GW is having his old millpond drained. John Hull was paid £31 15s. 1d. in September for work done on the new mill, which probably included wages for both stonemasons between April and September. Hull’s partner could be Joseph Goart, who continued doing occasional work for GW through the spring of the next year (General Ledger A description begins General Ledger A, 1750–1772. Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, Series 5, Financial Papers. description ends , folio 320, 333, 340).

Ball at one time or another had five of his own men working on the mill: Thomas Ball for 38½ days, Richard Talbott for 31 days, John Grinstead for 24½ days, Reason Porter for 19½ days, and Edward Todd for 9 days. The helper who came this day was probably Grinstead, Porter, or Todd. Ball himself worked for 38 days on the mill (General Ledger A description begins General Ledger A, 1750–1772. Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, Series 5, Financial Papers. description ends , folio 324).

The shaft was the large wooden axle on which the waterwheel was to turn.

grinnel: This name does not appear in GW’s ledger for this year and may be a garbling of the last name of Ball’s helper, John Grinstead. t. ball: The John Ball who settled in Fauquier County in 1771 had a younger brother Thomas (snoddy description begins Mrs. Allen B. Snoddy. “Ball Notes.” Virginia Magazine of History and Biography 23 (1915): 308–9. description ends , 308; see main entry for 30 Dec. 1769).

Thomas Byrd was paid £1 1s. 3d. in May for his work at the mill, and during the summer he received £3 15s. 6d. more for helping to harvest GW’s wheat (General Ledger A description begins General Ledger A, 1750–1772. Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, Series 5, Financial Papers. description ends , folio 321).

Work on the millrace began near the mill, and during the next year it progressed slowly north toward Piney Branch and the upper part of Dogue Run. The race was dug several feet into the ground along its two-mile route, except where occasional low-lying areas had to be crossed. In those places earth embankments were raised to keep the water at a constant level, thus preventing any great lowering of the head of water at the mill. The sides of the race were probably supported by timber in both the banked and excavated sections (Lund Washington to GW, 2 Sept. 1778, ViMtvL). to find himself means that Byrd was to supply his own food. “Sciagusta did not work long, as he received but three shillings for his services” (Fitzpatrick, Diaries description begins John C. Fitzpatrick, ed. The Diaries of George Washington, 1748–1799. 4 vols. Boston and New York, 1925. description ends , 1:376 n.1; General Ledger A description begins General Ledger A, 1750–1772. Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, Series 5, Financial Papers. description ends , folio 314). Other ditchers hired during the next two weeks to work on the millrace would prove to be no more eager to stick to this backbreaking task.

James Cleveland’s wagon and team worked ten days at 10s. a day between this date and 9 May. GW had also employed them on 19 and 20 April at 12s. 6d. a day, and on 15 April they had carried two loads for him at 1s. 6d. a load (General Ledger A description begins General Ledger A, 1750–1772. Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, Series 5, Financial Papers. description ends , folio 312).

Rice, who may have been hired to help with the mill, was to receive his meals as well as wages for his work, but it is apparent, as he is not mentioned in GW’s ledger, that he quit before earning any money.