A Collection Transcribed
and Digitized
by Edmund Berkeley, Jr.
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Summary
Letter from Robert Carter to [Mann Page, May 21, 1728]
Robert Carter writes to his son-in-law [Mann Page, May 21, 1728], to inform him that George Braxton's slave ship has arrived, and that he has written Braxton that he and Page may take as many as 30 of the slaves if Braxton will anchor the ship at Page's home, and give good credit and prices. He gives Page instructions to handle the purchases for him, specifies the working slaves that he wishes, and 3 young ones for his grandchildren.
Letter from Robert Carter to [Mann Page
, May 21, 1728]
-1
-
[Corotoman, Lancaster County, Virginia]
Honble: Sir --
You are blest with so Steady a head and so tena=
cious a memory that I never doubt your punctual Performance of all
particulars that you are at any time pleased to take into yor. Command
Yor. Brittish news is
of a most Extraordinary nature
Glagow Toryfied and Whitehaven abounding with Whiggism
wee must wait for the truth of these fluctuattions till a more Certain
Accot. comes May Heaven bless us with the Acceptable news of a
good price at last. Crowns and Scepters must have their periods
and so must the great Sr. Robert
in one way
or other
Last night the Enclosed Express of Colonel Braxton
came to me his Ship Arrives in a most nicking time for the
Negroes to be put in for Crops I have orderd his Boy to call at your
house for your directions to his Master I propose his coming before
your house before his Sale of any that I beleive you intend to
buy for your sSelf and that amongst us if he will please us
in price and Choice we Shall take at least 30 from him
and that I lodge the direction of the whole affair under yor. man=
agement both Mr. Burwells
and my accot. I would have bought
for Mr. Burwells Estate
nine men &
three wo
men or at most but 4 women
for my Self
five men and one women or at most but 2 women
My Son Robin
wants three men
and if you can make a good bargain for three Girls for my three
Grand Children. Robert Page.
and
Robert Carter
& Betty Burwell
or if the two for my namesakes be boys it will [be] indiferent to me
for the men and women to be sure I will not Exceed £20 as much
under as you can Il know you'l get them, The Small ones for
your son and Betty Burwell I would have left with their Ownrs.
the other to come along with those that are for Rappahannock,
My son Charles
waits upon you wth. our Complimts.
I am --
I tell Braxton I have two or three hundred pounds
Cash that I would have him take of me in payment at the Discots:
of £15 perCt. & request you
to urge this as Strongly as Is proper yet not to break
with him in that Accot.
I have promised to buy 2 men for my Daughter Harrisons
Settlemt. Charles may Choose and mark them
and Send them to new Quarters till Mr. Harrison may have
an Accot. of them
NOTES
Source copy consulted:
Robert Carter Letter Book, 1727 April 13-1728 July 23, Carter Family Papers, Virginia Historical Society, Richmond.
The name of Carter's home, "Corotoman," the county, and colony have been added for clarity to this unheaded draft. This letter appears in the letter book with others of this date.
See Carter's letter to George Braxton also written May 21, 17281
.
[1] Sir Robert Walpole, (1676-1745) was the Whig prime minister of Great Britain 1721-1742, a post to which he came after holding various government posts. He was the brother of Horace Walpole. ( "Sir Robert Walpole," at "Past Prime Ministers,"
a site maintained by the British government.
See also the extensive article on Walpole by Stephen Taylor in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.
)
[2] Nathaniel Burwell (1680-1721) of "Carter's Creek," Glocester County, married Carter's daughter, Elizabeth, in 1709. He was a justice, burgess, and member of the Council. Carter manaqged his estates after Burwell's death. (Wright, Letters . . ., 6;
; Virginia Magazine of History and Biography
, 31(1923): 357-359
; and William and Mary Quarterly
, (1)14(1904-05): 69, 258-60.
)
[3] Robert Page (ca.
1722-1768) was Robert Carter's grandson by his daughter Judith (Carter) Page and her husband Mann Page (1691-1730). He would live at "Broadneck," Hanover County, and marry Sarah Walker in 1750. (Carleton. A Genealogy. . . of Robert Carter. . . .
p. 241.
)
[4] Robert Carter (1728-1804) was Carter's grandson by his son Robert (1704-1732) and his wife Priscilla (Churchill) Carter. The grandson would inherit his father's home at Nomini, and would be known as "Councillor" Carter. He would marry Frances A. Tasker of Maryland in 1754. (Morton. Robert Robert Carter of Nomini Hall;
John R. Barden, "Robert Carter" in Sara B. Bearss, John G. Deal, et al., eds.
Dictionary of Virginia Biography.
[Richmond: Library of Virginia, 2006], 3:86-88
; and Carleton. A Genealogy. . . of Robert Carter. . . .
p. 332.
)
[5] Elizabeth Burwell (1718-?) was Carter's grandaughter by his daughter, Elizabeth, and her first husband, Nathaniel Burwell. She married in 1738 William Nelson of Yorktown. (Carleton. A Genealogy. . . of Robert Carter. . . .
p. 143.
)
This text, originally posted in 2004, was revised October 10, 2014, to add footnotes and strengthen the modern language version text.