USA > Virginia > Some prominent Virginia families, Volume II > Part 61
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One of the sailors who used to help us to Bread and Water one day informed us that Mr. Saunder since our difference had acquainted the Gentlemen by way of reproach to me, that it was entirely owing to my persuasions that he ever engaged in the Voyage, and that I owed him a large sum of money, for which he had no security. Mr. Sweeney too, I might have observed, when the danger of the small Pox was over, and he quite recovered, in a transport of Joy told us all at Sea how gloriously he would entertain us when he arrived at Hampton. Tho' the acceptance of his favor was one of the remotest things in my thought, yet I was much more offended at Mr. Sweeney's rudeness, than Mr. Saunder, and I determined upon letting him know it. I must further take notice that when Mr. Sweeney quitted the Ship, he took no kind of leave of any of us; not so much as calling at the Cabin door to bid one of my family farewell. Now besides the utmost kindness and care, my wife son and Daughter constantly manifested in his distress, even while his most inti- mate companions when the Pock was turning used to damn his stinking carcass, and wish it was thrown overboard, and his receiving nothing but the greatest Civility from all of us, ever since my Daughter Molly all the time we were at Sea had the sole care and trouble of feeding and nursing his Five Canary Birds, which otherwise must have perished, they being utterly abandoned by every other Person; nor did he after his recovering name the least care of them.
Now what excuse or pretense Mr. Sweeney could have for affronting me, I could not conceive. If it was the concisest, it was not I am sure the handsomest way of dropping an acquaintance with one who showed not the least ambition or inclination of keeping any up. So I wrote to him, that if (as it was probable) Mr. Saunder (whose difference with me he was no stranger to) was authorized by him to give me that rude intima- tion that I might come a shore in his Boat, if I thought fit, his behaviour therein was so offensive and ungenteel, as his quitting the ship without so much as saying farewell to me or any of my family. Yet if he could recollect a single instance tho' ever so slender that we had any of us failed in point of civility to him, I should esteem him entirely justified. As to what was reported of Mr. Saunder's saying he thro' my persuasion engaged in this undertaking, I would, with Mr. Saunder have proved the contrary under his own hand.
On Wednesday August 8th Mr. Sweeney and Mr. Saunder came on board full of resentment; Mr. Sweeney denyed his giving Mr. Saunder any
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authority for saying I might come on shore in his boat, and made very sensiless apologies for his manner of quitting the Ship, which, however, I accepted, to avoid further disputes with him, and matters between us were easily and seemingly very well accommodated, for we shook hands and he paid great thanks to me and my family for what we had done for him, saying he should be glad to see any of us at his House if we ever came to Hampton. These extraited compliments I received as he delivered them with great Civility; resolving inwardly at the same time never to give him any trouble. Mr. Saunder (poor man) could hardly speak for rage. He demanded £120 which he said I owed him, and he insisted should he paid him in a month at farthest; denyed his being under any agreement with me as to sharing any part of my goods, or anything else; and that nothing but money should content him. He further urged, that by my own Rule, it would be unjust in me to expose a private litterary correspondence which had been carried on in Friendship. In this last, I concurred entirely, assuring him I would produce no Letter nor part of a Letter without His leave, tho' I insisted in the presence of Mr. Sweeney, and two other Gentlemen who were with him (strangers to me) that he should acquit me of being the cause of his coming to America, any farther than (as I said willing to suppose) the Company of one with whom he had been so long acquainted might be an inducement. To this he readily assented. The paragraph which I proposed to have produced, was no more than this, taken from the last letter I ever received from him, dated Gloucester, March 20th, 1749, "I cannot give you the least Idea how discontented I am least I should be prevented going with you, but I should hope, you will not go without me; tho' I should not have it in my power to come up time enough in April." (I having acquainted him that April was the farthest time limited by Whitaker for the Ship sailing.) I also referred to my own letter to which this was an answer, for my having vehemently therein urged him to acquit his mother and sister (with whom he was then) with his circumstances and motives to this undertaking, and to take their opinion and advice therein; but this, as he afterwards confessed to me, he never did.
