Hancock family papers, 1712-1854 (inclusive). Volume JH-6 John Hancock letterbook (business), 1762-1783. Mss:766 1712-1854 H234. Baker Library Historical Collections, Harvard Business School.

We hope Soon to hear from you, and to Receive our Goods, No {Account} of {Captain} [strikethrough] Loring [/strikethrough] Blake, when he arrives shall follow your Directions Respecting his Vessell.

There is a little on board this Ship on Freight of which the {Master} will Render you an an {Account}. We are unable to foreward you the {Account} of the Ship by this {Opportunity} but will Endeavour it by next; We propose to hold one third, your selves one third, & as Mr. Folger declines holding so large a share as a third, if Aggreeable to you, we Approve to Divide that third between Mr. Folger & Cahill, if he likes, as he may be of Service to the Ship, of this you will determine & write us. We have {Promised} the Ship to Mr. Scott on her Return.

We are much hurried, cant Enlarge, must Refer to our Next for what we have further to Say. Rejoyce to hear your Mr. Barnard is upon the Recovery, hope his health will be {Established}, & wish our best {Compliments} to him & Family & yourselves, we Remain with perfect Esteem,

{Gentlemen} Your most {Obedient Servants} Messrs {Jonathan} Barnard & Co.

[postscript] Our T H has {Received} of Sewall & Lewis near £300 {Sterling} & has a prospect of Closing that whole Mortgage &c. shortly

[lower right margin, vertical] By {Captain} Coffin By {Captain} Hunter ------------------------ Boston {November} 9 1763 {Gentlemen} Bad weather has {Detained} our Ship, which Gives us {Opportunity} to Acknowledge the {Receipt]}of your {Esteemed} {favor} of 15 & 23rd {September} by {Captain} Blake just Come to hand we duly note the Contents. You may Rely we shall do our best for your Interest Respecting the Ship Adventure, & shall Consult {Captain} Blake, & then pursue such methods as judge most Advantageous to you. A Freight back to London cannot be [{procured}, & if can't get a Price for the Ship agreeable, shall use the utmost Dispatch in Loading her for the West Indies, of {which} you shall be Seasonably {Advised}. We shall also use our best Endeavours to Dispose of the Articles you {Consigned} us on {your} own {Account} with the Cable to the best Advantage. As to the Circumstances & Character of Mr. Fry of Salem, we can Say nothing, as we never heard of the man, but will make Enquiry & Acquaint you in our next.

We can't Add, as the Wind is coming to the Westward, intend the Ship shall Sail Directly.

We Refer you to our next for what we have further to say, and are with perfect Esteem,

{Gentlemen} Your most {humble Servants} Messrs {Jonathan} Barnard & Co. -------------------------------------------------------------------

Boston, {November} 4 1763 {Gentlmen} I {Received} your Letter Dated London 21st May last, with the Papers Inclosed, Relative to the William Galley, {Captain} Covenhoven, and am to Acquaint you that I wrote William Beth Esq. of Amsterdam on the 18th of March last of Copy thereof I here Inclose you of Acquainting him of the Death of John Wendell Esqr. who was {Captain} Peter Covenhoven's Attorney, & {possessed} of all the Papers & Powers of Attorney, and was the only man Acted in the Affair from the beginning. You will see by my Letter to Mr. Beth, I have wholly Declined Acting in the Affair, on the {Account} of my Health, having been Confined near a Year, with the Gout &c. I am to Desire you therefore to Acquaint Mr. Beth & {Captain} Covenhoven, that I cannot Act in the Affair, neither am I possest of any one Paper or Power, & Advise that some other {Gentleman} may be {Impowered} to prossecute the Affair. John Wendell Esq. Deceased has a Son, John Wendell, well knowing in the Affair, who Administered on his Father's Estate & has all the Papers in his Hands, a very Active Sensible Young {Gentleman} believe would be very Serviceable, could he be Employed in the Business. As to his Circumstances, am not Acquainted, he Lives at Portsmouth in New Hampshire Government. I can heartily Recommend the following {Gentlemen} of the Law, if Mr. Beth, or {Captain} Covenhoven think proper to Impower, with Mr. John Wendell, & they may Depend any of them will Serve them faithfully, Viz. James Otis Esq., Oxenbridge Thatcher Esqr. or Robert Auchmuty Esqr.

I am heartily Sorry for the unfortunate Affair, & that it's not in my Power to Assist in Getting Justice done to the {Concerned}.

I am, {Gentlemen}, Your most {Obedient} {Humble} {Servant}

[*By {Captain} Coffin *] --------------------------------------------------------------- Boston {November} 7 1763 Sir, We duly {Received} your {favour} of the 12th March, Inclosing us your Power to Receive of Mr. Jacob Royall your Bond & Mortgage of Lands, from {Captain} Bumar esq which we {Received}, and have Employed him to Search the Records, & Look after the Lands therein Described, and Inclosed you have a Return of the Land's Value, to which Refer.

