 1 The value of imports into Great Britain from Antigua in 1730 was £268. 801, and of exports to that island, £32. 582. The exports to New England in the same year were £208. 196, and the imports, £54. 701. The two divisions nearly balanced the movement. The custom house year ran from Christmas to Christmas. Anderson, Origin of Commerce, Iv. 36. About 1725 the French began to supply, in considerable quantities, the European markets with sugars from their colonies of Martinico, Hispaniola, etc. This commerce had hitherto been almost monopolized by the English, a small quantity coming from Portuguese Brazil. The Dutch colony of Surinam also came into the market. The imports into London, for one month, May, 1730, of sugar from the American colonies was 1421 hogsheads; but in the year 1731 the re-exports from London of colonial sugar amounted to 58. 446 cwt. The British colonies on |