Forwarding Two Muskets
Document 1799Hollingsworth received a letter from Samuel Hodgdon saying that he had sent a box containing two muskets by wagon from Philadelphia that should be forwarded to Kilty by land stage. Hollingsworth has located the box in Chester County and will forward it as soon as he can retrieve it.
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[Postal notation: Received State Dep't. Nov. 24. 1893 R.P.O. 401810.] [(36)]
Supervisor's Office
Baltimore, February 11th 1799
Sir
On the receipt of your letter of the 1st instant I went to Fell's Point, and after some search, found the person therein mentioned, not at Price's, but at another Ship Yard. I called him aside, and informed him of your claim. I [undecipherable] to [undecipherable] the letter which he afterwards determined to write, and which is herewith enclosed. I demanded some Security for payment of the moneys, if, after time had been allowed for necessary explanations, he should not be able to convince you that it was not justly due. He did not immediately consent to give such Security, but promised to come up to my Office the next morning. He came accordingly, and after some considerations went back with a kind of obligation, which I had drawn up, and which he promised to shew to a Mr [undecipherable: probable reading "Needon"], with whom he appears to have some engagements, and procure his signature to it, if, upon consultation, they should agree that such an obligation ought to be given. He came again this day, to my office, accompanied by Mr [undecipherable: probable reading "Needon"], but did not seem inclined to give any security, untill an answer should be made to the letter already referred to which he had in the interim prepared. I readily agreed to forward his letter, but insisted on some kind of Security for the ultimate payment
of the claim if it should be found due, and at length obtained Mr [undecipherable: probable reading "Needon"]'s Signature to the paper of which a Copy is enclosed. It is not so precise as the one I had first drawn, but I could not get a stricter obligation Signed, and I thought it better to take this than to Institute a suit for the sum. I believe, loose and informal as it is, that it yet secures the claim, but I cannot help wishing that [undecipherable] may be [undecipherable] disclosed, on further examination, Sufficient to [undecipherable] and the decency of his behaviour in the conversation I have had with him excite this sentiment, which however shall not prevent me from taking any further measures that you may hereafter think proper to suggest.
I State this occasion to acknowledge your Letters of the 7th and 14th of December 1798. The latter arrived long before the other, and judging from its contents that the Musquets would not come in time, I applied, of those already in my hands to the purpose for which these last had been directed to be sent; a step from which no inconvenience can arise, as I mark them all in the same manner. Your letter of the 7th was accompanied by the one from Mr Zebulon Hollingsworth of which a Copy is enclosed. The Musquets have not yet arrived and I have heard no more about them — Perhaps you can find the means of giving them a start from the place where they lie.
I am Sir
[Samuel] Hodgdon Esqr Your Most obedient Servant
John Kilty
[(35)]
Baltimore February 2nd 1799
[Text largely undecipherable due to water damage]
I have seen your letter that you sent here [undecipherable] —
to Officers of the Revenue respecting My Transactions
at [Fell's Point?]. [undecipherable] for my
Expenses [undecipherable]. When I
Left [undecipherable] to go to Philadelphia [undecipherable]
To Return Again [undecipherable]
[undecipherable]
[undecipherable] proceed to Philadelphia [undecipherable]
[undecipherable] Proceeded to [Fell's Point?] [undecipherable]
[undecipherable] and Baltimore went to work at the [Ship?] Making [undecipherable]
[undecipherable]
[undecipherable] to launch. he [undecipherable]
Continue my wages [undecipherable]
[undecipherable] ten dollar[s?]
[undecipherable] he would not Agree with
[undecipherable] I [would?] go to Philadelphia or to Baltimore
I [undecipherable] here for a Settlement [undecipherable]
[undecipherable] which I [could?] not
[undecipherable] it was not [leaving?] a farthing ——
One [undecipherable] I must state: [undecipherable] Craig has
Written to you that I was not at work at [Fell's Point?] —
[undecipherable] the fact [undecipherable]
and the Next [undecipherable] I have Mentioned
[undecipherable]
[undecipherable] Philadelphia I was Employed
by the [undecipherable] Whom I thought [When?] a Contract
[undecipherable] I found it to the
[Contrary?] [undecipherable]
[undecipherable] take traveling [expenses?] [four?] Hundred Miles at My
Expenses, for [that?] reason [undecipherable]
[bound?] [undecipherable] [abide?] by the Contract [undecipherable]
[undecipherable] Money [undecipherable]
but not [only?] that [undecipherable]
from the [last?] [time?] [undecipherable]
I [am?] at work at Fell's Point, at My Business —
here and [are?] Willing to Answer any Demands on
[undecipherable]
[Masters?] [undecipherable]
[undecipherable] this
letter [undecipherable] to you when
it some [way?] [misled?] [undecipherable]
[Copy]
Elkton January 17th 1799
Sir
A few days ago I received a line from Samuel Hodgdon Esquire, informing me that he had sent a Box containing two Musquets, by a waggon from Philadelphia — requesting me to forward the box to you by the Land Stage — after much inquiry and search I yesterday found the Box up in Chester County about ten Miles from this place. The Waggon having met with a load of goods for that place left the box there soon as I can get it here shall send it to you by the Land Stage.
This accompanies the letter I found with the Box of Musquets. Your humble Servant
(Signed) Zebulon Hollingsworth
John Kilty Esquire
Supervisor of the Revenue
Type
Autograph Letter Signed
Description
Hollingsworth received a letter from Samuel Hodgdon saying that he had sent a box containing two muskets by wagon from Philadelphia that should be forwarded to Kilty by land stage. Hollingsworth has located the box in Chester County and will forward it as soon as he can retrieve it.
Date
01/17/1799
Author
Recipient
Sent from
Elkton
Document number
1799011790201
Page start
9
Note
Enclosed in Kilty to Hodgdon, 02/11/1799.
Notable persons
John Kilty
Joshua Hollingsworth
Notable locations
Elkton