You Observe there is 303 Acres Taken into the Province of New Hamshire, & in their Possession, & not to be {Recovered}, as you are here Informed, without an Application to King & Council, of this you will Consider, whether it's worth your while to be at the Expence of, as there is many People in this Country have Lands Taken from in the same Manner, & have Gone through Law Suits, Lost their Cases, no Doubt will be willing to Join you, should it be worth your while to make Application Home.

We have paid for Examination of the Records, Postage of Letters &c. £ [blank] Sterling.

We are, Sir Your most {Obedient} {Humble} {Servants} Andrew Lefsley Esqr.

[* By {Captain} Hunter*] [*By {Captain} Coffin*]

Boston Novem[be]r 8th 1763

Sir

We wrote you of the 27th Ult[im]o where you had three Setts of Lists from 13th June to 4th Sept[embe]r 1763. Duplicates we here Inclose; as also several Letters & Returns of Provisions from Mr. Winslow & Williams, Letters likewise from Mr. Gerrish & Victualling Certficates of the late Mr. Steel's, which Mr. Williams thought might be of Use to you; You have also Certificates of the [?] of Bread Condemned, which belong'd to the old Bread you paid the Governm[en]t for, & which must be repaid you again, all the rest was Issued. We have Sent you every thing we have, which thought might be Serviceable to you in Regard to your Contract, to which Refer. You will see what Mr. Winslow writes in Regard to the Casks, Bags, &c &c, and in Regard to the future Lists, to make out your Numbers, which think will be the best method; the Casks will hardly pay the Freight, though we have made a small Profit on what we Rec[eive]'d, but it's Difficult to get them freighted up, as the Coasters generally Lead with Wood, they get more by, than by bringing up the Casks, but shall still Insist upon having them Sent up, as they have Opportunity; the Bags will Serve twice, with the Expence of mending. We have Drawn on you for £2000 Sterl[in]g in fav[ou]r of Messrs Barnard & Co., Cash Advanc[e]'d for Carrying on your Victualling Contract, but as the Supplies are not quite Com= =pleated up to June next, cant Get your Acco[un]tts ready to Send by this Ship, but are upwards of £500, Sterl[in]g more in Advance than what have Drawn for. We have Just Rec[eive]'d a Letter from Mr. Gerrish Acquainting us, Mr. Townsend has Consented to his Acting in your Affairs again, shall therefore Satisfy Mr. Tidmarsh for what he hath done & Mr. Gerrish will Accept to act again for Annapolis & Chignecto, that while the Victualling Stands, as it does at present, he will Continue to forward the Certificates, as usual, from those Posts, for which we shall Allow him what's Reasonable, for his Trouble, & as we think it most for your Interest, we shall Continue him in the Business, & Expect those two Posts will make out your Numbers, & Mr. Gerrish is to send Provisions there for Mr. Townsend, for what may be more than your 500. You'll please to Tell us what to Allow for this Service. We are Sorry to Acquaint you that the Pork, Beef, & other Species of Provisions will be very high next Year Occasioned by the two last year's Dought, will not be Recover'd soon that at present cannot Accept your Contract, & if any body will Take it on the Terms you mention, we would Advise you by all means to Accept the Offer. We are much Obliged to yow for Giving us the Preference. We shall write you with your Acco[un]tt soon, meanwhile will Consider further upon the Affair, & Give you our final Determination. Pork is now 18 Dollars p[er] Barrell, not to be had, & we are putting up some Beef to Compleat Victualling up to June, which will Turn out something Cheaper than Pork.

We are with... the greatest Respect. Sir Your most Obed[ien]t Humble Serv[an]ts

PS We made Application to the Commanding Officer at Halifax for Repairing the [Casmates?] at Chegnecto, & was promised it should be done, but can't find they are yet Repaired.

Matthew Woodford Esq[ui]r[e].

[Right margin:] By Capt Coffins By Capt Hanter

Boston Novem[ber] 14 [damaged]

Gent[leme]n

We wrote you of 7th & 9th Ins[tan]t by our Ship Boston Packett Nathaniell Coffin Mas[te]r and are Sorry to Tell you the she still lays in the Road waiting for a wind, & fear it will hold easterly some Time, but she will Embrace the first fair wind, & Judge it will Continue westerly some time after the Weather is Settled. We wrote you that Blake was Arriv'd, & that we should do our best for your Interest Respecting your orders about the Ship Adventure as also in the Disposall of the Articles you Consign'd us on your own Acco[un]tts with the Cable.

This Serves to Desire you will please to make Insurance on the Boston Packett, Vizt On her Cargo to the Am[ount] of £3000 Sterl[in]g, and on the Ship £12 or £1400 Sterl[in]g, she is a good Vessell, Strong & well found, & hope you will be able to get it Done at a low Prem[iu]m. We how ever hope she may be with you be fore this Reaches you, but if not, judge it no way prudent to Neglect making this Insurance.

As the Ship will want Ballast, be fore she Takes in Freight for this place, we Desire you will please to Ballast her with Grindstones on our Acco[un]tt or partly on your own if you chuse, Say Twenty or Thirty Chaldron of the follow[in]g Dimensions, Vizt

[table]

12 Chaldron	3 foot Grindstones	18 Stones
4 Chald[ro]n	4 foot Do	9 Do
4 do	5 foot Do	6
1 Do	6 foot Do	3, or in the Same proportion for a larger Quantity ~

We have not put the full Value on the Ship, but if you Judge it best to be fully Insur'd you will please to Insure £16 or £1700 Sterl[in]g on the Ship.

