Robert King Carter's Correspondence and Diary

   A Collection Transcribed
        and Digitized
   by Edmund Berkeley, Jr.


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Electronic Text Center , University of Virginia Library


Summary



Letter from Robert Carter to Micajah Perry Sr. and Jr.,February 13, 1721

     Robert Carter writes to London merchants Micajah Perry Sr. andJr., February 13, 1721, that he has received their letters which werefull of bad news concerning the poor quality of the tobacco he hassent to them for sale. He argues that he has sent them good tobacco,especially that shipped by Captain Wharton, and that there willalways be good and bad tobacco in every crop and shipment. He writesabout the Northern Neck proprietary affairs and his need for anaccount before he can take Edmund Jenings to court for his unpaiddebts to the proprietors. Charles Grymes has talked of his takingover the management of the Lloyd properties, but the overseers havecome to Carter to renew their yearly contracts. In conclusion hecomplains about the poor prices her received for tobacco shipped "perLisband" and hopes he will not lose much from his annuity.



Letter from Robert Carter to Micajah PerrySr. and Jr., February 13, 1721


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Rappahannock, [LancasterCounty, Virginia]

February 13.1720/21

Messrs. Micajh. Perry
Senr. & Junr.

Gent: -- --

     Yor Letters by York and also Yor box by John
Fitzhugh
came to me two days ago they are full of suchbad news
I dont know how to give them a proper answer find Imust keep at
the Labouring Oar as long as I live, The ComplaintsYou make of
the badness of my Tobo is one heavy Article I amsure abundance
of the parcels Youhad Especially That byWharton was choice
Good Tobo and Such as Nice Mr. Pratt can't pretend to have
in his mixt [sic] Medly and no one in Virginia can Exertmore care
with their overseers than I do nor be stricter intheir orders but
it is impossible weCrop men Should make all ourTobacco alike
Some mean hogsheads in Every Crop there will be thatmust keep
company with the better Sort, I have tied up my Tobacco this
Year for the most part in the Middle in pretty largebundles
and now It Seems that is become displeasing if thehumour of
Trade after Every Year it is Impossible we Should keeppace with
It. it is Some comfort thatEvery person I meet withspeak of
Complaints they have of their Tobo am glad to find myCredit
is not yet lost, I Shall avoidas much as possibly I canmaking
large drafts upon You this Year,

      The NorthernNeck business is like to prove a bitter Pill
to me, I have the Proprietors Letter and one to Collo. Jenings
if he will not do themJustice without Law they must send me
An attested account whatis due to them, before I Shall be in a
Capacity to manage him, Ihave alredy [sic ] told You he has
Assured me he gavepositive orders to his sonto Settle wth them
& to pay what was their Due, as farr [sic] as Ican understand
the Yearly rent Due to the Crown which is£6"13"4 hath
not been paid Since I went out of the business


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this money must be paid by some body It is the foundation
ofthe Proprietors Grant I desire You to discourse them about
It Ihave written to them already That I may haveorders wt.
to do, and desire they will givethemselves the Trouble of a Frequent
correspondence with me forI Shall have many things to say
to them for the better Settleing [sic] of their affairs.

     Charles Grymes has been very forward topublish he
Should have the management of Loyd's [sic] Concern, some ofthe overseers
I have been told went to offer their Service to himbut since have
had the manners to Contract with me for theEnsuing Year

     Yor Accot of sales of the Nine hogsheads per Lisbon is a poor
story at Such prices my debt fromOffley will come to nothing
You say a great deal about my annuity hope I shall be no looser
by it in the End Shall not add further at present but Gentleman


Your Most humble Servt

NOTES



Source copyconsulted: Robert Carter Letter Book, 1720 July-1721 July,BR 227, Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens,San Marino, California. Printed: Wright. Letters of Robert Carter. . . . pp. 71-72.

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] John Fitzhugh (d. 1733) of Stafford County, ayounger son of William Fitzhugh of "Bedford." He was a burgess fromStafford in 1727. ( "The Fitzhugh Family." VirginiaMagazine of History and Biography. 7[1899-1900]: 317-19. )


[2] Louis Wright has speculated that Mr. Pratt mightbe William Pratt of Gloucester County as there were several Prattsactive in Virginia at this time. In his letter to Micajah and RichardPerry written 13 July 1720, Carter noted that "Mr. Pratt took care ofthose [letters] for James rivr & York" which makes Wright'sspeculation as good as any. In the close-knit society of his time andclass, RC would certainly have learned what others were receiving fortheir crops, but a definite identification of the irritating Mr.Pratt is not possible. (Wright. Letters ofRobert Carter. . . . p. 2.)


[3] Charles Grymes (ca. 1692-1743) of "Morratico,"Richmond County where he was sherriff in 1724-1725, and burgess, 1727-1734; he was a son-in-law of Edmund Jenings. ( "The GrymesFamily." Virginia Magazine of History and Biography. 28[1920]: 90-96, 187-94, 283-85, 374-75. ; and Ryland. Richmond County Virginia. . . . 500,504, 514. )



This text revised March 20,2009.