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LETTERS OF PETER FONTAINE.
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her mother-in-law, as yet unmarried, for what I know. Judith, the youngest of all my brother Frank's children, is with her mother.

Mr. Daniel Claiborne, who married my niece Molly Maury, sold his estate in King William County, and now lives near my son Peter in Lunenburg, where he has purchased a fine tract of land, and has carried with him a good number of slaves. He has had two sons, both of which he had the misfortune to lose, and hath now but one daughter about three years old. He is a very worthy man, and kind husband. I have not heard any thing this three years of brother James's family. They live in Northumberland Co., Virginia, and we can never hear from them.

Cousin Abraham Maury has a fine tract of land in Halifax, to which he will probably remove after my sister's death, my brother having ordered in his will the land she now lives on should be sold then, so that in all probability our relations here will in time be near one the other.

Thus have my poor gouty hands, but skin and bones, performed more than I expected when I began. Excuse blots and blurs.

May our good and gracious God shed on you all his choicest blessings, is the hearty prayer of, dear brother,

Your most affectionate brother and servant,

Peter Fontaine.


March 2d. 1756.

Dear Brothers:—Yours of the 30th October, 1754, came to hand the February following, when I was very ill of the gout, which confined me to the middle of April, and