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.

I have nothing further to offer, but my hearty service to yourself & friends & am

{Sir} {your} very {humble} {servant}

{per} Capt. Jones

Boston 18th Dec. 1745

Messrs. Horrocks, Saint & Hughes

Gentl'n This waits on you & incloses you a bill of exchange for [pound symbol] 49.16 sterling. The first have sent you already & are drawn in favour of John Adams by Joseph Randell upon Joseph White merch't in [?], which doubt not has been duely honour =ed & my accompt credited therefor. You have also a first bill in= =closed for [pound symbol] 33.0.10 sterling, drawn by [Otho?] Hamilton on King Gold Esq. agent to the Hon'ble Lieu't Generall Phillips regiment at Horse Guards, White Hall, payable to [Ami?] R. Wise on order, which hope will be likewise duely honoured. Hope in a few days we shall have a vessell from London, though we are almost weary of expectation. Hope to receive the goods I wrote you for by the first. Have nothing further to add at present, but my hearty service to yourselves in any commands this way & am with respect

Gentl'n {your} very humb. serv't.

{per} Capt. Bruce

Boston 25th Jan'y. 1745

Gentl'n This may serve to inform you of the receipt of your letter {per} Capt. Nevin the 18th instant & note {the} contents. As to your not ship'g the goods I wrote for, without a letter from your partner Mr. Hughes or some remittances from me I can no way complain of. But since the receipt of your letter I have seen Mr. Hughes, who has solemnly declared to me that he has wrote you particularly about me. To be sure if he has not, he has acted very disingenuously by me, as it was intirely through his impor= =tunity I wrote you, when I could as well have sent to my friends Messrs. Sit =well & Co. who have shipt me the same invoice I wrote you for. & notwithstand'g you had not receiv'd the bills I have sent you at the date of your letter yet you must have receiv'd one at least for [pound symbol] 49.16 sterling {per} Capt. Nichol =son Russell & [?] & another I have sent you for [pound symbol] 33.0.10 {per} Capt. Bruce so that it will be a great damage to me in not receiv'g the goods which I might have had from my friends. To be sure if Mr. Hughes as I have told him serves every one whom he recommends after this manner it will not be much for his creditt. Whereas if I had receiv'd the goods as I expected & as I believe he is sensible, it would have maintain'd a constant correspon= =dence between us. & I am not ashamed to say that I believe I could have made remittances as satisfactory to you as you would desire. & had part =ty ordered the effects of a sloop & cargo of mine now going to {the} West Indies to your house, but have but poor encouragement at present. As to my writing for some good out of your way, as you are pleased to intimate I should not have wrote for but at Mr. Hughes has told me you could as well send me as any merch'ts in London. Hope when you receive the bills you will send me the goods I wrote for [to?] the value you shall receive. Have nothing further to add at present, but am

Gentl'n {your} very hum. Serv't.

Boston 25th Jan'y. 1745

Messrs. Sitwell, Noyes & Comp'y

Gentl'n

This acknowledges with respect the receipt of your favours {per} Capt. Nevin {the} 18th instants, as also invoice & bill lading for sundry goods to the amount of [pound symbol] 230 sterling. Have not as yet received them but doubt not they will prove to content. Oserve what you write me with respect to your friends making due payments in these difficult times. Is an unavoidable difficulty, but hope with respect to myself I shall always be able to make you seasonable remittances. To be sure it shall be my endeavour so to do. I am sure I have met with more difficulty in receiving the effects of what I have remitted than in making agreable returns. However am heartily oblidged to you that you have so consid= =ered the difficulty disappointment that would acrue to me in not receiving the goods, that you shipt me the goods wrote for upon the recommendation of my worthy freind. Tho I suppose you are sensible that I have or shall have [pound symbol] 100 sterling at least more in your hands ^more than you have shipt me, on my accompt in as much as one third part of the Schooner Dolphin & cargo belongs to me & have ordered to you together with Mr. Hubbard. But it had been otherwise I have a vessell now ready to sail for the West Indies w'ch together with the [?] proceeds of her cargo I purpose to remitt to your house. Am sorry Capt. Wait is taken but am glad to find you have made the insurance we wrote for. You may observe in a letter of mine if you have received it with severall copys {per} Darling, Nicholson, Russell & [co?] dated {the} 24th July, that I wrote you for sundry goods in addition to those you have sent me which in case you should not receive, shall be oblidged to you to send me the inclosed invoice of goods. & you need not doubt my making you the most seasonable remittances possible what ever you shall ship me above what you shall have of mine in your hands. Would begg the favour of you to insure what you ship me, w'ch concludes me with ^^{{the} greatest} respect

Gentl. {your} Very hum. serv't.

