21[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...
22[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.
23[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...
24[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.
25[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...
26[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.
27[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...
28[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...
29[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...
30[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...
31[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...
32[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.
33[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...
34[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.
35[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...
36[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...
37Journey 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,...
38Expedition 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...
39[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...
40[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...
41[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...
42[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...
43[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...
44[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...
45[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...
46[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...
47[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...
48[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...
49[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...
50[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