A weaver, Thomas Davis began working for George Washington at some point prior to June of 1766, his first appearance on the Mount Vernon tithables list.1 In May of 1773, Washington paid nineteen pounds, two shillings, and two pence to Captain John Page, in order to bring Davis's mother and sister to Virginia.2 Between January 1767 and March 1771, Davis wove the following fabrics for George Washington: shalloon, linen, linsey, double bird eye, striped kersey, striped wool, plaided woolen, and cotton check. Martha Washington also requested that Davis weave cotton and wool, cotton jump stripe, cotton bird eye, woolen, double bird eye, striped cotton, and bed ticking. Over sixty customers total were noted in Davis' accounts for this time period.3
Notes: 1. Abbot, The Papers of George Washington, Colonial Series, 7:442.
2. Abbot, The Papers of George Washington, Colonial Series, 9:224n, 227.
3. "An Account of Weaving done by Thomas Davis &ca in the Year 1767," George Washington Papers at the Library of Congress, 1741-1799: Series 5 Financial Papers.
