“Notebook” kept by Richard M. Scott, Jr. for the “Bush Hill Plantation” , 1847 December -1855 December

This volume continues chronologically from the diary of Richard Marshall Scott, Jr. in Box 1, and includes information about weather, the hiring of an overseer, Mr. Joseph U. Sandford from Dranesville, who left after a year (January 11, 1848; January 26, 1849); the sudden illness and death of former President John Quincy Adams while serving in the House of Representatives (February 21-26, 1848); the hiring of his slave, Ellen Ann and one child, to her husband, David Grey, a "free negro living near Claremont," (January 11 and March 1, 1848) who, in subsequent years, was hired out to others; news of a revolution in France with the abdication of the King (March 20, 1848); and the purchase of a slave, Joe, from the estate sale of General John Mason for six hundred dollars (May 4, 1849).

Writes concerning Francis Gunnell, who sailed from Boston aboard the United States Sloop of War "Falmouth" as assistant surgeon (May 10, 1849) and the birth of his son, Frank (July 1, 1849). Scott mentions the amputation of the finger of his slave, Frank, hired out to the Rev. E.A. Dalyrmple, who broke Frank's finger with a blow from a stick causing it to became inflamed (January 11-15, 1850); visits to Congress, where he heard debates on slavery and the admission of new states to the Union, which had prohibited slavery, such as California (February 20, March 13, August 22, 1850); news about the deaths of John C. Calhoun on March 31, 1850 (April 2, 1850) and President Zachary Taylor (July 10, 1850); the construction of the Orange and Alexandria Railroad, with stops on his property (September 12, 1850 and June 8-July 4, 1851); a trip to Niagara Falls (October 15-November 8); his slave, Basil, ran away, fearing a flogging (August 4, 1851); and the birth of a son (September 13, 1851).

The volume continues with news of the deaths of Dr. Gunnell (April 28-29, 1852) and Dennis Johnston (July 24, 1852) both sixty-five years of age; a suicide of a neighbor (October 22, 1852); sale of two slaves, Robert and Nancy (November 17, 1852); mention that slave hiring prices were high and slaves in great demand (January 1, 1853); Work by bricklayers and others on a house of his on Prince Street, Alexandria (December 31, 1852-September 17, 1853) and for house on Washington Street to rent to the Cotton Factory (October 8-10); sale of Hannah and three children (September 7, 1853) and Adam (November 17, 1853); birth of daughter, Anna Constance (December 1, 1853); sale of boy, Lewis (February 6, 1854); an eclipse of the sun (May 26, 1854); marriage of his slaves, Charles and Mary Ellen (July 16, 1854); visit to the family graveyard at "Farmington" (December 11, 1854); the arrest of his runaway slave, Basil Gunt, in Frederick City, Maryland, where he had been living as a free man for three and a half years (March 3, 1855); children taken to town to have their daguerreotypes taken (August 4, 1855); and the death of slave, Mary Ellen (November 17, 1855).

The end papers contain a list of books kept in the secretary and bookcase at Bush Hill and a list of land lots [purchased in Virginia?].