To obviate this money affair between us, I must observe that on our determination upon this Voyage he actually did put the sum he mentions (£120) into my hands, desiring I would lay it out in Goods most proper for Virginia. I here upon showed him my Bills of Banks of all the goods I had already purchased, signifying likewise that I should gladly take over a large quantity of Tea which I had bought; also, of any part of which Goods, if he pleased, he should be a sharer so far as his money would extend, or indeed of the whole, allowing me Common interest only for so much money as I should employ more than him. This he gladly accepted, calling it an instance of Friendship and great kindness. But to all this we had no articles drawn, no witnesses, our friendship, as we both then vainly imagined, being superior to all forms.
Shocked and surprised as I was at this demand of Mr. Saunder's, and as sensible as he or any of his advisers could be of the distresses I must
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inevitably be exposed to, I promised to exert my uttermost endeavors to satisfy his ungenerous, unreasonable demands. But previous to this we came to an immediate settlement before Mr. Sweeney and his friends wherein we quickly concurred there was a balance of £117 due Mr. Saun- der, for which I gave my note payable in a month.
Some of Mr. Saunder's best things, as his wife's best clothes, Linen, Plate, etc., being either for convenience or safety at his request put into some of our best Packages, he immediately demanded them, tho' York was the Port we and our Goods were shipped for. I submitted to his unreason- able demand, had the Ship's hold rummaged, and the required packages brought upon the Deck, uncased and opened before all the Ship's Crew. In thus tumbling them about, my Two best Chests of Drawing (of mahogany) in particular, tho' well matted, even grievously broke and injured by a Villanous and careless mate. And all this I endured because Mr. Saunder should not have the shadow of a pretence to reproach me. This affair over:
Ou Saturday August 11th at six in the morning we weighed Anchor and again passed by Hampton: (Solis Point, the place where we lay, I should have noted, was just in the mid way between Hampton and Nor- folk, twelve miles from each, The Ferry Boats constantly passing by our Ship all the time we lay there) with a southerly wind, we again turned into the Bay of Chesapeake, and lay that night off a shoal called the Horse Shoe.
Next Morning Sunday the 12th, by the assistance of the Tide and a Small breeze at East, we got into York River. A little after noon the Captain and I went off into the boat leaving the Ship under sail about a League below York, where (it being little wind) we arrived before her.
I called first at the Eldest of the Mr. Nelsons, who was not in town, nor expected home till the middle of the ensuing week. From hence I went to Captain Reynolds, whose wife I was formerly acquainted with, being the daughter of a Mr. Wm. Rogers, a particular Friend and intimate Companion of mine about Thirty years ago. She knew me at first sight. Here I dincd. After dinner I waited on the Secretary the Honourable Thomas Nelson Esq., and delivered Mr. Hunt's letter of recommendation. He spoke civilly, but said he must confer with his Brother before he could talk particularly to me. This was the first and indeed the last time of my having the honor of a Conference with this Gentleman. In the Evening I returned on Board.
Monday the 13th I again went on shore, delivered the certificate for my Tea to the Custom house Officer, Richard Ambler Esq. who remembered me perfectly, as I did him. He staid me to dinner, and at his Lady's request promised to accommodate me with a Home, tho' he could not conveniently spare it; the favour was the greater as there was none other to be had. [This Richard Ambler married Elizabeth Jaquelin.]
Returned again on Board. The two next days, I likewise came on shore and visited several male old acquaintances, all of the other six, Mr. Ambler excepted, being dead.
Thursday 16th, employed in getting my family and goods on shore; but through the mate's drunkenness and laziness, it was far into the afternoon
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before we could get quit of the Ship; however it happened several of our packages were broke open, one large chest all to pieces and many things lost, and a large Box containing sheets and Table Linen never came to hand at all; yet all things considered we were glad of our escape, and thankful to Providence that we came off even so well. In a day or Two after we had landed, I called again at the Honourable Wm. Nelson Esquires now returned, and delivered my other letter from Mr. Hunt. This Gen- tleman I thought received me with a conscious Dignity and great reserve blamed my enterprise, admitting that any one could be so weak as to prefer living in Virginia to Brittain, insinuating at the same time that without peculiar circumstances or reasons few Persons of sense would ever make the exchange, and the best advice he could give me was to repair my oversight by returning again to London, which if I was inclined to do, there was he said a ship of Mr. Hunt's in the River that would sail in a few days (a fortnight's time). This (greatly mortified as I was) I could not yet bear to think of, but said in case of receiving no encouragement here, I should rather Choose to try my Fortune in some other Colony upon the Continent; mentioning Pennsylvania.
