Townsend, William Blair, 1723-1778. William Blair Townsend letter and receipt books, 1743-1805, bulk 1744-1777. Mss:766 1743-1805 T752, Volume 1, Baker Library Historical Collections, Harvard Business School.

Boston 8^th Aprille 1745

{Mister} Christopher Guin

Sir This acknowledges with respect your Letter 18^th March {per} {Captain} Coker who you have consigned to me. Was very sorry he was so un- =lucky as to come just after an Embargo was laid on all Shipping above a Month, not only as to disposing of your Tarr, but hindring the Vessells Return. If it had not been for the embargo, she should have sailed in three days af- ter she came in, for I had advanced the Cash for what I now send you, before I sold your Tarr, for I have just sold it, & did not know I could have sold it so soon for this embargo. Is not as yet of, w^ch stops Vessells from going out that would want it, & there is severall Vessells come in lately from Carolina, w^ch believe will lower the Price [?] of Tarr at present. Have sold yours at 45/. & thought it would be more for your advantage to sell it directly than keep it longer & the price should be the same. Herein you have Inclosed your Invoice & Bill [Ladan?] for sundry goods [?] shipt you & expences for the Schooner I have advanced, as also acc^tt Sales of your Tarr & acc^tt Curr^tt by w^ch you will find how I have disposed of your effects & what is due to you or me. Have not got her port charges as yet, but will before the Vessell sails, w^ch will be today if I can prevail with the Governour to let her go, & what shall be still com- =ing to you will remitt {per} {Captain} Bacon to you in Rum. For whom I am about buy- =ing a Vessell to come to you. I observe your orders ab^t hiring a Vessell for you & if you like her you will take her but there is no such thing at present as hiring a Vessell being most gone on the expedition against Cape Breton w^ch if they succeed hope will make Trade brisk again. {Colonel} Payton has [?] me for a Vesselle, but I cant procure one suitable. I have took a journey of 40 miles to obtain this for you. Begg you would get your Cargo in readiness for her, that she may not be hinder'd. If you should send some light pay in her Cargo, believe it would do very well. I shall write you more particularly about the Vesselle {per} {Captain} Bacon. Should be glad of a Line from you {per} First opportunity, to know how I have suited. I have charged you no more for my Comm^s than is Customary & as I have from severall {Gentlemen} in your River am much oblidged to you for your Consignment & you may always de- =pend upon my doing the best for you I possibly can. Please to accept my hearty Service to your self & Family & am w^th due Esteem & offers of further Service to you & your Friends

Sir {your} Very {humble} {Servant}

Tarr @ 45/. Pitch @ 55/. Tallow 2/6 [?] Hides 20. Dears Skin 8/. drest {ditto} 14/ [?] {per} {Captain} Coker Wader

Boston 22^d Aprill 1745

{Colonel} {Benjamin} Payton

Sir Inclosed you have acc^tt Sales & acc^tt Curr^tt of your Skins, & Hides, by which you will find Ballance due to me [pound symbol]76.19.2. (old Tenor) which would be glad you would ship me in some light pay assoon as you can, having advanced the Cash for all I have sent you

I observe in your Letter to me, you wrote me about being con- =cerned together in a Vessell to use the Trade, which as I wrote you I like very well, & have been looking out for a Vessell both in the Country & Boston for that purpose. I believe there never was a Time, Vessells were so scarce as at present. I have bought the Sloop Carolina whereof {Captain} Bacon is now Master for {Mister} Guin, but as I wrote him if she did not suit him, I should profferr her to you. I should be willing to be a Third myself & cant but think she is Cheap. She will turn out the whole of her about Eigteen hundred pounds, but if {Mister} Guin dont take her shall order the Master to show you her acctt. People in generall are almost distracted here about Vessells. I could have sold her Ten Times for the money I gave for her. I am sure you could not build such a Vessell for Two thousand pounds. Her Sails Cable & Anchor & Rigg^g would almost fetch the Money. As to the Bare Hull of a Vessell it is nothing but Duck & Rigging make a great alteration, but you may see her yourself & act your pleasure upon the whole. Hope if they succeed at Cape Breton it will make Trade brisk again. {Captain} Fletcher in our Country Sloop has taken a prize coming from Martineco to Cape Breton worth Five or Six Thousand pounds. Have had no News from the Fleet lately. Should be glad of a Line from you {per} first opportunity & am with due Respect & offers of Service,

