Robert King Carter's Correspondence and Diary

   A Collection Transcribed
        and Digitized
   by Edmund Berkeley, Jr.


List of Letters | About This Collection

Electronic Text Center , University of Virginia Library


Summary


June 15, 1702
Letter from Robert Carter to Francis Lee, 1702 June 15

     Robert Carter writes to London merchant Francis Lee of his hopes that the sons of Ralph Wormeley, then under Lee's care, will received a good education that will make them better men to help dispell the "very Thich Cloud of Ignorance" in Virginia. He notes that he is shipping 20 hogsheads of good tobacco belonging to the Wormeley estate to be sold for the estate's account.



Letter from Robert Carter to Francis Lee , June 15, 1702


-1 -

Rappa[hannock, Lancaster County, Virginia]

June the 15th. 1702
Per the Lawrell Captn, Rimr.

     I have Recd. sevll. Lettrs. from you this year their Contents
shall more particularly Answerhereafter; Am Glad to heare
my Cozns Ralph & Jno. Wormeley ,T[h] rives soe fast in their Learning
noe Doubt the Continuance of a Carefull education will Rendr.
them accomplisht Men, Qualified to preserve the Caracter of
their Father,and fitt for the Service of their Country, which
to my sorrow, I will Complaine to you, having Drawnthe first
Breath here Does at this Time Labour under a very Thick Cloud
of Ignorance, prayGod send in the next Generation it may
Flourish undr. a Sett of better polisht patriotts .

     This Serves to Enclose a Bill of Lading for 20 hogsheads of Tobo.
Shipt on Board the Lawrell of Leverpooll bound for Londn .
Capt. [John] Rimer Mastr. Consign'd to you for sale upon the proprs.
accot. & Risqe. of yor. pupills, the Infant Exrs. ofEsqr. Wormeley
this Tobo. was made at home, I saw sevll. hhds of it myself
I think as Neat stript well handl'd Tobo. as I have seen, you sold the
Last well tho' had you kept Longer, believe'twould have done bettr. --
Refer you to my next att present I am Sr


Your humb Servt. & Countryman

NOTES



Source copy consulted: Christ Church Parish, Lancaster County, Processioners' Returns, 1711-1783,and Wormeley Estate Papers, 1701-1710, 1716, Acc. 30126, Archives Research Services, Library of Virginia, Richmond, 150. Extract printed William and Mary Quarterly , 1st ser. 17(1909), 285.

Robert Carter generally used a return address of "Rappahannock" for the river on which he lived rather than "Corotoman," the name of his home, on his correspondence, especially to merchants abroad. The county and state have been added for clarity.

[1] Ralph Wormeley (ca. 1681-1714) was the oldest son and John Wormeley (1689-1727) a younger son of Ralph Wormeley' (d.1701) for whom Carter was trustee after their father's death. When Ralph died in 1714, John inherited all of their father's considerable estate in Middlesex and York counties. He married Elizabeth ? and had six children. (See "Letters Concerning The Estate Of Ralph Wormeley" in the opening page of this web site. )

[2] The Lawrell was an Irish-built (1699) ship of 200 tons owned by "Cuthbert Sharples, Thomas Sweeting, etc.," with 14 guns and 12 men. (Collector's return for Rappahannock River, 1701 December 25-1702 March 25, CO5/1441, ff. 227 ; and Virginia Magazine of History and Biography , 9 [1901]: 257 ).

[3] The captain's name is found in the records cited above.


This text revised June 5, 2008.