Letter from Robert Carter to Edward Tucker, June 9, 1732

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   by Edmund Berkeley, Jr.

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Summary

Letter from Robert Carter to Edward Tucker, June 9, 1732

Robert Carter writes to Weymouth merchant Edward Tucker, June 9, 1732, to report the arrival of a ship, the George & Mary, Tucker has chartered, and the arrangements that he and George Eskridge have made concerning her. He adds comments about the small tobacco crop that will prevent many ships obtaining large cargoes, but hopes this will send the market up.

Letter from Robert Carter to Edward Tucker, June 9, 1732

-1 -
Rappahannock, [Lancaster County, Virginia]

June 9th. 1732

Edward Tucker Esqr.

Sr.

It will not be unagreeable to you to be advised of the Arri
val of your Chartered Snow the George & Mary Captain Bird she came into the Indian
Creek the last Ultimo I was forced to send your Packet by Express to Williamsburg,
to Colonel Eskridge who is now upon an Assembly with the ferryages it will Cost you
20 Shillings . we agreed it would be the best way for Captain Bird to enter his ship here and first
to take in the tobacco in these parts before he goes up to Potomac Colonel Eskridge
thought this the best way it is computed there would be here near 40 hogsheads Captain Bird
is cleaning his vessel and then will set to work Colonel Eskridge writes me
he has 70 hogsheads ready ~~[illegible]~~ that he can have on board in a Weeks time
~~It hath pleased God~~ I have already advised you of the death of my dear Son,
Robert how much of the rum &a Russell received from him I know not but I be
leive he had the most of it

Russell I reckoned Sailed the 13th of May carried away
with him 44 hogsheads of my own & 15 hogsheads of Colonel Pages tobacco all stemmed I spent my
whole shot to give him a dispatch and have now no tobacco left to put into this ship
what more assitance she may get from from Colonel Eskridge I know not it cannot
be much if she wants any to fill her. The report now among us is that many of
our ships will not get near Loaded, and we have not many Bristolmen in yet from
whence we entertain hopes the markets will rise I have already Advised my draft
on you to John Randolph Esquire for one hundred pounds which I desire you to an=
swer at time. I heartily wish your health and Am

Sir
Your most humble Servant

NOTES

Source copy consulted: Letter book, 1731 July 9-1732 July 13 , 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] Survey Report 09732 summarizing "Public Record Office Class E 190/917/7. Exchequor King's Remembrancer Port Books. Weymouth. Customer 1733" shows that Isaac Bird was the master of the George & Mary. A snow was a two-masted vessel.

[2] Indian Creek lies at the eastern tip of Lancaster County at the northern side of Fleets Bay where it is "the boundary between" Northumberland and Lancaster counties "for most of its course." and runs inland roughly northwest towards today's Kilmarnock. It probably was 6 or 7 miles from "Corotoman" by the roads of Carter's time. (Miller. Place-Names . . . . p. 72. )

[3] Carter means the last day of the previous month.

[4] John Russell commanded the Portland, a vessel owned by Weymouth merchant Edward Tucker. ( Survey Report 09729 detailing the Weymouth Port Books ; and Survey Report 09731 detailing Exchequor King's Remembrancer Port Books. Weymouth, Customer, 1730, found in theVirginia Colonial Records Project, Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library, University of Virginia. )

This text, originally posted in 2006, was revised May 31, 2016, to add footnotes and strengthen the modern language version text.