21[Diary entry: 31 March 1748] (Washington Papers)
Thursday 31st. Early this Morning one of our Men went out with the Gun & soon Returnd with two Wild Turkies. We then went to our Business. Run of three Lots & returnd to our Camping place at Stumps.
22[April 1748] (Washington Papers)
Fryday April the 1st. 1748. This Morning Shot twice at Wild Turkies but killd none. Run of three Lots & returnd to Camp. Saterday April 2d. Last Night was a blowing & Rainy night. Our Straw catch’d a Fire that we were laying upon & was luckily Preserv’d by one of our Mens awaking when it was in a ⟨ ⟩ We run of four Lots this day which Reached below Stumps. From 2 to 5 April the party...
23[Diary entry: 1 April 1748] (Washington Papers)
Fryday April the 1st. 1748. This Morning Shot twice at Wild Turkies but killd none. Run of three Lots & returnd to Camp.
24[Diary entry: 2 April 1748] (Washington Papers)
Saterday April 2d. Last Night was a blowing & Rainy night. Our Straw catch’d a Fire that we were laying upon & was luckily Preserv’d by one of our Mens awaking when it was in a ⟨ ⟩ We run of four Lots this day which Reached below Stumps. From 2 to 5 April the party surveyed tracts for Michael Calb. Liveron (?), Leonard Nass, Michael Stump, James Simpson, Philip Moore, the Widow Wolf, Henry...
25[Diary entry: 3 April 1748] (Washington Papers)
Sunday 3d. Last Night was a much more blostering night than the former. We had our Tent Carried Quite of with the Wind and was obliged to Lie the Latter part of the Night without covering. There came several Persons to see us this day one of our Men Shot a Wild Turkie.
26[Diary entry: 4 April 1748] (Washington Papers)
Monday 4th. This morning Mr. Fairfax left us with Intent to go down to the Mouth of the Branch. We did two Lots & was attended by a great Company of People Men Women & Children that attended us through the Woods as we went shewing there Antick tricks. I really think they seem to be as Ignorant a Set of People as the Indians. They would never speak English but when spoken to they speak all...
27[Diary entry: 5 April 1748] (Washington Papers)
Tuesday 5th. We went out & did 4 Lots. We were attended by the same Company of People that we had the day before.
28[Diary entry: 6 April 1748] (Washington Papers)
Wednesday 6th. Last Night was so Intolerably smoaky that we were obliged all hands to leave the Tent to the Mercy of the Wind and Fire this day was attended by our aforesd. Company untill about 12 oClock when we finish’d we travell’d down the Branch to Henry Vanmetris’s. On our Journey was catch’d in a very heavy Rain. We got under a Straw House untill the Worst of it was over & then continued...
29[Diary entry: 7 April 1748] (Washington Papers)
Thursday 7th. Rain’d Successively all Last Night. This Morning one of our men Killed a Wild Turky that weight 20 Pounds. We went & Surveyd 15 Hundred Acres of Land & Returnd to Vanmetris’s about 1 oClock. About two I heard that Mr. Fairfax was come up & at 1 Peter Casseys about 2 Miles of in the same Old Field. I then took my Horse & went up to see him. We eat our Dinners & Walked down to...
30[Diary entry: 8 April 1748] (Washington Papers)
Fryday 8th. We breakfasted at Casseys & Rode down to Vanmetris’s to get all our Company together which when we had accomplished we Rode down below the Trough in order to Lay of Lots there. We laid of one this day. The Trough is couple of Ledges of Mountain Impassable running side & side together for above 7 or 8 Miles & the River down between them. You must Ride Round the back of the Mountain...
31[Diary entry: 9 April 1748] (Washington Papers)
Saterday 9th. Set the Surveyors to work whilst Mr. Fairfax & myself stayed at the Tent our Provision being all exhausted & the Person that was to bring us a Recruit disappointing us we were obliged to go without untill we could get some from the Neighbours which was not till about 4 or 5 oClock in the Evening. We then took our Leaves of the Rest of our Company Road Down to John Colins in order...
