A Collection Transcribed
and Digitized
by Edmund Berkeley, Jr.
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Summary
Letter from Robert Carter to John Carter, November 8,1720
Robert Carter writes to his son, John, then in London studyinglaw, November 8, 1720, concerning the postponment of Robert Cary'slaw suit concerning lands that Carter is attempting to purchase fromCary. He reiterates the offer he has made to Cary, and tells John topress either for Cary to accept the previous offer, or to negotiateup to a thousand pounds for the land, "truly more I cant think Itworth."
Letter from Robert Carter to John Carter,
November 8,1720
-1
-
Rappa [hannock, LancasterCounty, Virginia]
Novr. 8th.1720
Dear Son John
This is to lett You know Mr. Carys
Cause
is not Yett decided but is put over toapril Court
Youinform me he presses very much to have
an offer from me. I havealready offerd the Gent
Concernd here to pay him Interestfor his money
from thetime of his purchase to pay him all
the Charges he has bin at inthe Sale and to
give him besides a hundred Pound for his
bargain which one would think is temptation
enoughEspecially considering I am so near
related to the Cause. Ishall Say this further
to You that I believe I may adventure a
-2
-
Thousand
pound at It or thereabouts &truly more I
cant think It worth, Tis a large quantity of Landtis true
& Contigious to A fine tract of mine but tis all back
forest Land & in a part ofthe Country where lands are
not very valuable I cant think anyone else will offer
more for It, You say You have his word &Honr. that I
Should have the refusal I believe his Interest will be
his Cheif Guide If You can rivett [sic] the bargain at either
of these offersI Should not Scruple to come into It
& If I had his Title Iwould forthwith conclude the
Lawsuit & not Carry on so riggorous [sic] a Tryal by
such such [sic
] unequall Strength to Evict several poorfamilys
out of what I think in my Conscience is their right
& who have & theirposteritys
Enjoyd their plans. Ever since old Collo. [John]
Hulls Days I Shall conclude atpresent with
my bl.ssing to You & remain --
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. 59-60.
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 persons abroad. The county and colony have been added forclarity.
[1] Robert Cary (1685-1751) was a London merchant,second of the name, a partner in a firm that was involved in theVirginia tobacco trade for over 100 years. Carter mentions in hiswillthat he had purchased lands in Richmond, Westmoreland, and KingGeorge counties from Cary. These lands had belonged to his niece,Elizabeth (Carter) Lloyd, who had inherited them from John Hull, hergrandfather. For other information about Carter's pursuit of theselands, see Carter's letters to John Carter July 13, 1720, and to thePerrys July 14, 1720. (RC's will, and Price. "WhoWas John Norton? A Note on . . . Some Eighteenth-Century LondonVirginia Firms."
)
[2] At this point, the paper of the letter bookreturns to the less absorbent composition of the earlier pages makingthe letter drafts much easier to read.
This text revised February 17,2009.