241To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 8 March 1795 (Washington Papers)
By the post of friday I had the honor to receive your respected favor of the 4th instant: Since which I have had but little opportunity of hearing any opinions expressed on the points mentioned in your letter. I had, however, frequently heard the subject spoken on since the commencement of the misunderstanding between Mr Johnson and the Commissioners; and from what I could observe of the...
242To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 18 March 1795 (Washington Papers)
On the day that I left this place to accompany Mr Weston up the River, I had the honor of writing a few lines to you on a certain subject mentioned in your respected favor of the 4th instant. Having returned from that trip but yesterday, no further oppurtunity of obtaining information on the point alluded to has yet occurred. I am much pleased to inform you that Mr Weston found time to visit...
243To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 27 April 1795 (Washington Papers)
Once more, my dear Sir, I have taken the liberty to intrude upon you in this way, trusting that your goodness will not take it amiss. I propose setting out on my journey homewards in a few days; but it will probably be about the middle of may before I reach the Potomac, as I shall have occasion to make several stops on the Road. My business, as well as inclination, has led me to mix much with...
244To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 17 May 1795 (Washington Papers)
On my reaching this place yestreday, I was invited to a dinner where a large number of the most respectable merchants of the town were collected. While at dinner Genl S. Smith rece[iv]ed a letter from Mr John Purveyance, at Halifax, to which place he was carried in the ship Pomona. After perusal, Genl Smith handed the letter to me, in which I found the following Statement. That the owners of...
245To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 20 May 1795 (Washington Papers)
Shares may at this moment be bought in Alexandria Bank at par—and those of the Bank of Columbia at one per Cent under par. The Shares of the Alexandria Bank are 200 dollars each— and a dividend, of 6 Months interest at the rate of 9 or 10 per Cent per Annum will take place in July; but the present want of Cash operates to keep the shares down altho’ the period of receiving the interest is so...
246To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 26–27 May 1795 (Washington Papers)
I had the honor of writing to you on the 20th instant, and therein acknowledged the receipt of your respected favor of the 17th instant. Since which I have applied for your account with the Commissioners, and informed that I would settle it when presented. It has not yet been handed in; but as soon as there is a little leisure from the present press of business at their office I presume it...
247To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 29 May 1795 (Washington Papers)
In the postscript of a Letter which I had the honor of writing to you on the 26th instant, I acknowledged the receipt of your respected favor of the 25th (which P.S. was added, however, on the evening of the 27th when your letter got to hand and the mail was just closing) in which I noted the sum of money & order on the Bank of Alexa. enclosed in that letter; but on recurring to the order, I...
248To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 3 June 1795 (Washington Papers)
I have purchased for you five shares in the Bank of Alexandria and one hundred in the Bank of Columbia, all at par. I wished to have obtained more in the Bank of Alexandria, but could not get them at par. They have risen to 3 per Cent above since I purchased the 5 above mentioned. The directors of the Bank of Columbia having permitted the payment of ten dollars on each share, due on the ⟨1st⟩...
249To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 9 June 1795 (Washington Papers)
I have to acknowledge the receipt of your respected & acceptable favor of the 4th instant. The balance in my hands, as noted in the account current which I had the honor to transmit to you on the 3d, shall be appropriated as you desire. I should prefer vesting it in Shares of the Alexandria Bank as the property is equally as good as that in the Bank of Columbia, and a dividend is to take place...
250To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 19 June 1795 (Washington Papers)
I have been duly honored with your respected favor of the 15th instant, and shall, agreeably to your wishes, invest the balance in my hands in the Stock of Alexandria Bank as soon as a proper opportunity of doing it shall offer. I have been expecting a fall; but as the time of dividend draws so near I doubt whether they will be much below the principal & 4½ pr Cent Interest— and if they are to...
251To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 3 August 1795 (Washington Papers)
The weather has prevented the meeting of a sufficient number of the Potomak Company to do business today, they have therefore adjourned ’till Thursday, when it is expected that numbers will come in. If it should be convenient for you to attend I think your presence will be of great service; but should that not be the case, it would be well to send a power to vote in behalf of the shares you...
252To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 19 October 1795 (Washington Papers)
I have just returned from my trip up to the Shanandoah without being able to accomplish the object of securing for the public the property at the junction of that River with the potomac in the manner I wished. I am not, however, without hopes that it may yet be done. I found, on examination into the title, that the ferry tract, which contains about one hundred & twenty acres, by patent, was...
253To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 26 October 1795 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Tobias Lear, 26 Oct. 1795 . In Timothy Pickering’s letter to Lear of 28 Jan. 1796, he referred to “your letter to the President of the 26th of October” ( MHi : Pickering Papers).
254To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 17 November 1795 (Washington Papers)
I should ere’ this have acknowledged the receipt of your respected favor of the 2d inst. but waited for a further communication, or for the arrival of Colo. Rochefontaine. The latter has just taken place. And I have informed Colo. Gilpin thereof, who told me a few days ago that he would be ready at a moments’ warning to accompany that Gentleman to the junction of the Potomac & Shanandoah; I,...
