To George Washington from William Pearce, 17 April 1796
From William Pearce
Mount vernon april 17th 1796
Sir
I have Recevd your Letter of the 10th Instant with Respect to the price of Flour It sells In alexandria for a 11 or 12 dollars ⅌ Barrell at most for cash and I beleve some Gives 13 Dollars ⅌ Barrell on a Creddit of 60 days—Mr Smith has Returnd from New york and I have Sounded him on the subject of buying yours at 15 Dollars ⅌ Barrell at the c[r]edit he offered to take it at before he went from home But he sais he would not buy flour now at that price at a Creddit of 6 months—and the most he would give now on that Creddit would be 14 dollars ⅌ barell for superfine and 13 [1]/2 Dollars ⅌ Barrell for fine.
Mr Robert Lewis has been here and has paid Into my hands £169.17.6 and said he should Leave a draft In alexandria for £40 more. but That I have not yet Recevd1—he sais it will not sut him to take the Jack Compound as it was too Late In the season before he got notice of it.
The weather still keeps dry we have not had any rain yet to do any good. thare was a small shour Last friday eve[n]ing which only Lasted for a few minutes2 I fear that all the wheat barly & oats will be all Ruined with the Drouth. you mention that you ware affraid that the fences ware not put up well or Elese they would not have blown down so often but I can assure you that they ware well made and I do not think you will dislike them when you see them But the wind was so Voilent hard that they could not possable stand aganst it all the Nieghbourhood shared the same fate.
The appearon[c]e for Catching herring Is better Than It was but we have not Caught Scarcely any shad—and I do not beleve many will be Caught here this season. and we have an Exelent Seine and a Greater Length of Rope those say who are used to the fishery than they Ever saw used here before.
Miss Marriah washington & her brothers are all well now—when I wrote you befor Charles was ve[r]y Sick but he is now quite Recovred. I am with the Greatest Respect Sir you[r] Humb. Servt
William Pearce
ALS, DLC:GW. Pearce enclosed with this letter a farm report for 10–16 April (DLC:GW).
1. Pearce recorded the first payment in an account entry dated 15 April and the second in an undated entry immediately following (, p. 72). Robert Lewis had arrived at Mount Vernon “just at dark” on 12 April and left on 13 April, after having taken Pearce’s receipt for the money (Robert Lewis Diary, March-July 1796, ViMtvL).
Lewis wrote GW from Alexandria, Va., on 21 April: “Having occasion to lay in a parcel of herrings for the use of my negro’s which brought me into the neighbourhood of this place, I thought proper to bring with me what money I had of yours in my possession—One hundred and sixty nine pounds, seventeen shillings and six pence I deposited with Mr Pearce at Mount Vernon & forty pounds with Mesrs Bennett & Watts of this place, agreeable to the request of Mr Pearce—Making in all £209.17.6—There are some few rents behind still in replevy bonds which will be paid in the course of the next month. They compose the greatest part of the Rental—Mr Ariss in particular pays sixty pounds per ann: which is very small, considering what an extensive farm he holds, and is ever the last man to pay. With love to my Aunt I remain your dutifull and Affectionate nephew” (ALS, CSmH). Lewis recorded his payment to Bennett and Watts under this date in his diary (ViMtvL).
Charles Bennett (d. 1839) and John Watts (d. 1808) sold dry goods and general merchandise from the Bennett and Watts store at the corner of King and Fairfax streets in Alexandria until the partnership dissolved in 1805.
2. The previous Friday was 15 April.