301[Diary entry: 21 January 1798] (Washington Papers)
21. Morng. clear & wind at No. Wt.—Mer. at 30. Clear all day. Mer. at 40 & fallen to 39 at night.
302[Diary entry: 22 January 1798] (Washington Papers)
22. Very cloudy & heavy. Wind Southerly. Mer. 32 in the Morn.—40 at Noon & 42 at Night. About two oclock it began to rain & continued to do so about 2 hours when it ceased but remained cloudy.
303[Diary entry: 23 January 1798] (Washington Papers)
23. Snow, just sufft. to cover the ground, fell in the Night. Wind at No. Wt. in the Morning & Mer. at 30—at Noon 25 & at night 20. Wind fresh all day. Mr. Howell Lewis came to Dinner. Howell Lewis (1771–1822), of Culpeper County, was the youngest child of Fielding and Betty Washington Lewis. In 1793 he served GW as an interim manager of Mount Vernon until GW found and hired William Pearce.
304[Diary entry: 24 January 1798] (Washington Papers)
24. Wind at No. Wt. in the morning—at noon 28 and at Night 22. Clear all day & afterno[o]n the wind was Southerly. Mr. Jno. Hopkins & Mr. Hodgden came to dinner. mr. jno. hopkins : probably John Hopkins (c.1757–1827), commissioner of continental loans for the state of Virginia (1780–c.1794) and a merchant and banker of Richmond. In 1806, after moving to Alexandria, Hopkins married Cornelia Lee...
305[Diary entry: 25 January 1798] (Washington Papers)
25. Wind Southerly all day & much like Snow in the forenoon—clear afterwards. Mer. 26–32 & 32. Mess. Hopkins & Hodgden went away after Breakfast.
306[Diary entry: 26 January 1798] (Washington Papers)
26. Mer. at 30 in the morning. Wind Southerly & raining until Noon, when it ceased but continued cloudy with the Wind in the same place. Mer. rising to 37 by Night.
307[Diary entry: 27 January 1798] (Washington Papers)
27. Raining with the wind at No. Et. Mer. at 32 in the morning—33 at Noon & 28 at Night. About 4 O’clock the Wind came out at No. Wt. & the Rain changed to Snow.
308[Diary entry: 28 January 1798] (Washington Papers)
28. Snow about an Inch deep. Clear & wind at No. Wt. & Mer. at 20 in the Morning—33 at its highest & 20 at Night. Mr. Craik & Mr. Howell Lewis went away after breakfast.
309[Diary entry: 29 January 1798] (Washington Papers)
29. Cold, raw & likely for Snow in the Morning. Mer. at 20 & wind at No. Et. Clear Afternoon with but little wind. Mer. 31 at highest & 27 at Night.
310[Diary entry: 30 January 1798] (Washington Papers)
30. Lowering—in the Morning, Wind still at No. Et. Mer. 24. Afternoon calm, clear & pleasant. Mer. at 42 at its height & 37 at Night.
311[Diary entry: 31 January 1798] (Washington Papers)
31. Clear with the Wind at No. Wt. and Mer. at 31 in the Morning—lowering towards night. Mer. 45 when highest and 35 at Night.
312February—1798 (Washington Papers)
1. Clear wind about So. Wt. & Mer. 28 in the Morning. Pretty brisk from No. Wt, about Noon & calm towards night & clear all day. Mer. 40 at Night & 45 when highest. A Mr. Lad & a Mr. Gibbes from Rhode Island dined here & returned to Alexandria. John G. Ladd was a merchant in Alexandria. GW was possibly referring to George Gibbs (1776-1833) of Newport, R.I., a well-known mineralogist ( Brady,...
313[Diary entry: 1 February 1798] (Washington Papers)
1. Clear wind about So. Wt. & Mer. 28 in the Morning. Pretty brisk from No. Wt, about Noon & calm towards night & clear all day. Mer. 40 at Night & 45 when highest. A Mr. Lad & a Mr. Gibbes from Rhode Island dined here & returned to Alexandria. John G. Ladd was a merchant in Alexandria. GW was possibly referring to George Gibbs (1776-1833) of Newport, R.I., a well-known mineralogist ( Brady,...
314[Diary entry: 2 February 1798] (Washington Papers)
2. Clear, moderate & pleasant all day with but little wind & that Westerly. Mer. 32 in the Morning—56 at highest & 52 at Night.
315[Diary entry: 3 February 1798] (Washington Papers)
3. Wind brisk from No. Wt. & Mer. 42 in the Morning—clear and but little of it afterwards. Mer. 44 at highest & 38 at Night. A Mr. Adamson from Hamburgh & Doctr. Stuart came to Dinner. William Adamson wrote GW a letter on 5 Feb. 1798 thanking him for “the polite & kind reception” that he had received at Mount Vernon ( DLC:GW ). Dr. David Stuart was at Mount Vernon to discuss with GW what was...
