From George Washington to Thomas Newton, Jr., 12 February 1773
To Thomas Newton, Jr.
Mount Vernon Feby 12th 1773
Sir,
By the Betcy Schooner, John Thompson Master, you will receive in good Order I hope 137 Barls of Superfine Flour—40 Ditto of Burr Midlings—70 Ditto of Ship or Bisquet-stuff—and 41 Ditto of Herrings pr Invoices Inclosed, which please to dispose of for April, July, or October Pay, as you find my Interest can be advancd by it, and when sold advise me upon what terms, that I may govern my own Contracts thereby—As I never yet have sold Bread Barrels (the Size of which my Bisquet stuff is in) for less than 2/ I could not well avoid mentioning of it to you.1
To the Inclosed Power of Attorney, I should be obliged to you for obtaining the Mayor of Norfolk’s Seal of Office (calling upon John Thompson to witness my acknowledgement of it) and then to forward it in the most expeditious manner you can under cover with my Letter to Mr McMickan as it is the best chance I have to save about £750 worth of Flour &ca which I, a little unfortunately, put into the hands of a certain Danl Jenifer Adams to sell for me.2 I am Sir Yr Most Obedt Servt
Go: Washington
ALB, DLC:GW.
1. The superfine flour and casks sold for £288.11.2; the “Bisquit-stuff,” or “Ship stuff,” sold for a total of £115.5; and the forty-one barrels of herring sold for £25.16.6 (, folio 85). See Cash Accounts, December 1773, n.1. For the difficulty of selling the middling flour, see Newton to GW, 30 June, and GW to Newton, 10 July 1773.
2. See GW to Robert McMickan, this date, and note 1 of that document. See also Robert Hanson Harrison to GW, this date.