Gunston-Hall March 12th. 1776
Capt. Hancock Lee & one Mr. Leet are return'd from surveying the Ohio Companys 200,000 Acres of Land, & are now here making out their Returns, & setling their Accts. in assisting about which I am closely ingaged; as I wish to have every thing as clear & regular, as possible. They have got it all in one Tract, upon a large Creek, call'd Licking Creek; which falls into the Ohio River, on the South East Side, abt. 150 Miles below the Scioto River, & abt. 80 Miles above the Mouth of the Kentucky River; so that it is clear both of Henderson's & the Vandalia Company's Claim. By all Accounts it is equal to any Land on this Continent, being exceedingly rich & level.
The Charges of the Survey come to about £650 Curcy., & I have never recd. a farthing from the Members towards it except £49.9.9 from Richd. Lee Esqr. & £100 Ster: from Colo. Tayloe (for Mr. Lomax & himself) which wth. my own Quota of £50 Ster: makes £199.9.9 Sterling. It wou'd be unreasonable that I shou'd advance the Remainder, even if I had the Money; but the Fact is I have it not, & the Men are all waiting for their Wages, by which I am extreamly distress'd; having always, thro' Life, made it a Rule of comply punctually wth. my Contracts. On this Occasion, upon the Credit of the Ohio Compy., & the particular Promises of several of the Members to advance £50 Ster: each, I agreed to make myself liable for the Charges of this Survey, & am now like to suffer for it. I ask no Pecuniary favour of any Man, & desire only Justice. I must acknowledge that you was not one of the Members who promised to make the said Advance, & that you told me, when I last conversed wth. you on the Subject, you believed you shou'd not make any further Advances as a Member of the Ohio Compy., & wou'd rather lose what you had already paid then run any further Risque; and it is therefore that I now put it to you, as a Man of Honour, or, what is more intelligible & important, as an honest Man, whether you intend to claim any Benefit from the Survey lately made or not? If you do, surely you ought to indemnifie me from all but my proportional Charge. If you do not, you shou'd let us know it candidly; that yr. Shares may be disposed of, for the Payment, or sunk in the Company; or if you do no [t hide to be further concern'd, & will sell out to [me, I] will purchase one, or perhaps both yr Shares. In Case you intend to claim yr. Part of this Survey, I am convinced you will imediatly furnish me wth. yr. Proportion of the Money; and at any Rate, I flatter myself you will pardon the Freedom wth. which I have express'd myself on the Subject; & ascribe it to it's true Cause, the Sincerity, & real Regard, with which I am, Sir, Yr. most Hble Sert.