Journal and Letters of Philip Vickers Fithian: A Plantation Tutor of the Old Dominion, 1773-1774.. Fithian Philip Vickers
my Sermon for the Presbytery[74]– Expence for my Horse 1/3.
Sunday 14.
Rode to Nominy Church about six Miles – the day Cold – Parson Smith preached – "What shall a man be profited" &c. Rode home after Sermon – Dined at Mr Carters to day Mrs Turbuville,[75] Miss Jenny Corbin,[76] and Mr Cunningham[77] a young Merchant.
Monday 15.
Busy in School – Wrote in the Evening at my Sermon.
Teusday 16.
In School – Writing at my Sermon.
Wednesday 17.
Busy in School —
Thursday 18.
Busy in School —
Fryday 19.
Busy in School —
Saturday 20.
Rode to Mr Fishers[78] dined with Mr Cunningham at 3 o-Clock – Rode in the evening to Mr Lancelot Lees,[79] a young Gentleman, who has lately come from England; sup'd on Oysters – Rode home about nine o-Clock he along —
Sunday 21.
Rode to Church – Mr Smith preached on the Parable of the rich Man. Dined at home – Mr Lee dined with us – Reading in Pictete – Feel very home-Sick – Saw two Brothers quarrel – Doleful Sight. —
Monday 22.
Busy in School – Mr Lee gave us his Company in the morning in School, and was very chearful – he left us about twelve o-Clock —
Teusday 23.
Busy in School – Miss Carter rode out with her Dady and Mama to the County Court[80]– Writing at my Sermons.
Who knows what heaven may have in view?
What yet remains for me to do?
But knowlege here might give me grief.
Instead of pleasure and relief;
I therefore yield and peaceful wait
On Providence to rule my fate;
Nor if it long 'til' I must fly
Unbodied to my judge on high
Why need I then disturb my mind?
Why not lye humble and resign'd? —
Yet tho' 'tis wrong for me to try
Into these mysteries to pry
Sure I may sit and simply sing
(I dare not strike a lofty string)
The various scenes through which I've past
I may be now acting my last;
Here in Virginia, far from friends
Except those Heaven in pity sends!
Wednesday 24.
Busy in School.
Thursday 25.
Rode this morning to Richmond Court-house,[81] where two Horses run for a purse of 500 Pounds; besides small Betts almost enumerable.
One of the Horses belonged to Colonel John Taylor,[82] and is called Yorick– The other to Dr. Flood,[83] and is called Gift– The Assembly was remarkably numerous; beyond my expectation and exceeding polite in general.
The Horses started precisely at five minutes after three; the Course was one Mile in Circumference, they performed the first Round in two minutes, third in two minutes & a-half, Yorick came out the fifth time round about 40 Rod before Gift they were both, when the Riders dismounted very lame; they run five Miles, and Carried 180 lb – Rode home in the Evening – Expence to the Boy 7½d —
Fryday 26.
Busy in School – Robin, & Nancy at dancing-School.
Saturday 27.
Robin and Nancy yet at Dancing-School – Mr Harry Fantleroy call'd after dinner to see us. In the Evening Ben & I rode with him to his fathers; I was introduced to one Mr Walker a Scotch Gentleman, lately a School-master but has quit, and is going in the Spring for the Gown to England.[84]
Sunday 28.
Rode to Church – the Parson was absent; it is indeed a little cold! The Clerk read prayers for us – We rode home – Found at Home two young Ladies, Miss Corbin, and Miss Turburville and Mr George Lee, brother to the Gentleman here last Sunday, & has lately returned from England – I was introduced by Mr Carter to the two latter —
Monday 29.
All our Scholars present – Mr Carter has put into my hands; Tyre's Dictionary, & the pronouncing Dictionary, to improve his Sons in Grammar classically, both Latin and English, and he has given me Fenning in Arrithmetic.
Teusday 30.
Busy in School – I was solicited the other Day at the Race by one Mr Gordon,[85] to take and instruct two of his Sons, Saturday also I was again solicited by Mr Fantleroy to take two of his Sons – But I must decline it —
Wednesday Decemr 1st 1773.
