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....
71[Diary entry: 24 January 1760] (Washington Papers)
Thursday Jany. 24th. Moderate and fine, the Wind at So. and a gradual thaugh.
72[Diary entry: 25 January 1760] (Washington Papers)
Friday Jany. 25th. Fine warm morning with the wind at So. till abt. 10 Oclock when it came westerly and then No. Wt. blewing exceeding hard till 3 in the afternoon. Went to Alexandria and saw my Tobo. wch. came from the Mountns. lying in an open shed with the ends of the Hhds out and in very bad order. Engagd the Inspection of it on Monday. Wrote to Doctr. Ross to purchase me a Joiner,...
73[Diary entry: 26 January 1760] (Washington Papers)
Saturday Jany. 26th. A Very white frost the ground and River hard froze. The wind at Sun Rise at No. Et. In an hour afterwards it got to south and continued there the whole day. Rode to Williamsons Quarter—the Overseer not there—a very remarkable Circle round the Moon—another Indication of falling Weather. In 1756 Benjamin Williamson rented a farm from GW near Mount Vernon on Little Hunting...
74[Diary entry: 27 January 1760] (Washington Papers)
Sunday Jany. 27th. A high South Wind continued to blow till about 4 in the afternoon and then it got to No. Wt. blew fresh, and grew Cold. Abt. 10 oclock it began to Rain, and continued witht. Intermission till the wind changd and then grew clear and began to freeze. The Southerly Wind had almost opend the River of Ice.
75[Diary entry: 28 January 1760] (Washington Papers)
Monday Jany. 28th. The River close again & the ground very Knobby & hard. The wind got So. about and blew fresh which allmost cleard the River of Ice. Visited my Plantation. Severely reprimanded young Stephens for his Indolence, & his father for suffering of it. Found the new Negroe Cupid ill of a pleurisy at Dogue Run Quarter & had him brot. home in a Cart for better care of him. In 1760...
76[Diary entry: 29 January 1760] (Washington Papers)
Tuesday Jany. 29th. White Frost, and Wind at So. till 3 oclock then No. Wt. but not very cold—clear all day. Darcus—daughter to Phillis died, which makes 4 Negroes lost this Winter viz. 3 Dower Negroes namely— Beck—appraisd to £50– Dolls Child born since— Darcus appd. at and Belinda a Wench of mine in Frederick.
77[Diary entry: 30 January 1760] (Washington Papers)
Wednesday Jany. 30th. Very Cloudy. Wind at So. till 9 Oclock at Night when it instentaniously shifted to No. West & blew a mere hurricane. Cupid was extreame Ill all this day and at Night when I went to Bed I thought him within a few hours of breathing his last.
78[Diary entry: 31 January 1760] (Washington Papers)
Thursday Jany. 31st. He was somewhat better; The wind continued at No. West all day—very cold & clear.
79[February 1760] (Washington Papers)
Friday Feby. 1st. 1760. Wind at and Snow till 9 Oclock then cleard & became tolerable warm. Visited my Plantation’s. Found Foster had been absent from his charge since the 28th. Ulto. Left Order’s for him to come immediately to me upon his return & reprehended him severely. Mr. Johnston & Mr. Walter Stewart came here this Afternoon. Saturday Feby. 2d. 17[60]. The Gentlemen went of after...
80[Diary entry: 1 February 1760] (Washington Papers)
Friday Feby. 1st. 1760. Wind at and Snow till 9 Oclock then cleard & became tolerable warm. Visited my Plantation’s. Found Foster had been absent from his charge since the 28th. Ulto. Left Order’s for him to come immediately to me upon his return & reprehended him severely. Mr. Johnston & Mr. Walter Stewart came here this Afternoon.