Part 2 (1/2)

Duc de la Rochefoucault Liancourt, traveling in the United States in 1795-'97, says that in 1791 tobacco exports from George Town were $314,864.00. They went even higher in 1792 and 1793, but in 1794 and the following years decreased considerably, which was attributed to two causes: a falling off in tobacco growing, and a diversion of the capital of the merchants to speculation in lots in the Federal City.

A prominent firm in this same business of exporting tobacco was that of Forrest, Stoddert, and Murdock, formed in 1783. Uriah Forrest was born in St. Mary's County, Maryland, in 1756. He served with distinction in the Revolution, was wounded in the Battle of Germantown and lost a leg at the Battle of Brandywine.

He was a delegate in the Continental Congress and served in the third Congress from March 4, 1793 to November 8, 1794, when he resigned. He was commissioned major-general in the Maryland Militia in 1795.

After the war he went to London on business for the Government at his own expense, but returned to enter business with his old friend, Benjamin Stoddert.

Born in Charles County, Maryland, in 1751, Stoddert was of Scottish ancestry, the son of Captain Thomas Stoddert who, while with the Maryland contingent, was killed in Braddock's defeat. Benjamin Stoddert had joined the Continental Army as a captain of cavalry and was in active service until the Battle of Brandywine where, after holding the rank of major, he was so severely wounded as to unfit him for active service. He had seriously considered settling in either Baltimore or Alexandria, urged by friends in each of these cities, but decided that George Town was a better venture.

Colonel John Murdock was already living in George Town where his father, William Murdock, was in business.

Francis Lowndes also had a large warehouse, and John Laird was prosperous in this business, and as time went on, meant a great deal to Georgetown. Colonel Deakins, Jr., was prominent, for on his tomb was inscribed: ”George Town, by the blow, has lost her most ill.u.s.trious patron.” He was only fifty-six when he died in 1798. In his youth, he had done surveying with George Was.h.i.+ngton.

Henry Threlkeld was born in c.u.mberland County, England, in 1716, came to America and bought an estate of 1,000 acres known as Berleith, bordering on the Potomac. It ran northward, and the present sites of Georgetown College and Convent are on part of this land. He seems to have continued to farm his estate, and died in 1781. His only child, John, became very prominent in all of the affairs of the town.

Joseph Carlton, also in the tobacco business, who died in March, 1812, when only fifty-eight years old, had held the office of postmaster in 1799.

General James Maccubbin Lingan, a tobacco s.h.i.+pper, who was the first collector of the port ... ”1790 and before,” had had a very remarkable career in the Revolution.

Colonel Charles Beatty owned a ferry which did a thriving business between the Virginia sh.o.r.e and the foot of Frederick Street at Water Street.

Ebenezer Dodge had come from Salem, Ma.s.sachusetts, and built up a successful coastwise trade with the East Indies, his younger brother, Francis, coming in 1798, of whom I shall have a great deal to say in another chapter.

Peter Casanave was much in evidence in business deals.

John M. Gannt was a prominent merchant; also, William King, whose name is still known in business here.

Among the lawyers were Philip Barton Key and Joseph Earle.

Doctor Magruder is spoken of over and over again. He seems to have been ”the doctor” at that time. Doctor Weems also had a good practice.

From _The Virginia Gazette_ of January 14, 1775, is taken this note in regard to a project much in the minds of the business men of George Town at that time:

At a meeting of the Trustees for opening the navigation of the Potomack River held in George Town December 1, 1774, Thomas Johnson, Jr., Attorney at Law, Wm. Deakins, Adam Steuart, Thomas Johns, Thomas Richardson, merchants of George Town, appointed to hire slaves for cutting ca.n.a.ls around the Falls of the River, etc.

Of course, George Town, like every other town in the country at that time, was peopled largely by negroes. Some owners hired out the ones they themselves did not need, either for work of this kind or for domestic service. A delightful story is told of how one of the s.h.i.+powners sent a ”likely” young negress back to Scotland on one of his vessels, as a present to his mother. Many weeks later when the vessel returned, on it was Chloe with a note thanking ”my dear son” for his gift, but saying, ”I have had her scrubbed and scrubbed, but as it is impossible to remove the dirt and stain, I am returning her.”

In 1788 Thomas Corcoran, who that year came to George Town from Baltimore, intended to go on to Richmond, but instead stayed and established a business in leather, says: ”There were then in harbor ten square-rigged vessels, two of them being s.h.i.+ps and a small brig from Amsterdam taking in tobacco from a warehouse on Rock Creek.” The mouth of the creek at that time was a bay, wide and deep, and as late as 1751 the tide ebbed and flowed as far up as the present P Street bridge.

Near there stood the paper mill built about 1800 by Gustavus Scott and Nicholas Lingan, and described in an old advertis.e.m.e.nt as being 120 feet long, three stories high, the first story built of stone. Just beyond was Parrott's Mill, called the George Town Wool and Cotton Manufactory.

Parrott also had a Rope Walk on the northern outskirts of the Town. A little farther north of Parrott's Mill at the bend of Rock Creek was Lyon's Mill, said to have been built in 1780.

Naturally all through these years during and after the Revolution there was a great deal of unrest, and trade was much affected.

The following is a copy of an authentic letter from the celebrated Dr.

Franklin to a friend in England on the subject of the first campaign made by the British forces in America and, although not written from Georgetown, it shows the state of mind of many people.

Dear Sir. I am to set out tomorrow for the camp and having heard of this opportunity can only write a line to say that I am well and hardy.

Tell our good friend--who sometimes has his doubts and despondencies about our firmness that America is determined and unanimous, a very few tories and place men excepted, who will probably soon export themselves.