To George Washington from William Augustine Washington, 13 July 1799
From William Augustine Washington
Haywood July 13th 1799
My Dr Sir
Judge Washington intending to Mount Vernon I imbrace the opportunity of acknowledging rect of your Letter of the 10th Ulto with Mr Andersons, incl⟨os⟩ing the Acct between us for Corn; which is very accurate, & satisfactory—On the 15th June I drew on you in favr of Walker Roe & Co. for £⟨illegible⟩ payable 60 days after sight,1 and yesterday I d⟨rew⟩ in favr of Robt Patton for £100 pay 30 days after sight;2 I hope it will be perfectly convenient to y⟨ou⟩ to pay these drafts at the time they become d⟨ue⟩ nothing but the strongest necessity could have compelled me to have drawn on you, after ⟨your⟩ mentioning your disappointments, & pressing ⟨mutilated⟩ for money—Flood has not as yet called on me for a draft for his money; its possable he may have applyed personally, without an order from me, if he should do so you will be pleased to settle with him, I have left in your hands after my two drafts £8.7.8 which I wish to get Whiskey for my workmen, and if I can get ⟨a⟩ Vessel to call for it will thank you to send me.
If I continue to enjoy my health its my intention, with Mrs Washington to Visit you in September, if you should be at home at that time, It is a visit I have long intended and wished for, but the misfortunes in my family ⟨and⟩ my own indisposition has prevented it.3 Mrs Washington unites with me in our best respects to you and Mrs Washington wishing you health and happiness, conclud⟨es⟩ Your Affectionate Nephew
Wm Augt. Washington
ALS, PWacD. The right margin of the page is frayed. On the cover: “Hond by Judge [Bushrod] Washington.”
1. On 24 June the Alexandria merchant William Wilson wrote to GW: “The inclosed draft was transmitted to me from Fredericksburgh, and I take the liberty of Sending it for Acceptance. Be pleased to return it by the bearer” (DLC:GW). William Augustine Washington’s draft dated at Haywood, 15 June, reads: “At Sixty days sight be pleased to pay to Messrs Walter Roe & Co. on Order Five Hundred Dollars and place the same to the Acct of sir Your Most Ob. Sert Wm Augt. Washington” (owned [1990] by Nicholas and Karlene Carolides, Clearwater, Fla.). Upon receipt of Wilson’s letter GW wrote in his Day Book, dated 24 June: “Charge Colo. Wm Auge Washington with his draught on me (dated the 15th instt) in favr of Messrs Walter Roe & Co. at 60 days sight and in the hands of Willm Wilson accepted by me for $500.” In a missing letter of 27 Aug. the firm of Thompson & Veitch called for the payment of William Augustine Washington’s draft, and on 30 Aug. GW wrote Thompson & Veitch that he was enclosing “a check on the Bank of Alexandria, in discharge of my acceptance of William Auge Washington’s draught on me for $500 in favor of Messrs Waltr Roe & Co.” GW also noted this in , 54. Thompson & Veitch acknowledged the receipt of the check on the same day. Bushrod Washington arrived at Mount Vernon on 17 July (, 6:357).
2. On 30 July GW wrote in his Day Book: “Accepted, this day, the Draught of Colo. Wm Auge Washington, in favor of Mr Robt Patton, in the hands of Mr Jas Patton, payable at 30 days sight—for—£100.” On 4 Sept. James Patton, a merchant in Alexandria since 1791, wrote from Alexandria: “Inclosed you’ll be pleased to receive your acceptce of Wm Augustine Washington’s dft due the 1st instt for One Hundred pounds current money. The payment you can order by a check on the Bank to me, or in any other manner convenient, & agreeable to yourself. It was my intention to have taken a ride down to Mount Vernon, when this dft became due—which would have been combining a little Business with much pleasure. this intention could not however be fulfilled without injury to my present engagements” (DLC:GW). Patton had dined at Mount Vernon on 30 July (, 6:358). GW’s entry for 5 Sept. in his Day Book reads: “By check on the Bank of Alexa. in favr of Patton & Dykes in discharge of Wm Auge Washington’s draught in favr of Robt Patton for £100—33334/100.”
3. GW does not refer in the months before his death in December to any visit to Mount Vernon by William Augustine Washington with his bride.