John Page letter to John Norton, 1769 April 10

John Page letter to John Norton, 1769 April 10

John Page letter to John Norton, merchant in London, England. Page writes that he has received the goods Norton sent; never intends Norton to be disappointed in extending him credit; has found housekeeping and running for the House of Burgesses to be more expensive than he thought and the weather has adversely impacted the tobacco crop. Page also writes about the Townshend Acts noting that he hopes the "Unconstitutional & impolitic Acts are repealed." He also comments on the new Governor, Lord Botetourt, whom he believes to be happy and well liked though "some People suspend their Judgement of him till after the Meeting of the Assembly ..."

MS 1936.3.183
Folder 17

John Norton and Sons Papers, MS 1936.3

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

Ink on paper

Recto

Rosewell Virginia April the 10^th. 1769

Dear Sir

The Goods you sent me came safe to Hand,
They were much to our Satisfaction; & I am very much
obliged to you for your Punctuality; & the Confidence
you put in me, in accept^g. the Order to Capt. Ja^s. Esten
for £30.6..8, in honoring the Bill to Rich^d. Gregory for
£52..16 & in sending me Goods to the Amount of £324..13
You may depend upon it Sir, you shall never be
a Loser by puting Confidence in me; that Confidence
shall never be abused. But I am very sorry it is not
in my Power to do as I intended, I mean to pay Your
Son for the Order, Bill, & at least for Part of the Goods
as I expected I should. I have only been able to pay
[line in another hand] Stg. £72..6..1 Stg £ 41..19..6
your Son £90..7..7. £52..9..4 of which were due to him
for Cash he lent me when I bought Gregory's Tob^o. &
£5..18..6 of the same I p^d. on Ed: Cary's Acc^t. so that instead
of being able to pay off the Bill & Order I have only
been able to pay in fact £31..19..9 for that Purpose.
Many Expences upon going to Housekeeping, which
I had not foreseen, several Acc^ts. much more extravagant
than I expected & the ridiculous Extravagance of
Burgess making consumed the whole of the Good
Old Lady's Legacy except the £90.7.7, I mention'd
above. Tho' I considered last Year that I suffered extremely
for Want of Plants, that the Summer was remarkably
Cold, & that there was a long Drought, & I thought
I made a proper Allowance for all this, yet the

Page 2

Crop fell considerably short not only of my Expectations
but of every Bodys who saw it; but such as that Crop
is which consists of but 12 or 13 Hhd^s. I shall send it to you
by one of your Ships. I shall not send you any
Invoice this Year.

I hope before this that the Unconstitutional & impolitic
Acts are repealed. L^d. Botetourt seems very happy
here & is much liked. but some People suspend their
Judgement of him till after the Meeting of the
Assembly which is to be in May. My Wife
joins with me in best Wishes to you your Lady &
Family.

I am D^r. S^r.
yours sincerely John Page Jun^r.

P.S.
Jordan & Maxwell sent the Goods at last,
& have at length sold my Tob^o. but have not
sent me an Acc^t. Cur^t.
J.P.

Address leaf

To
Mess^rs. John Norton & Son
Merchants
in
London

Virg^a. the 10^th Apr^l. 1769
Jn^o Page Jun^r.

Rec^d. 27^th May 1769

Ans^d. the 26 Aug^st 1769
p Cap^t. Cocke

Stands D^r in J N'^s books
to store in Virg £41.19.6
Cash p^d him p JHN