Journal and Letters of Philip Vickers Fithian: A Plantation Tutor of the Old Dominion, 1773-1774.

I am, Madam,

P. V. Fithian

To Miss Ruth Webster.

[JOURNAL]

Monday 22.

Mr Grubb & Ben returned last evening – They spent their Day in Richmond[196]– I wrote to day several letters. to Philadephia One to Miss Webster. To her Brother. To John McCalla junr – To Mr Donald– These I send by 'Squire Lee who is to be of the Party – After School Ben, Grubb, & Myself rode to the 'Squires– He took us into his Garden, shewed and gave us great Plenty of fine Peaches, Nectarines &c

He has a large Garden, & great abundance of fruit – His People were shaking the trees to prepare the Peaches for Brandy

[Letter of Philip V. Fithian To John Mccalla, Jr.]Nomini Hall Virginia Augt: 22d: 1774.

Sir.

Since I left you I have heard not a syllable about you, whether the ague has left you, whether you have left the City removed to Alexandria, as you proposed in the spring, in short both yourself and fame have been, as to you, wholly silent —

I have now an oppertunity which I gladly improve of sending you a line, and I beg that by the same conveyance you will send me an Answer – There are many from this Colony to attend the general Congress, seven by appointment, the others out of curiosity, by Mr Blain, a gentleman of my acquaintance in this Colony, a Merchant of Note I forward this; you will oblige me if you use him with civility. —

I cannot write home at present; if you should write soon to Cohansie, please to mention to whoever you write to that I am in good health; that the neighbourhood is in good health; and that I propose to return about the latter end of october – I can transmit nothing now concerning public affairs, you will know by the gentlemen from this province that the reigning spirit is liberty – I hope Mr and Mrs Hollinshead keep clear of the fevers this fall; but I fear they will suffer in that common calamity. I think they ought to remove to the City for a few weeks in september when the disorder rages where they reside – My best compliments attend your family, and to Miss Pratt, Miss Boyd and others of my acquaintance in town as shall be convenient.

I am, Sir, with great truth and Regard your most obedient

Most humble Servt:

P. V. Fithian

Mr John McCalla Junr:

I shall thank you if you will send me the latest Journal, Gazette, and the Packet.

[JOURNAL]

Teusday 23.

Blessed be God who yet preserves me in perfect health —Priss has another fitt of the Ague these Disorders are giving Alarms. in a few Weeks I suppose they will grow numerous & troublesome – A violent Gust of Wind, Rain, & some Thunder we had about twelve o clock, the Country seems to be afloat – A [I] received this Morning a Note from a School Master in the Village, who signs himself "Brother Quill" He sends me with his compliments a Question. To multiply 12£ 12s 12½d by itself in Cross multiplication – And tells me the Answer is 160£ 1s 6d his way, viz by Decimals – I did not alter his answer, but suffered him to continue satisfied with his own performance. —

Wednesday 24.

Stormy – A poor Man arrived from Maryland with Grain to grind. It was wet – He saw Mr Carter and Mr Randolph– Mr Randolph wore a red Coat – the Marylander asked Bob which was the master of the House —Bob with his usual impudence answered, the Man you see drest in a scarlet Coat – Who then says he is the other in a frowsled Wig? – He is says Bob my fathers Clerk – The Colonel heard this Anecdote of Bob, which entertained him, While we were dining. I hear nothing of the Ague abroad, it seems to go by turns, sometimes brief then exceeding scarce – all this day the wind North East rainy.

Thursday 25.

