Robert Carter writes to London merchants Micajah and Richard Perry, July 14, 1720, concerning the affairs of the Lloyd estate (the lands belonging to John Lloyd, widower of Carter's niece, who had gone to England after his wife's death) that Carter aparently managed for the Perrys who held a lease from Lloyd. He reports bills of exchange drawn against the estate's accounts for Dr. Belfield's and Richard Meeks' (the overseer) salaries as well as one of his own for his use of four slaves on his lands, and some miscellaneous expenses. He comments that the estate's poor lands make it difficult to produce sufficient income, and that the estate's slave cooper is a "Bungler at the Trade" and the tobacco shipping casks are poor. He closes by asking the Perrys to remember the trouble he has had managing the estate's affairs if they should "find It necessary to give up Your Interest in That Affair."
You have herein a bill of Lading for 54 hogsheads of
The [Lloyd estate
tobacco]
mark being the Produce of The Labour of That Estate, The
Overseers Shares Excluded for the Year 1719 how long That concern will
be under my care I can't tell, The Familys however will want goods
yearly an invoice for them for the next year is herein Enclosd which You
may either send or omit as You please I have drawn on you upon the
Account of That Concern as followeth, To Witt for the
Tobos., To Doctor Belfield ,
for £15 for his salary & Medicines for
Looking after the Slaves in the Year 1719, To Dr. Belfield for £50
for his Damages sustained by the nonrepairs of his housing &c
According to the tenor of Lloyd's lease which You give me Directions
to pay, To Richard Meeks
The general Overseer £35"-"-his Salary
for the Year 1719 which Desire You to pay on account of That Estate
my own Account will be but Small for working of four of the
Slaves upon my Lands, for 20 Bus [he] ls of Salt & for tailor's
work amounting to as per The Enclosd Account 25"5"6
which I desire Credit for. The rest of the Contingent Charges
we have made a Shift to Defray, by Sale of Corn & provision
I have already sufficiently acquainted You with the
meaness of these Lands for the maintena n
ce of so many slaves
and how Impossible It is to make tolerable Crops with Such
A number To save the Charge of Cooper's work we have Em=
=ployd a Negro belonging to the Estate who is but a Bungler
at the Trade, The Tobacco is all stemmed & straight Laid
but the casks they are in are not so good as I could wish them
Whenever you find It necessary to give up Your
Interest in That Affair I hope You'll not forget me for the
Trouble & care
I have been at in the management for the several Years I have
had It in my possession which is all I shall add at present