Appraisement of Slaves Sent to the Dismal Swamp, 1764

At its first meeting on 3 Nov. 1763, the Dismal Swamp Land Company agreed that each member should contribute five slaves by 1 July 1764 for “the work of draining Improving and Saving the Land” (Dismal Swamp Land Company: Minutes of Meeting, 3 Nov. 1763). In his accounts with the company GW entered in July 1764 a claim for £7.14.1 for “my Expences [going] to the Swamp in order to receive & set the People to work” (Ledger A, 194; account with “The Adventurers for draining the Dismal Swamp,” PPRF). GW’s cash accounts for June and July 1764 indicate that he was in Williamsburg as late as 25 June and back again as early as 9 July. It was probably at this time that he made the undated survey of land beginning at the Poquoson Swamp (DLC:GW).