To this he replied pretty eagerly if I would go thither hic would give me a letter of recommendation to one Mr. Allin, a considerable Person of his acquaintance in Philadelphia. But even this I desired to suspend. I then mentioned my having two recommendatory letters to Mr. Walthoe, to which he replied very coldly, "Perhaps now Mr. Walthoe may have it in his power to serve you."
"(By the emphasis he placed upon the word now! I should imagine he meant to insinuate there was a time when Mr. Walthoe had it not so much in his power to serve me, but surely the observation was no more just or generous than for another to have remarked; That a time was when this great man's Father thought to bring a Boatswain to a Merchant Ship, no mean Preferment."). You will easily conceive with what a heavy heart, I departed from this great Person to meet the reproaches of my poor wife, tho' in truth my affliction was unutterable. My wife perceiv- ing my grief and dejection, determined upon trying her success in obtain- ing at least his Honor's advice or opinion in this anxious state of our affairs.
She was received with very great complaisance, both by his Honor and his Lady, but no council or advice, save that of returning again to Brit- tain, my wrong headedness in coming hither being the general topic of their discourse. On his saying he heartily wished himself and Family in England, my wife presumed to inquire whether he was sincere in that assertion. He assured her upon his word that if he could get out of business here, and had his substance in his own hands, he would remove to England with the utmost expedition.
When I brought my family on shore, there stood upon the wharf an ancient grey headed Gentleman who called me by my name, took me by the hand, welcomed me into the country again. Told me he remembered me perfectly when I was Clerk in the office of Mr. Lightfoot; tho' I could
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not so well recollect him, I acknowledged his civility. This Person wears the name of Captain Gooding. (G.)
As I wanted some silver to distribute among the sailors who brought my family ashore he obliged me in Changing a Guinea. In about a fortnight after this, as I was attending Mr. Nelson's store till he was at liesure to be spoke to, this same Captain G. happening to be there assumed a quite different behaviour to what he had manifested by the water side, for with a malicious sneer he began thus: I remember you Mr. Fisher ever since Coln. S. paid you the Ten Pounds that you recovered against him for his striking you. The widow and sons of the Coln. Smith (S.) being now living attached to and intimate with, if not allied to the Nelsons Family, I was extremely confounded to be thus accosted, and a difference revived which had been cemented Thirty years ago; and what augmented my confusion (if capable of being augmented) was a Pragmatical store keeper of Mr. Nelsons catching the opportunity with the highest Glee of demand- ing a relation of the story by Cox Comically saying, "Aye do Mr. Fisher, tell us how that affair was." I had hardly Spirits to bring out, that Col. (S.) and I were very good Friends long before I left the Colony, and that in the suit I brought against him no more than sixpence damage was . given, and not one farthing of either Costs or damage was ever levied or taken of the Col. Captain G. in a most insolent overbearing tone replyed : "Nay, but you must not tell me! I remember the payment of the money myself as well as if it was but yesterday, and that it was absolutely Ten Pounds." This so astonished me, that I could not utter a word for some time; at length recollecting myself a little, I beseeched the Captain would reflect this matter might easily be decided; for as I humbly presumed the Record of the Court were still in being, it would thereby appear whether he or I was in the right, without any further contest about the matter. Upon my mentioning the Record, the change in these two persons counte- nances was very extraordinary, and whether they ever looked into the Record or not, I cannot tell-but neither the storekeeper nor the honest Captain, tho' I have frequently met them since in various places, would never know or speak to me any more, yet this is all that I ever did to offend them.
If the honest Captain did not conceive by this extraordinary picce of evidence he might some how recommend himself to some body or other, I am unable to account for the difference of his behaviour at the Wharf, and in Mr. Nelson's Store; for the rest, I am at no difficulty. Nothing is more common than for the injured to forgive; but that is not so frequently the case with him, who does or but attempts to do the injury.
