1793 Revolutionary War Officer George Ross Orders Wine from New York Merchant Nicholas Low
ROSS, GEORGE (1740–1794). Autograph letter signed “Geo: Ross,” Elizabethtown, New Jersey, February 4, 1793, to prominent New York merchant and financier Nicholas Low. One manuscript page with integral address leaf.
An engaging early American commercial letter in which Revolutionary War veteran George Ross orders another cask of wine from one of New York’s leading merchants—and disputes the cooper’s measurement of the previous shipment.
Ross writes that Low’s wine “is well approved of here” and asks for another cask of the same quality. To reduce expenses, he sends the previous container back with the bearer. Ross then reports that the cooper who gauged it “did not do you justice,” having marked its capacity as 26 gallons when Ross believed it held no more than 24¼.
He considers purchasing an entire pipe of wine but hesitates because of the practical difficulty of storing or selling such a large cask through the summer. Ross assures Low of payment every three months and asks that his order be filled before the bearer, Mr. Boardman, returns to Elizabethtown.
George Ross served as an ensign in the First New Jersey Regiment during the Revolutionary War and was stationed at Perth Amboy and Elizabethtown. He should not be confused with the Pennsylvania Declaration signer of the same name, who died in 1779.
The recipient, Nicholas Low, was a major New York merchant whose firm imported wine, West Indian goods, gunpowder, textiles and other commodities. A Federalist legislator and delegate to New York’s convention ratifying the United States Constitution, Low later became a substantial land developer; Lowville, New York, bears his name.
A colorful document illustrating the wine trade, cask measurement, personal delivery and credit arrangements of the early American republic.
Original mailing folds, toning, prominent water staining and a tear with small paper loss at the original seal opening. The manuscript and signature remain dark and readily legible.
The letter is dated February 4, 1793, and addressed to Nicholas Low (1739–1826), a prominent New York merchant, financier, Federalist politician and land speculator. Ross orders wine from Low and complains that a previous cask was incorrectly gauged.
Important attribution
This is not George Ross (1730–1779), the Pennsylvania signer of the Declaration of Independence. The signer died fourteen years before this letter was written.
The correct identification is almost certainly the Elizabethtown George Ross who lived from approximately 1740 to February 22, 1794. He served as an ensign in the First New Jersey Regiment and was stationed at Perth Amboy and Elizabethtown during the Revolutionary War. The place, date and handwriting all support this attribution. George Ross’s recorded New Jersey service
Recipient
Nicholas Low was one of New York’s leading post-Revolutionary merchants. He traded in wine, West Indian goods, Irish linens, salt, gunpowder and other commodities. He also:
- served in the New York State Assembly
- represented New York City at the 1788 convention ratifying the Constitution
- served as a director of the Bank of New York
- supported the Society for Establishing Useful Manufactures
- developed extensive landholdings in northern New York
Lowville, New York, was named for him. The Library of Congress holds a major collection of his surviving business and political papers. Library of Congress Nicholas Low Papers
Transcription
Elizabeth Town February 4, 1793—
Sir,
Please to send me by the bearer another Cask of the same Wine I had of you last as it is well approved of here—if not the same, pray be careful that it be equally good; for which purpose I have sent you the same cask that contained the last in order to save expense—I must observe that the Cooper who gauged the Cask did not do you justice; he has marked 26 Gallons—it will not contain more than 24¼ Gallons.
I should not hesitate to take at once a pipe of your Wine, but the person of the place would near hear to buy a Cask difficult to pass our Summer—agreeable to our Contract you will certainly get your payment once in every three months.—As I am entirely out of your Wine, I could wish my order complied with before Mr. Boardman who now calls for it returns and you’ll oblige
Sir
Your hum. Servt.Geo: Ross
N. Low Esq.
Some wording in the paragraph concerning the “person of the place” remains uncertain and should be checked directly against the manuscript before publication.
The address panel reads:
Nicholas Low Esqr.
Merchant
New York
with Mr. Boardman
Historical interest
The letter provides an engaging glimpse into the early American wine trade. Ross:
- orders another cask of a wine popular in Elizabethtown
- returns the original cask to reduce expenses
- disputes the cooper’s measurement
- calculates its capacity at only 24¼ gallons rather than 26
- considers purchasing an entire pipe of wine
- discusses quarterly payment terms
- asks that the order be filled before Mr. Boardman returns to New Jersey
The content is especially appealing because Nicholas Low was a documented importer of wine and other overseas commodities. It also illustrates the importance of cask measurement, shipping containers, personal carriers and credit arrangements in commerce before railroads and modern packaging.
Condition
One-page letter with integral address leaf. Original mailing folds, a sizable irregular water stain running through the central portion, general toning and scattered staining. The address leaf has a tear and small loss at the original seal opening. The writing remains dark and substantially legible, and the “Geo: Ross” signature is clear.