{per} Capts. Davis, Sherburn, Stone, Oliver

Boston 25th Jan'y. 1745

Messrs. Sedgwick, Kel[b?]y & Comp'y

Gentl'n This waits on you & acknowledges the receipt of your favour {per} Capt. Nivin {the} 18th ins. & note the cont. Observe what you write me with respect to the garli[c?] I wrote for & am really glad you have not shipt them, seeing I am disappoin =ted of a bill of exchange I expected, & being very uneasy to be in debt any where especially at home. I desired you in my last to send me my acco. currtt. that I might have known ex= =actly what was coming to you. I am sensible am in your debt at present, but will endeavour as speedy as I can to remitt you. There was a draw back if you remember of [pound symbol] 7.7 sterling on {the} invo. you shipt me {per} Capt. Jeffers in case he came out with convoy, w'ch hope you have received. If so be you have not ship'd what silk I wrote you for would be oblidged to you to omitt it hav'g bought one here that will do. Have nothing further to add at present but am respectfully

Gentl'n {your} Very hum. serv't.

Boston 22'd Feb'y 1745

Mr. George Bethune

Sir I rec'd yours dated from the Light House Bay, since which have wrote you {per} Capt. Black & should have wrote {per} Mr. Guntur's sloop but as she sailed the Saturday after you remitted it - . I hope this will find you safely arrived & in good health at Antigua. Was much pleased that you had such a fine wind after you. Hope you will be as lucky in avoiding the enemy. {The} 18th ins. a sloop arrived at Piscataqua in six weeks from Plym- =outh who bring advice that the Duke of Cumberland had routed the rebells at Carlile, taken & destroyed nine hundred of them among whom they suppose is {the} pretenders youngest son, whom they have secured in the Tower, as also that a peace is established between the Queen of Hungary, King of Prussia & Elector of Saxony, which if true tis to be hoped it will enable the nation to engage with greater warmth in the further prosecution of the warr. Your friends are all well. Please to present my best respects to all friends & let me hear from you {per} every oppor- =tunity this way & am

Sir {your} friend & very humb. serv't

P.S. yesterday Capt. Dumaresque in as now of [Jonathan?] Gooch's arrived in six weeks from London at Portsmouth {per} whom the above news [in?] confirmed

{per} Capts. Allen, Fleming

Boston 8th March 1745

Messrs. Sitwell, Noyes & Comp'y

Gentl'n Since my last to you have open'd the goods you sent me & find them considerably damaged, especially the cutlary ware. Thought it not worth while to trouble you about it as the nails escaped undamaged. I have looked over the invoice & find everything well charged excepting the cloth & the s[?]als. As to the cloth I have seen some that came at the same time equally good charged at no more than 16/. {per} yard sterling & held out half a yard above the measure, whereas mine wanted a quarter of a yard of the measure it came for. & I have had severall cloths come afore & they always held out half a yard at least above what it came for which we call half measure, wherefore there must certainly be some mistake about it which would be glad you would enquire into. You will please to creditt my accompt for the return of 7 guineas {per} ct. for conv[?]y. Have nothing further at present & am

Gentl'n {your} very humb. serv't

{per} Capt. Sheppard Oliver

Boston 10th March 1745

Cornelius G. Vanhorn Esq.

Sir Upon {the} recommendation of my friend Francis Wells Esq. I am shipping on board the sloop Mathew & Betty, Mathew White master, which he has charter'd to New York a hogshead loaf sugar about seven hundred & thirty weight which shall consign to you in order to pur= =chase me a pipe of choice sterling Madera wine. I have drank at Mr. Fletchers very good glass & he informs me he has his wine from you. & what shall re= =main in your hands above paying for the wine & your charges be pleased to ship me in your in your best flower & a few casks of your best small bisketts. If there should be but a small matter left over would have it all in bisketts. I shall send you the exact weight of the sugar {per} the sloop. Am informed sugar is at fifteen pence with you, but doubt not you will get the most you can. You will not fail to ship the wine at the return of the vessell sloop. In any commands this way shall be ready to serve you & am