32[Diary entry: 10 April 1748] (Washington Papers)
Sunday 10th. We took our farewell of the Branch & travelld over Hills and Mountains to 1 Coddys on Great Cacapehon about 40 Miles. James Caudy (Coddy) owned some 98 acres of land in Frederick County. On 19 Mar. 1752 GW noted that “Pursuant to a Warrant from the Proprietors Office I have Surveyed for James Caudy of Great Cacapehon a certain tract of waste & ungranted Land on the So. Fork of...
33[Diary entry: 11 April 1748] (Washington Papers)
Monday 11th. We Travell’d from Coddys down to Frederick Town where we Reached about 12 oClock. We dined in Town and then went to Capt. Hites & Lodged.
34[Diary entry: 12 April 1748] (Washington Papers)
Tuesday 12th. We set of from Capt. Hites in order to go over Wms. Gap about 20 Miles and after Riding about 20 Miles we had 20 to go for we had lost ourselves & got up as High as Ashbys Bent. We did get over Wms. Gap that Night and as low as Wm. Wests in Fairfax County 18 Miles from the Top of the Ridge. This day see a Rattled Snake the first we had seen in all our Journey. Williams’ Gap was a...
35[Diary entry: 13 April 1748] (Washington Papers)
Wednesday the 13th. of April 1748. Mr. Fairfax got safe home and I myself safe to my Brothers which concludes my Journal.
36Note on the Digital Edition of This Chapter (Washington Papers)
This diary chapter includes JPEG images of print edition pages 38–117, the facsimiles of the manuscript fragments for the Barbados Diary. The section “[Manuscript Facsimiles and Transcriptions]” links to about 6 MB of graphics files, and will take some time to load on slower connections.
37Editorial Note (Washington Papers)
GW’s older half brother Lawrence had been in poor health during the decade following the British assault upon Spanish bases in the Caribbean, an encounter commonly termed the War of Jenkins’ Ear. He had led a Virginia military company in the 1741 attack on Cartagena, becoming so fond of Vice Admiral Edward Vernon, naval commander of the expedition, that he later named his own home Mount...
38Biographical Data (Washington Papers)
Information on the persons mentioned by GW during his stay on the island is in most instances scant. What follows is data obtained both from standard biographical references and from documents in the Barbados Department of Archives at Black Rock. The archives have suffered much from the ravages of time and climate, and identifications are made more difficult by GW’s customary use of surnames...
39The Washingtons in Barbados (Washington Papers)
The arrival at Bridgetown, on Carlisle Bay, is not well documented because pages are missing from the diary at this point. There are no collateral data such as newspaper listings of shipping arrivals, for not a single copy of the Barbados Gazette for 1751 is known to exist. The first two diary entries after the Washingtons disembarked are supplied by Jared Sparks, who obviously saw them while...
40The Manuscript (Washington Papers)
The Barbados diary had deteriorated seriously before it was silked and mounted at the Library of Congress; there is evidence that some of the preliminary pages were already missing when Jared Sparks used it in the early nineteenth century. Transcribing it according to conventional standards would result in a confusing array of blank spaces enclosed by brackets and many speculative footnotes....
41[Diary entry: 4 November 1751] (Washington Papers)
November 4 th , 1751.—This morning received a card from Major Clarke, welcoming us to Barbadoes, with an invitation to breakfast and dine with him. We went,—myself with some reluctance, as the smallpox was in his family. We were received in the most kind and friendly manner by him. Mrs. Clarke was much indisposed, insomuch that we had not the pleasure of her company, but in her place...
42[Diary entry: 5 November 1751] (Washington Papers)
5 th. —Early this morning came Dr. Hilary, an eminent physician recommended by Major Clarke, to pass his opinion on my brother’s disorder, which he did in a favorable light, giving great assurances that it was not so fixed but that a cure might be effectually made. In the cool of the evening we rode out accompanied by Mr. Carter to seek lodgings in the country, as the Doctor advised, and were...