Still stormy. The Gentlemen who are sailing up the Bay to the Congress have a disagreeable time – This is a true August Northeaster, as we call it in Cohansie —Ben is in a wonderful Fluster lest he shall have no company to-morrow at the Dance – But blow high, blow low, he need not be afraid; Virginians are of genuine Blood – They will dance or die! – I wrote some at my Letter for Mr Peck– The people here pronounce Shower "Sho-er" – And what in New-Jersey we call a Vendue here they a "Sale" – All Taverns they call "Ordinary's" – When a Horse is frolicsome & brisk, they, say at once he is "gayly" – she [if he] is mischievous, they call him, "vicious." – At five, with Ben. I rode out for exercise – After a while we arrived at George-Lee's– He gave us some excellent Peaches – He returned with us to Mr Turberville's – We met here with Miss Betsy Lee, Mr Grubb, Lancelot Lee & here we spent the evening —Fish-Feasts, & Fillies, Loud disputes concerning the Excellence of each others Colts – Concerning their Fathers, Mothers (for so they call the Dams) Brothers, Sisters, Uncles, Aunts, Nephews, Nieces, & Cousins to the fourth Degree! – All the Evening Toddy constantly circulating – Supper came in, & at Supper I had a full, broad, sattisfying View of Miss Sally Panton– I wanted to hear her converse, but poor Girl any thing She attempted to say was drowned in the more polite & useful Jargon about Dogs & Horses! – For my Part, as I was unwilling to be singular, if I attempted to push in a word, I was seldom heard, & never regarded, & yet they were constantly refering their Cases to me, as to a supposed honest fellow, I suppose because I wear a black Coat, & am generally silent; at Home I am thought to be noisy enough; here I am thought to be silent & circumspect as a Spy– How different the Manners of the People! I try to be as cheerful as I can. & yet I am blamed for being stupid as a Nun —

Fryday 26.

Mr Christian came while we were at Breakfast – Soon after came Miss Washington, Miss Hale & the Miss Lee's– I kept myself in my Room pretty Close – Towards evening Mrs Carter, Miss Washington, Miss Hale, Mrs Christien & Myself had a thorough ramble, first thro' the Garden – We gathered some Figs, the Ladies seem fond of them, I cannot endure them – Then we stroll'd down the Pasture quite to the River, admiring the Pleasantness of the evening, & the delightsome Prospect of the River, Hills, Huts on the Summits, low Bottoms, Trees of various Kinds, and Sizes, Cattle & Sheep feeding some near us, & others at a great distance on the green sides of the Hills, People, some fishing, others working, & others in the Pasture among the Horses; – The Country emphatically in her goodly Variety! I love to walk on these high Hills where I can see the Tops of tall Trees lower than my Feet, at not half a miles Distance – Where I can have a long View of many Miles & see on the Summits of the Hills Clusters of Savin Trees, through these often a little Farm-House, or Quarter for Negroes; these airy Situations seem to me to be the Habitations of Health, and Vigor – We return'd, & all were apparently well satisfied with the walk – Evening was spent jovially in Dancing, at Supper, I left the Company, being not very well, & retired to my Chamber, Thanks to my heavenly Father, that I can enjoy a competent Measure of Health when many are sick around – A Note from Mr Lowe. Miss Betsy Lee, & her Brother came in just at night – Miss Lee seems cheerful, dances well, sings agreeably, appears free of formality, & Haughtiness the Common foible here, —

Saturday 27.

The morning spent in setting coppies, Sums &c., for the School – After Breakfast, I spent a couple of Hours in the Dancing-Room – Mr Lee in our Room raved against the Scotch – He swore that if his Sister should marry a Scotchman, he would never speak with her again; & that if he ever Shall have a Daughter, if She marries a Scotchman he shoots her dead at once! – At twelve I rode to Mr Washingtons, the Country extremely pleasant Dined with the Parson, his Brother, Mrs Smith, Miss Pettit, Mr Blain, Mr Buckner,[197] & several of Mr Lowes Boys; Mr Lowe was from home. On my return I found no company, except Grubb who had come in my absence. We spent the Evening after sipping our Coffee in Chat with Mr & Mrs Carter.

Sunday 28.

Mr Grubb rose very early, having yesterday made every previous necessary preparation, & set out for Home about One hundred miles Distance. He has so much good Nature, is always so cheerful, & at the same time void of any thing malicious, clamorous & impudent, that I cannot but esteem & very much respect him – On some whimsical unsubstantial Miff or other, however, our Girls cannot endure him – he wrote them some Copies the other Day, & tho' he writes a much finer neater hand than I they would not allow it, nor hardly – Strive to imitate – I laughed at the ridiculous, the perfect Picture of Female Caprice, & Obstinacy in Miniature – Sermon is to Day at Ucomico, so that I keep my Room – I wrote several Letters which are to be forwarded by Mr Blain, one to Jack Peck, one to John Duffield,[198] at Dr Shippen's[199] Junr Philadelphia, & one to Laura. I begun also a Sermon I understand by Mrs Carter & Ben who were at Church, that the Parson was unable to read Prayrs or Preach, having a Fever, but that there was a thronged Assembly; many I am told, have the Ague & Fever, but none are dangerous or have it fixed —

[Letter of Philip V. Fithian to Elizabeth Beatty]Nominy-Hall. August 28: 1774.

