Joseph Davenport to Lund Washington, September 1765

Joseph Davenport to Lund Washington

[c.September 1765]

I Received yours By Giles1 and do not hesitate a moment to Say I Gladly Embrace the offer of going to york for I like the Description of the plantation in every particular but that of the Marshes & that does not amount to 1/100 of an objection and as to the part of the Country I am Very fond of because I of Late Seem determ[in]ed to marry and there I immagine I may probably meet with Some Girl that may make an agreeable wife and in the Backwoods there is Very few (of my Rank) that I think I Could live with at any Rate.

I Could not Sell the foder at any Rate. I got the tops and Cheif of Blades at the uper place and all at the Lower one is Lost by the frost to about 7 or 8 thousand Cor⟨n⟩ hills my hemp I have Roted all that grew at the uper place to about two acres and that Lies at the water Side & will be put in today and By than that comes out Shall get that up from the other place and as I have made another pond I can put it all in at once[.] I have found by Experience that your Observations on the Roting hemp are Very just. only mine Stays in Longer[.] I have Sent you down two parcels the course is of the Smallest Sort that Grew about the house was in the water 7 days the other is of that that grew next McCarmick’s2 was in 8½ Days—I have Broke about 100 lb. by way of Trial and if we do not mend upon practice it will be Very Tedious the best hands not Breaking above 10 lb. a day—the Tobaco you may depend I will send down as soon as possible Connell will be down next week I Expect wth the flour and the Next Trip Shall be the Tobaco or Sooner If I can get another waggon[.] I have a little Corn bit by the frost. am Sr Yr Very Hbl. Sert

Jo. Davenport

P.S. Colo. fairfax and I had Some talk about his placees in frederick. but did not agree. he left it to me to See whether I Could not better myself and if not agreed to Leave it to you to Settle the Lay. But I prefer this place if it is to be had and if it is Not perhaps I may Get the Colos. afterwards & if I do not I Shall not much regard the disappointment.

J.D.

I have thrashed about 50 Bushels of wheat Since you was up and Doubt it will not turn out So well as I Expected.

The cow that was Left by the way was Left at old ⟨dods⟩ and is one of the Best in the Stock therefore ⟨illegible⟩ should I Suppose not fit swap. however if you think fit Send word by Connell and I will fetch her up immediately.

ALS, DLC:GW. The last paragraph of the P.S. is written on the letter cover. The letter is docketed, “Inclosing an invoice of Flour,” but no invoice has been found. Davenport sent the letter “By Giles.”

Joseph Davenport seems to have been at GW’s Frederick quarters for only a short time. Lund Washington, manager of GW’s Mount Vernon farms, was corresponding with Davenport on GW’s behalf.

1. GW’s letter has not been found. A slave named Giles is listed for the first time as a house servant on GW’s list of tithables in 1767. He may have been Lund Washington’s slave Giles who was sold to GW for £76.5 (General Ledger A description begins General Ledger A, 1750–1772. Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, Series 5, Financial Papers. description ends , folio 313).

2. This may be William McCarmick (McCormick). An undated entry in GW’s account with Davenport reads, “To Ditto [cash] of Wm McCarmick for 5 lb. of Do Do [Hemp @6d.]—2 [s.].6” (General Ledger A description begins General Ledger A, 1750–1772. Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, Series 5, Financial Papers. description ends , folio 210). George and James McCarmick (McCormick) also appear in GW’s accounts with Edward Violet (General Ledger A description begins General Ledger A, 1750–1772. Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, Series 5, Financial Papers. description ends , folio 186).

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Source Project: Washington Papers
Title: Joseph Davenport to Lund Washington, September 1765
Author: Davenport, Joseph
Recipient: Washington, Lund
Date: September 1765

Reference

Cite as: “Joseph Davenport to Lund Washington, September 1765,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/02-07-02-0255. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Colonial Series, vol. 7, 1 January 1761 – 15 June 1767, ed. W. W. Abbot and Dorothy Twohig. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1990, pp. 405–407.]

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