George Washington, Innovative Businessman and Farmer, Profits from His Diversification Into Wheat from Tobacco, and Shows How He Runs His Business and Manages His Crop

Written the year he openly criticized the British for oppressive tax policies towards the colonies

 

This letter, part of a private collection for generations, does not appear in the published works of Washington and was apparently not known to have survived

1771 was a watershed year for George Washington. In that year, he openly criticized the British for what he viewed as oppressive tax policies towards the colonies. During his military service in the French and Indian War, Washington grew disillusioned with the British because of his treatment as a second-class citizen and the defensive strategy they adopted during the war. But he took this to the next level in 1771. The Revolution, and his rise to fame, were only four years away.

In 1771, Washington, working his land at Mount Vernon and adjacent properties, was intricately involved in the management, development, and finances of his land and product. As Mount Vernon’s web site notes, in a bid to diversify his income stream: “In 1771, after shifting from tobacco to wheat as his main cash crop, George Washington erected a new mill along Dogue Run. The innovative farmer-statesman added a wharf and began sending his finely milled flour by ship to Europe and the West Indies.” The new mill was located three miles west of Mount Vernon on Dogue Run Creek. It was used to produce wheat for flour and cornmeal for Mount Vernon as well as high-quality flour for export to the West Indies, England, and continental Europe. Wheat was a very successful export crop. Washington had several types of wheat in an attempt to find the perfect fit for his fields, including summer wheat, red-straw wheat, lamas wheat, double-headed wheat, yellow-bearded wheat, early wheat, and Russian wheat. He finally settled on a variety known simply as white wheat. This letter references fine flour, middlings (some bran mixed in and lesser quality) and ship or bisquet stuff (the lowest quality) – all flour derived from wheat.

This letter sheds light on how Washington dealt with his large scale transactions, particularly his sale of wheat and flour. He had been communicating with the firm of Ingles & Long, which wanted to buy his wheat. But he had sold it to Robert Adam & Co., noting in June 1771 in his journal that he had “Sold all the Flour I have left to Robt. Adam & Co. at the following Rates—fine flour at 12/6 Midlings at 10/. & Shipstuff at 8/4 pr. Ct. £300 of the Money.”

Autograph letter signed, Mount Vernon, June 2, 1771, “To Messrs. Ingles & Long, In Portsmouth, By favour of Capt. Olife.” In it he informs that firm that his wheat is no longer available, and explains why (they had not been prepared to pay enough). “Gentlemen, I have received your favour of the 20th ulto. by Captn. Olife; who being of opinion that you would not give 10/ per cwt. for my seconds, or (as we call them here) middlings, I have not sent you any; this being the price I hold them at, and have sold all to about 30 barrels for. Our ship or bisquet stuff, sells at this time for 8/4 per cwt., but of this (as indeed of the other), I have little left, a Baker in Alexandria having engaged what I had by me. I shall have no more of either of these kinds till the new crop of wheat comes in. I am Gentlemen yr. very Humble Serv, G. Washington.”

The Captain Oliffe mentioned was Capt. John Oliffe of Norfolk, who sailed frequently from Virginia to the West Indies. Washington used his services, and he mentions Oliffe in other letters of the same time.

In 1770 Robert Adam joined in a trading partnership with Matthew Campbell, and James Adam, under the title of Robert Adam & Company. They were the successful buyers. Washington notes on June 6, “Sold all the Flour I have left to Robt. Adam & Co. at the following Rates—fine flour at 12/6 Midlings at 10/. & Shipstuff at 8/4 pr. Ct. £300 of the Money, to be paid in Octr.—the residue in April with Int[eres]t from Octr.” The Washington Papers indicates that in May the company had bought about 13,500 pounds of Washington’s flour for £60 7s. 10d., and during June it bought about 128,000 pounds more for £765 3s. 7d. Over three-fourths of this flour was of fine quality, that is, finely ground and relatively free of bran and impurities. The rest consisted of middlings and ship stuff. Adam & Co. may have used some of his flour for local sale or for making bread at the company’s bakery, but much of it, especially the fine flour, must have been exported as it was. These were large transactions for the time.

An interesting letter showing Washington as a successful gentleman farmer, written in the year he took the first step to breaking with Great Britain.

This letter, part of a private collection for generations, does not appear in the published works of Washington and was apparently not known to have survived.