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Rare 1733 Colonial Virginia Receipt — Lawrence Washington Estate
This remarkable 18th-century handwritten document dates to February 15, 1733, and represents an early tradesman’s bill issued to Lawrence Washington — the half-brother of George Washington. Items like this seldom survive with such clarity and direct connection to early American history.
📜 Transcription:
Mr. Lawrence Washington – 1733
Feb 15, 1733
To Wm el Button
To hewing 1000 slabs @ 31 per 76 – $5.00
To making folding seat & hinging the same @ 36/- – $6.00
Total: $11.00
Signed: C. Eacup (likely a local craftsman or steward)
Reverse reads:
Acct. L. Washington / Wm el Button / $11.00
📚 Historical Context:
Lawrence Washington (1718–1752) was the eldest son of Augustine Washington and Jane Butler, and older half-brother to George Washington. He was a soldier, politician, and founder of what would become Mount Vernon.
This document originates from a time when the Washington family resided at Popes Creek Plantation (also called Wakefield) in Westmoreland County, Virginia.
The folding seat described was likely for plantation or household use. At the time of this document, baby George Washington was just over one year old — and may very well have sat upon or interacted with the very piece of furniture mentioned here.
🔍 Key Features:
Dated 1733 — 43 years before the Declaration of Independence
Names Lawrence Washington, with pencil annotation: \"Half Brother of Geo. Washington\"
Handwritten account with labor and material costs (slabs and folding seat)
Reverse summary in period script
Comes with modern transcription and provenance research
💰 Collector Value:
Documents linking directly to the Washington family before the Revolution are exceedingly scarce. This piece holds strong value for collectors of:
Founding family manuscripts
Colonial trades and plantation economics
George Washington family ephemera
Early American furniture and carpentry history
Shipping & Handling:
Ships in archival-safe sleeve with rigid mailer
Includes printed transcription and historical background sheet
Fully insured with tracking (domestic & international options)
🔐 Authenticity Guaranteed
Offered by a trusted private collector of early American manuscripts. Inquiries and offers welcome.