Indulge me with Patience, and I'll give the foundation of this Story concerning Col. Smith.
"When I was in the country before (about the year 1722) Deputy Clerk of the Court to Mr. Lightfoot, Col. Smith was a Justice of the Peace and a Representative in the House of Burgesses, for the said County of York. This gentleman who was drinking at a Public house just by my office on Saturday evening sent for me and required I would forthwith issue a
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writ against some Person he then named, and made it returnable to the next Court, which was the ensuing Monday. This I told him very civily could not be, as the Law required Three Days between the issuing of a Writ and the return thereof. He said I might date the writ the day before, for he would have it done, alleging that such things had been done by my Betters. This last I said I would not presume to dispute, but that the dating of a writ backwards never had yet, nor never would be done by me; whereupon he struck me with his cane, but I then being a younger man than he took hold of his collar with one hand and his cane with the other, laid him on the floor and his cane by him, and departed. And tho' it was said he broke Two of his ribbs in falling on the Hilt of his sword, I was for several reasons prevailed upon to bring an action: One was that as it was more scandalous in a Magistrate than an indifferent person to break the Peace, it was but just to expose him in his own Court. The action was brought and Six pence damage given, which, nor the Costs were never levyed. My Master Mr. Lightfoot said I was quite right in all I did."
And if I have any remembrance of this said Capt. Gooding (G) it seems to me to be by his being one of the Jury for conversation once on Shipboard in our passage and John Randolph in speaking of the dispo- sition of the Virginian, very freely cautioned us against disobliging or offending any person of note in the Colony we were going to; for says he, either by blood or marriage, we are almost all related, or so connected in our interests, that whoever of a Stranger presumes to offend any one of us will infallibly find an enemy of the whole nor right nor wrong, do we ever forsake him, till by one means or other, his ruin is accomplished. I refused then to acquire use in these sentiments, and I wish I could truly say I had no reason to do it now: yet I never offered the least injury to any of them, nor can I hitherto have offended either of the Mr. Nelsons, unless my unfortunately obtaining a recommendation to them from Mr. Hunt can justly be termed an offense. In the midst of these discourage- ments and heaviness at heart, I determined however on seeing Mr. Walthoe, and accordingly went over to Williamsburg, (about 12 miles) delivered my two letters from his Brother Mr. Walthoe and his nephew Mr. Hart. He received me very civilly, but used very few words. I found him at breakfast or Tea and at his invitation drank two dishes with him. He said if I inclined to settle in Williamsburg or elsewhere, I might expect any friendly offices in his power. Seeing me afterwards in the Town, he called to me and recommended me as his Friend to some of his acquaint- ance who were there with him. They all welcomed me to Virginia, and I dined with them at a Tavern where he treated me. In the evening I returned home more easy than I had been any time since my arrival. 1 don't know how it was; but I was too much dejected and dismayed by my reception at York to say anything to Mr. Walthoe concerning my diffi- culties with Mr. Saunder: a great unhappiness that I omitted it.
Three weeks of Mr. Saunder's month were now gone, and what to do I could not tell. At last, I resolved to set forth my case clearly by letter
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to the great man. This I did by informing him of our agreement, and our differences, with all the circumstances, together with Mr. Saunder's demand, earnestly imploring his aid in the most supplient abject terms that I had ever used to any Mortal in my life. Assuring him he should have my Tea or any other of my goods made over to him to double or treble the value of what would be necessary to enable me to get quit of Mr. Saunder. That I should request the loan of the Money for six months only, for which with greatest thanks and gratitude, I would pay any inter- est. Having sent this letter, I waited Three Days with the utmost anxiety for an answer, which not then coming I assumed the resolution of going myself to his house, to learn if possible his pleasure; but what was my anguish on enquiring for him when I was told by a servant his Master had set out yesterday (the day before this) on a journey to an Estate a great way up the Country, and would not return in less than three weeks, and that he had left no kind of word or message concerning me. The humanity of an answer tho' a peremptory refusal, I thought, I might · reasonably have expected. Mr. Saunder who remained at Hampton 25 miles below York came up with a deal of Fury demanding his money with great threats. I had sent him an account of the steps I had taken and now showed him a copy of the beseeching letter I had wrote to Mr. Nelson ; but this availed nothing. If I did not make over my goods, he said, directly to him, enabling him to sell them immediately for what they would fetch, he would without further ceremony throw me into jail.
