A Collection Transcribed
and Digitized
by Edmund Berkeley, Jr.
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Summary
Letter from Robert Carter to William Dawkins, September 19,1720
Robert Carter writes to London merchant William Dawkins,September 19, 1720, expressing hope that the Carter
has arrivedsafely, and suggesting that Dawkins send her back to the colony assoon as possible because there is a very good crop this year, "thequality of It surpasses what has been this many Years." He complainsthat he has not had a letter from Dawkins since April and hopes thatthe shoes he has ordered will arrive "before the frost Setts in hardupon us." Dawkins' report of his sales of 66 hogsheads of Carter'stobacco has arrived, and Carter notes that it probably was the lastbatch Dawkins will be able to sell at such prices. He resolves tosend Dawkins "none but nice goods," and requests that Dawkins givehis blessings to his sons Robert and Charles, then studying inEngland. He concludes by reporting that Dick Lee has been very illbut is recovering.
Letter from Robert Carter to WilliamDawkins,
September 19,1720
-1
-
Rappahannock, [LancasterCounty, Virginia]
September 19th. 1720
Mr. William Dawkins
By this time I hope the Carter
is safe at
her moorings & tht. You will beable to make her a forward
Ship let her come as soon as She willour Crops are so
Early She will hardly lie Idle for wantof business, whether
it will be good news in the Consequenceis to be doubted
but Truth must out & Your Information fromall parts will
be That we have a plentifull [sic] Crop this Year. The best allay [sic]
We have to It the quality of It surpasses what has been this
many Years If neat handling will keep up our reputation
Iresolve to be very nice,
The latest Letter I have from You is
of the 5th of April am glad to hear of the [. . . ?] of mysales
The Account of them [. . . ?]
I have heard nothing from You since the 5th. of
April hopeYou will take Some opportunity to let mehave shoos [sic]
before the frost Sets in hard uponus,
Your Account of the sales of my 6[6]
hogsheads [of Tobacco has ]
come tohand, the last Crop I flatter my Self You will [be ]
Able to do as well with, The next YearI fully resolve You shall
have none but nice goods from me, Isend my blessing to
my dear boys
prayGod grant this finds them in health, they
must be extraordinarygood husbands Else I shall be
forct [sic]
either to remove them to a CheaperSchool or to send for them
to their own Country a Year or twoSooner than I am willing
Dick Lee
has had aSevere spell of Sicknesswhich
has pulled him down very much but is now recovering
I remain --
Sir
Your very humble Servant
NOTES
Source copy consulted:
Robert CarterLetter Book, 1720 July-1721 July, BR 227, Huntington Library, ArtCollections, and Botanical Gardens, San Marino, California. Printed:Wright. Letters of Robert Carter. . ..
pp. 47-48.
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, especiallyto merchants abroad. The county and colony have been added forclarity.
[1] The quantity of tobacco shipped to Dawkins on theCarter
is given in his letter to Dawkins of1720 July 22.
[2] Carter's younger sons, Robert (1704-1732) andCharles (1706-1764), were in England for their further education.
This text revised January 28,2009.