A Collection Transcribed
and Digitized
by Edmund Berkeley, Jr.
List of Letters
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About This Collection
Electronic Text Center
, University of Virginia Library
Summary
Letter from Robert Carter to John Zuil, August 9, 1728
Robert Carter writes to merchant John Zuil, August 9, 1728, to point out that Zuil has accounted for only 13 of the 14 hogsheads of tobacco Carter had sent.
Letter from Robert Carter to John Zuil,
August 9, 1728
-1
-
Rappahannock, [Lancaster County, Virginia]
Augst: the 9th: 1728
Mr. John Zuil
Sir --
This is a Short line to own the receipt of your Lettrs:
that of the 10th of April gives but a poor prospect of your market you tell
me of 2 hogsheads you had Sold but do not Say for what that you
had Shipped 5 hogsheads to Hamburgh and 4 to Holland and 2 you
had left these all make but 13 hogsheads I Sent 14 as my bill of Lading
makes mention am In hopes this reckoning has been a mistake
in you I cant Enlarge at Present Captain Sharp
being in haste remain
Sir --
Your very humble Servt:
per Sharp
NOTES
Source copy consulted:
Letter book, 1728 August-1731 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] John Zuil was a merchant and was probably the ship's captain that Carter mentioned in his diary August 1, 1722, "Zuil Saild Gave me a Bottle Snuff." Carter recorded a diary note about him the following year as well: December 30, 1723, "mr Zuil & man came back" [from church]. In what British city Zuil lived is not clear, but it may have been Liverpool because city directories of 1767-1773 list a John Zuil as a merchant, first in Cable Street, and later, in King Street. This probably would have been a son of the man Carter knew, given the shorter lives at this period. ( "Yuil Family Newsletters,"
Issue #24 Fall. 1998http://www.http://yulefamily.com/newsletters/yule24.htm, 11/6/2009.
)
[2] 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.
)
[3] Captain Sharp has not been identified.
This text, originally posted in 2004, was revised December 12, 2014, to add footnotes and strengthen the modern language version text.