A Collection Transcribed
and Digitized
by Edmund Berkeley, Jr.
List of Letters
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Electronic Text Center
, University of Virginia Library
Summary
Letter from Robert Carter to John Stark, September 2 & 13, 1728
Robert Carter writes to Glasgow merchant John Stark, September 2, 1728, to inform him that he has been unable to ship tobacco in "Mr. Cheaps Ship" because she was full when she reached his house. He also reports several bills of exchange that he has lately drawn on Stark, and in a post script dated September 13th reports another.
Letter from Robert Carter to John Stark,
September 2 & 13, 1728
-1
-
Rappahannock, [Lancaster County, Virginia]
Sepr. the. 2d. 1728
Mr. John Stark
Sir --
Twelve hhds: I proposed to Send you by Mr. Cheaps
Ship I am disappointed of his Sloop came indeed before I was ready
after I had got my Tobbo: in order I Send to the Master about it Desire
ing he would take it in when he came down against my house
but now he is full my Tobbo: lyes by me without present Prospect of Shipping it any where,
This comes by the Ship and is to advise you tht.
I have lately drawn
on your for £100 payable to Colonel John
Tayloe
and £14 to Mr. Thomas Carter
making this money as
easie to the Bristol men as you can you will oblige me My Invoice
I Sent you Via London and also by Capt: Sharp
by whom wrote
to you at large Shall take my Leave at present
Sir Yor. very humble Servt.
P:S: I believe I Shall
Suddenly have Occasion to draw upon you for £40 more,
per Dunlop
Copy per Raymond
Sir
Sepr. 13th: 1728
I have this day drawn upon you for £41 payable to Richd. Meeks
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. The post script was written into the letter book around the return address at the top of the draft letter, but has been moved to its proper place at the foot.
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 Stark was a prominent Glasgow merchant in the sugar trade. He served as as baillie and provost (mayor) from 1725-1727. ( John M'ure. The History of Glasgow.
[Glasgow: D. Macvean and J. Wyllie & Co., 1830] pp. 227-228
as seen on Google books; and "Provosts of Glasgow" at "Welcome to Glasgow"
.
)
[2] Mr. Cheap has not been identified. He may have been a factor (agent) on a ship commanded by someone else since Carter does not refer to him as "captain."
[3] A bill of exchange is a kind of check or promissory note without interest. It is used primarily in international trade, and is a written order by one person to pay another a specific sum on a specific date sometime in the future. If the bill of exchange is drawn on a bank, it is called a bank draft. If it is drawn on another party, it is called a trade draft. Sometimes a bill of exchange will simply be called a draft, but whereas a draft is always negotiable (transferable by endorsement), this is not necessarily true of a bill of exchange. ( "Dictionary of Financial Scam Terms,"
8/22/2005
)
[4] John Tayloe (1687-1747) of Mt. Airy, Richmond County, who served as justice, burgess, colonel of militia, and as a member of the Council after 1732. (Ryland. Richmond County Virginia. . . .
pp. 115-16.
)
[5] The Martha
was commanded by a Captain Dunlop and owned by Richard Oswald & Company; see Carter to Richard Oswald & Company August 11, 1729,
and Carter to Oswald, July 27,1731
.
[5] No information has been found about captains Sharp and Raymond.
This text, originally posted in 2004, was revised December 22, 2014, to add footnotes and strengthen the modern language version text.