Busy in School – Wrote home by the Post, to Mr Green & Johnny Peck. Afternoon Vacant.
Revd Sir.
As you desired I may not omit to inform you, so far as I can by a letter, of the business in which I am now engaged, it would indeed be vastly agreeable to me if it was in my power to give you particular intelligence concerning the state and plan of my employment here.
I set out from home the 20th of Octr and arrived at the Hon: Robert Carters, of Nominy, in Westmorland County, the 28th I began to teach his children the first of November. He has two sons, and one Nephew; the oldest Son is turned of seventeen, and is reading Salust and the greek grammer; the others are about fourteen, and in english grammer, and Arithmetic. He has besides five daughters which I am to teach english, the eldest is turned of fifteen, and is reading the spectator; she is employed two days in every week in learning to play the Forte-Piana, and Harpsicord – The others are smaller, and learning to read and spell. Mr Carter is one of the Councellors in the general court at Williamsburg, and possest of as great, perhaps the clearest fortune according to the estimation of people here, of any man in Virginia: He seems to be a good scholar, even in classical learning, and is remarkable one in english grammar; and notwithstanding his rank, which in general seems to countenance indulgence to children, both himself and Mrs Carter have a manner of instructing and dealing with children far superior, I may say it with confidence, to any I have ever seen, in any place, or in any family. They keep them in perfect subjection to themselves, and never pass over an occasion of reproof; and I blush for many of my acquaintances when I say that the children are more kind and complaisant to the servants who constantly attend them than we are to our superiors in age and condition. Mr Carter has an over-grown library of Books of which he allows me the free use. It consists of a general collection of law books, all the Latin and Greek Classicks, vast number of Books on Divinity chiefly by writers who are of the established Religion; he has the works of almost all the late famous writers, as Locke, Addison, Young, Pope, Swift, Dryden, &c. in Short, Sir, to speak moderately, he has more than
Fithian was preparing for his examination before the Presbytery at Philadelphia at this time.
"Hickory Hill," the manor house of John Turberville (1737-1799) was about a mile distant from "Nomini Hall." Turberville had married his first cousin, Martha Corbin. One of their ten children, Letitia Corbin Turberville, later became the wife of Major Catesby Jones. Their youngest son, George Richard Turberville, married his first cousin, Martha Corbin, only daughter of Gawin Corbin of "Peckatone." Their eldest son, George Lee Turberville, married Betty Tayloe Corbin. The Turbervilles were connected with the Lees of Westmoreland County in a number of ways and possessed large landed properties.
Jane or "Jenny" Corbin was a sister of Mrs. John Turberville of "Hickory Hill."
Cunningham was one of a number of young Scotch merchants who had settled in the Northern Neck. He was apparently a member of a firm referred to in the account books of Robert Carter of "Nomini Hall" as "Messrs. Fisher and Cunningham."
See fn. 51.
Lancelot Lee was the son of George Lee of "Mount Pleasant" in Westmoreland County who had died in 1761. Lancelot's brother, George Fairfax Lee, had inherited their father's manor plantation. Lancelot and George Fairfax Lee were cousins of the Lees at "Stratford," "Lee Hall," and at "Chantilly."
"Nomini Hall" was some ten miles distant from the seat of government in Westmoreland County, which is situated in the present town of Montross.
Richmond Court House, the seat of government in Richmond County, now called Warsaw, is some ten or twelve miles distant from "Nomini Hall." There were a number of enthusiastic turfmen in Richmond County during the eighteenth century.
Colonel John Tayloe (1721-1779) was one of the wealthiest men in the Northern Neck. His manor house, "Mount Airy," was located near Richmond Court House, and overlooked the Rappahannock River, some two miles in the distance. Tayloe was a noted fancier of fine horses.
Dr. William Flood lived at "Kinsail," a plantation in Westmoreland County. He frequently combined the pleasures of horse racing with the practice of his profession. Cf. Blanton, Wyndham B.,
Since it was often difficult to secure a sufficient number of clergymen for the parishes in Virginia, young English schoolmasters and tutors were frequently induced to return to the mother country and take orders so that they might fill such vacancies.
Robert Carter's account books reveal that he sometimes had business transactions with one George C. Gordon of Westmoreland County.