316[Diary entry: 4 February 1798] (Washington Papers)
4. Wind Southerly, & weather lowering. Mer. at 31 in the morning. 44 at Noon, & at Night. Afternoon clear. Mr. Adamson went away after breakfast & Mr. Craik & Mr. Marshall came to dinner—the latter returned after it.
317[Diary entry: 5 February 1798] (Washington Papers)
5. Wind violent at No. Wt. in the morning & Mer. at 40–46 at highest & 37 at Night. Clear all day & wind ceasing towards Night. Doctr. Stuart went away after breakfast.
318[Diary entry: 6 February 1798] (Washington Papers)
6. Clear, with a brisk Southerly Wind. Mer. at 29 in the morning—46 at highest & 41 at Night.
319[Diary entry: 7 February 1798] (Washington Papers)
7. Wind Southerly in the Morning but shifted before 10 oclock & turned very cold. Mer. 31 in the Morng. Went to a meetg. of the Potomak Co. in George Town. Dined at Colo. Fitzgeralds & lodged at Mr. T. Peters. This was a special meeting of the Potowmack Company shareholders, called to try to shore up the crumbling financial condition of the company (see entry for 7 Aug. 1797 ). The president...
320[Diary entry: 8 February 1798] (Washington Papers)
8. Visited the Public buildgs. in the Morng. Met the Compy. at the Union Tavern & dined there—lodged as before. Weather very cold. Wind Northerly. Visitors to the Capitol and the president’s residence in Feb. 1798 found the buildings well along. At the Capitol the superintendent reported “the freestone work on the outside is raised as high as the top of the Corinthian capitals all round the...
321[Diary entry: 9 February 1798] (Washington Papers)
9. Returned home to Dinner—hard freezing the three last Nights. Weather still cold. Wind No. Easterly. Mer. at night 20. Found Mr. Geo. Calvert here.
322[Diary entry: 10 February 1798] (Washington Papers)
10. Clear morning with but little W. Mer. at 18. Pleasant all day. Mer. 28 at Night. Mr. Calvert left this after breakfast. Wind freshened from the Southward. In MS “left” is written “let.”
323[Diary entry: 11 February 1798] (Washington Papers)
11. Clear—Mer. at 30, & wind Southerly in the Morning. 47 at highest & 40 at Night. Towards Night the Wind shifted to the No. Et. & the weather became lowering.
324[Diary entry: 12 February 1798] (Washington Papers)
12. Clear—Mer. at 35 and Wind at No. Wt. in the Morning—little or none afterwards—& at Night lowering. Went with the family to a Ball in Alexa. given by the Citzen[s] of it & its vicinity in commemoration of the Anniversary of my birth day. Feb. 11 was GW’s birthday according to the Julian (Old Style) calendar, but in 1752 the corrections of the Gregorian (New Style) calendar were adopted by...
325[Diary entry: 13 February 1798] (Washington Papers)
13. A sprinkle of Snow fell in the Night. Wind at No. Et. Raw & threatning a fall of Weather all day. Returned home to dinner. Mer. 30 at Night.
326[Diary entry: 14 February 1798] (Washington Papers)
14. About an inch deep of Snow fell last Night. Weather cloudy & cold. Wind at No. & Mer. 25 in the morning—Clear afterwds. Mer. 33 at Night. Mr. Alexr. Spotswood & Wife & Mr. Fieldg. Lewis & Mr. Lear came to dinner. The latter returned afterwards.
327[Diary entry: 15 February 1798] (Washington Papers)
15. Clear morning—wind still at N. W. & Mer. at 24—the evening—32 & at highest 36. Afternoon clear & evening lowering. Mr. Fieldg. Lewis went away after dinner.
328[Diary entry: 16 February 1798] (Washington Papers)
16. Cloudy, & Wind No. Westerly & Mer. at 30 in the Morning. No. Easterly afterwards. Mer. 28 at Night & 32 at highest. Cloudy most part of the day. Mr. & Mrs. Spotswood left us after breakfast.
329[Diary entry: 17 February 1798] (Washington Papers)
17. Mer. at 24—Wind at No. cold & fresh in the morning & all day. Mer. 30 at Night & 36 at highest—clear.
330[Diary entry: 18 February 1798] (Washington Papers)
18. Quite clear & little wind, Mer. 21 in the morning—Wind at No. Et. afterwards. Mer. 24 at Night & 34 at highest. Doctr. Stuart came in the evening.
331[Diary entry: 19 February 1798] (Washington Papers)
19. Mer. at 22 in the morning. Wind at No. Et. & extremely cloudy. About 4 O’Clock it began to Hail. At Night Mer. was at 21 & at highest 24. Doctr. Stuart went away after Breakt.
332[Diary entry: 20 February 1798] (Washington Papers)
20. An extremely heavy Sleet—with little or no wind. Mer. at 28. A mixture of Hail & rain had fallen in the Night. Abt. noon the Wind came out, but not hard at No. W. Cloudy all day. Mer. 32 at Night—as high as it had been in the day.
333[Diary entry: 21 February 1798] (Washington Papers)
21. Mer. at 32 in the Morning & very cloudy—the wind at No. Et.—where it remained all day. In the evening it began a steady rain. Mer. stood at 32 all day.
