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 Robert Cary, June 1, 1727

     Robert Carter writes to London merchant Robert Cary, June 1, 1727, concerning the failure of merchant Thomas Evans with whom he has had "very friendly Correspondance for more then 20 Years." Because, as he adds, "charity begins at home," he sends Cary an account of his debt due from Evans, and asks Cary to attempt to collect it, noting that he will send a power of attorney by a London ship as soon as he can. He regrets the damage to his tobacco shipped by the Mansel but hopes Cary will find an "Advantageous Sale" for it.


Letter from Robert Carter to Robert Cary, June 1, 1727

-1 -

Rappahannock, [Lancaster County, Virginia]   
June the 1st: 1727

Mr. Robert Cary

Sir --

      Yours of the. 10th: of March came to my hands two days
ago. It brings me very bad news upon Several Accots: I take this
first Opportunity to answer it I heartily pity the hard fate of
Mr. Evans with whom I have had very friendly Correspondance for
more than 20 Years but charity begins at home herewith I hand
you my Accot: against him as well as I can State it, Giving him
all the Credit that I know of in which the ballance due to me is
Three hundred Ninety three pounds Sixteen Shillings and a penny,
as you have been so kind to take into your hands my 10 hhds:
of tobacco per the Mansell so I hope and Earnestly press you to take
the best measures you can to Secure for me as much of this Debt
as is to be got. Mr. Evans I ever took to be an honest man how
ever this ruinous misfortune comes to fall upon him and I
dare Say will readily own the truth of my Accot: and will do his
utmost to discharge it: I believe it will be necessary to Send you
a Power of Attorney which I cannot do until the Carter or Some
other London Ship goes that I may have living witnesses to it

     It is another misfortune that my tobacco
in the Mansell was so much damaged it was some of the first
of my home Crops and I think I can answer for the goodness of it
Our great Expectations from an Empty market and the forward
ness of its getting home I hope will Enable you to put it off to an
Advantageous Sale, By the Mary who left us about a fortnight
ago I wrote to you at large and Duplicated by the Providence
I shall not repeat here only that I am


Sir
Yor: most humble Servt:

Per the John & David of Glasgow
Captain Smillie --

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. Carter has added the complimentary close to the clerk's draft as is indicated by the italics.

[1] Carter noted in his diary July 29, 1726, the arrival of the Mansell, Captain Trevisa, and in his letter of January 14, 1727, to the Board of Trade, gives the captain's full name as James Trevisa.

[2] The Mary was a London ship of 130 tons commanded by James Hopkins, and owned by merchant Robert Cary. ( Admiralty 68/194,ff. 82r, abstracted in Survey Report 6801, Virginia Colonial Records Project, Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library, University of Virginia. )

[3] Thomas Woodward commanded the Providence, a ship owned by Captain John Hyde & Company, during a number of voyages to the colony, 1723-1729. ( Survey Report 6800 summarizing Adm. 68/194 and Survey Report 6801 summarizing Adm 68/195, Virginia Colonial Records Project, Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library, University of Virginia, and Carter's letter to the firm, September 17, 1723. )


This text, originally posted in 2003, was revised July 16, 2012, to strengthen the modern language version text.