ROSS, GEORGE (1740–1794). Autograph letter signed “Geo: Ross,” Elizabethtown, New Jersey, February 4, 1793, to prominent New York merchant and financier Nicholas Low. One manuscript page with integral address leaf.
An engaging early American commercial letter in which Revolutionary War veteran George Ross orders another cask of wine from one of New York’s leading merchants—and disputes the cooper’s measurement of the previous shipment.
Ross writes that Low’s wine “is well approved of here” and asks for another cask of the same quality. To reduce expenses, he sends the previous container back with the bearer. Ross then reports that the cooper who gauged it “did not do you justice,” having marked its capacity as 26 gallons when Ross believed it held no more than 24¼.
He considers purchasing an entire pipe of wine but hesitates because of the practical difficulty of storing or selling such a large cask through the summer. Ross assures Low of payment every three months and asks that his order be filled before the bearer, Mr. Boardman, returns to Elizabethtown.
George Ross served as an ensign in the First New Jersey Regiment during the Revolutionary War and was stationed at Perth Amboy and Elizabethtown. He should not be confused with the Pennsylvania Declaration signer of the same name, who died in 1779.
The recipient, Nicholas Low, was a major New York merchant whose firm imported wine, West Indian goods, gunpowder, textiles and other commodities. A Federalist legislator and delegate to New York’s convention ratifying the United States Constitution, Low later became a substantial land developer; Lowville, New York, bears his name.
A colorful document illustrating the wine trade, cask measurement, personal delivery and credit arrangements of the early American republic.
Original mailing folds, toning, prominent water staining and a tear with small paper loss at the original seal opening. The manuscript and signature remain dark and readily legible.
The letter is dated February 4, 1793, and addressed to Nicholas Low (1739–1826), a prominent New York merchant, financier, Federalist politician and land speculator. Ross orders wine from Low and complains that a previous cask was incorrectly gauged.
Important attribution
This is not George Ross (1730–1779), the Pennsylvania signer of the Declaration of Independence. The signer died fourteen years before this letter was written.
The correct identification is almost certainly the Elizabethtown George Ross who lived from approximately 1740 to February 22, 1794. He served as an ensign in the First New Jersey Regiment and was stationed at Perth Amboy and Elizabethtown during the Revolutionary War. The place, date and handwriting all support this attribution. George Ross’s recorded New Jersey service
Recipient
Nicholas Low was one of New York’s leading post-Revolutionary merchants. He traded in wine, West Indian goods, Irish linens, salt, gunpowder and other commodities. He also:
- served in the New York State Assembly
- represented New York City at the 1788 convention ratifying the Constitution
- served as a director of the Bank of New York
- supported the Society for Establishing Useful Manufactures
- developed extensive landholdings in northern New York
Lowville, New York, was named for him. The Library of Congress holds a major collection of his surviving business and political papers. Library of Congress Nicholas Low Papers
Transcription
Elizabeth Town February 4, 1793—
Sir,
Please to send me by the bearer another Cask of the same Wine I had of you last as it is well approved of here—if not the same, pray be careful that it be equally good; for which purpose I have sent you the same cask that contained the last in order to save expense—I must observe that the Cooper who gauged the Cask did not do you justice; he has marked 26 Gallons—it will not contain more than 24¼ Gallons.
I should not hesitate to take at once a pipe of your Wine, but the person of the place would near hear to buy a Cask difficult to pass our Summer—agreeable to our Contract you will certainly get your payment once in every three months.—As I am entirely out of your Wine, I could wish my order complied with before Mr. Boardman who now calls for it returns and you’ll oblige
Sir
Your hum. Servt.Geo: Ross
N. Low Esq.
Some wording in the paragraph concerning the “person of the place” remains uncertain and should be checked directly against the manuscript before publication.
The address panel reads:
Nicholas Low Esqr.
Merchant
New York
with Mr. Boardman
Historical interest
The letter provides an engaging glimpse into the early American wine trade. Ross:
- orders another cask of a wine popular in Elizabethtown
- returns the original cask to reduce expenses
- disputes the cooper’s measurement
- calculates its capacity at only 24¼ gallons rather than 26
- considers purchasing an entire pipe of wine
- discusses quarterly payment terms
- asks that the order be filled before Mr. Boardman returns to New Jersey
The content is especially appealing because Nicholas Low was a documented importer of wine and other overseas commodities. It also illustrates the importance of cask measurement, shipping containers, personal carriers and credit arrangements in commerce before railroads and modern packaging.
Condition
One-page letter with integral address leaf. Original mailing folds, a sizable irregular water stain running through the central portion, general toning and scattered staining. The address leaf has a tear and small loss at the original seal opening. The writing remains dark and substantially legible, and the “Geo: Ross” signature is clear.
