To George Washington from Francis Willis, Jr., 6 December 1774
From Francis Willis, Jr.
Belvoir Decr 6th 1774
Sir
It will be necessary that a Lawyer Should be informd what he is to ensert in the Bond he’s desird to draw, & I raly do not know what information to give relative to the Bond that is required of Mr Morton for his performance as a Tenant.1 A Bond for the Things he perchased at the Sale I shall take and leave a blank for Mr Lowerey to sign the first opportunity I have of seing him in Berkeley,2 The Bearers business is cheifly to beg the use of as many bags as will hold ⟨1⟩0 Bushells of wheat, & I should be glad of your instruction about the Bond I am Sir Your Mt Obt Servt
Frans Willis Junr
ALS, ViMtvL.
1. For the ensuing correspondence between GW and the Rev. Andrew Morton, rector of Drysdale Parish in Caroline and King and Queen counties, regarding Morton’s producing a bond with Thomas Lowry and George Baylor as his securities for his leasing Belvoir, see Morton to GW, 17 Dec. 1774 and 1 Feb. 1775, and GW to Morton, 21 Dec. 1774.
2. Willis and “Parson Morton” were both at Mount Vernon on 4 December. Morton spent the night there before this advertised sale was held at Belvoir on 5 Dec.: “To be SOLD, to the highest bidder, at Belvoir, on Potowmack river, the late seat of the honourable George William Fairfax, esquire, on Monday the 5th day of December next, ALL the genteel FURNITURE of two rooms, and KITCHEN FURNITURE, eight or ten HORSES, all his stock of HOGS, and part of his CATTLE and SHEEP, together with the PLANTATION UTENSILS, three WAGGONS, and fifty BARRELS of FISH. Purchasers of more than five pounds will have credit till the 25th day of August next, on giving bond, with approved security, paying interest from the date, if the principal should not be discharged within forty days after it becomes due. At the same time and place will be rented, to the highest bidder, a small PLANTATION, for one year, and two very fine FISHERIES, for a term of years; the MANSION HOUSE, OUT HOUSES, GARDEN, ORCHARDS, and PLANTATION, with a sufficient quantity of LAND to suit the tenant, will also be let for a term of years. Any person inclinable may rent the dwellinghouse before the day of sale, and know the terms by applying to FRANCIS WILLIS, junior” (Virginia Gazette [Purdie and Dixon; Williamsburg], 20 Oct. 1774). GW was one of the larger purchasers of Belvoir furniture in the earlier sale of 15 Aug. 1774 (see Francis Willis, Jr., to GW, 2 June 1774, nn.2 and 4). On 30 Nov. Thomas Lowry (d. 1781) of Caroline County addressed this to GW and Willis: “Gentlemen The Revd Mr Andrew Morton inform’s me that it is probable that he may become a purchaser of some necessary’s at the Sale at Belvoir, if so, I will be his security, & am Gent. Your mo[s]t Hble servt Thomas Lowry” (DLC:GW).