A Collection Transcribed
and Digitized
by Edmund Berkeley, Jr.
List of Letters
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, 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 Received several Letters from you this year their Contents
shall more particularly Answerhereafter; Am Glad to hear
my Cousins Ralph & John Wormeley
,T [h]
rives so fast in their Learning
no Doubt the Continuance of a Careful education will Rendr.
them accomplished Men, Qualified to preserve the Caracter of
their Father,and fit for the Service of their Country, which
to my sorrow, I will Complain 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 Set of better polished patriots .
This Serves to Enclose a Bill of Lading for 20 hogsheads of Tobacco
Shipt on Board the Lawrell
of Liverpool bound for London .
Capt. [John]
Rimer
Master. Consign'd to you for sale upon the proprietors
account & Risk of your pupils, the Infant Executors of Esquire Wormeley
this Tobacco was made at home, I saw several hogsheads of it myself
I think as Neat stripped well handl'd Tobacco as I have seen, you sold the
Last well though had you kept Longer, believe'twould have done bettr. --
Refer you to my next at present I am Sir
Your humble Servant & 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.