Robert King Carter's Correspondence and Diary

   A Collection Transcribed
        and Digitized
   by Edmund Berkeley, Jr.


List of Letters | About This Collection

Electronic Text Center , University of Virginia Library


Summary



Letter from Robert Carter to [John Holloway], April 7, 1724

     Robert Carter writes to an unidentified attorney, almost certainly Williamsburg resident John Holloway, April 7, 1724, asking him to assist George Eskridge's attempt to be appointed collector of customs for Potomac to succeed Daniel McCarty. He alerts Holloway that his daughter Elizabeth Burwell's "imprudent and obstinate Match" with Dr. George Nicholas will likely produce some law suits as he is the guardian for the Burwell children, and is acting executor of the Burwell estate. He expects Holloway's assistance in these legal matters.



Letter from Robert Carter to [John Holloway ], April 7, 1724


-1 -

[Corotoman, Lancaster County, Virginia]
Aprill the 7th: 17234

Sr --

     Our old friend Eskridge coming to wait upon
the Governour in persuit of the Collr: place of potomak I
cannot doubt you will be very ready to give him your
Assistance poor George hath a large family of Children [illegible]
lives very Convenient and hath indeed supported a gre[at]
part of the Burden of that Office by his Genrosity in Ca[ptain]
M:Cartys
time,

     In the next place I must tell you tha[t Mrs.]
Burwells imprudent and obstinate Match with Doc[tor]
Nicholass I Expect will through me into Sevll: La[w Suits]


-2 -


Upon my own Accot: As I am the Guardian to Mr Burwells
Children, And as I am his Acting Executor you have all
ways been my Lawyer ever Since you came into Virginia
and I cannot doubt but you will continue so Still to
Assist me in carring me through these troublesome per
plexing Affairs with your uttmost Vigour, I suppose
Collo:Page hath already been with you to fix you on our
Side however I have thought it not amiss to add this
line from Sr


Your most Sincere Friend
and most humble Servt;

I forgot to tell you I
have write to Mr. Attorney
to prosecute an out Lawry
against the Murderer Tho
Glascock
and have told him
you will be ready to give him
your Assistance --

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.

The name of Carter's home, "Corotoman," the county, and colony have been added for clarity to this unheaded draft.

In a letter to Attorney General John Clayton, April 7, 1724, that follows two on the same subjects in the letter book, Carter identifies his attornies as "Mr. Holloway and Mr. Randall." As one letter indicates an acquaintanceship of long standing, it has been selected as one directed to John Holloway, and the second one to Randall.

[1] "William Forrester had been murdered on November 5, 1723, by Thomas Glascock whose son Gregory was named as an accessory." Carter had noted Glascock's capture in his diary on November 13th that year: "Collo Barber acquaints me me he had Seizd Glascocks who had fled for Murther his Estate Coll Tarpley in the behalf of Glascocks Heir offers to Enter the Land as Escheat " The lands reverted to the proprietors, and Carter apparently managed them for some years for the benefit of Glascock's heirs; he later acquired title to the properties which are mentioned in his will. (Ryland. Richmond County Virginia. . . . p. 101.


This text, originally posted in 2002, was revised August 24, 2011, to strengthen the modern language version text.