Jun 21, 2018 - Sale 2483

Sale 2483 - Lot 73

Price Realized: $ 3,000
?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price
Estimate: $ 1,000 - $ 1,500
"I AM OBLIGED TO PROCEED TO PHILADELPHIA ON PUBLICK BUSINESS" WAYNE, ANTHONY. Autograph Letter Signed, "Ant'yWayne," to Charleston slave trader Edward Penman, requesting that he create separate deeds for Wayne's land, explaining the reasons for doing so, stating that he has public business in Philadelphia, and, in a postscript: "NB the price is the same I already mentioned, or 3750 guineas for each plan.--you to make the chain." 2 1/2 pages, 4to, written on a folded sheet; minor staining at all corners, moderate bleedthrough overall, docketing on terminal page, horizontal folds. Charleston, 17 July 1787
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"The business I wished to see you upon was this.--there appears to be a seperate interest in the moneys due Mr. Potts & Mr. James Penman on acc't of that wretched gang of negro's [sic] late the property of Mr. Potts--in order to obviate any difficulty that might arise from the general conveyance of the Estates called Richmond & Kew I would propose making seperate deeds for each, i.e. one to Mr. Penman & the other to Mr. Potts in which case the debt due to each might be deducted & the balance in negro[e]s paid without any clashing of interest. & the Lands appropriated in such manner as might be most convenient to the parties I would hire by leases to observe that with these lands you may command any other property in the state of Georgia by way of barter. & must also take the liberty to mention that the Estate thus offered is a sacrifice to my own feelings, that no other consideration should induce me to make. & will be paid for by your friends in every easy manner . . . .
"I will come forward at any time to execute the titles & to give possession[;] at present I am obliged to proceed to Philadelphia on publick business.
"I wish to hear from you as soon as convenient, life being uncertain . . . ."
In 1785, Wayne engaged Edward Penman to purchase for him 47 slaves from plantation owner Samuel Potts in Southampton, GA. Wayne's intention was to build a rice farm on the plots of land near Savannah, GA ("Richmond & Kew") given to him by the state General Assembly in exchange for his services during the Revolutionary War. The venture failed, and Wayne offered the land to his creditors in an attempt to extricate himself from his growing financial troubles. Throughout 1787, Wayne served in Philadelphia as a delegate to the Pennsylvania Convention to ratify the Federal Constitution.