John Norton letter to John Hatley Norton, 1769 March 31

John Norton letter to John Hatley Norton, 1769 March 31

John Norton, merchant of London, England, letter to his son and partner, John Hatley Norton of Yorktown, Virginia. Norton writes concerning the state of the business and encourages his son not to extend credit beyond what the planters remittances will answer as it is necessary to pay the tradesmen in a punctual manner. Norton also requests his son provide freight for Mr. Harrison's iron and informs him that women's shoes meant for Mr. Taylor's have been accidentally left behind. Norton also informs his son that the tobacco of Mr. Nicholas has been sold. Norton also relates family news concerning Fenn and Frere relations and mentions the treatment of a body of merchants at the hands of a mob.

MS 1936.3.180
Folder 16

John Norton and Sons Papers, MS 1936.3

Special Collections, John D. Rockefeller Jr. Library, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation

Ink on paper

Page 1

London March 31^st 1769

Dear Hatley

My last was p the Brilliant who was
lucky enough to get into the Downs before the Ships that
sailed some time ago left it, and went with them to Sea
the 19^th. The Wind having been fair ever since, hope she has
got a good Offing, & will reach Virginia in time. The Goods
I shipt in Her amounts to £6279.9.6 p List inclosed for your
regulation, & from which you will be able to see how much
greater our advance has been to the Planters, for the last
Year, than the Remittances made can answer. Our Credit
depends upon Punctuality in payments to the Tradesmen
& Custom House for Dutys, on which a no small part of
the Profit on Trade acrues to us, this shou'd induce you
not to advance (except to particular Persons) more than
the Value of their Consignments, especially by Bills of
Exchange, which drain us of our very Sinews in Trade y^e.
Cash & no profit can arise therefrom, notwithstanding
I assure you I thought I alloted a handsome Capital for
carrying on the Trade, but I find more money will still be
wanting for the purposes before mentioned, therefore as I have
many times said, it will be best not to push for too great
a Trade under these Circumstances, as the Profit does not
arise altogether from the Business done, but how well done,
and shall be glad when you receive any Sums not to vest them
in our Correspondents hands, unless in particular Cases, as they
too often find means to draw Bills on me when you dont
know it. I sent a package of Canisters for those who order'd

Page 2

part of the Lott of Hyson Tea, hope you will endeavour to get freight
for M^r. Harrisons Iron in Robertson Outram & ca: As I have
been obliged to be in advance for him. I have sent p Cap^t. Lilly
a p of Wom^s. Shoes directed for M^r. Rich^d. Sq^r. Taylor which was
to have been put in the Letter Box, / M^r. Gresham not sending
them in time to be pack'd with his Goods / but by Accident they
fell down out of the box & were left behind, You'll receive this
p Cap^t. Lilly by whom have sent several Acco^t. Sales p List
inclosed, which whether they may prove satisfactory or not, was
the best I cou'd do for them; find^g. no Appearance of advance in the
Market (the Glasgow People having made a late Contract w^th.
the French at 2¾^d) I have reduced my Stock / by selling 60 hhds Leaf
at 3¾^d To 18 hhds of best Leaf fit for Snuff & 22 ord^y. dry Stripts
Have sold about 300 hhds in the Year for the Town Trade, w^ch.
will help us, M^r. Nicholas's Leaf Tob^o. p Walker is all sold, at
3¾^d Export, & Town at a price equal only 2 hhds of stript too heavy in
quality for Town of that parcell to dispose off. I have just ddl
36 hhds to Castle & Hall of the fine Tob^o. cheifly Snuff among
them 9 of Col^o. Nelsons at 11¼^d tip top of the Market but on delivery
they did not appear so fine as I expected having acquired a kind
of earthly Scent his last hhd is contracted for at 11^d but not ddl
it will be a Stout Acco^t. I hope by Necks who M^r. Hanbury says
shall depart y^e. 20^th April (whether the Lun & Loy'd arrives or not)
to send the greatest part of the Acc^t. Sales if not the whole, I think
I have not yet sold any stem'd for less then 11^d but doubt I have
some left that will not reach that price, M^r. Throckmorton and
His family return in Cap^t. Lilly. He has not mentioned any
thing to me about His protested Bill, & if He does not I think I had
better let it alone as His Circumstances will now make it easy to
Him to settle it; indeed I cou'd not well do it here for want of the
Bill &ca: M^r. & M^rs. Fen are at M^r. Frere's in Bedford Row

Page 3

where M^r. Shepherd Frere & His Lady are expected in a day or two,
you see what good Inoculation has done in Suffolk. We still
continue as to Public Affairs in Partys which continue to rage
worse then ever, as you'll see by an Insult a body of Merchants
received from the Mob in waiting on His Majesty with a late
Address, the News Papers humourously describe the Fleets
putting back in distress after a severe Attack, I was not one of
the Attendants being closely employed another way. We all
join in best Wishes to you & Frds in Virg^a. I remain

Dear Hatley
Yours Affectionately
John Norton

List of Sales sent p Cap^t Lilly viz^t

Thos. Smith Gloser	7 hhds p Briliant	£	62	18	8
Wm. Hayes	8 p do		82	2	6
A. Lightfoot Esqr.	6 p d		70	2	1
Revd. P. Davis	6 p do		57	5	3
Thos. Moore	4 p do		39		5
Sarah Thruston	3 p do		32	10	8
Edwd. Champn. Travis	3 p do		40	6	10
Jno. Wynne	2 p do		21	13	2
Jno Thompson York	2 p do		18	18	9
Joseph Mann	2 p do		19	17
Jno. Lipscomb	1 p do		11	6	8
Benj. Wills	1 p do		12	1
Nelson Berkeley	1 p do		13	4	2
L. B. Roscow	1 p Farmer		9	11	10
Ben. Cluverius	1 p do		10	5	7
Boswell Richards	1 p do		10		8
Colo. Wm. Harwood	4 p Good Intent		43	7	6
Mary Lightfoot	4 p Burwell (very light)		45	19
	58 hhds. produces	£	610	16
	£10.10.7 p hhd.

Page 4

To
M^r. John Hatley Norton
Merch^t.
York Town
Virginia
p Cap^t. Lilly

London March 31^st.
1769
J=n^o Norton
Rec^d. June 1769
Answ^d. D^o