1[January 1770] (Washington Papers)
Jany. 1. At home all day alone. 2. At home all day. Mr. Peake dined here. 3. At home all day alone. 4. Went a hunting with Jno. Custis & Lund Washington. Started a Deer & then a Fox but got neither. 5. Rid to Muddy hole & Doeg Run. Carrd. the Dogs with me but found nothing. Mr. Warnr. Washington & Mr. Thruston came in the Evening. 6. The two Colo. Fairfaxs and Mrs. Fairfax dind here as did Mr....
2Acct. of the Weather in January [1770] (Washington Papers)
Jany. 1st. Constant Rain the whole day with high & boisterous Wind from the No. Et. 2. Clear and Cold, wind high from the No. West. River froze over. 3. Wind in the same Quarter & very fresh remarkably cold & frosty. 4. But very little Wind, & that Southwardly. Day clear & more moderate but the ground very little thawed. 5. Clear & pleasant. Wind Southwardly—the Ground notwithstanding close...
3[February 1770] (Washington Papers)
Feby. 1. Went a huntg. (being joind by Mr. Peake Wm. Triplet & Harrison Manley) & after a Chace of near five hours we killd a Fox. Mr. Piper & Mr. Adams came here this afternoon. 2. Mr. Adam & myself walkd to the Mill & up Doeg Run before Dinner. Robert Adam, who owned a merchant mill and a bakery near Alexandria, would be a major buyer of flour from GW’s new mill. 3. At home all day, the...
4Acct. of the Weather in February [1770] (Washington Papers)
Feby. 1. Clear & tolerably pleasant there being but little Wind, that however was Northwardly & cool. 2. Cloudy with appearances of Snow but clear & pleasant in the Afternoon but little Wind stirring. 3. Cloudy with a slight mixture of fine hail & Rain. But little Wind & that southly. 4. Snowing more or less all day—the snow about 8 Inches deep. Wind Northward. 5. Cool and Clear Wind No. West....
5Remarks & Occurs. in Feby. [1770] (Washington Papers)
Feby. 2d. Agreed with Joseph Goart, to come down and raise Stone out of my Quarry for my Mill at the Rate of Three pounds pr. Month 26 days to the Month and lost time to be made up. The walls of the new mill were to be built with local sandstone, which the residents of the area called freestone because of its abundance and the ease with which it could be cut and carved ( studebaker Marvin F....
6[March 1770] (Washington Papers)
Mar. 1. My Brothers and the Company with them went away about 10 O clock. I went to level the Ground on the other side of Doeg Run. Mr. Magowan & Captn. Wm. Crawford came here this afternoon. GW was taking elevations west of Dogue Run to determine the best route for a millrace to his new mill. Several months earlier he had been thinking of supplying the new mill with water by having a race dug...
7Acct. of the Weather in March [1770] (Washington Papers)
Mar. 1st. Wind Northwardly. Cold & Cloudy with Snow every now and then. 2. Cloudy with a Mixture of Hail Rain & Snow, but not much of it. 3. Clear and tolerably pleasant, but a little Cool. Wind being rather fresh from the No. West. 4. Cloudy Morning, then Snow, after that Snow and Rain mixd, and lastly constant Rain. 5. Snow about 3 Inches deep. Weather clear. Wind Westwardly in the forenoon...
8Remarks & Occurans. in Mar. [1770] (Washington Papers)
6th. Joseph Gort a stone Mason came here to raise Stone. Began to Enlist Corn Ground at Muddy hole Plantation. Began to Enlist Ditto in the Neck that is to lay of the Ground. Began the same Work at Doeg Run Plantation. Goart worked one month and was paid £3 as he and GW had agreed on 2 Feb. ( General Ledger A General Ledger A, 1750–1772. Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, Series 5,...
9[April 1770] (Washington Papers)
Apl. 1. Went to Pohick Church and returnd home to Dinner. 2. Rid to see Mr. Humphrey Peake who lay ill. Returnd to Dinner. 3. Rid to see Mr. Peake again with Mrs. Washington. Returnd to Dinner. 4. Rid to the Mill—Doeg Run and Muddy hole. 5. Rid into the Neck and called to see Mr. Peake in my way. 6. Went a hunting but found nothing. Returnd to Dinner. 7. Run round the Lines of the Land I...
10Acct. of the Weather in April [1770] (Washington Papers)
April 1. Raw & cold Wind at No. Et. with great appearances (sometimes of falling Weather—at other times clear). 2. This Morning the Snow was an Inch or two deep & continued Snowing (fine Snow) all day with the Wind Northwardly & cold but the Snow did not Increase much in depth. 3. Clear and very cold, the Wind blowing hard at No. West notwithstanding wch. the Snow was almost wholely gone...