334[Diary entry: 22 February 1798] (Washington Papers)
22. About an inch of Snow fell last Night—Mer. 32—morning clear. Wind So. Westerly till 10 Oclock—then No. Wt. & fresh. Mer. 42 at Night & 50 at highest.
335[Diary entry: 23 February 1798] (Washington Papers)
23. Heavy morning—no wind. Mer. 32 very cloudy all day—wind at So. Et. & in the aftern. fine Rain. Mer. 36 at Night & not more all day.
336[Diary entry: 24 February 1798] (Washington Papers)
24. Very foggy Morng. & Mer. at 36. Cloudy all day without Wind. Mer. at 40 at Night & at highest.
337[Diary entry: 25 February 1798] (Washington Papers)
25. Rain fell last Night. Morning cloudy & heavy—Wind Easterly & Mer. at 36. No. Wt. in the afternn. Mer. 44 at higt. & 40, Night.
338[Diary entry: 26 February 1798] (Washington Papers)
26. Morning calm & heavy—clear afterwards. Wind at No. Wt. in the Morning & Mer. 36. Clear the remainder of the day & a little cool. Mer. 40 at Night & 43 at highest.
339[Diary entry: 27 February 1798] (Washington Papers)
27. Morning clear. Wind at No. Wt. but not fresh—grd. a little froze & Mer. at 30. Clear & pleasant all day. Mer. 40 at Night & 44 at higt.
340[Diary entry: 28 February 1798] (Washington Papers)
28. Clear morning & very white fr. No wind—Mer. at 30. About 10 Oclock the wind came out at No. Et. clouded up immediately & at 12 began to snow & contd. to do so until night, by which the grd. was covered about 4 Inches. Mer. contd. at 30 all day.
341March—1798 (Washington Papers)
1. Wind at East—Morning heavy. M. at 30. About 9 or 10 Oclock began a slow foggy rain which continued through the day. Mer. remained at 30. 2. A very thick fog & very little Wind. Mer. at 31 in the morning. In the afternoon the weather cleared & towds. Night the Wind came out fresh at No. W. Snow all gone. Mer. 33 at Night 40 at high. 3. Cloudy with appearances of Snow. Wind at No. a little...
342[Diary entry: 1 March 1798] (Washington Papers)
1. Wind at East—Morning heavy. M. at 30. About 9 or 10 Oclock began a slow foggy rain which continued through the day. Mer. remained at 30.
343[Diary entry: 2 March 1798] (Washington Papers)
2. A very thick fog & very little Wind. Mer. at 31 in the morning. In the afternoon the weather cleared & towds. Night the Wind came out fresh at No. W. Snow all gone. Mer. 33 at Night 40 at high.
344[Diary entry: 3 March 1798] (Washington Papers)
3. Cloudy with appearances of Snow. Wind at No. a little Easterly. Mer. 29 & ground frozen in the morning. Abt. noon it cleared, & the wind shifted to the Southward. Mer. 30 at Night & 34 at highest. Mr. G. W. Craik dined here & returned.
345[Diary entry: 4 March 1798] (Washington Papers)
4. Morning clear & calm—White frost—Mer. 26 grd. frozen. Clear & pleasant all day with the Wind at So. Mer. 41 at night & 43 at highest. Doctr. Stuart came to dinner.
346[Diary entry: 5 March 1798] (Washington Papers)
5. Calm morng. with Indications of a change in the weather. Mer. at 30. Doctr. Stuart left this, to accompany Washington Custis to St. Johns College at Annapolis. Messrs. Bowne & Lawrence from New York & young Hartshone dined here & retd. Mer. 40 at N. 46. After much thought GW had finally decided to enroll Washington Custis in St. John’s College, a small nondenominational school opened in...
347[Diary entry: 6 March 1798] (Washington Papers)
6. Morning clear—Wind No. Easterly M. 32. Afternoon wind South Easterly. Mer. 38 at Night & 46 at highest. Doctr. Craik dined here & went away afterwards.
348[Diary entry: 7 March 1798] (Washington Papers)
7. A very white frost—heavy fog. No wind & Mer. at 32 in the morning. Clear & at So. Et. afterwards though but little of it. Mer. at 46 at Night and 50 at highest.
349[Diary entry: 8 March 1798] (Washington Papers)
8. Cloudy, with the wind at No. Et. but not much of it & Mer. at 40 in the Morng. Clear afterwards & wind Southerly. Mer. 50 at Night & 60 at the highest. Colo. Heth—Colo. Fitzgerald & Mr. Patten dined here. The two last left it after dinner. Col. William Heth (see entry for 22 Feb. 1788 ), of Virginia, was one of the officers GW preferred for the army formed in 1798 in response to the threat...
350[Diary entry: 9 March 1798] (Washington Papers)
9. Morning—Sun rose red—thin gauz Clouds—Wind No. Et. Mer. 38. Clear afterwards & wind at So. Wt. Mer. 50 at Night 52 at height. Colo. Heath went away after breakfast.