John Norton letter to John Hatley Norton, 1769 May 27

John Norton letter to John Hatley Norton, 1769 May 27

John Norton, merchant of London, letter to his son, John Hatley Norton, merchant of Yorktown, Virginia. Norton writes his son in an attempt to settle accounts especially as they pertain to his store in Virginia. The accounts of a number of Virginians are mentioned as is some family and community news. Norton writes that he has read in Martha Goosley's letter to the orphan, William Reynolds, that 63 members of Colonel Digges family have died. These deaths followed a smallpox epidemic in Virginia. He also writes to inform his son that John Frere's wife, Jane Hookham Frere has given birth to a son and that Captain Hunter's wife has recovered from her inoculation. Concerning political matters, Norton expresses his desire that the Townshend Duties will be repealed at the next session of Parliament.

MS 1936.3.188
Folder 17

John Norton and Sons Papers, MS 1936.3

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

Ink on paper

Recto

London 27^th May 1769

D^r Hatley

My last was dated 29^th April p Cap^t. Cuzzins
to which refer, since have rec'd your's of 15^th March p Cap^t
Hamlyn & observe the contents. I have charged Aug: Smith
£7..13..8 for the hamper of Claret; I have reason to think, tho'
you don't positively say so, that you have possession of the
Goods intended for John Smith, if it is so, I should give
his Acc^t. Curr^t. credit by you for the same, I find his 8
hhds Tob^o. in Esten is to go to his Credit, agreeable to a
former Letter rec'd from you I Credited E Carys Acco^t. w^th.
two Bills for £13 each drawn on me by M^rs. S Thruston
& W Washington, you in your last Letter say those two
Sums should be carried to Credit of Acco^t. of Store in Virg^a.
the question is whether Cary paid for them out of my Cash
or not, which you must inform me. As to the remains of
the Goods amo^tg. to £629..14..9 Curr^y. taken by Cary & you
on your joint acco^t. being charg'd to E C^s. particular Acco^t.
it was enter'd so in the Store Journal bro^t. home by WR
but I tho^t. then it ought to be charge'd to you with the
rest of the Cargoes as you Account for the whole, & must
yet be enter'd to your Debit, when you inform me of your
having Credited him that Sum in my Store Books, you
say the Bonds of Stubbs put in my hands to collect are all
rec'd except Finnies which is for £86, but I can't well see
how that can be, if there is only a Credit of £577..1..8 Curr^y.
in favor of his Estate, the Bonds &c. put into my hands amo^td.
to £793..8. Curr^y. as will appear by a State of Stubbs Acco^t.
sent you some time ago, Stubbs Est^a. has no right to the
Interest rec'd for those Bonds &c. unless he is charg'd Interest
on his own Bond to counterballance it, as to Finnies debt

Page 2

I told J Thruston before I left Virg^a. I did not believe that would
ever be got, & was surpriz'd the Trustees took Finnies Son for
Security; I doubt there will be a puzzle in the Settlement
of Col^o. Baylors Acco^t. for want of your having the Acco^t. Cur^t.
I sent him by the Brilliant this year, in which he is charg'd
£764..2.. with Interest thereon, & an Interest on part
of the running Acco^t. I never gave Credit for M^r. L. Burwells
Dra^t. for £155. remitted as it was protested & sent back, & I
did not know but it had been deliver'd to Col^o. Baylor till
I rec'd the Acc^t. in your last Letter, & find it otherwise, this
Credit not being given in the books here makes my charge
of Interest more than is in your settlem^t. neither did I stop
the Interest for the remittance of his dra^t. on J Backhouse
for £100, there being more than the amo^t. thereof advanced
him in Sundry articles of Debit, as you'll see by a Copy
of his Acc^t. Curr^t. inclos'd for your regulation. I shall now
charge him £505..0..11 Stg for £631..6..1 Curr^y. amo^t. of the
Acco^ts. & Interest, viz^t., Moore & Baylors Bond, Moore & Neales d^o.
& Ball^ce. of I B^s. runing Acco^t. in the Store agreeable to the sev^l:
Acco^ts. transmitted me; I have found out the proprietors of the
39 hhds tob^o. p Lunn & Lloyd except the HW 6 hh'ds which
I suppose to be W Washington's, tho' I have no Letter concern^:g
them nor Bill of Loading in his name, I shall Acco^t. with him
for them, they are all Sold & deliver'd, but the Acco^ts. cant be
made up in time for the convey^ce. it was high time they
were dispos'd of, many of them being in a perishing state
M^r. John Armisteads but indifferent in quality, & damagd
by the Craft in the Country, which hurt them much, & the HWs
were mean, the prices as follow 25 at 3¾, 4 a 3⅝^d, 5 a 11^d, &
5 a 11¼^d I believe they are a poor bargain to the purchasers
& had not Tob^o. been scarce, I think they wou'd many of them

