Geo. Washington

In 2003 I received the following email:

From: "David R. Hoth" <[email protected]>
Date: Mon Feb 24, 2003 11:31:58 AM US/Eastern
To: [email protected]
Subject: Griffith John
Reply-To: "David R. Hoth" <[email protected]>

In George Washington's general orders to his army for 25 March 1778, he states: "The Honorable the Congress having appointed Matthew Clarkson and Major John Clarke Esquires Auditors to settle and adjust the accounts of the Main Army they are to be respected accordingly; Any persons who have any accounts to be audited by them may find them at the house of Griffith Johns about three miles beyond the Pay-Master Generals quarters." Do you happen to have any information about which Griffith John housed the auditors? I find the name Griffith Johns in Uwchlan, Charlestown, and Tredyffrin townships, Chester County. Uwchlan now seems most likely, but did Griffith John, Jr., as well as Sr. reside there in early 1778? If you have any solid information, I would appreciate your assistance. Sincerely, David Hoth, Assistant Editor, The Papers of George Washington, Alderman Library, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904-4117

Here's what appears in The Papers of George Washington:

Head Quarters V. Forge, Wednesday, March 25, 1778.


Parole Effingham. Countersigns Enfield, Embden.

The Honorable the Congress having appointed Matthew Clarkson and Major John Clarke, Esquires Auditors to settle and adjust the accounts of the Main Army they are to be respected accordingly; Any persons who have any accounts to be audited by them may find them at the house of Griffith Johns about three miles beyond the Pay-Master Generals quarters.

In further correspondance I asked about the location of the Pay-Master Generals quarters. Mr. Hoth replied,

"The only source I have seen on the paymaster's office (Pinkowski, Washington's Officers Slept Here) claims it was at the house of David Davis in Charlestown Township near Devault, six and a half miles from Valley Forge (so I guess really a couple of miles past Devault). Three miles further seemed to put me at Lionville. "

He also shared that

"There are many copies of GW's general orders as most units kept orderly books, but the copy preserved in GW's own papers is on line in the Library of Congress's American Memory section (a wonderful resource for history). To access, go to http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/gwhtml/gwhome.html and search on the date March 25, 1778".