undertakin to forward it); at the time of writing that Letter, it did not occur to me, to ask, if there were not Balls. upon your Books, and Bonded Debts to Collect; and if so, whether you would not choose to have them call'd in. Any directions on this head shall be executed to the best of my judgment. and I should be very glad if you would freely require, and plainly direct any services in my power to render you.

Having occasion to send Lund Washington into Loudoun I directed him to call upon Mr. Peyton 28 for what money he had of yours; he accordingly did so, and hath brought £52 which he says is all as Mr. Peyton (told him) he had, or could get; this Sum I shall remit you from Wmsburg for wch. place I expect to set of the 20th.

I shall caused the dryed Peaches and homony which Danl. Stone was directed to prepare to be put on board of Captn. Boucher addressed to the care of Mr. Athaws.29 with this Letter Mrs. Washington joins me in best for Mrs. Fairfax and yourself and I am etc.

80

To JOHN DAVID WOELPER

November 30, 1773.

Note. For further explanation of the above Advertisement, and better understanding the terms on which these lands will be granted, the subscriber proposes

To give Leases for the terms of Twenty-one years, or three Lives with proper Covenants for securing the Rights of each Party.

To allow an exemption of four years from payment of Rent under the provisos in the above printed advertizement (where

Craven Peyton.

"Samuel Athawes (Athaws).

From the original through the kindness of Forest G. Sweet, of Battle Creek, Mich.

WOROMONROKE LAND

503

no improvements are made) after which four pounds Sterling for every hundred acres contained in the Lease and proportionably for Lesser quantity to be demanded and paid in the Currency of the Country, at the exchange prevailing at the time of making such payment.

To erect within the space of Seven years from the date of the Lease, a decent dwelling House and good Barn fit for a common farmer; Plant Orchards of good fruit Trees in proportion to the quantity of Land Let; and for every Hundred Acres contained in the Tenement Improve at least five Acres into Meadow; which five Acres or the like quantity of Ground always to be kept in good Grass."1

*To BARTHOLOMEW DANDRIDGE

Claibornes, December 6, 1773.

Dear Sir: Upon enquiry of Davenport (who went up to the King William Office last Week) I am convinced that, Black has never receivd any conveyance at all, for the Land that was Grisley's; and I much doubt, whether he has ever receivd any for the Mill Tract. What is proper to be done under these Circumstances, I am really at a loss to determine; I think the purchase too advantageous for Mr. Custis to give up altogether, and, if there is no coming at Rights to the before mentioned Tracts (as Grisley it seems is Dead) what ought I to do? If good Rights can be had for the King and Queen Estate Woromonroke Lands (bought from Colo. Moore) and a surety can be had from Black, of procuring proper Titles to the other two, I am still willing to hold fast the Bargain; and what further,

This note is added, in the writing of Washington, to one of the hand bill copies of his advertisement of Ohio lands (see Advertisement of the Ohio Lands, July 15, 1773, vol. 3, ante), and was sent to John David Woelpper by Washington. The hand bill was, in 1889, in the possession of Isaac Craig, of Alleghany, Pa. (Reference is in the Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography (1889), vol. 13, p. 479).

under my present uncertainties to say, I know not; but beg of you to examine the Office thoroughly, to see if the Deeds may not be recorded altho' they do not appear upon the Alphabets. Davenport tells me that Colo. B. Moore says, his Trust Deed is recorded in the Secretary's Office, if I remember right Mr. Wythe could find no such Deed there. Was there ever such a Man as Black! Crafty and designing, and yet so stupidly ignorant, and negligent in so important a matter as this! I write this from my Qr. in very great haste and cannot add "2

*To JOHN TAYLOE

Mount Vernon, December 10, 1773.