Page 3

been refus'd at the Scale, all the other Sales are sent by this
opport^y. Cap^t. Necks, p List inclos'd you which amo^t. to upwards
of £10. p hh'd on an Average, I see nothing of Geo. Wrights or
Parson Prices Tob^o., Garl^d. Andersons 9 hh'ds in Esten shall
be Insur'd, as also 35 hh'ds of M^r. Mann Pages agreeable
to his Letter just come to hand, he proposes sending 30 hhds
more by some other Ship, hope Goosley or Robertson will
get them. I have paid Cap^t. Sterling who is going out to
Jamaica £2..2.., by desire of M^rs. Ann Lightfoot,
I have never been able to make out any thing relative to
Seymour of Warwick's affair, on enquiry I find the people
are all dead long since, I knew nothing of C M T^s. letting
you have £40 Stg advanc'd to W Washington you never
mention'd it in any of your Letters, I must now Credit
C M T. for that Sum & Debit you therewith, you sent me
a mem^o. to charge him £75..11..3 Curr^y. ball^ce. of his Store
Acco^t. & £62..10.., you lent him at W^mburgh at 25 pC^t. Excha:
£110..9.., which Sum I have charg'd C M T. with accord^y.
let me know whether I am right in these transactions.
Washington must have had this money some consid^le. time,
At pres^t. Cha^s. on Merch^se. is Debited £5..12..6 to Jn^o. Clayton
for the amo^t. of the package of Iron missing, Robertson
has promis'd to enquire about it. I have Credit^d. E P Chamber:
Acc^t. here for Freight of 31 hhds Tob^o. in Robertson, Cap^t.
Thomsons E Carys & Geo. Brookes have carr^d. to Credit
of Store in Virg^a. at 25 pC^t. Excha. You mention being
in want of sev^l. Acco^ts. Curr^t. every persons was sent by
the Brilliant, several of them under cover to you, & a
List of Debts I likewise sent, I have since paid for Fra^s.
Leigh £50 to Gore of Liverpool & £70 part of his dra^t.
to D Jameson, agreeable to a former promise made him

Page 4

You say you have Inclos'd me Col^o. T Nelson's Store Acco^t.
amo^tg. to £48..5..2½ Curr^y. to be charg'd him here, no such
paper was in your Letter, Col^o. Snelsons Bill for £135
& R C Nicholas for £100, render'd on my own Acco^t. will
be good. I find you have not settled M^rs. Nelson's Acco^t.
with M^r. J Tucker, you don't mention the objection
but that he was affronted. I imagin'd if M^r. Nelson had
been ask'd, he wou'd have been kind enough to have settled
it, which wou'd have been better, as I suppose he has now
left Virg^a. I shall Debit you £21..3..6 Cash rec'd by y^o:
in 1767 on Snelson & C^o. Acco^t. also £6..13..8 to Chisman
10/1 to Kauffman & £5..4..8 to Edm^d. Byne, the last now
owes 4/3 for charges of a Protested bill return'd him, which
was not included in his last Acco^t. render'd,. M^rs. Jn^o. Frere
has lately got a Son. the Old people are still in Town
visiting Ranelaugh, Vaux Hall, & Playhouses, K Wrays
Wife is very near bringing forth, & Cap^t. Hunters Wife
got over her inoculation with great ease, we are all well
except Poor Harry who is much as usual, It is generally
believ'd the vile Law of Taxation will be repeald at the
next meeting of Parliam^t. M^r. Mills of the Navy Office
tells me he heard from good Authority that his Majesty
has given his word it shou'd be repeal'd, I only say I wish
it may be so, For latest News must refer you to Necks & the
paper inclos'd, I have ship'd a few Goods in him for Miss Mary
Davenport, Jaq: Ambler, Jn^o. Lewelling, & R C Nicholas. there
is a Box mark'd R^NA N^o2. which contains two Metzotinto prints
fram'd of Paoli just publish'd, tho^t. to be very finely executed from
an original in the Exhibition, one of them desire. M^r. Nicholas

Page 5

acceptance of, the other, M^r William Nelsons.
I shall not add at present except to convey our best wishes
to you you & are glad to hear of your recovery. I am

D^r. Hatley
Yours, Affectionately
John Norton

Inclos'd you have Sales of 32 hh'ds HIS which pray deliver
viz^t. 31 Hh'ds p Brilliant Nett Proceed £333..14..6
1 p Farmer 8..6..
£342.. ..6

PS.
Since I sent my box of Letters onb^d. Cap^t. Necks have rec'd
many Letters from our Correspondents p the Middleton
Cap^t. Clarke one of them from M^rs. Goosley to Will^m. Reynolds
mentions the severe stroak that has happen'd to poor Col^o.
Digges in the Loss of 63 of his Family, tis impossible for
me to answer any of these Letters at present. have got a
Letter from Cap^t. Sinclair dated 20^th last month advising his
arrival at Viego where he has sold his Cargo his Letter
was so long coming to hand that I had made the Insurance
on him some time before I rec'd it, the Contents of all the Letters
shall be observ'd. W. S. is an arch wag & suppose he is
interested in filling up R. B'^s. draft to G. W for £50 but
believe it will not have the desir'd effect. R. B is too modest
to advise of this draft.

Page 6

London 27^th May 1769
John Norton
Rec^d. Aug^st.
Answer'd D^o.

London 27^th May
1769

M^r Norton.
Answ^d.

relates to Stubbs Affairs
as well as to other matters

quere the £40 St:g advan^d
W: Washington by C. M. Thruston
J.H.N.^s Acc^t. Curr^t. is charged, &
St must have Credit by W. W.
if not already done

The Remains of Goods in JN^s.
Store J.H.N. had nothing to do
w^th. if cause not chargeable
w^th. part of the Amount

Address leaf

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

p y^e. Reward
Cap^t. Necks