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 Peter Hedgeman, June 22, 1721

     Robert Carter writes to Peter Hedgeman, June 22, 1721, to inform the son of his general manager, who has recently died in an accident, that he has insufficient experience to succeed his father in that position, and that John Johnson has already been appointed to it.



Letter from Robert Carter to Peter Hedgeman, June 22, 1721


-1 -

[Corotoman, Lancaster County, Virginia]
June the 22d. 1721
Peter Hedgeman --

     The unexpected Death of Yor. father was very Shocking
to me. I heartily wish he had mett with a more natural fate, he hath bin
a very great delinquent of late from my business much contrary to the
Articles he was under to me, had he bin in the Discharge of his Duty & at the
place he ought to have made his home he might have bin a living
man at this day, I Shall be willing to do him Justice for the time he
was in my Service, You have done very well to go to the Sevl. Qrs. & to take
a written Accot. of my Stocks and Goods there, I have Imploy'd one


-2 -


John Johnson [who] hath bin my Overseer for some years to succeed Your
Father as my Genl Overseer to him I would have You give up the Accs
You have taken & I would also have You not remove Yor. Fathers
bed but lett him have the use of It, till he can gett up one of his
own which will be by the next Sloop that comes, I hope You have
follow'd my orders, in Marking & weighing my Tobo. &c, and that the Sloop
is dispatcht away before now, besides the Goods tht. went in the last Sloop
Yor. Father had a great many other Goods of mine under his Care
which I Expect You will take care to See deliver'd to the affores'd John
=son, The greater Yor. diligence is in what relates to me, to more Induce me
I shall have to be easie in repect to Yor.Fathers negligences that he
hath bin guilty of in my business altogether contrary to the Conditions
that were between us,

     As to Yor. proposal of Succeeding Yor.Father in my busi
=ness It appears to be a very odd Thought in You, You must have some more
Years over Yor. head & a greater Share of Experience in the world as well
as to lett It be Seen what cources You will fall upon in the managemt.
of Yorself & Yor. own business, before any Judicious person will think
You capable of Such a Charge as mine is, what kindness will lye in my
way in respect to the long Imploy Yor. father had under me
I shall be ready to do you who am


Yor. Friend

NOTES



Source copy consulted: 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. 104-105.
Carter's home and the county and colony have been added to this unheaded draft letter for clarity.



[1] As is clear from the context, Peter Hedgeman was the son of Nathanel Hedgeman who is identified in footnote 2. He became a lawyer, and "long represented Stafford in the Assembly, and was one of the Crown Commissioners for the location of the Northern Neck boundary in 1746." (Harrison. Landmarks. . . . p. 203.)


[2] Nathaniel Hedgeman had settled his family at "Accokeek" on Potomac Creek in 1707, having purchased it from "the first George Mason." He had been Carter's chief overseer in the falls area, but had died recently apparently in an accident. (Harrison. Landmarks. . . . p. 203.)



This text revised April20, 2009.