To Laura.

There is a Letter of yours lying before me, in which you say "that if I had continued writing to you, it is more than probable you had been as negligent as ever; but that my leaving off for a Time has at last extorted a Letter from you" – Mighty pretty! I dare say the Sentiment is genuine, & you may be assured that I allow & believe it.

You are not, therefore, to account this any thing more than the Ghost, the Shade of a Letter; for, thinking this an extraordinary Case, I have gone beyond my usual Manner of speaking, in Order to convince you of my Resolution – And swore that I will not interrupt you til' I have received several.

If you receive this by the Conveyance I expect (I send it by Col: Lee who attends the Congress) it will be a few Days before I leave Virginia; for I intend, by the Permission of Heaven, being at Home by the beginning of November at farthest.

In the mean Time, since I ardently wish your constant and perpetual Felicity, from a deep-rooted Friendship, which I have discovered in a thousand Variations, suffer me to borrow a Form of Mr Addison, & put up one important Prayr in your Behalf "Ye guardian Angels to whose Care heaven has intrusted its dear Laura, guide her still forward in the Paths of Virtue, defend her from the Insolence & wrongs of this undiscerning World; At length, when we must no more converse with such Purity on Earth, lead her gently hence, innocent & unreproveable to a better Place, where by an easy Transition from what She now is, She may shine forth an Angel of Light."

It would be bold & presumptuous, or I would with Earnestness & Sincerity extend the Wish a little farther, but transfer it to Fortune, & pray that She would make you mine. I ought, however, to be cautious here – In so nice a Case, Truth & Virtue are often thought impertinent.

I advise you, upon the whole, to consult & examine the Prospect you have of substantial Happiness, when you are about to change your State for Life. Inform yourself, so far as you are able, of the Quality & Measure of what you think your chief Happiness – Your Satisfaction & Comfort will consist in.

Place this against necessary Distress & Perplexity; You will thereby have a clearer & fuller View of both; Your Judgement will be less confused; & more likely to fix to Advantage; – You are to consider that a wrong Choice brings on a Train of Curses; but view it in the other Light, & it is almost a State of unmixed Pleasures —

I am, Madam yours

Philip. V. Fithian.[JOURNAL]

Monday 29.

Miss Fanny in School to Day, but not entirely well of her Sores made by the Ticks—Ben complains of a pain in his breast; he seems to have many symptoms of Weakness in his breast – I attempted to take a rough Draught of the Great House for myself – Evening after Coffee the C[o]lonel entertained us by playing on the Harmonica.

Teusday 30.

Mr Carter rides to Westmoreland Court. By him I send my Letters to Mr Blain, who is going to the Congress —Ben seems to be no better; has a slight Fever, pain in his Breast, & Uneasiness, I fear he is bordering on a Consumption – His fond Mother discovers great Anxiety, & true affection. Once I too had a fond indulgent Mother; when I was sick, or otherwise distress'd, She was always impatient til my Health & Ease returned; & She used to urge me likewise by precept & example to strive for an habitual Preparation for Sickness and Death! But oh! She has gone & left me, & Friendship seems to have been buried with her! – Formality & Pretence are common enough, but Sincerity & affection are exceeding rare – Mrs Carter thinks it better for Ben to sleep at the Great-House til he grows better, for the advantage of giving him medicine – I seem now when it is late in the Evening, lonely, & a little fearful, at least I think on what I made a Subject for a merry Hour, when I was at Home last, & a young Lady was complaining of being fearful at Night, & afraid to sleep in a Room alone – There are now (asleep I suppose) in this House, below Stairs Mr Randolph, & Mr Burney the Cooper; two clever lusty youngsters, & in the Room next to mine Bob & Harry sleep – I feel yet gloomy; Ben is missing, & which is worse, he is sick —

Wednesday 31.

Last Fryday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Teusday, & this Day have been perfectly fair, but yesterday & to Day are very hot —Ben quits reading & is quite unwell – Dined with us Mr Wadman: He is, I believe, a Man of a good understanding, but desperate in his religious Principles —

Thursday Septemr: 1st: 1774.

