Robert Carter Nicholas letter to John Norton & Son, 1771 September 7

Robert Carter Nicholas letter to John Norton & Son, 1771 September 7

Robert Carter Nicholas letter to John Norton, merchant of London, England. Norton writes to order various goods, including scales for the Treasury and gardens seeds listed on a separate invoice. Nicholas complains of the poor quality of goods sent previously and informs Norton that others are making similar complaints. He requests Norton pay other merchants, from his account, for goods he wants shipped including a pipe of Madeira. Nicholas notes that he hasn't seen John Hatley Norton recently and expects the tobacco crop will be short. Nicholas also requests a number of items be sent for the Reverend Gwatkin and that they be charged to his own account.

MS1936.3.508
Folder 46

John Norton and Sons Papers, MS 1936.3

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

Ink on paper

Page 1

Williamsburg 7^th. Sep^r. 1771

Dear Sirs.

Inclosed you'll receive an Invoice for
my Family & Plantation Necessaries, which you'll be
pleased to insure & send over in the Spring. Some of the Artic:
cles I should be glad to receive as early as possible; such
as garden Seeds, Cheese Porter & Lemons. I have for some
time past intended to mention to you the Complaints I have
heard of the high Prices of Goods shipt by your House compared
with others. The Importers are apt to lay the Blames
upon the Merchant, where the Fault is in the Tradesman,
who I fear are too apt, if not very well attended to,
to put off their old Shop keepers at most exorbitant
Rates. Several Articles in my last Invoice M^rs. Nicholas
assures me are charged higher than they could be bought
in the Stores of Williamsburg, dear as they are The Seeds :
man I can't but complain of for sending such a parcel
of Trumpery, several of the Articles are Weeds in this
Country, & many of the Seeds not good. Tho' I could wish
to have such Things as I write for good in Kind & upon
the lowest Terms, yet I have been more concern'd to hear
complaints from others, as it really gives me pain to
know that my Friends are found fault with. I have desired
M^r. Perks of Bristol to ship me a few Articles from
thence, which I think are cheaper at that port than
London, & have desired him, if he chuses it, to draw
on you for the Money, which I beg the favour of
you to pay. Mess^rs. Scott & C^o. of Madeira have also my
Directions to draw on you for a Pipe of Wine annually.
In a late Letter I desired the favour of you to send me a large

Page 2

sent   p^r. of Money Scales & well tried Weight for the Treasury
sufficient to weigh ab^t £200 in Silver. I could wish
to have them fix'd to a large strong Beam as the last one,
& I need not tell you that much depends upon their Good:
ness; the last were of this Sort, very exact & true.

I have not seen y^r. J.H.N. for some time,
he is up the Country & I hope well. My best Wishes &
sincerest Regards always attend you & yours, as I am very
truly,
D^r. Sirs,
Y^r. aff^te. & mo. ob^t. Serv^t
Ro. C. Nicholas

sent   I should be glad of ten
pounds of best & freshest
prunes by the first Opportunity
in pots of ab^t. 2 lb.

SInce writing the above I am desired by my Acquain:
tance The Rev^d. M^r. Gwatkin to send for the following Arti:
cles for him; I beg the favour of you to let me have
them as soon as possible & that they may be the best
in kind; charge my Acc^t. with the amount & let
me have a particular separate Acc^t. of them.

Sent   5 y^ds. best super fine black br^d. Cloth; 7 y^ds. fine
Shalloon for Lining; Barket Coat & waistcoat
Buttons & other necessary Trimmings

It seems agreed on all Hands that the present Crop of
Tob^o. will be very short; indeed our best & most fertile
Tob^o. Lands have been so much injured that I much ques:
tion wheter we shall ever again see such Crops
as we have had NB.

Page 4

Virg^a. 7^th Sep^r. 1771
R C Nicholas
Rec'd Y^e. 30^th Oct^o. 1771 Ex'd

Goods ent^d. pa: 424
425. 426. 427-
Garden Seeds &c to be sent
p first opport^y. ent^d. pa: 399
Ans^d the 12 Nov
p Cap^t. Kusden