Boston May 18 1758
Madam,
I hope you will not take it amiss that I have hitherto neglected to express my Sorrow on account of the great loss you have met with in the death of yr. husband. I assure it was not for want of Respect either to him or yourself, but I have been hindred by Journeys into the Country & by Urgent Business while in town, & have always proposed to write by the next opportunity, & you know how apt we are to put off our duty91to a more convenient Season. However Madam I would by no means be deficient in expressing my sympathy with you in yr. affliction & profesing my hearty service to you in any thing that lays in my way. You are sensible that there was dealings between my self & yr. husband & as I understand you administer on the Estate I take the liberty to write you concerning it. I am extreemly Sorry that the office I sustain as Exr. to my Father obliges me to send the inclosed Papers, which you will percieve are a Bond & an acct. The Articles I make his Estate Debtor for are collected out of his Letters to me, some of wch. charges perhaps you may find on his Books. There was Some goods sold at Vendue, wch. I don't know that he ever got the money for & so I should be glad to be put with a Way how I am to come at it. I suppose you are the only Person that can get the money of the Vendue Masters Estate. Yr. husband wrote me he had sold some thing at Private Sale which I suppose he took the money for, but I dont exactly know how much & should be glad to be inform'd as I expect he has it on his books. As I suppose you will now give up the house I shall Send orders about it by this or the next opportunity as also concerning two Notes he had of mine in his Possession vizt. one of William Knox & one of Benja. Leigh. I heartily wish you well through the trouble of Settling his Estate & were it not my business will by no means allow it I should come down. However I hope you will have good advice & assistance & meet with no extraordinary perplexitys. I pray you to take my demand on yr. husbands Estate into consideration & write me word concerning it as soon as may be. I send an order on you by Capt. Jenkins requesting you to deliver to him all the things that belonged to my Fathers Estate. I pray you to answer this Letter by the first opportunity. I subscribe,
RTP