Sir {your} Very {humble} {Servant}

NB. the Sloop is 49[?]2 feet Keil 7[?]2 feet Hold ab^t 72 Ton & in the Hold & upon Deck will carry Six hundred {barrels} & more

{per} {Captain} Bacon Morton

Boston 17^th May 1745

Sir This acknowledges {the} above as Copy of my last, since which have none of yours. {Mister} Hubbard & myself have wrote you together {per} this Conveyance concer. the Vessell we have Charter'd you & {Captain} Stone the w^ch I referr you. Should be glad if so be my Trans- actions of what you Consign'd me {per} {Captain} Stone Bacon does prove to Content you would favour me with the Consignments of what you shall send this way for the future & I know I can suit you as well as any Man as I lay down the Cash For all I send you & so you have them at the cheapest Lay. If so be {Mister} Guin should take the Sloop I sent him would have you look of this Sloop now Consign'd to you & the Owner being himself in the Vessell you may talk with him your self & write me accordingly. A Line from you I should esteem a Favour & am with Esteem

Sir {your} Very {humble} {Servant}

{per} {Captain} Morton

Boston 21^d Aprill 1745

{Mister} {Christopher} Guin

Sir My last to you was {per} {Captain} Coker & Wade the former of which I hope is with you before now. This waits on you with Respect to acquaint you that I have purchased the Sloop Carolina whereof {Captain} Bacon is now Master for you. Have sent you her acc^tt with my disbursments & Comm. You have her at the same lay I gave myself & paid the Cash. She is forty nine feet Keel & seven & half feet in the Hold. She is full Seventy Two Ton & will carry ab^t five hundred & Seventy {barrels} in her [?] Hold & fifty upon her Deck. To be sure I cant but think she is cheap, & is generally thought so by them, who have seen her. I was afraid on my own acc^tt for my own part, whether I should have been able to have obtained one on any Acc^tt, for I believe Vessells & hands were never so scarce since Boston has been settled as they are at present. People are almost distracted after Vessells, the Embargo being just taken off & so many Vessells gone on the Expedition & no Vessell to be got, make us very uneasy. I wanted to have got Two Vessells for Two {Gentlemen} in Carolina. I am very uneasy in particular as to {Colonel} Payton, who wrote me for one but I have taken all the pains for him I could both in the Country & in Boston, but I have now wrote him if this Sloop should not suit you I would order her to him, but I believe you will be sensible She is cheap. I am sure you could not build her now for Two thousand pounds. You will find her Rigging & Sails ^^are good, w^ch you are sensible are very essentiall things in a Vessell. As to the Ca[?] Hull of a Vessell you might purchase very Cheap, but Duck & Cordage are so risen here that it would mount up the Price of Vessells incredibly. I should have added the [Pordidge?] Bill to the other Charges upon her, but Hands being so scarce she must go out before I can get any. But will send you the Pordidge Bill w^ch if you please you may add yourself. Hope you will not detain the Vessell whether you buy her or no, but I sent you these Acc^tts accord^g to your orders, as you purpose to take her at Carolina. I suppose if you take her you propose to keep her running constantly from you Here.

I have consign'd the Sloop to you & given the Master orders to wait your Commands, & he is as proper a Master for her as you could have had. I could not but approve of your judgment in fixing upon him. He should assoon go in a Vessell of mine as any man I know off.

Should be glad of a Line from you assoon as possible & in the Interim am with Due Respect

Sir {your} Very {humble} {Servant}

pitch @ 55/. Tarr 45/. Tallow [?] {per} [?] [Dear?] Skins 8/. drest {Ditto} 14/. Hides 20 {per} [?] {per} {Captain} Bacon Morton

Boston 17^th May 1745

{Doctor} Walley Chauncy

Sir Have rec'd none from you since Bacon. This may serve to inform you that we have at last light of a Sloop to sent to {Colonel} {Benjamin} Payton & {Captain} Stone accord^g to their Subscriptions & expect {Mister} Jones will putt in the Number he proposed to subscribe for & hereby you will have an opportunity to ship my Effects as you proposed. It is with very great diffi= =culty we have got a Vessell for I never knew Vessells so scarce in my Life. I am intirely a Stranger to {Mister} Jones but am acquainted he is a good sort of a man. If you think so should be very glad of your Recommendation to him & should be very glad to serve him. As to {Colonel} Payton & {Mister} Jones what they [freight?] upon this Vessell, cant expect they will consign me Singly, but for the future should be glad to transact their Business myself & doubt not but I should suit them. Hope they have their Tarr ready so as not to detain the Vessell upon their acc^tts. Suppose you have seen {your} Sloop. I have sent to {Mister} Guin {Captain} Bacon Master. Would be glad you would afford {Captain} Bacon what assistance. If she should not suit {Mister} Guin have order'd her to {Colonel} Payton [&?] would stand a Third of her myself. She is a good Vessell & cheap. I suppose {Mister} Guin is a substantial man & is well able to pay for the Vessell. Should be glad of your advice herein.

