Beschreibung:

Washington, GeorgeAutograph letter signed ("Go: Washington") as first President, to his nephew Bushrod Washington, regarding the estate of Col. Thomas Colvill
6 pages (233 x 160 mm, or slightly smaller, including marginal restoration) on three leaves of laid paper, Philadelphia, 10 February 1796; left margins (oriented from rectos) with substantial loss from water damage amounting to about one-quarter to one-third of each leaf and costing a similar portion of the text, neatly backed with archival tissue, not affecting legibility of versos and bringing the leaves to original size by supplying the marginal lacuna with the tissue, final line of text trimmed from bottom of first leaf.
President Washington enlists his nephew's assistance in discharging the duties of executor of the estate of Col. Thomas Colvill of Cecil County, Maryland, who had settled on the south side of Great Hunting Creek near Mount Vernon on land he had inherited from his brother John. "Shortly before his death in 1766, Thomas Colvill persuaded [Washington] to become one of his executors. [Washington] agreed, with the understanding that his role would be a nominal one. In reality he was to be involved periodically until at least 1797 in attempting to settle the confused claims of John Colvill’s English heirs and the claims against the estate arising from Colvill’s own role as his brother’s executor" (editorial note to letter to George Washington from Thomas Montgomerie, 24 October 1788, in Papers of George Washington, Presidential Series, ed. Twohig, 1: 63–66).
Please note: the text within brackets is lost from the present autograph letter signed and is supplied from the letterpress copy. Washington writes:
"On Saturday last I recei[ved your let]ter of the 24th Ulto.
"[Presu]ming that Mr Keith has sent [you all the a]ttested accounts of my Executor[ship] of the Estate of Colo. Thomas Colvill, in [which] the affairs of John Colvill his bro[ther (to w]hom he was Executor) were in[volved—tog]ether with the Will of the for[mer and t]he claims originating from an [extraordin]ary devise which you will find [therein, I am] at a loss to know what more [you require tha]n is contained in those pa[pers when you] wish I would give you the [general outlin]es of the business, that you [may be enabled] thereby to frame the Bill.—
"[I have] no Papers now, by me, except [copies of the acco]unts which have been set[tled with the Cou]rt; authentic copies of wch [I presume] you have received;— and having [very little] knowledge in Chancery proceed[ing I hard]ly know where to begin or end [a story that may subserve your purpose.] I will, however, att[empt to detail some facts] relative to the busin[ess which has involved me] in much unexpected [vexation & trouble in or]der that I may, as soon [as possible, be rid of it.]
"You must kno[w then that in a visit] to Colo. Thos Colvill on his d[eathbed (an unlucky] one I have ever since deem[ed it) he informed] me, that he had appointed m[e one of his Exrs—]I told him that my numerous eng[agements] of a similar kind, would not pe[rmit me to dis]charge the duties of one.— [He urged—I refu]sed—he pressed again; ass[uring me that all] the trouble would be taken [off my hands by] his wife, & Mr Jno. West (wh[o married his niece] that he wished only for [my name—and that] I would now & then on[ly enquire how matters] were conducting by th[ose just named. Un]willing to make the [last moments of a worthy] & respectable charact[er uneasy, I yielded to] his request, and [having so done I would] not be worse than [my word and qualified] accordingly: and, w[hen it suited my con]venience, occasionally ass[isted; until my] services were required by [the County in wch] I lived, to attend the State [Conventions at Williamsburgh & Richmond—by these Conventions to attend] the Congresses which [were held in this C]ity;—and by the latter to [take the comman]d of the Army: which, and [my continuanc]e with the latter comprehen[ded a period] of more than ten years.— At [the expirati]on of which, and my return [to private li]fe, I found that Mrs Colvill & [Jno. West w]ere both dead;—that no final [settl]ement of the Estate had been made.— [That every] thing relative to it was envelo[ped in dar]kness;—and that, instead of being [a mere au]xiliary in the business I was [compelled,] for my own security, to become [the sole Act]or.—"
Washington next introduces into this complex narrative James Keith Clerk of the Frederick County, Virginia, Court, who had transmitted to Tobias Lear, Washington's private secretary, the accounts of John Colvill’s estate with Washington in his capacity as the executor of Thomas Colvill’s estate:
"[U]nder these circumstances, [and a knowledge] of Mr Keiths fitness; from be[ing a professional] man;— from having been once [a Clerk of a Court,] & well acquainted with pro[ceedings of this ki]nd;— and from his knowledge [of incidents; I emp]loyed him to collect, and [digest the materia]ls, which were to be found [among the pape]rs of Mrs Colvill & West, into [a final Settlem]ent: & nothing short of his assi[duity & kno]wledge of the subject, could have [exhibited the] accounts in the manner they [have appe]ared. Sure I am, that I could not have framed th[e accounts from the materials] which were exhibi[ted.]
"I ought to [have mentioned in an] earlier part of this de[tail, that one of the] first acts of the Executor[s was to publish in] the English papers an ex[tract of the Will of] Colo. Thos Colvill making [the nearest relations] of his mother, his residuar[y Legatees. This] bequest & publication, raised a ho[st of clai]mants, one of whom, through th[e medium of General Howe, while he c[ommanded the B:] forces in America dema[nded in an open] impudent & imperious let[ter which passed] through the hands of that [officer the restitu]tion of an Estate worth [Forty thousand pd] which he said was the [Surplus of the Estate] & due to him:— altho [the very clause under] which he claimed, ex[pressed a doubt of their] being any surplus at [all.]
"If this co[ncise account is inade]quate to the purpose[s of a Bill, I pray you] to propound specific q[uestions, and they shall] receive immediate ans[wers. My objects] are simply these;— 1st, as [the surplus, after] paying the debts & Legaci[es, is not precise]ly ascertained; after man[y lawsuits, & much difficulty; I wish that] those who have the [best right to it, may] receive the benefit [of the donations—]and 2d, that I may know [where, & in wh]at manner to dispose of [the money; n]ot being willing to hold it myself, [nor to have] any thing to do with those [who may cl]aim it. I accordingly, as I [have been] advised, turn the whole matter [over] to the Chancellor;— who at the same [time th]at he affords relief to me, will do [Justice to] others. With sincere friend[ship, I am] Your affectionate Uncle
"Go: Washington"
In a lengthy autograph postscript, Washington describes a "bundle [of Papers]" relating to the estate that he is sending to Bushrod to deal with.
REFERENCE:Papers of George Washington, Presidential Series, ed. Hoth, 19: 448–51 (using the letterpress copy as copy text)
PROVENANCE:Sotheby's New York, 22 June 1981, lot 291 — William R. ColemanCondition reportCondition as described in catalogue entry.
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