11Remarks & Occurrances in Apl. [1770] (Washington Papers)
9th. Finished listing Ground for Corn at Muddy hole. The Hound Bitch Singer was lind by Jowler. 11. The Bitch Truelove was lined twice by Ringwood. She had been frequently shut up with forrister—but it is thought he never lined her. 13. Forrister was seen lined to Truelove. Began my Fishery at Poseys for Mr. Robt. Adam. 14. She was again lined by Ringwood and Singer I saw lined by Jowler. This...
12[May 1770] (Washington Papers)
May 1st. Rid in the forenoon to where the Millwrights & Masons were at Work—also the Ditchers & the fish Landing at Poseys. In the afternoon rid to the Mill only. Mrs. W. Washington & her youngest Child & Mrs. Bushrod & Katy Washington came in the Eveng. Mrs. Warner Washington’s youngest child at this time was Catharine Washington (b. 1769). katy washington : Catherine Washington, daughter of...
13Acct. of the Wheather in May [1770] (Washington Papers)
May 1st. A hard frost which destroyd all the Peaches &ca. from the Water. Wind still at No. Wt. & West but neither so cold nor hard as the two preceeding days. 2. Calm and tolerably pleasant again altho the Morning was cool. 3. Wind fresh and cool from the So. West—which shifted to the So. Et. and East, & began to Rain briskly abt. Sunset attended with thunder & Lightg. 4. Very Cloudy, Misty &...
14Remarks & Occurs. in May [1770] (Washington Papers)
May 1st. John Harvey went to Ditchg. on my Mill Race at 1/3 pr. Rod. Harvey settled 12 Aug. 1770 for £1 in return for his labor for GW ( General Ledger A General Ledger A, 1750–1772. Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, Series 5, Financial Papers. , folio 288). 2. The Mason’s went to laying Stone in the walls of the water Pit (dry Stone). Mr. Flemings ship Carpenter finishd his work...
15[June 1770] (Washington Papers)
June 1st. Dined at the Club at Mrs. Campbells (Williamsburg) and attended a Meeting of the Association at the Capitol at 6 Oclock & contd. there till Eleven Oclock. At this general meeting, it was resolved “ that a friendly Invitation be given to all Gentlemen Merchants, Traders, and others, to meet the associators, in Williamsburg , on Friday the 15th Instant, in order to consult and advise...
16Acct. of the Weather in June [1770] (Washington Papers)
June 1st. Cloudy & Misty all day. In the Evening a pretty hard shower of Rain. 2. Clear & exceeding pleasant—being also Warm & growing. 3. Clear & pleasantly warm. The Wind being at So. West & rather fresh in the Afternoon. 4. Clear in the forenoon but cloudy & lowering afterwards with the Wind westwardly. 5. Lowering Morning & sometimes slight Showers—with the Wind about Southwest. 6. Clear...
17Remarks & Occurans. in June [1770] (Washington Papers)
June 25. Began to cut my Meadow at Doeg Run Quarter. 29. Finish’d it, & got the Hay all Stack’d. 30. Got my Mill Walls up to the 2d. Floor of the House—and then quitted it for Harvest. Began my Wheat Harvest in the Neck. This fragment of remarks and occurrences is in the possession of the superintendent of schools, Exeter, N.H.
18[July 1770] (Washington Papers)
July 1st. At home—Sir Thomas Adams—the two Colo. Fairfax’s & Mr. Waker a Midshipman dined here. 2. Went into my Wheat field before diner. Mr. Davis a Midshipman dined here. 3. One of the Bostons Midshipmen breakfasted here. Between breakfast and Dinner I went into my Harvest field. 4. Went into my Harvest field between breakfast and Dinner. 5. Sir Thomas Adams and Mr. Glasford his first...
19Acct. of the Weather in July [1770] (Washington Papers)
July 1st. Lowering Morning and wind at East. Abt. 12 Oclock it began to Rain & continued to do so till after 3 Oclock. 2. Cloudy Morning but afterwards clear & warm. Then thunder but no Rain. 3. Clear & very Cool—the Wind being at No. West & fresh. 4. Also clear but not so Cool as Yesterday. Wind in the same place but not fresh. 5. Cloudy & lowering all day—but no Rain. Wind Southwardly. 6....
20Remarks & Occuran. in July [1770] (Washington Papers)
July 2. Prosecuting my wheat Harvest which I began on Saturday last in the Neck. 5. Stately A Hound Bitch was lind by Jowler. 6. She was again lined by the same Dog. I killed and sold my English Bull to the Boston’s Crew at 20/. p. Ct. His 4 Quarters weighd 711 lbs. Nett. The Boston ’s purser paid GW £7 2s. in cash for the bull. GW had bought an English bull, probably this one, in Dec. 1765...