We have had no News from the Fleet lately gone on the expedition, but hope they have done something before now. We are all well. Father & Mother give their Love to you & all the Family & I am w^th due Esteem,

Sir {your} Very {humble} {Servant}

{per} {Captain} Morton

Boston 30^th May 1745

{Messers} Sitwell Noyes & Comp^y

{Gentlemen} This acknowledges the above as Copy of my last {per} {Captain} Craige & Dudding, which suppose you have not rec'd, inasmuch as we have heard they are taken, to my great Disappointment. I have now Inclosed Copy of the above Inv^o w^ch hope will be well bo^t & shipt {per} first Vessell for Boston. I have wrote you {per} {Captain} Durell & Darling & Nicholson for a [?] 26 yards Blue Mazarene superfine Broad Cloth @ 16/6 [?] [7?]/. y^d sterling, with [?] of fine Shalloon suitable to the cloth & a bagg of fashionable Buttons with Twist & 6 [?] english Sole Leather a 2/. [per}. Am sensible these things are out of your way, but as they are for my own wear, should be particularly oblidged to you, if you would get them for me. These Vessells are not as yet sailed, as the Man of Warr {Captain} [D?]urell is not ready to sail, being at Cape Breton assisting Commadore Warren in taking it & ha[?] this opportunity I thought would send you Copy of what I then wrote. {Mister} Hubbard has wrote you {per} this Conveyance, concerning our Schooner Dolphin. {Captain} {Richard} Waite, to which I referr you, would begg the favour of you to insure what you send me.

Doubt not if this small Inv^o should suit, but that I should send you for Considerable in your Way & remitt you to your Satisfaction, & in any Concerns this way, am with offers of Service & Respect

{Gentlemen} {your} Very {humble} {Servant}

{per} {Captain} Freeman

Boston 30^th May 1745

{Messers} Horrocks Saint & Hughes

{Gentlemen} This acknowledges the above as Copy of my last {per} {Captains} Craige & Dudding, both whom I now hear are taken so that you have not my Letter & Invoice for sunday's I wrote for by them, to my great Disappointment. You have herein Inclosed youl Copy of said Invoice with an addition of a few english Goods. I should not have wrote you for them, being sensible they are out of your way, only your Partner {Mister} Hughes Informed me I could have them as Reasonable & well boug^t by you as any Merch^ts in London & as I choose to have my business in as few Hands as possible. Suppose you have rec'd some Bills of Exchange from New foundland on my acc^tt by this Time, which if you have be pleased to credit me therefor, if not may depend on my remitting you quickly. Hope you wont fail of sending me the Goods {by} the first opportunity & would begg the favour of you to insure what you [?] them & am with offers of Service & Respect

Sirs {your] Very {humble} {Servant}

Boston 30^th May 1745

{Messers} Sedgwick Killey & Bernard

{Gentlemen} This acknowledges the Receipt of your Favour {per} {Captain} Adams the [?]^d Instant & have your Invoice now before me amount^g with Charges to [pound symbol]18.15.8. sterling & prove to Content, except =ing one Article which must be a great Mistake, that is Two Doz [B?]uck cap^o Spring Penknives. you cha[?]e at Twenty Two Shillings {per} Doz. & have carried them out [pound symbol]2. [?] sterling, which ^is rather more than they are [?] Gross, which doubtless you will find by looking on the Copy of the {Invoice} you sent me. am sorry you did not send me the other things [?] I wrote for, particulary the [?] for my Mother, being a great Disappoint ment. but shall expect them {by} the first Vessell this way & shall remitt you very soon. should be glad therewith if you would send me my aco^tt Curr^tt. Would begg the favour of you to insure the other Goods & am with Respect & offers of [?] Service

{Gentlemen}

{your] Very {humble} {Servant} {William} Blair Townsend