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George Washington rented the slaves from Mrs. Penelope Manley French, widow of Daniel French of Rose Hill. In July 1799, Washington wrote to Mrs. French's son-in-law, Benjamin Delany about returning the slaves.

This document is a report of the recent work done at George Washington's Mount Vernon estate: Spinning, yarn and stocking yarn, making shirts, stockings. Work done by 10 women, all named.

Report of work recently accomplished at Mount Vernon by 8 named women: Spinning hemp, stocking yarn and shoe thread; making shirts, sheets and shift, knitting stockings.

Report of recent work done at George Washington's Mount Vernon estate by 8 women: Spinning tow, "sown shoe maker Thread," stocking yarn, winding twine for seine maker, a shift & knitting stockings, "making 13 bax" [bags?].

Washington's farm manager reports the bad conduct of Thos. Green, carpenter -- will not use delegated authority concerning Green, because realizes he is necessary -- good men are hard to come by -- suggests an addition of carpenters, or estate will be a long time in improving -- mentions all the buildings that need to be built or repaired -- wishes farms to look neat -- will put up fences and gates -- suggests moving post and rail fence at Dogue Run to make meadow correspond to fields -- new corn house going up at River farm -- will move Rich's house to Muddy Hole, for David's house likely to be blown down by high wind -- engaged planks and scantling for [Dogue Run] barn from Mr. Kenzie -- Green keeps sawyers about the corn house -- poor Maj. Washington cannot recover, but he doesn't consider himself fatally ill -- G.A. Washington desires him to continue building on his house -- has treated Whitting like a brother -- will keep carpenters on G.A. Washington's house until they run out of work and he will order no more scantling -- has planted hedges of honey locust, French furz, and cedar berries, but sheep eat them -- need nettle fences on each side of hedge to enable it to grow -- hedges must be given much care to grow -- advises English thorn imported for live fences and estimates cost -- Lombardy and weeping willow cuttings planted about the Mansion house fences -- River plantation will be hard to fence -- Mr. Stuart advises water fences there -- a batteau is needed for this -- should it be built in Alexandria or by one of carpenters? -- Mr. Butler and he can carry on the hedging and fencing, including the night work -- grubbing proceeds to line of locust trees below Vineyard -- will make it a year of fencing -- little wool to spin -- spinning sewing thread and candlewick of tow -- Caroline unwell -- bled her -- trouble with Charlotte -- whipped and refuses to work -- claims she hasn't been whipped for 14 years -- will try to make seine twine -- deer destroying trees at mansion house, especially mulberry -- ice house not filled -- Dr. Stuart and young man managing Custis estates take plough to White House to use as pattern -- Mr. Ring present manager -- shorts from mill can be ground over as ship stuff or fed to cattle -- high price of flour in Alexandria.

Paid account to Porter & Ingraham, after satisfying himself they were valid--will no more let mares or jennets be taken away from Mt. Vernon before being paid for breeding with Jacks--rest of mares from Mr. Zantzinger have come--encloses his letters [see letters of March 9 & 14, P. Zantzinger to G.A.W.]--is making inquiries for person to take Fairfax's place as overseer--son of James DeNeil is no good in job at Dr. Stuart's--Mr. Gevins is good, but wants his own plantation when Fitzhugh lets him go--has had application from Anthony Whiting, an Englishman, who seems to know the whole business but wants 40 Guineas--gave Gen. Cadwallader as reference--has given Mr. Bloxham his notice and he wants to leave immediately--Davy doesn't want to go to Dogue Run as overseer--pleads his recent jaundiced condition as reason--Will not as good as Davy, but considers him for Muddy Hole--gives number of hogsheads of tobacco prized--Gardener [Ehler] laments no cabbage seed came with other seeds and buckwheat from Biddle--he's fond of flowers but promises to attend to more practical things--"The posts which stood against the Barn, at the Mansion house I had put within shortly after you left Home."--too wet to complete fencing at Deep Run--when Bishop Green went away, secured the house--they are living at place of Col. McCarty's where Mrs. Barnes formerly lived--dampness delays and hampers sowing--a severe sickness among horses and mules--fluctuating wheat prices--sold all on hand, gives prices taken.

Safe arrival of Will--expected him home at Mt. Vernon sooner--his great anxiety to do right in Washington's affairs--considering moving Anthony Whiting to place occupied by Fairfax when he goes--estimate of Whiting's capabilities and character--Garner [Wm. Gardener, overseer of the River Plantation?] is leaving too, wants higher wages--Mr. Gwin in Alexandria has recommended a young boy of respectable family to take Garner's place--he has had no experience--no family--George A. Washington disagrees with Washington's theory of having all married men--cheaper to have single one--work terms of new overseer--wheat and buckwheat--corn seed sent from New York good--corn crop--"... a piece of wood of the kind and dimensions you denoted shall be prepared ..."--very little ice left--Peter and Godfrey busy with small odd jobs--mares in pasture are mischievous and troublesome--terrible rain storm and winds delay work--corn broken down--weather warm until yesterday--very cool--red corn George Washington sent destroyed by insects, dying in the hill--pumpkin seed from Col. Platt's prizes he thinks will flourish.

Informing Washington of affairs at Mt. Vernon, the condition of the negroes, advising some improvements to Mt. Vernon, and information about the movements of the British.

Major George A. Washington gone to Berkeley so he will address him [Whitting] on Mount Vernon matters -- send weekly reports -- corn at the mill should be ready -- gather this corn & stalks together for fodder -- plant this meadow in grass -- further instructions on harvesting and seeding -- all autumn grain and grass to be put in as soon as possible -- wants an overseer for Dogue Run, a man with a small family -- house for overseer, can move one from the Mansion to Dogue Run easier than build a new one, add a brick chimney -- this was originally at Dogue Run -- instructions for Tom Davis, bricklayer, about "the other Wing of the Green House" -- be sure brick work on old & new walls coincide exactly -- instructions for Will, "if ... is not likely to provide shoes enough for the Negroes in due Season" -- clover -- use the barn floor to tread wheat -- not to use Mr. Lund Washington's smith for work on Harrows, Mt. Vernon's smiths are competent -- how is wheat crop -- if 335 bushels all? -- crop short indeed.

In this letter George Washington writes to Lewis about the rent and value of his various properties along with the slaves that work on those properties, although he writes about his aversion "to sell the over-plus [of negroes] I cannot because I am principled against this kind of traffic in the human species. - To hire them out, is almost as bad, because they could not be disposed of in families to any advantage, and to disperse the families I have an aversion."