43Editorial Note (Washington Papers)
In the two years between his return from Barbados and the outbreak of the French and Indian War, GW steadily advanced his position in the Virginia community. He already owned some two thousand acres of land in the Shenandoah Valley, with additional holdings at Ferry Farm and Deep Run. His half brother Lawrence’s death in July 1752 brought expectations of more property. Under the terms of...
44Journey to the French Commandant: Narrative (Washington Papers)
On Wednesday the 31st. of October 1753 I was Commission’d & appointed by the Honble. Robert Dinwiddie Esqr. Governor &ca. of Virginia To visit & deliver a Letter to the Commandant of the French Forces on the Ohio, & set out on the intended Journey the same Day. The next I arriv’d at Fredericksburg, & engag’d Mr. Jacob Vanbraam, Interpreter, Jacob Van Braam, born about 1729 in Bergen op Zoom,...
45Editorial Note (Washington Papers)
In the weeks after GW’s return from his journey to the French commandant, reports of further French infiltration into the Ohio Valley continued to reach Williamsburg and Gov. Robert Dinwiddie made preparations to resist. He appealed to other colonial governors for aid in repelling the French. DINWIDDIE R. Alonzo Brock, ed. The Official Records of Robert Dinwiddie, Lieutenant-Governor of the...
46Expedition to the Ohio, 1754: Narrative (Washington Papers)
On the 31st of March , I received from his Honour a Lieutenant Colonel’s Commission, The date of the commission’s receipt as given here is in error. Dinwiddie wrote to GW 15 Mar. enclosing the commission as lieutenant colonel of the Virginia Regiment, “pay, 12s. 6d. per day” ( ViHi ), and GW acknowledged its receipt 20 Mar. ( WRITINGS John C. Fitzpatrick, ed. The Writings of George Washington...
47[January 1760] (Washington Papers)
January 1 Tuesday. Visited my Plantations and receivd an Instance of Mr. French’s great Love of Money in disappointing me of some Pork because the price had risen to 22/6 after he had engagd to let me have it at 20/. Calld at Mr. Possey’s in my way home and desird him to engage me 100 Barl. of Corn upon the best terms he coud in Maryland. And found Mrs. Washington upon my arrival broke out...
48[Diary entry: 1 January 1760] (Washington Papers)
January 1 Tuesday. Visited my Plantations and receivd an Instance of Mr. French’s great Love of Money in disappointing me of some Pork because the price had risen to 22/6 after he had engagd to let me have it at 20/. Calld at Mr. Possey’s in my way home and desird him to engage me 100 Barl. of Corn upon the best terms he coud in Maryland. And found Mrs. Washington upon my arrival broke out...
49[Diary entry: 2 January 1760] (Washington Papers)
Jany. 2d. Wednesy. Mrs. Barnes who came to visit Mrs. Washington yesterday returnd home in my Chariot the Weather being too bad to Travel in an open Carriage—which together with Mrs. Washington’s Indisposition confind me to the House and gave me an oppertunity of Posting my Books and putting them in good Order. Fearing a disappointment elsewhere in Pork I was fein to take Mr. French upon his...
50[Diary entry: 3 January 1760] (Washington Papers)
Thursday Jany. 3d. The Weather continuing Bad & the same causes subsisting I confind myself to the House. Morris who went to work Yesterday caught cold, and was laid up bad again—and several of the Family were taken with the Measles, but no bad Symptoms seemd to attend any of them. Hauled the Sein and got some fish, but was near being disappointd of my Boat by means of an Oyste⟨r⟩ Man who had...
51[Diary entry: 4 January 1760] (Washington Papers)
Friday Jany. 4th. The Weather continud Drisling and Warm, and I kept the House all day. Mrs. Washington seemg. to be very ill ⟨I⟩ wrote to Mr. Green this afternoon desiring his Company to visit her in the Morng. Rev. Charles Green (c.1710–1765) was the first permanent rector of Truro Parish, recommended to that post in 1736 by GW’s father. He also practiced medicine. “Ministers were frequently...