One other Calm, sunny, sweltering day

The Colonel says it is the hottest Day we have had – I keep myself caged up in my Room, & cannot venture out on my usual walk or Ride for exercise – Through divine goodness I continue in perfect Health, but as skinny & meagre as tho' I was continually sick —Ben seems a little more pert today – Evening it Lightens in the North West.

Fryday 2.

Extreme hot to day – Yesterday a Negro Child about six years old sickened as to appearance with the Ague & Fever, & to Day about eleven in the morning it expired! It is remarkable that the Mother has now lost seven successively, none of which have arrived to be ten years old! – The Negroes all seem much alarm'd, & our School make it a Subject for continual Speculation; They seem all to be free of any terror at the Prescence of Death; Harry in special signified a Wish that his turn may be next. I should be glad if his desire were wise; & he was as fit for the business of the other world, as he seems willing to leave the business of this – In the evening this unexpected Death was the Subject of Conversation in the House – Mr Carter observed, that he thought it the most desirable to die of a Short Illness. If he could have his Wish he would not lie longer than two days; be taken with a Fever, which should have such an unusual effect on his Body as to convince him that it would be fatal, and gradually increase till it affected a Dissolution – He told us that his affairs are in Such a state that he should be able to dictate a Will which might be written in five Minutes, & contain the disposal of his estate agreeable to his mind – He mentioned to us the Substance – "That he would leave Mrs Carter 6000£ Serling; & leave the remainder of his Estate to be disposed among his children as the Law directs." —

He told us likewise, with great firmness, that if he hives [lives] to see his children grown, he will pay no regard to age, but give his wealth to Him who bids fairest to be useful to mankind – That he allows all an equal oppertunity of improvement, but the One who is found then improved shall with the Learning inherit also the Substance —Dennis the Lad who waits at Table, I took into the School to day at his Fathers request, He can spell words of one syllable pretty readily. He is to come as he finds oppertunity.

Saturday 3.

Indeed says Mrs Carter at Breakfast, the Lightning, Rain, & Thunder, disturbed me, & kept me padding from Room to Room all Night; I first had the Girls Beds removed as far as possible from the Chimneys – then had lights placed in the passage; and then but without rest or pleasure, I wandered through the house silent & lonely like a disturbed Ghost! – It has however effected an agreeable change in the Air; which is now cool & agreeable. I was invited this morning by Captain Fibbs [Gibbs] to a Barbecue: this differs but little from the Fish Feasts, instead of Fish the Dinner is roasted Pig, with the proper apendages, but the Diversion & exercise are the very same at both – I declined going and pleaded in ex[c]use unusual & unexpected Business for the School – By appointment is to be fought this Day near Mr Lanes two fist Battles between four young Fellows. The Cause of the battles I have not yet known; I suppose either that they are lovers, & one has in Jest or reality some way supplanted the other; or has in a merry hour call'd him a Lubber, or a thick-Skull, or a Buckskin, or a Scotchman, or perhaps one has mislaid the others hat, or knocked a peach out of his Hand, or offered him a dram without wiping the mouth of the Bottle; all these, & ten thousand more quite as triffling & ridiculous, are thought & accepted as just Causes of immediate Quarrels, in which every diabolical Stratagem for Mastery is allowed & practised, of Bruising, Kicking, Scratching, Pinching, Biting, Butting, Tripping, Throtling, Gouging, Cursing, Dismembring, Howling, &c. This spectacle, (so loathsome & horrible!) generally is attended with a crowd of People! In my opinion, (others may think for themselves) animals which seek after & relish such odious and filthy amusements are not of the human species, they are destitute of the remotest pretension to humanity; I know not how they came by their form, by the help of which they are permitted to associate with Men, unless it has been (unfortunate for the World!) by an intermixture of the meaner kind of Devils with prostitute Monkeys! – This however, I cannot determine; But I think all such should be deemed by the community infectious, & suspended at least any kind of intercourse, til, either the lineage be settled & recorded, or those shrew'd Characteristicks of a spurious, illegitimate claim to kindred with men be in a good Measure abated.

Sunday 4.

We had last night a flood of rain, the wind North East stormy – No Church to Day – Mr Carter sent down to his Mill-Dam, & channel all his people to try if they can secure them; he gives them Rum, & a Shilling a man —

I read Prayrs, by the desire of the Parents, at the Grave over the deceased Child Priscilla, Nanccy, Fanny, Betsy, Ben, Bob, Harry, & Myself, & about forty or fifty Negroes were present. Neither the Father nor the Mother of the Child went out; imitating the example they see in others, & stay from an affectation of overflowing Grief.

