Washington’s general manager during the Revolution was Lund Washington, a distant relative.  He was a man of energy and ability and retired against protests in 1785.  Unfortunately not much of the correspondence between the two has come down to us, as Lund destroyed most of the General’s letters.  Why he did so I do not know, though possibly it was because in them Washington commented freely about persons and sections.  In one that remains, for example, written soon after his assumption of command at Cambridge, the General speaks disparagingly of some New England officers and says of the troops that they may fight well, but are “dirty fellows.”  When the British visited Mount Vernon in 1781 Lund conciliated them by furnishing them provisions, thereby drawing down upon himself a rebuke from the owner, who said that he would rather have had his buildings burned down than to have purchased their safety in such a way.  Nevertheless the General appreciated Lund’s services and the two always remained on friendly terms.

Lund was succeeded by Major George Augustine Washington, son of the General’s brother Charles.  From his youth George Augustine had attached himself to his uncle’s service and fought under him in the Revolution, a part of the time on the staff of Lafayette.  The General had a strong affection for him and in 1784 furnished him with money to take a trip to the West Indies for his health.  Contrary to expectations, he improved, married Fanny Bassett, and for several years resided at Mount Vernon.  But the disease, consumption, returned and, greatly to his uncle’s distress, he died in 1792.  Washington helped to care for the widow until she became the wife of Tobias Lear.

Two other nephews, Robert Lewis and Howell Lewis, were in turn for short intervals in charge of affairs, but presently the estate was committed to the care of an Englishman named Anthony Whiting, who was already overseer of two of the farms.  Like his predecessor he was a victim of consumption and died in June, 1793.  Washington showed him great kindness, repeatedly urging him not to overexert, to make use of wines, tea, coffee and other delicacies that had been sent for the use of guests.  As Whiting was also troubled with rheumatism, the President dropped affairs of state long enough to write him that “Flannel next the skin [is] the best cure for, & preventative of the Rheumatism I have ever tried.”  Yet after Whiting’s death the employer learned that he had been deceived in the man—­that he “drank freely—­kept bad company at my house in Alexandria—­and was a very debauched person.”

William Pearce, who followed Whiting, came from the eastern shore of Maryland, where he owned an estate called “Hopewell.”  His salary was a hundred guineas a year.  A poor speller and grammarian, he was nevertheless practical and one of the best of all the managers.  He resigned in 1797 on account of rheumatism, which he thought would prevent him from giving business the attention it deserved.  Washington parted from him with much regret and gave him a “certificate” in which he spoke in the most laudatory terms of his “honesty, sobriety industry and skill” and stated that his conduct had given “entire satisfaction.”  They later corresponded occasionally and exchanged farm and family news in the most friendly way.