52[Diary entry: 5 January 1760] (Washington Papers)
Saturday Jany. 5th. Mrs. Washington appeard to be something better. Mr. Green however came to see her abt. 11 Oclock and in an hour Mrs. Fairfax arrivd. Mr. Green prescribd the needful and just as we were going to Dinnr Captn. Walter Stuart appeard with Doctr. Laurie. The Evening being very cold, and the wind high Mrs. Fairfax went home in the Chariot & soon afterwards Mulatto Jack arrivd from...
53[Diary entry: 6 January 1760] (Washington Papers)
Sunday Jany. 6th. The Chariot not returng. time enought from Colo. Fairfax’s we were prevented from Church. Mrs. Washington was a good deal better today, but the Oyster Man still continuing his Disorderly behaviour at my Landing I was obligd in the most preemptory manner to order him and his Compy. away which he did not Incline to obey till next morning. In colonial Virginia the established...
54[Diary entry: 7 January 1760] (Washington Papers)
Monday Jany. 7th. Accompanied Mrs. Bassett to Alexandria and engagd a Keg of Butter of Mr. Kirkpatrick being quite out of that Article. Wrote from thence to Doctr. Craik to endeavour if possible to engage me a Gardener from the Regiment and returnd in the dusk of the Evening. Mrs. Bassett, the former Anna Maria Dandridge (1739–1777), younger sister of Mrs. Washington, in 1757 married Burwell...
55[Diary entry: 8 January 1760] (Washington Papers)
Tuesday Jany. 8. Directed an Indictment to be formd by Mr. Johnston against Jno. Ballendine for a fraud in some Iron he sold me. Got a little Butter from Mr. Dalton and wrote to Colo. West for Pork. In the Evening 8 of Mr. French’s Hogs from his Ravensworth Quarter came down one being lost on the way as the others might as well have been for their goodness. Nothing but the disappointments in...
56[Diary entry: 9 January 1760] (Washington Papers)
Wednesday. Jany. 9. Killd and dressd Mr. French’s Hogs which weighd 751 lbs. neat. Colo. West leaving me in doubt about his Pork yesterday obligd me to send to him again to day, and now no definitive answr was receivd—he purposing to send his Overseer down tomorrow to agree abt. it. Colo. Bassetts Abram arrivd with Letters from his Master appointing Port Royal, & Monday next as a time and...
57[Diary entry: 10 January 1760] (Washington Papers)
Thursday Jany. 10th. Accompanied Mrs. Bassett in a Visit to Belvoir. She this day determind on setting of for Port Royal on Saturday. Colo. West wrote me word that he had engag’d his Pork. Killd the Beeves that Jack brought down two of which were tolerable good. Belvoir, located on a bluff overlooking the Potomac on the next “neck” downriver from Mount Vernon, was the first seat of the Fairfax...
58[Diary entry: 11 January 1760] (Washington Papers)
Friday Jany. 11th. Deliverd Rd. Stephens two Hogs in part of his Years Provisions weight 69 90 159. He had one before of 100 lbs. weight. Two Hogs were also reservd for Foster of the following weights 90
59[Diary entry: 12 January 1760] (Washington Papers)
Saturday Jany. 12th. Sett out with Mrs. Bassett on her journey to Port Royal. The morning was clear and fine but soon clouded and promisd much Rain or other falling weather wch. is generally the case after remarkable white Frosts—as it was to day. We past Occoquan witht. any great difficulty withstanding the Wind was something high and Lodgd at Mr. McCraes in Dumfries—sending the Horses to the...
60[Diary entry: 13 January 1760] (Washington Papers)
Sunday Jany. 13th. The Wind last Night Chopd about from Southerly to the No. West blew extreame hard and made it excessive cold. We reachd Mr. Seldons abt. 3 Oclock and met with a certain Captn. Dives there a Man who, as I have been informd is pretty well known for some of his Exploits and suspected to be an Instrument in carrying Dickenson whose Character and Memory are too well established...
61[Diary entry: 14 January 1760] (Washington Papers)
Monday Jany. 14th. The Wind at No. West, and the Morning being clear and cold but otherwise fine we set out—Mr. Seldon obligingly accompanying us a few Miles to prevent any misapprehensions of the Road. We arrivd about 2 Oclock to the Plantation late Colo. Turners but now Inhabited by an Overseer directly opposite to Port Royal (at this place also Mr. Giberne lodges) and here we were...
