To George Washington from Charles Washington, 19 February 1785
From Charles Washington
Ber[k]eley [Va.] Feby 19th 1785
Dear Brother
The Bearer Robt Carter (Overseer & Maneger for the two little Boys George & Laurence) is sent to you with £55.12.0 which you will please to Recieve and apply it to there use, and if this shou’d not be Sufficient a further supply shall be sent as soon as Possable.1
I have never had an Oppertunity of seeing Mr Booth since I wrote you last and therefore am not Certain how it may sute him to take them, but if it is your Openion they are doing well where they are, I think they had as well Continue 2—I am much Oblige to you for the Inteligence Inclos’d in your last Letter, Respecting my Son George, but have since been told Colo. Ball has Reed a Letter from him Dated at Chas Town, and that his health is much Improov’d. if you should of here’d any thing from him lately, will thank you kindly to let me know,3 any Letters for me which come by Post could wish them to be lodg’d at Kees’s Ferry, my Wife & Dauther join in best Wishes for Mrs Washington and your self, and am Dr Sir with Great Regard your Loving Brother
Chas Washington
ALS, PHi: Dreer Collection.
1. Robert Carter arrived at Mount Vernon with the £55.12 on 21 February. Charles Washington made this notation at the bottom of his letter:
| 26 Guineas | £36. 8.0 |
| 8 half Joes | 19. 4.0 |
| £55.12.0 |
GW wrote Charles Washington on 12 April that this amount probably would not be enough to pay the charges for the eight months that their nephews, George Steptoe Washington and Lawrence Augustine Washington, had spent in the Rev. Stephen Bloomer Balch’s academy at Georgetown.
3. He may be referring to GW’s letter of 2 Aug. 1784, but it is more likely that there was a later letter that has not been found. Burgess Ball (1749–1800), of Spotsylvania County, was married to Charles Washington’s daughter, Frances. Her brother, George Augustine Washington, wrote GW from South Carolina on 25 February.