21[August 1770] (Washington Papers)
Augt. 1. Dined at my Mother’s. Went over to Fredericksburg afterwards & returnd in the Evening back again. 2. Met the Officers of the first Virga. Troops at Captn. Weedens where we dined & did not finish till abt. Sun set. Mrs. Washington & Patcy dind at Colo. Lewis’s where we lodgd. Meeting a day later than scheduled, the officers and representatives of officers who were present accepted...
22Acct. of the Weather in August [1770] (Washington Papers)
Augt. 1. Clear with the Wind very fresh from the So. West but very warm notwithstanding. 2. Again very warm with a brisk westwardly breeze. 3. More moderate—the Wind being Northwardly—cloudy with some thunder but no Rain. 4. Warm again but no appearance of Rain tho the wind was favourable for it. 5. Very warm but clear and little wind—that southwardly. 6. Clear and Warm—with but little . 7....
23Remarks & Occurances Augt. [1770] (Washington Papers)
Augt. 1. Began to Sow Wheat at Muddy hole—the Ground Grassy & in bad order. Began to Sow Ditto at Doeg Run Quarter where the Ground was exceeding foul, Grassy, & hard. 8. Began to sow Wheat in the Neck in that Cut upon the Creek above Carneys Gut. The Ground here was tolerably clear and in Good Order the Grass and Weeds being Choped over. Carney’s Gut, named for GW’s former tenant John Carney,...
24[September 1770] (Washington Papers)
Septr. 1st. Returnd from the Arbitration at Colchester. In the Evening my Brothr. Saml. & his wife & children came hither from Fredericksburg in their way to Frederick. Samuel Washington moved his family about this time to Harewood in Frederick County, where he lived until his death in 1781 (see “Remarks” entry for 6 Oct. 1770 ). His present wife was his fourth, Anne Steptoe Washington,...
25Acct. of the Weather in Septr. [1770] (Washington Papers)
Septr. 1st. Cool & clear—wind being still Northwardly. 2. Cool but rather Inclind to be Cloudy Wind being also fresh from the Eastward. 3. Rain in the forenoon but clear afterwards with but little wind. 4. Showery with the wind at East. 5. Clear and tolerably warm and still. 6. Flying Clouds with the Wind tolerably fresh—but no Rain. 7. Clear with the Wind tolerably fresh from the North North...
26Remarks & Occurs. in Septr. [1770] (Washington Papers)
Septr. 4th. Got on the 2d. Floor (or rather the last Floor the walls being at their Height) of my Mill. The Hound Bitch stately brought 7 Puppies viz 2 dogs & 5 Bitches 1 of the former dead—remaing. 1 dog & 5 Bitches. 13. Sett 3 Negroe Men, to Wit Harry, George & Frank to Work upon my Mill Race. 14. Two more men came to work on it from the Neck—to wit—Neptune and George. Morris at Doeg Run...
27[October 1770] (Washington Papers)
Octr. 1. Rid to my Mill and the Ditchers with Mr. Warnr. Washington. Colo. Fairfax dind here. The Doctr. Rumney still here. Mr. Carr came in the Eveng. William Carr (d. 1791), a Dumfries merchant, dealt in wheat and flour. He had been a trustee of the town since 1761 and in 1765 served as a commissioner to divide Fairfax Parish from Truro Parish ( Carr to GW, 17 Dec. 1770 , DLC:GW ; hening...
28Acct. of the Weather in October [1770] (Washington Papers)
Octr. 1st. Wind Southwardly and warm with flying Clouds. 2. Raining, Hailing, or Snowing the whole day—with the wind Northerly Cold & exceeding disagreeable. 3. Clear but cold. Wind being very high from the Northwest. 4. Clear and pleasant. Wind being fresh and very fresh. 5. Clear, warm & remarkably pleasant with very little or no Wind. 6. Again clear pleasant and still. 7. As pleasant as the...
29Remarks & Occurrs. in October [1770] (Washington Papers)
Octr. 5th. Began a journey to the Ohio in Company with Doctr. Craik his Servant, & two of mine with a lead Horse with Baggage. Dind at Towlston and lodgd at Leesburg distant from Mount Vernon abt. 45 Miles. Here my Portmanteau horse faild in his stomach. For additional annotation of GW’s diary entries for October, see the previous section. Towlston Grange was Bryan Fairfax’s home in Fairfax...
30[November 1770 (1)] (Washington Papers)
November 1st. A little before eight Oclock we set of with our Canoe up the River to discover what kind of Lands lay upon the Kanhawa. The Land on both sides this River just at the Mouth is very fine; but on the East side when you get towards the Hills (which I judge to be about 6 or 700 yards from the River) it appears to be wet, & better adapted for Meadow than tillage. This bottom continues...