A Collection Transcribed
and Digitized
by Edmund Berkeley, Jr.
List of Letters
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, University of Virginia Library
Summary
Letter from Robert Carter to Captain Francis Willis, December 9, 1723
Robert Carter writes to Gloucester County resident Captain Francis Willis, December 9, 1723, concerning the estate of Carter's deceased niece's husband, John Lloyd, who left Virginia for England after her death, and whose Virginia estate Carter has managed. Willis's son Francis has told Carter that the Lloyd estate is indebted to his father, and that the latter might be interested in selling his interest. Carter assures Willis that he would like to acquire that interest if Willis can give him good title.
-1
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Rappa[hannock, Lancaster County, Virginia]
Decemr 9th. 1723
Capt: Fran: Willis
I remember Some years ago you writ to me about Lo
Loyds
affair that as you were in the Mortgage you had a
right to have some of the Toba:s sent you, as I remember I sent
a Coppy of that Letter to old Mr Perry
and there that matter
rested, how Mr Perry's Debt against that Estate Stands is
no business of mine I have not yet had a penny Salary
for all my Trouble, I have had
repeated promises both from the Gr.
father and the present Gentleman that I should not be for=
got
Upon Discourse with yr Son Franc:
the other Day
he asur'd me that Loyds Estate was indebted to you between
two and three thousand Pounds that you was one of his
executrs: and had power from the Will to Continue ably
the Mortgage upon this Estate or else to make a Lease of
it for 99 years for the security and repayment of yr money
If you think proper to enter into a treaty with me and to
make your propo'sal's if you can invest me with a secure title
-2
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[
...
]
[Perha]
ps you will find no person forwarder to go into measures
[
...
]
[fo]
r the reimbursing you yr Mony than my Self, I have given
Mr Perry
a full account of the particulars of that Estate again
and again both of the value of the Land and the Negroes and
of every thing els and how impossible it is to work all those
Slaves [illegible]
to any advantage upon so small a quantity of
Land that is so terribly mangled and so entirely worn out
Yr Son Jno:
hath writ to my son
that this Estate would come
to be sold and to know whether I have any thoughts that way, I
have had intimations to the same purpose from others,
all these things put together give the occasion of this trouble
to you, If you shall think it proper to give [illegible]
me
an answer
I shall be oblidged to you
take it kindly if not I shall [illegible]
I shall however
remain Sr
Yr Most Humble Servt:
NOTES
Source copy consulted:
Robert Carter letter book, 1723 June 16-1724 April 23, Robert Carter Papers (acc. no. 3807), Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library, University of Virginia. There is a nineteenth-century transcript of this letter in the Minor-Blackford Papers, James Monroe Law Office and Museum, Fredericksburg, Virginia.
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, especially to merchants abroad but his clerk has entered that return address for this letter to another resident of Virginia. The county and colony have been added for clarity.
Carter has added three words of the complimentary close in his own hand as the use of italics shows.
[1] Francis Willis, the son of Henry Willis, resided in Ware River Parish, Gloucester Co., Virginia. ("Willis Family Genealogy" (http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~marshall/esmd73.htm as of 5/21/02; and "Willis Family." William and Mary Quarterly.
1st ser. 5(1896): 24-27, 171-176; 6(1897): 27-29, 206-214.)
)
[2] Francis Willis (1690-post
1749) of "White Hall," Gloucester Co., Virginia. Carter mentioned a visit from him in his diary on 1723 October 17. He was a member of the House of Burgesses in 1748. ("Willis Family Genealogy" (http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~marshall/esmd73.htm as of 5/21/02; and "Willis Family." William and Mary Quarterly.
1st ser. 5(1896): 24-27, 171-176; 6(1897): 27-29, 206-214.)
)
[3] John Willis was a London merchant who had debts from Carter's son-in-law, Mann Page, who died in 1722. John Carter as one of his father's executors, wrote to Micajah Perry about the Page estate debts August 1,1734, mentioning Willis. ( Carter letter book, 1732-1781, Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library, University of Virginia.
See the text of this letter in Lloyd T. Smith, Jr., ed.
, Robert Carter of Corotoman 1663-1732: An Analysis of His Last Will and Testament.
[Irvington, VA: Foundation for Historic Christ Church, 2009] pp. 14-15, and other letters of Robert Carter's executors relating to the Page estate in this volume.
)
This text revised December 2, 2010.