Monday 5.

There is wonderful To do, this morning among the Housekeeper & children, at the great house. They assert that a Man or a Spirit came into the Nursery about one o-Clock this morning – That if it was indeed a Spirit the Cause of his appearance is wholly unknown; but if it was Flesh & blood they are pretty confident that the design was either to rob the House, or commit fornication with Sukey, (a plump, sleek, likely Negro Girl about sixteen) – That the doors & windows were well secured, but that by some secret manner, unknown to all, the Thing opened the Cellar door, went through the Cellar, & up the narrow dark Stairs (which are used only on necessary occasions, as when the great Stair way is washing or on some such account) – That it left the said Cellar door standing open, & besides unbar'd, & threw open the East Window in the little Room, in order, as they wisely supposed, to have, if it should be hurried, a ready passage out – That it had previously put a small wedge in the Lock of the Nursery Door, where several of the young Ladies, & the said Sukey sleep, so that when they were going to Bed they could not Lock nor bolt the door, but this they all believed was done in mischief by the children, & went thereupon to bed, without suspicion of harm, with the door open – That Sukey some time in the Night discovered Something lying by her Side which she knew to be a Man by his having Breeches – That She was greatly surprised, & cry'd out suddenly to the others that a Man was among them, & that the Man tickled her, & said whish, whish– That on this She left the Bed & run & squeased herself in by the side of Miss Sally the House-keeper, but that by this time the Whole Room was awake & alarmed – That when the thing knew there was a discovery it stamped several times on the floor, shook the Bedstead by the side of which it lay, rattled the Door several Times & went down Stairs walking very heavy for one barefoot – That on its leaving the Room the Hous[e]Keeper went to Ben Carters Chamber, & that he rose & they all went down & found the Doors & window as I have mentioned – All this with many other material accidents is circulating through the family to Day; some conclude it was a Ghost because it would not speak – But, more probably it was one of the warm-blooded, well fed young Negroes, trying for the company of buxom Sukey– The Colonel however, at Breakfast gave out that if any one be caught in the House, after the family are at Rest, on any Pretence what ever, that Person he will cause to be hanged! – This Afternoon Nelson the Lad who waits in our School, was in the woods about half a mile off, where he met with & kill'd a Rattle-Snake having six Rattles – He cut off the head, & brought Home the remainder of the Body, which we have skin'd & stuff'd – Mrs Carter complains to Day of the Tooth-Ach, & a slight Fever.

Teusday 6.

The day fine – It is whispered to Day that B… is the Ghost that walk'd in the Nursery the other night, but I think the report is false, and arises from calumny. We had an expectation of company to day, but are disappointed. We dined on Fish & Crabs, which were provided for our company, to-morrow being Fish-Day – I begun a Sermon Job XXIII. 3. 4. We have too vagrant Tinkers with us mending several articles, one of whom is this afternoon violent sick with the Fever & Ague – I rode to my old spot, the Corn field, by chance met with Mr Taylor. I walked with him among the Tobacco Cotton &c. He gave me Directions for raising the latter. – Cotton must be planted about the middle of May in rich Land, prepared with Hills, & made very mellow. When up it must be weeded & kept clean, it must be top'd & suckered as Tobacco, otherwise it runs too much to vine. Towards the Fall it will begin to open, when the opened pods mu[s]t be gathered & laid by til dry, then the Cotton pick'd out & clean'd —

Wednesday 7.

Mrs Carter not very well; is troubled with a small tooth-Ach Fever & a Cold – Every leisure minute I spend in writing at my Sermon – Dined with us Mr Sorrel, & Mr … on Fish, Rock, Perch, fine Crabs, & a large fresh Mackerel. Yesterday & to day I have been a little pained & pretty much alarmed, at an unusual feeling in my right arm. Almost all the Summer I have felt an obstruction when I would lift up my arm. But now it is a trembling steady knawing down the under part of my arm & Wrist, without unless when I move it suddenly – Evening I walked throug the pasture to the River, the Hills are green, since the late rains, & look fine tip'd with the setting Sun.

Thursday 8.