255To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 7 December 1795 (Washington Papers)
I have this moment returned from Annapolis, and had the happiness to meet your aceptable & respectable favors of the 30th of Novr and the 2d of Decr with their enclosures. As it is within a few hours of the closing of the mail it is not in my power to give a decided answer to Mr Myers’ proposition for superintending the works of the Potomac Company; but before the next mail, I will see the...
256To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 9 December 1795 (Washington Papers)
I had the honor to address you on the 7th inst. acknowledging the receipt of your respected favors of the 30th of Novr & 2d inst. The Assembly of this State have postponed the decision on the Potomac business ’till friday the 11th inst. ’till which the Directors do not feel themselves authorized to make any engagements on account of the Company, as the funds from the first subscription are...
257To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 14 December 1795 (Washington Papers)
I am yet without information as to the result of the potomac business in the legislature of this State. Of course the board can come to no determination respecting Mr Myres. I have conversed with the Directors on the subject of that Gentleman’s services and it appears to be the universal wish to have him here, if he shall be disengaged when we feel able, from funds, to make engagemts. I have...
258To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 18 December 1795 (Washington Papers)
Since I had the honor of addressing you last, the Potomac bill has passed the House of Representatives of this State by a majority of ten, and there was no doubt of its passing the Senate. But until this is known the directors cannot act in any engagements. I saw Mr Charles Lee yesterday, who gave encouragement that the application to the legislature of Virginia would be successful as it was...
259To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 21 December 1795 (Washington Papers)
I have the pleasure to inform you that the Legislature of this State has taken 40 Shares in the Potomac Company, and that the other 60 are subscribed by individuals, with a condition to relinquish them or so many of them as the State of Virginia may agree to take. This puts us upon secure ground, and ensures the completion of the navigation of the River and its principle branches. Tomorrow...
260To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 23 December 1795 (Washington Papers)
At a meeting of the Directors of the Potomac Company held yesterday, I was requested by the Board to beg your acceptance of their best thanks for the communications which you have had the goodness to make respecting Mr Myres, and to express their wish that the services of that Gentleman may be obtained to superintend the Works on this River. If Mr Myres be yet free to engage, the Directors...
261To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 6 January 1796 (Washington Papers)
Captn Myers, who arrived here last week, put into my hands your highly respected favor of the 25 ultimo; and I have now the pleasure to inform you that Captn Myers has been engaged by the Directors of the Potomac Company for one year, as Engineer & Superintendent of their works. The Directors being unacquainted with Captn Myers’ fitness for the business he has undertaken, further than his...
262To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 8 February 1796 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Tobias Lear, 8 Feb. 1796 . On 10 Feb., Lear wrote to GW: “I had the honor of writing to you on the 8th inst.”
263To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 10 February 1796 (Washington Papers)
I had the honor of writing to you on the 8th inst. Since which I have been favored with a letter from Colo. Pickering, covering the agreement of the prop[r]ietors of the land at the junction of the Potomac & Shanandoah, and requesting my agency to complete the purchase for the United States, if it can now be done. Tomorrow I set off for that quarter, and shall endeavor to close the business...
264To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 23 February 1796 (Washington Papers)
I have the pleasure to inform you that I yesterday closed the bargain, on account of the United States, for the two tracts of land at the junction of the Rivers Potomac and Shanandoah, for the sums which the proprieters proposed to sell them last fall, and with some circumstances respecting the Reservations on the ferry tract, more advantageous to the public than were then proposed. I set off...
265To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 26 February 1796 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Tobias Lear, 26 Feb. 1796 . On 2 March, Lear wrote to GW: “I had the honor to address you under date of the 26th ultimo”; in GW’s letter to Lear of 13 March , he acknowledged receipt of “letters of the 26th Ulto and 2d Instant.”
266To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 2 March 1796 (Washington Papers)
I had the honor to address you under date of the 26th ultimo, informing of my having closed the business respecting the property at the junction of the Potomac & Shanandoah Rivers &c. Agreeably to my promise at that time, your account current should have been forwarded by the last Post; but I was called to Alexa. on business which prevented its being prepared. It is now enclosed, and I hope...
267To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 14 March 1796 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: from Tobias Lear, 14 March 1796. On 21 March, GW wrote Lear: “Your letter of the 14th Instant did not get to my hands before Saturday.”
268To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 21 March 1796 (Washington Papers)
Desireous, on every account, to have the business relative to the Arsenal on this River closed, it was my intention to have set off tomorrow morning for Philadelphia, in order to ensure its completion on the first day of April, as that is the day fixed for the public to take possession of the premises; but last evening my dear Fanny was violently attacked by ⟨a pleuretic⟩ complaint, which...
269To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 23 March 1796 (Washington Papers)
All I can do at this time is to acknowledge the receipt of your respected favor of the 21st instant, with its enclosures. The situation of Mrs Lear is such at present as to occupy my mind & my attention. To the within letter I refer for particulars, and trust to your goodness to excuse the brevity of this; assuring that I shall take the first moment in my power to attend to the matters...
270To George Washington from Tobias Lear, 25 March 1796 (Washington Papers)
Afflicted as I am, I have thought it my duty to write the enclosed, which will communicate an event that must be distressing to you, my dear friend, as well as to myself. The partner of my life is no more! And I am too much distressd at this moment to add more than to assure you that tho my life now is not worth preserving, yet as it is, it is most sincerely & devotedly your’s ALS , DLC:GW .