541[Diary entry: 10 August 1771] (Washington Papers)
10. Finish’d Sowing all the Corn Ground at the Mill & began to prepare the Fallowd Land there for Sowing. Also Raised a House at the Mill for the Miller to live In. The miller’s house, a one-story wooden structure about 24 by 16 feet with a small separate kitchen, was conveniently located within 30 yards of the new mill ( GW to Robert Lewis & Sons, 1 Feb. 1785 , DLC:GW ; Lawrence Lewis’s...
542[Diary entry: 13 August 1771] (Washington Papers)
13. Began to Sow Wheat at the Ferry Plantation in the Corner next the Ferry Road by the Pine Tree.
543[Diary entry: 17 August 1771] (Washington Papers)
17. Finish’d Sowing Wheat in that Cut next the Gum spring at Muddy hole. Bushls. Also the Second Cut in the Neck that next the Crab tree Branch.
544[Diary entry: 20 August 1771] (Washington Papers)
20. Con McCarty began to Work on the Chimney of the Millers Ho[use] in the Morning, and Bond abt. 12 Oclock. McCarty was employed at GW’s mill until sometime in October, receiving £9 2s. 6d. for 36½ days of work ( General Ledger A General Ledger A, 1750–1772. Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, Series 5, Financial Papers. , folio 343). bond : probably the last name of a helper, but...
545[Diary entry: 22 August 1771] (Washington Papers)
22. Finishd Sowing the Cut of Wheat at the Ferry in which they began. The Ground now exceeding dry Corn firing very badly & every discouraging appearance of a scarcity of this Article that can be.
546[Diary entry: 31 August 1771] (Washington Papers)
31. Finish’d Sowing the third Cut of Wheat in the Neck.
547[September 1771] (Washington Papers)
Sept. 1st. At home all day. Mr. Burwell here. 2. Went up to Alexandria with Mr. Burwell after an early Dinner. Returnd in the Evening with Mr. Piper. 3. Rid in the Forenoon to the Mill. Mr. Burwell, & Mr. Piper both here. 4. Mr. Burwell and Mr. Piper both went away after Breakfast. I rid to the Mill. 5. Rid by the Ferry Plantation to the Mill—from thence to Muddy hole & so home to Dinner. In...
548[Diary entry: 1 September 1771] (Washington Papers)
Sept. 1st. At home all day. Mr. Burwell here.
549[Diary entry: 2 September 1771] (Washington Papers)
2. Went up to Alexandria with Mr. Burwell after an early Dinner. Returnd in the Evening with Mr. Piper.
550[Diary entry: 3 September 1771] (Washington Papers)
3. Rid in the Forenoon to the Mill. Mr. Burwell, & Mr. Piper both here.
551[Diary entry: 4 September 1771] (Washington Papers)
4. Mr. Burwell and Mr. Piper both went away after Breakfast. I rid to the Mill.
552[Diary entry: 5 September 1771] (Washington Papers)
5. Rid by the Ferry Plantation to the Mill—from thence to Muddy hole & so home to Dinner. In the Afternoon rid to the Mill again.
553[Diary entry: 6 September 1771] (Washington Papers)
6. At home all the forenoon. In the Afternoon went to Belvoir with Mrs. Washington & P. Custis, & returnd in the Evening.
554[Diary entry: 7 September 1771] (Washington Papers)
7. Rid into the Neck in the Morning early & from thence to the Mill. Mr. Crawford came here in the Aftern.
555[Diary entry: 8 September 1771] (Washington Papers)
8. At home all day. Mr. Crawford went away after breakfast.
556[Diary entry: 9 September 1771] (Washington Papers)
9. Rid to the Mill—from thence to Doeg Run Qr. & by the River Plantation home.
557[Diary entry: 10 September 1771] (Washington Papers)
10. Rid to the Mill in the Forenoon. Mr. Thoms. Triplet dind with me. In the Afternoon set of for Fredericksburg and lodgd at Colo. Harry Lees. The purpose of this trip was to make final arrangements for Mary Washington, now about 63 years old, to move from the Ferry Farm plantation to a house in Fredericksburg, where she could spend her latter years in comfort, free from the cares of the...
558[Diary entry: 11 September 1771] (Washington Papers)
11th. Reach’d my Mother’s to Dinner after Bating at Peyton’s.
