Washington, George

Autograph letter signed ("Go: Washington"), 1 page (9 1/8 x 7 3/8 i.; 231 x 188 mm) on a bifolium (watermarked george washington), Mount Vernon, 10 September 1798, to David Stuart, autograph address on integral blank; small seal tear, short fold separation, some light foxing, mostly to address leaf. Half red morocco folding-case, blue morocco spine labels.

Sold, Christie's New York, 28 November 1983, lot 330

The Papers of George Washington, Retirement Series, ed. Abbot, 2:602 note

Family life at Mount Vernon. Washington here replies to his friend, colleague, and relative-by-marriage David Stuart, regarding the delivery of corn to Mount Vernon from the Custis plantations on York River. Stuart had earlier arranged for a Mr. King to have 246 barrels sent up the Potomac River and had told Washington to notify King should he "wish another load." Washington explains that he cannot answer without first consulting with James Anderson, the farm manager at Mount Vernon: "As your Servant came late this afternoon, and requests to return early in the morning, I shall not be able to inform you of Mr. Anderson's wants.—but no time shall be delayed in giving Mr. King notice of them."

After a brief discussion of health—Washington reports that his fever has lifted and that he is regaining lost weight—the letter turns to more domestic topics: "Mrs. W., Nelly & Washington (who I shall keep at home, & get Mr. Lear, who I have taken as my Military Secretary to attend to his reading) are well, and unite with me in affection for the family at Hope Park."

"Nelly & Washington" were Eleanor Parke Custis and George Washington Parke Custis, children of Jacky Custis, the only child from Martha Washington's first marriage to survive to adulthood. In 1783, Jacky's widow married David Stuart, but the children continued to spend much of their time at Mount Vernon. Tobias Lear had previously served as Washington's private secretary, and when in July 1798 President John Adams offered Washington the appointment as commander in chief of the United States Army, he made his acceptance virtually dependent on his own appointment of Lear as his military secretary, with the nominal rank of colonel. Since the seemingly imminent war with France never materialized, Washington evidently felt Lear had ample free time to tutor the seventeen-year-old "Washy."