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Petersburg Feby 4h, 1770
Mr Richd Bennehan
Sir I have made bold to direct a small Permitt to your Care, by the Directions of Mr McNair Who it is for. Which I shall Esteam as a favour dun me If you will forward It. as It Came from me and the first order I have Had from the Gent. you will see Him Shine in It at your Court as I suppose. I am soriy to Inform you that we Have the Greatest Reason to believ that poor Nixon is Swallowed up in the Deap. as their is no Aut. of the Neptune a private & that a Tobacco Ship Suposed to be the Neptune has been seen last away on the last of Island this Aut. I am afraid will Prove Two True
I have nothing new to Inform you of Here but all friends is well & I Expect to see you next Month at your own cabbin
I am Dr St. yours Most Humb. Servt, Richd Lamley
To Mr Richard Bennehan Merch on Little River N-Carolina
With a small parsell[?] for M. [illegible]
Petersburg Feb: 14th. 1770
Esteemed Friend I have this day recd. thy favour of Zebulon Veazey, he did not come by S Speed & has bro.t the negroe Boy down with him, but proposes to leave him as he returns — I have not got any of the articles thou wrote for except the Iron, I believe there is not a Hhd: Rum of any kind to be had in this Place at present I expect some in as soon as the Frost will permit vessels to come from Philada. but their River has been fast for some time — as thou says you will lose by the otter skins Veazey brot. if I don't allow of pr. for them I have allow'd that price for them tho. I am pretty certain I shall loose by them, two of them thou left when here am affraid will not pay the Duty — I have sent the parcel for R. McNair & the Qut.y of Iron as at [port?] Veazey would not bring more the Roads are so very bad & his Horses much galled in coming down. I don't expect there will be any more than got from this Place 'till about April the Town being near clear'd of it at present. We have not yet had any acco.t of John Nixon's arival or when he intends back again — there is no Letters left here for thee except the one now sent. There is no market for Tob.o at present what little is bo.t is at 20p Cash on 22/6 Goods Tallow 7 1/2d I expect skins must be the old Price tho' they ought to be much lower in proportion to the [cash?]. I think we have nothing new or uncommon among us at present
I am very respectfully Thy assured Friend Edwd Stabler
Johnston & Bennchan
Bo.t of Edw.d Stabler 15..0..14 of Barr Iron 25p £ 18..18..1 1/2
[illegible] 2 Otter skins @ 2/6 5p. 4 Do. 6/. 24/. £1 .. 9 .. Entd. Invoice Book 40: 21.
To Richard Bennehan Merch.s Little River
pr Z: Veazey
Richard Bennchan Petersburg Feb.ry 7. 1769 Old Friend
I am now alone and sitting by myself near to the remains of a large heap of Whitehaven coals, tho' amidling good Fire. All the rest of my friends and Brethren being Retired, to the great and Magnificent, Mansion House. I have been contemplating on some of the pleasant and agreeable Hours we have spent here, which led me into a serious desire to have thy company to spend the remainder of this Evening. Tho! I hope when I consider; that thou will be much better employ'd in thy present Situation, which I Heartily wish the Success in, I could add [greatly?] to this my Small Epistle, and swell it into a large Volume, was I to make use of Criticism, but as I am no Consumer, I will only tell thee that the most of the Petersurg acquaintances are well, except, our Worth and much Esteemed Friend Richard Lamb, who has got cold in his left great toe, which has caused his nose to run such a rapid stream, that I much fear without immediate Relief, of may be fatal consequence to him.
I was the other day favored with a letter from my Father wherein he says he has shipt the goods I order, I expect they will be in here, in about a month.