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 Pemberton, April 13, 1728

     Robert Carter writes to Liverpool merchant John Pemberton, April 13, 1728, to send bills of lading for tobacco shipped in the Brigantine Mary by several residents of Westmoreland and Northumberland counties.



Letter from Robert Carter to John Pemberton, April 13, 1728


-1 -

Rappa[hannock, Lancaster County, Virginia]     
Apl. the 13th: 1728

Mr. John Pemberton

Sir --

     This is only to Enclose to you some bills
of Lading
for Tobbo: Shipt in the Briggantine Mary Thomas
Price Mr. belonging to Some Gentlemen living in Westmd.
and Northd. Countys and Consignd to you on their Accounts
to wit Henry Ashton for 6 hogsheads Thomas Lee for 6 hogsheads
Henry Lee for 2 hogsheads Geo: Tubervile for 8 hogsheads Richard Lee
for 2 hogsheads all these Gent. Except Richard Lee lives in
Westmoreland he lives in Northumberland I am


              Sir --
                  Yor. Humble Servt:

per Capt: Price

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.

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] A bill of lading is "an official detailed receipt given by the master of a merchant vessel to the person consigning the goods, by which he makes himself responsible for their safe delivery to the consignee. This document, being the legal proof of ownership of the goods, is often deposited with a creditor as security for money advanced." ( Oxford English Dictionary Online . Oxford University Press. )

[2] The brigantine Mary was a vessel owned by King and Queen County resident Samuel Smith; she was commanded by Thomas Price. (See Carter to Samuel Smith , January 22, 1728.)

[3] Henry Ashton (1670-1731) was a prominent citizen of Westmoreland County where he was burgess, justice, and sheriff. (Norris. Westmoreland County, Virginia. p. 107; and David W. Eaton. Historical Atlas of Westmoreland CountyVirginia. Richmond: Dietz Press, 1942, in an undated reprint. p. 43.

[4] Thomas Lee (1690-1750) of Westmoreland County was the son of Richard Lee II, and nephew of Edmund Jenings; he would build "Stratford," and succeed Carter on the Council. For a good article on Thomas Lee, see "Thomas Lee of Stratford 1690-1750" by Jeanne A. Calhoun on Stratford plantation's website. ( Burton J. Hendrick. The Lees of Virginia: Biography of a Family. [Boston: Little Brown, 1935]. pp. 48, 51, etc. )

[5] Henry Lee (1691-1747) was a son of Carter's old friend, Hancock Lee (1653-1709). He lived in Westmoreland County at "Lee Hall" and married Mary Bland. ( Burton J. Hendrick. The Lees of Virginia: Biography of a Family. [Boston: Little Brown, 1935]. pp. 329-30. )

[4] The words "per Capt: Price" were added in the hand of a different clerk than the one who wrote the body of the letter ass is indicatede by the use of italics.


This text, originally posted in 2004, was revised September9, 2014, to add footnotes and strengthen the modern language version text.