559[Diary entry: 12 September 1771] (Washington Papers)
12. Rid all over the Plantn. at the Ho[me] House, & then went to the Quarter and rid all over that & returnd to Dinner Colo. Lewis & my Brothr. Charles being there. In the Afternoon went over to Fredg. the plantn. at the ho[me] house : Ferry Farm. At this time it consisted of about 600 acres of land, and by the terms of Augustine Washington’s will, it was legally GW’s to do with what he wished...
560[Diary entry: 13 September 1771] (Washington Papers)
13. Returnd to my Mothers to Breakfast and Surveyd the Fields before Dinner, returnd to Town afterwards. The survey covered about half of Ferry Farm, extending from the top of the Rappahannock riverbank, where the main house stood, several hundred yards northeast to a fence along a cornfield. GW apparently never platted this survey, but a plat based on his survey notes was drawn in 1932 for GW...
561[Diary entry: 14 September 1771] (Washington Papers)
14. Rid with Colo. Lewis to his Mill before Dinner. After it went over to my Mother’s & stayd all Night. GW today advanced his mother £4 12s. 6d. on the money that he was to pay her under their agreement (Mary Washington’s account with GW, 14 Sept. 1771–30 Mar. 1775, PHi : Gratz Collection). The exact amount he owed her was not set until 15 Oct., when Fielding Lewis and Charles Washington...
562[Diary entry: 15 September 1771] (Washington Papers)
15. Set of home. Din’d in Dumfries and got up by Sun set.
563[Diary entry: 16 September 1771] (Washington Papers)
16. Rid by the Ferry Plantation to the Mill. Lund Washington returnd from Dr. Craiks this Eveng.
564[Diary entry: 17 September 1771] (Washington Papers)
17. Rid to the Mill—from thence to Doeg Run, and Muddy hole before Dinner. After Dinner Rid into the Neck.
565[Diary entry: 18 September 1771] (Washington Papers)
18. Went up to Court. Dind at Arrells and Lodgd at Mr. Jno. Wests. The court met 16–19 Sept.; GW attended only the last two days (Fairfax County Order Book for 1770–72, 274–93, Vi Microfilm). Richard Arell’s tavern in Alexandria was frequently patronized by GW on his visits to the town between 1764 and 1774 and had apparently been the scene of his election ball on 1 Dec. 1768 ( General Ledger...
566[Diary entry: 19 September 1771] (Washington Papers)
19. Went to Court again. Dind at Arrells & come home in the Afternoon. Found young Mr. Wormely here. Ralph Wormeley (1744–1806) of Rosegill, Middlesex County, was the eldest son of Ralph Wormeley (1715–1790) of Rosegill. Young Wormeley had been educated in England at Eton and Cambridge University and earlier this year had been appointed to the governor’s council in Williamsburg ( VA. EXEC....
567[Diary entry: 20 September 1771] (Washington Papers)
20. Went with Mr. Wormeley to Belvoir on a Morngs. Visit, & returnd to Dinr.
568[Diary entry: 21 September 1771] (Washington Papers)
21. Set out with Mr. Wormeley for the Annapolis Races. Dind at Mr. Willm. Digges’s & lodgd at Mr. Ignatis Digges’s. The fall racing at Annapolis was an annual highlight of both the sporting and social seasons for the Chesapeake gentry, being an occasion not only for indulging in “the pleasures of the turf” but for going to dinners, balls, and plays in the city ( EDDIS William Eddis. Letters...
569[Diary entry: 22 September 1771] (Washington Papers)
22. Dind at Mr. Sam Gallaway’s & lodged with Mr. Boucher in Annapolis. Galloway belonged to the Annapolis Jockey Club, and on 24 Sept. he would race his horse Selim, for which he had paid £1,000 as a yearling in 1760 ( Md. Gaz. , 26 Sept. 1771). Jonathan Boucher and Jacky Custis were living in the St. Anne’s Parish parsonage on Hanover Street. Jacky had written to GW on 18 Aug ., extending an...
570[Diary entry: 23 September 1771] (Washington Papers)
23. Dined with Mr. Loyd Dulany & Spent the Evening at the Coffee Ho[use]. Lloyd Dulany (1742–1782), son of Daniel Dulany the elder and his third wife, Henrietta Maria Dulany, had recently returned to Annapolis after studying law at the Inns of Court in London. About this time he built a handsome brick house on Conduit Street that reportedly cost him £10,000 ( LAND Aubrey C. Land. The Dulanys...