Dear Sir: Thinking it necessary that Mr. Montague should be advised of the steps which have been taken in consequence of the Power of Attorney wch. he Inclosed to you, Colo. Mason, and myself, I wrote the Inclosed Letter, and thought to have sent it to you from Williamsburg; but other business, and an attendance upon those with whom I had various matters to negotiate, occasion'd my neglecting it.

For the reasons assigned in the Letter (herewith sent) which might be a good deal enlarged upon, and upon consulting Mr. Waller as to the propriety, and legality of the measure, I am fully convinced of the utility of postponing the Sale of every part of the Estate till after finishing of the next Crop, which Mr. Mercer assures me will probably be large, as there is a great deal of Wheat sown in very fine Land, which shall be applied in discharge to Mr. Gravats 33 Mortgage. If therefore you shall concur with me in this opinion, and approve of the Letter in other parts, a place is left for you to Sign it, that it may be dis

32 End of letter is missing. The original is in the possession (1933) of W. H. De Butts, of Upperville, Va.

Richard Gravat.

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

505

patchd by the first opperty. after getting to your hands. If on the other hand, you disapprove of the time of Sale, or the Letter generally, please to destroy it, and write anything else you choose.

The original Deed to Messrs. Hunter and Dick being, as Mr. Mercer says, taken out of the Secretarys Office by Mr. Thompson Mason, before it was recorded, prevented my getting an attested Copy of that, and Colo. Mercers Letter of Attorney to his Brother whilst I was down; but I have requested Mr. James Mercer to furnish me with these Papers as soon as possible, in order that they may be forwarded to Mr. Montague

I have only my best respect to add to Mrs. Tayloe, and to assure you that I am etc.

34

*To ANGUS MCDONALD

Mount Vernon, January 28, 1774. Sir: Inclosed you have a Certificate of your having served as an Officer in the Virginia Regiment; as to your Services in the Militia I have nothing at all to do with them, and am pretty sure they will not be allowed. at least this is my private opinion. the Governor however is, unless he chooses to advise with the Council, the sole judge of these matters, and from him only, can you be satisfied in respect to those claims.

I shall take it exceedingly kind of you to Rent my Land on Potomack River (above the Warmsprings) upon the best terms you can, either from year to year, or for a term of years, not exceeding five; and that you would moreover, do me the further favour to receive the Rents; otherwise I dare say, I never shall be the better of a Tenant there; for doing both which, that

"From a photostat of the original kindly loaned by Mrs. J. Clayton Mitchell, of Lloyds, Va., through Dr. Josiah H. Penniman, provost of the University of Pennsylvania.

is to engage the place, and receive the Rent, this Letter shall be your Sufficient power and Authority, and may in any case be produced as such from Sir Yr. etc.

PS. My Certificate Inclosd, only serves to authorize you to apply to the Govr. for a Warrant, as it is from him you are to receive the order of Survey.35

*To JAMES WOOD

Mount Vernon, February 20, 1774. Dear Sir: I have to thank you, for your obliging acct. of your trip down the Mississipi, containd in a Letter of the 18th. of Octobr. from Winchester; the Other Letter, therein referd to, I have never yet received, nor did this come to hand till some time in November, as I was returning from Williamsburg.

The contradictory Accts. given of the Land upon the Mississipi are really astonishing; some speak of the Country as a terrestrial Paradise, whilst others represent it as scarce fit for any thing, but Slaves and Brutes. I am well satisfied however from your description of it that I have no cause to regret my disappointment. The Acct. of Lord Hilsboroughs Sentiments of the Proclamation of 1763, I can view in no other light than as one, among many other proofs, of his Lordships malignant disposition towards us poor Americans; founded equally in Malice, absurdity, and error; as it would have puzzled this noble Peer, I am perswaded, to have assignd any plausable reason in support of this opinion.

As I do not know but I may shortly see you in Frederick, and assuredly shall up at the Assembly, I shall add no more than that, it will always give me pleasure to see you at this place

From a photostat of the original through the kindness of Hunter McDonald, of Nashville, Tenn.