1773.007: Circular Letter from George Washington offering Land Leases.
Published: 1773
Full Title: Mount Vernon, July 15 1773. The subscriber, having obtained patents for upwards of 20,000 acres of land, on the Ohio and great Kanhawa, being part of 200,000 acres, granted by proclamation, in 1754 (10,000 of which are situated on the banks of the first mentioned river, between the mouths of the two Kanhawa's; the remainder on the Great Kanhawa or New River, from the mouth, or near it, upwards in one continued survey) proposes to divide the same into any sized tenements that may be desired, and lease them upon moderate terms, allowing a reasonable number of years, rent free; provided that [improvements be made to the tract leased].
Author: Washington, George (1732-99).
Place Issued: Uncertain
Issuing Press: Uncertain
Description: [2 leaves].
Notes
Bristol assigned this uncredited imprint to one of the Williamsburg presses then operating, so requiring its inclusion here. However, this land offer was not advertised in either Virginia Gazette in summer 1773 as it was in the Maryland Journal (Annapolis) in late August and the Pennsylvania Gazette (Philadelphia) in September, suggesting that the letter issued from one of those two offices. Those suggestions appear more likely than Williamsburg; that summer, Washington was concerned with securing land grants in this same area of the Ohio country for Pennsylvania veterans of the French & Indian War from Governor Dunmore, making a Philadelphia-origin possible; he also travelled to Maryland in August, making an Annapolis-origin possible as well. Thus this title's issuing press and place remain uncertain.