Exasperated with such various distresscs, and these additional insults, I calmly bid him do his worse, for I would endure any kind of misery sooner than persist any longer in craving his compassion, or even so much as changing another word with him. This, how strange so ever, had a better effect on him than all my submissions and entreaties. He became cool at once, declared his distressing of me would afford him no pleasure, and that he would readily acquiess in my proposal of receiving my suppli- cation to Mr. Nelson on his return and would wait the event.
He staid with me two days, grew friendly, open and communicative: said he had an inveterate dislike to the People ;- the best of those whom he had met with being malicious, subtil, treacherous, Said he was de- termined on returning to England; advised me to sell off all, and do so too; for that in the end he was sure I would find Mr. Nelson advising my immediate return would be the best I should ever receive from him. However, if we must part, let it be amicably, and that the least mention of our unhappy animosities might not be made hereafter to any of our English Friends.
I declined all engagements save this, that he might rely upon my never aiming to do him the least prejudice either at home or abroad. As to himself, he was at his own liberty to relate as little or as much of our adventures as he pleased. He moreover assured me Mr. Sweeney entertained a deal of secret malice to me, on the account of what I had insinuated of his ingratitude in my letter to him, having sworn that he would do me all the mischief he could: that he had already began to prosecute those
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aims in exposing my letter (as a very insolent one) among all his relations and friends, particularly in Coln. Cary's family, whom he had endeavoured to prejudice and inflame with the most rancorous representations.
To put what he said beyond all doubt, he drew out of his pocket book, the very letter I had wrote to Mr. Sweeney avowing that having done me all the injury with it, he was capable of, he Mr. Sweeney had delivered it to him for the declared purpose of doing me what mischief he possibly could in England. But Mr. Saunder said, disdaining the Villany, he took the letter with no other view than to return it to me again, in case 1 would restore two or three letters which he Mr. Saunders had wrote to me before we left England. But in this I begged to be excused, repeating my assurance, that I did not detain them with any view of doing him the least injury. And as to that letter of Sweeney's, I believed he was very sensible; so far as it concerned me, it might be very freely communi- cated to the whole world.
After two days stay with me, Mr. Saunder set out for Hampton. He shed tears at parting, assuring me now that his threatenings were assumed with great difficulty, that sooner than he would so distress me any more; if I could raise a sufficiency to pay his expenses back to Brittain he would have the rest to be remitted at a convenient opportunity. As soon as ever I heard of the great man's return, I received my supplication, and if possible in more prostrate, abject terms that I had done before, exagerating the obligation above life or any other enjoyment the preservation of my poor family only expected. This letter went early in the morning, but I had no answer all the day.
The next morning between Ten and Eleven, his Lady came on a Seeming visit to my wife. She was no sooner seated than with a very distant air she informed me, if I had any thing to say to Mr. Nelson, he was now at leisure. I went instantly and acquainted him with Mr. Saunder's threats and demands of instantly selling my goods for what they would bring. He coolly replied, he did not see anything amiss in what Mr. Saunder re- quired, but rather wondered I should refuse to comply with his demand- and as to what I urged about the cruelty of taking advantages of the distressed, or how much I should be a gainer could I but obtain a little time to dispose of my Things myself, it made no impression on him. But I still continued to beseech his assistance, assuring him he should not run the least risque as I would actually make over and put into his possession much more than the Value of what he should advance for me.
He at length said, he should not think of assisting me until he had first spoke with Mr. Saunder. . I hereupon informed his Honor that Mr. Saunder had made one journey already at considerable expense, and if he would have the goodness to remit the money to him at Hampton by an order upon some merchant there, or by any other method he thought proper, it would be an additional act of goodness in him, and I should always return it a great augmentation of his favor; adding moreover, if there was any charge accruing thereby, I would most thankfully pay it. To all which he very abruptly answered, I will do no otherwise than I have said. So I
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