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 Falconar, December 16, 1727

     Robert Carter writes to London merchant John Falconar, December 16, 1727, to defend the quality of the tobacco that he produces, noting that it is "an easy matter for a merchant to give a despicable character of a mans goods when he renders him but a low sale." He also complains that Falconar has not sent his goods but has held them to be sent in one of the merchant's own ships. Carter writes that he understands why Falconar cannot undertake training of one of Carter's sons, and even though they have different religious faiths, he will continue to patronize the merchant as long as his tobacco is sold well, his good are purchased, and he is treated fairly.


Letter from Robert Carter to John Falconar, December 16, 1727

-1 -

[Rappahannock, Lancaster County, Virginia]     
Decr. 16: 1727

Mr Jno Falconar

     I have had several letters from you by this
last fleet with your Account of sales of seven hogsheads of the 20 went by
Hopkins I was glad to hear of the safe arrival of Buckerige
and the good thoughts you intertain us with of the latter markets
being better than the former and 'tis also very pleasing you like
my Tobaco to which you are so merry to add this sting that 'tis no
common sight to see such Tobbo under my mark you must allow
me to tell you this is a very recent story I have been noted for ma
king as good Tobbo as any man in Virga: indeed sometimes it
hath happened some of my remote Overseers have played the rogue
and have not done their duty in the neat handling of their tobbo but there
is no reason now and then an indifferent hogshead should taint the repu=
tation of my whole concern but `tis an easy matter for a merchant
to give a despicable character of a mans goods when he renders
him but a low sale some bad Tobbo may be found in every consi=
derable mans crops in Virginia and after all is sd we cannot
make all our TobboLarge & but some will be smaller & meaner than
others some in spite of our teeths no man of my circumstances
in the country takes more Care in handling his Tobbo than I do
I have as good Land and as good Materials as any man and you
will readily allow I am old enough to know the trade I am sorry
that I am to wait for my goods till a ship of your that was

-2 -


then Arrived was to get home & return to us certainly you could not
beleive this proceeding could be very pleasing to me I dare say none
of the masters would deny the taking in goods for me

     I must Ask your pardon for the long pro
posal I made to you about my son I was much out of my thoughts
in that matter as we poor mortals usually are in our short & narrow con
jectures of future things your reasons are so cogent & convincing
that I have laid aside all further considerations of that affair &
shall only tell you that what hath passed between us upon that
Subject shall work no Alteration in my sentiments in relation
to you & altho you & I go different ways to pay our worship to the
author of our beings that I daresay I shall never change my old
rode to get into yours in my way to Eternity yet I am not so uncha
ritable to think but that honesty is to be found in your perswa
tion as well as my own & this you may beleive from my en-
tring into Correspondency with you here I shall leave this subject
as intirely as if it never had had a place in my mind Do but sell
my Tobbo well by me goods well & use me with a franck generosity
And I do not Care how plain a Stile you treat me

     You tell me of seven more hogsheads of my Tobbo sold at
9 and that then you could not reach the same price for the rest Tob but
were in hopes to do it in a short time I cannot tell under what planet I am
fallen of late a neighbour of mine who I cannot allow to be a better plan=
ter or to make better Tobbo than I do tells me all his Tobbo that went in
Cobb sold for 9d 1/2

NOTES



Source copy consulted: Robert Carter letter book, 1727 May-1728 July, Robert Carter Papers (acc. no. 3807), Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library, University of Virginia. The writing on the right margin of the obverse of the leaf (and the left of the reverse) are faded probably from water on the letter book's edge.

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] John Falconar (d. ca. 1729) was a London merchant with whom Carter dealt. In 1728, Falconar and Henry Darnell formed an association of 29 London tobacco merchants to deal with the French tobacco purchasing agent as a group in order to keep the price as high as possible. The association lasted only lasted a year or two before dissolving because some of its members were dealing directly with the French agent and selling below the agreed-upon price. (See Carter's letter to Falconar of July 24 and August 22, 1727, for details about the payment of £200 to him. See Carter to William Dawkins, for Falconar's death date. Arthur Pierce Middleton. Tobacco Coast: A Maritime History of the Chesapeake Bay in the Colonial Era. Newport News, VA: Mariners' Museum, 1953. p. 129 )

[2] 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. )

[3] The Marlborough was a vessel of 100 tons and 14 men, commanded by George Buckeridge (Buckbridge). In a letter to London merchant John Falconar July 24, 1727, Carter refers to this vessel as "yor. Marlborrough." ( Survey report 6801 summarizing Adm. 68/195, Virginia Colonial Records Project, Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library, University of Virginia. )

[4] Carter had written to Falconar May 16, 1727 , about placing his son Landon with the merchant as an apprentice to learn the trade.

[5] A 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 was a London firm. ( Survey Report 6801 on Adm. 68/194-5, ff. 4r, Virginia Colonial Records Project, Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library, University of Virginia. )


This text, originally posted in 2004, was revised July 29, 2014, to add footnotes and strengthen the modern language version text.


This text, originally posted in 2004, was revised July 29, 2014, to add footnotes and strengthen the modern language version text.