Herbert & Potts letter to John Hatley Norton, 1784 December 17

Creator

Title

Herbert & Potts letter to John Hatley Norton, 1784 December 17

Date

Description

Herbert & Potts, merchants of Alexandria, Virginia, letter to John Hatley Norton, merchant of Winchester, Virginia, dated December 17, 1784. Herbert & Potts write concerning about a letter of Hartshorne & Co., Richmond, Virginia concerning Mr. Taylor’s conduct. They desire Norton instruct his agent to take action against Taylor. They are very pressed for money and note that London failures among American merchants have alarmed manufacturers. Therefore no goods will be provided without remittances to secure them. The letter includes a copy of a letter sent 30 December 1784 to which Norton did not reply.

Identifier

MS1936.3.1663
Folder 161

Original Format

Ink on paper

Text

[Page 1]

Alexa. Decemr. 17th. 1784

Mr. John H. Norton

Dr Sir

We wrote you yesterday a few lines inclo-
sing a letter recd. from Messrs. Hartshorne & Co. of
Richmond relating to Mr. Taylors conduct, with whom
we find nothing can be done without decided mea=
sures are taken against him We therefore wish you
wou'd instruct your agent there on that head. We
are exceedingly press'd for money the time for ma=
king seasonable remitances is passing away very fast
& every vessel that arrives brings us nothing but ap=
plications for them Several failures have lately taken
place in London particularly among the American
merchants & many more are expected which has
spread such an Alarm among the manufacturers
that no goods may be expected by any house this
side the Atlantic who are not punctual in their re-
mitances, we wish to be among the number of those
but cannot affect it unless those Gentlemen who deal
with us are pointed in their payments. We now
beg leave to entreat you wou'd be expeditious in yours
as a disappointment will subject us to certain & dis=
agreeable consequences our Correspondents are very expli=
with us by telling us we must not expect a Cargo unless
the firs is paid before [crossed out, illegible] the time of shipping it.

[Page 2]

Trusting to your exertions in our favor We are &c.

(Copy) Ansd. 3d. Jan.y 1785 p Mr Chas Thruston
Mr: Jno. H. Norton - Alexandria 30th. Decem: 1784

D Sir -

Not having the pleasure of a
Line from you by this post, we apprehended you
Had not recd. our Letter of the 17th. Inst. Copy of
which you have above, it was commited to the
care of Mr. Smith, then here, there are several parcels
of Goods lately arrived here, tho we have had none
We think you may get supplied with severall usefull
articles, Mr. E: Smith has laid in a good Deal, we
thought it for your Interest to give you this Information
& are -

D Sir
yr Most hble Servts.
Herbert & Potts

Mr. John H: Norton
Mert. In
Winchester

Alexa. 30th. Decr 1784
Herbert & Potts
Ansd 30 Jan.y. 1785
p Charles Thruston

[Page 4 blank]

Citation

Herbert & Potts, “Herbert & Potts letter to John Hatley Norton, 1784 December 17,” John Norton & Sons Papers, John D. Rockefeller Jr. Library, accessed March 29, 2024, https://rocklibnorton.omeka.net/items/show/1663.