A Collection Transcribed
and Digitized
by Edmund Berkeley, Jr.
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Summary
Letter from Robert Carter to Messrs. Haswell and Brooks, May 13, 1727
Robert Carter writes to London merchants Messrs. Haswell and Brooks, May 13, 1727, to report that he is relatively pleased with their report of sales of his tobacco, and that he is sending 30 more hogsheads divided between two ships. He sends a bill of exchange (not present) and hopes for a better market because Virginians cannot support their families at the present prices. He concludes that he hopes that the merchants always will sell his tobacco in time to report the sales by the next shipping.
Letter from Robert Carter to Messrs. Haswell and Brooks,
May 13, 1727
-1
-
Rappa [hannock, Lancaster County, Virginia]
May 13th: 1727
Messrs. Haswell and Brooks --
I have long Since received your Accot: of
Sales and in regard of the meanness of the tobacco I was well Enough
Contented with the dispose I have Since
Sent you 30 hhds: of my own
Crops 20 in the Williss Captain Cobb;
and 10 in the pretty Betty
that I may have money in your hands to Entitle me to the
discounts I now Send you a bill of exchange drawn by Mr. Grimes
on Mr. Perry
for £300 and directed to be paid to you All the
Merchants advise an Empty market and give us hopes of
much better prices this year than we got the last -- :
-2
-
you are too well acquainted with Virginia not to know
that we cannot live and mantain our familys at these
prices We do not make one with another above a hhd. per
head for every Sharing Slave our Correspondance is but
Young but hope by your Endeavours to bring my Crops into
a good reputation That
I may be Encouraged not only to Continue
but to
increase my business to you I Shall not prescribe the
Time of Selling but it must be my Constant desire that the
Sales may be completed to come away with Some of the
next Ships, I am
Gent Yor: very humble Servt:
per Hopkins
Copy per Woodward
NOTES
Source copy consulted:
Robert Carter Letter Book, 1727 April 13-1728 July 23, Carter Family Papers, Virginia Historical Society, Richmond.
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 to the heading on the draft.
[1] Haswell and Brooks may have been a London firm for a 1740 directory of that city lists a Samuel Haswell, a London Assurance director in Suffolk Lane. There are several men of the name "Brooks" in the directory including a Christopher Brooks, a ship broker, also located in Suffolk Lane. ( A Compleat Guide to All Persons who have any Trade or Concern with the City of London and Ports adjacent. . . .
London: Printed for J. Osborn, at the Golden Ball in Pater-noster-row, MDXXXL
)
[2] Captain John Cobb commanded the Willis
, a ship of 300 tons with 20 men, in 1727-28. The ship was owned by merchants Haswell and Brooks which may have been a London firm; see footnote #1. ( Survey Report 6801 on Adm. 68/194-5, ff. 4r, Virginia Colonial Records Project, Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library, University of Virginia.
)
[3] Captain James Hopkins commanded the Mary
in 1727-1728. He was then working for London merchant Robert Cary. He is mentioned in Carter's diary. ( Adm. 68/194, found in the microfilms of the Virginia Colonial Records Project, Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library, University of Virginia.
)
[4] Thomas Woodward commanded the Providence
during a number of voyages to the colony, 1723-1727. (Adm. 68/194 and 195, Virginia Colonial Records Project, Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library, University of Virginia.)