62[Diary entry: 15 January 1760] (Washington Papers)
Tuesday Jany. 15th. Mr. Gibourne and I, leaving Mr. Bassett Just ready to set out recrossd the River and proceeded to Colo. Carters where we dind and in the Evening reachd Colo. Champes. Several Gentlemen dind with us at Colo. Carters (neighbours of his) but we spent a very lonesome Evening at Colo. Champes not any Body favouring us with their Company but himself. The Morning of this day was...
63[Diary entry: 16 January 1760] (Washington Papers)
Wednesday Jany. 16. I parted with Mr. Gibourne, leaving Colo. Champes before the Family was Stirring and abt. 10 reachd my Mothers where I breakfasted and then went to Fredericksburg with my Brothr. Saml. who I found there. Abt. Noon it began Snowing, the Wind at So. West but not Cold; was disappointed of seeing my Sister Lewis & getting a few things which I wanted out of the Stores returnd in...
64[Diary entry: 17 January 1760] (Washington Papers)
Thursday Jany. 17th. The Snow had turnd to Rain & occasiond a Sleet, the Wind at No. Et. and the Ground coverd abt. an Inch and half with Snow, the Rain continued with but little Intermission till Noon and then came on a Mist which lasted till Night. Abt. Noon I set out from my Mother’s & Just at Dusk arrivd at Dumfries.
65[Diary entry: 18 January 1760] (Washington Papers)
Friday Jany. 18th. Continued my Journey home, the Misling continuing till Noon when the Wind got Southerly and being very warm occasiond a great thaw. I however found Potomk. River quite coverd with Ice & Doctr. Craik at my House.
66[Diary entry: 19 January 1760] (Washington Papers)
Saturday Jany. 19. The Wind got abt. to the No[rth] ward last Night and froze the Ground hard. The Morning Lowerd, and threatned Rain; but about Noon the clouds dispersd and grew Warm, the Wind coming about Southerly again. Recd. a Letter from my Overseer Hardwick, informing me that the Small Pox was surrounding the Plantation’s he overlookd—& requiring sundry Working Tools. Bought 4 Hogs...
67[Diary entry: 20 January 1760] (Washington Papers)
Sunday Jany. 20th. My Waggon after leaving 2 Hogsheads of Tobo. at Alexandria arrivd here with 3 Sides of Sole Leather and 4 of upper Leather 2 Kegs of Butter one of which for Colo. Fairfax and 15 Bushels of Salt which She took in at Alexandria. Visited at Belvoir to day carrying Doctr. Craik with us who spent the Evening there. The wind Continued Southerly the whole day the Ground very soft,...
68[Diary entry: 21 January 1760] (Washington Papers)
Monday Jany. 21st. Warm with Rain, the Wind at South till Noon when it veerd abt. to the No. Ward & cleard. The Ice in the River almost gone. The Rains that fell last Night, & to day in some measure hardned the Ground from the Rotton condition it appeard in Yesterday.
69[Diary entry: 22 January 1760] (Washington Papers)
Tuesday Jany. 22d. The Wind continued No[rth]wardly—the weather clear & cold—the ground hard froze & the River blockd up again. Killd 17 more Hogs which were bought of Mr. French who was here ready to see them weighd & to receive his Money. Doctr. Craik Dind here. Hogs wd. 1722 lbs. nett. These hogs made the total amount of pork received from French 2,473 pounds. Paying the agreed rate of 22s....
70[Diary entry: 23 January 1760] (Washington Papers)
Wednesday Jany. 23d. Clear and more moderate than Yesterday—but the g[roun]d & r[iver] still hard frozen. Abt. Noon the wind (what little blew) came Westerly and Inclining South. My Waggon set of for Frederick with Sundry’s that were wrote for by the Overseer there. Doctr. Craik left this for Alexandria and I visited my Quarter’s & the Mill. According to Custom found young Stephen’s absent....