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 William Dawkins, December 27, 1723
Robert Carter writes to London merchant William Dawkins, December 27, 1723, reporting the arrival of the Burwell
and that captains Adam Graves and Peter Wills have not yet arrived. The winter has been mild thus far but whether later ships will be able to load and sail early he will not predict. The crop is only about 2/3 of the previous year.
Letter from Robert Carter to William Dawkins,
December 27, 1723
-1
-
Rappa[hannock, Lancaster County, Virginia]
Decr 27th. 1723 --
Mr. Wm. Dawkins
Sir
This just tells you the Burwell
arrivd
Into york [River]
the 19th Instant Adam Graves
& [Peter]
Wills
are Still out whether
they will be able to Save the Act of Parliament
will be a grand
doubt, We have had a mighty favourable Winter hitherto, The
dispatch of the ships will depend much upon Weather what the
Latter ships will do I Shall not prognosticate. I think I may
with a great deal of Assurance affirm, that through the Country
we want above a third of the last years Crop I am --
Sir Yor. very humble Servt.
The Same to Perry
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.
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. The county and colony have been added for clarity.
[1] This vessel was commanded by Captain Constantine Cant and may have been owned by William Dawkins and Micajah Perry as Carter reported her December 1723 arrival to each of them. ( Adm. 68/194-195, found in the microfilms of the Virginia Colonial Records Project, Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library, University of Virginia.
)
[2] Adam Graves was a son of Captain Thomas Graves [d. ante
1720], long a captain of vessels trading to Virginia, and a special friend of Robert Carter's. Adam Graves commanded the Bailey
in 1725-1727, a ship that belonged to London merchant William Dawkins. ( Survey Report 6800, and Adm. 68/194-196 found in the microfilms of the Virginia Colonial Records Project, Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library, University of Virginia
)
[3] Captain Peter Wills commanded the Booth
in 1723 and the Amity
in 1727. ( Survey Report 6800, Virginia Colonial Records Project, Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library, University of Virginia.
)
[4] Carter refers to the effective date of the Act of Parliament banning the importation of stemmed tobacco into England and whether Graves' and Wills' ships will be able to reach England prior to that date with cargoes of stemmed tobacco.
This text revised December 3, 2010.