To George Washington from William Skilling, 5 July 1784
From William Skilling
Caroline County [Va.] July 5th 1784
Sir
I have been inform’d that you was disirous of seeing me but it does not lay in my power at present, as I have engag’d to do a peice of worke for Mr Coleman which will Keep me Employ’d till the fall Season I should be very willing to have Waited on you Immediately if I had not been Engag’d but If I can be of service to you after I have done Mr Colemans work I will then wait on you as I would rather work for you than any other person1 Colo. Richd Randolph has wrote to me that he will give me thirty pounds Sterling & two pair of Shoes a year but I have not engag’d with him as Yet & shall wait till I can hear from you before I do as I shall prefer Waiting on your Excellency before any other person 2—please to let me know as Soon as you can if youl want me & direct to me to be left at Mr James Head Lynch’s & I shall be sure to Receive it 3—I am Yr Excellencys most Obt Humbe Servt
William Skilling
ALS, DLC:GW.
In 1775 GW engaged William Skilling, who had worked for him before, to conduct servants and slaves to his Ohio lands. See Articles of Agreement, 25 Feb. 1775 (DLC:GW). Skilling came to work at Mount Vernon as a hired hand, probably late in 1784, and continued there at least until the summer of 1785. See , 4:135–36.
1. GW wrote Skilling on 22 July offering him a job. On 28 July Skilling replied that he would begin working for GW in November. Mr. Coleman may be Daniel Coleman (1753–1817) who rose to a captaincy in the Caroline County (Va.) militia in 1782 and represented his county in the house of delegates from 1800 to 1815.
2. Richard Randolph, who died in 1786, lived at Curles in Henrico County, Virginia.
3. James Head Lynch of Caroline County, Va., owned a tavern.