This we Send to N[ew] York for Conveyance, have wrote you fully by our Ship to w[hi]ch Refers, where you had our Bill on M. Woodford for £2000.

We cant add as the Post is going off, but that we are with Esteem Gent[leme]n Your most {Obed[ien]t Serv[an]ts}

Messrs Jona[than] Barnard & Co.

[left margin, vertical] By Captain Hunter Via N[ew] York

[postscript] Our T H Asks the fav[ou]r that Mr. Harrison will please to get made & sent him 1 Neatt Bag Wig 1 Neat Bob Wig [listed items have right bracket pointing to the following] Fashionable, & of a light Colour, the Size of Mr. Barnard's will nearly Suit. the Tie Wig Mr. Birch made, which J H Brought with him fitted very well. The Cost of these Mr. Harrison will Charge in his little Acco[un]tt with JH.

[second postscript] Capt Bruce Arriv'd in the Road yesterday, has the Small Pox on board, that he will not be up to Town some Time.

[third postscript] As Pork will be Scarce & Dear here we think if it be at a moderate Price in Ireland, a Cargo would Come to a good Markett here to be Early, we have wrote you by the Boston Packett to Ship us 250 Barrells & 100 Firkins of Butter to be here in all March if possible, we now Desire you to Send us Double the Quantity at the lowest Freight, & if no oppor[tunit]y to this place Ship it to Halifax to the Address of Benj[amin] Gerrish Esq. Or if you prefer a Concern in

in [illegible]ing a small Vessell to this place, we will Stand the half, and think some Beef might Answer, but it must be here early; if you do not incline, we must Depend you will Send us the Quantity we wrote for, as Soon as possible. -----------------

Boston Novem[be]r 25th 1763

Gent[lemen]

The foregoing we Confirm Copies of our last, since which we have Rec'd your fav[ou]r by Capt Bruce, Capt Hooper not yet Arriv'd, we observe you had Shipt us Two Chests of Tea by him. What of our Goods by Blake that are on shore & opened Turn out well, except the Single piece of Scarlet Whitney we wrote for, which as we limited no Price, & mention'd it was solely for our T H & Family's use this Winter, we Judg'd you would have been a little Attentive to Send it of the very best, had the Expence been twice as much, instead of that, you have sent a common Colchester Baize of a bad Colour, & so immoderately Coarse, that it is entirely useless, & some Disappointment to T H, & will hardly Answer for common Sale at the Price; We are not apt to Fault you, but this we could not help mentioning; & have to Desire in future that you will please, to when any Article is wrote for Family use, to Send it of the very best kind, Cost what it will. You have also Sent us a parcell of Shalloons, w[hi]ch we never wrote for, & are so very ordinary, that we don't Expect ever to Sell them, they do not Answer here to be so Coarse.

We have Drawn on you a Sett of Bills Dated 22d Nov[embe]r in fav[ou]r of Benjamin Horrocks Esq. for £131. 10/- Sterl[in]g, which you will please to honour & Charge our {Acco[un]tt. This was in Consequence of a Bill Mr. Horrocks bro't from Halifax drawn on us by Jos[eph] Woodmass whose Bill you Return'd us Protested, & when we Acquainted Mr. Woodmass of its Fate, he Remitted us the Value; but a few Days after he writes us that he had Rec'd his Acco[un]tt Curr[en]t from Mr. W[illia]m Woodmass in London, in which he Charges him with the Paym[en]t of the Bill we Remitted you for £ 482 Sterl[in]g & at same Time writes us he should Draw for the Amo[unt] of what he had Remitted us; we at first Refus'd to Accept the Bill, at least till we heard from you again, but upon Considering that our Refusal might prove a Disadvantage to Mr. Woodmass, we finally Accepted it for his honour, & Desire you will write us positively whether you have any prospect of obtain[in]g paym[en]t of the bill for £482, for it is very odd that he should be Charg'd with paym[en]t of the Bill, & we have no Advice of its being paid.

We hope soon to hear that you have Receiv'd the Money for Cummings Bill on the New Power, & that Debbiege has paid the whole of his Acco[un]tt. Mr. Geo[rg]e Bastide writes us he has paid you the £9 Sterl[in]g, we Inclos'd you his Rec[eip]t for some time ago Should you not be able to Settle Cumings Affair, do send us the Bill with protest, as we will not wait any longer.

We hope this will find our Ship safe Arriv'd with you, & that she is to your Liking, she Sail'd 10 Days ago, we cannot now Send you her Cost, but will as soon as possible, we cannot yet get in all the Bills. pray give her dispatch on your side.

We hope Soon to hear from you and are with Sincere Esteem, Gent[leme]n Your most Obed[ien]t Serv[an]ts,

Messrs Jona[than] Barnard & Co.

[Right margin:] By Capt Hunter By Capt Calef