Sir {your} very humb. serv't

Boston 10th March 1745

Messrs. Silwell Noyes & Comp'y Horrocks Saint & Hughes

Gentl'n

This may serve to confirm the above copy sinc which have received yours 22'd Feb'y {per} Capt. Dumaresque, wherein is inclosed invoice & bill of lading for five barrells powder & one trunk goods. They are not as yet come to hand. Am sorry you have sent so many {barrels} powder & no pewter or lead with it. Hope {per} this time you have a bill of exchange of mine {per} Capt. Bruce for [pound symbol] 33.0.10 sterling & w'ch if you have not already shipt desire you would send it in garlic as I wrote you. Looking over the price of the powder you sent me find it charged twenty shillings {per} {barrel} more than I had it {per} last ship which must be a mistake which desire you would credit me for. I have show'd the invoice to Mr. Hughes who plainly perceived the error & said it must be a mistake. I perceive likewise that you have ensured [pound symbol] 45 sterling which is than the amount of the invoice. I thought this small [b?]ill might have opined the way to further correspondence through my acquain= =tance with Mr. Hughes & his knowledge of my circumstances. Have nothing nothing further to add at present but am

Gentl'n {your} very hum. serv't

{per} Capt. Sheppard Oliver

Boston 20th March 1745

Cornelius G. Vanhorn Esq.

Sir This confirms the above copy {per} the post & incloses invoice & bill lading for one hogshead loaf sugar to the amount of [pound symbol] 161.4.2. to be laid out as above. I must renew my request to you with respect to the wine that you would send me the best that you can procure for unless it is right good it will not suit. The remainer would have laid out as above half a dozen casks best milk bisketts & the rest in your best flower or if wheat should be low. Would have that but this I referr to you. Should be glad of a line from you {per} {the} post when you ship them as also accompt sales. As to {the} freight of {the} sugar you will allow what is customary. Your complyance herewith with very much oblige

Sir {your} very humb. Serv't

{per} Capt. White

Boston March 23'd 1746

Mr. John Adams

Sir The last I received from you was {per} Capt. Sheppard {the} 5th last Novemb'r wherein you inclosed me Capt. Otho Hamilton's first Bill of Exchange for [pound symbol] 33.0.10 sterling & should be glad of the second to use in case of need if you have not already sent it home. I observe you write me that this bill together with Joseph Randalls will come near to the proceeds of my goods. I have no accompt sales from you w'ch should be glad to receive. That I cant tell, but I am sure if this is nigh what I have to receive my goods sold very poorly, but should be very glad by the first opportunity, you would send me acco. sales & what is still due to me, that I may settle the accompts & know what I have got or lost upon the whole. Have nothing further at present & am

Sir {your} humb. serv't

{per} Capt. Osgood {Nathaniel} Bethune Capt. Atkins

Boston 6th Aprill 1746

Mr. Daniel Blin

Sir This acknowledges the receipt of your favour {per} Capt. Martin 29th last month & note the contents. I have been constantly looking out for a negro for you ever since I wrote you & am now about one. The man lives in the country & has under consideration the price I offered for him. Expect an answer from him every day, which if I receive before Capt. Martin sails will send you your ballance in rum & in case he does not comply, or {per} the first opportunity, they have got negroes here as I observed to you in my last to such a price that there is no such thing as buying. Capt. Bacon has come in here since I wrote you last & sailed for the West Indies about a month agoe. Tarr is very dull here at present by reason of having no vessells from London as usuall. This warr stagnates all trade with us, but ^hope we shall quickly have a revivall. Have nothing further at present & am with offers of further service

Sir {your} very humb. serv't

P.S. Tarr @ 45/. Pitch 55/. {per} {barrel} Hides & tallow in good demand

Boston Aprill 6th 1746

Doc. Walley Chauncy

Sir I have your letters now before me. Am sorry for Capt. Jones's misfortune in having such a tedious passage. Am glad your medicines got safe to hand. I perceive you are expecting Capt. Bacon at North Carolina, but I sent him to the West Indies a month agoe, so that I have no vessell coming to you or orders for any. I wish you could any ways have contrived to have sent me your ballance in light pay, wanting the money very much. I have tried every vessell go= =ing to Carolina to get freight for [tar?] but cannot. Dont doubt but {Colonel} Payton would let you freight on board Capt. Jones if you desired it. Have directed severall letters to your care to send {per} first opportunity to John Rei[n?]ssett Esq. at Edington to be left at Capt. Cambel[t?]s for him