The story of his purchase of servants for his western lands is told in another place, as is also that of his plan to import Palatines for the same purpose.
On the day of Lexington and Concord, but before the news of that conflict reached Virginia, two of his indentured servants ran away and he published a lengthy advertisement of them in the Virginia _Gazette_, offering a reward of forty dollars for the return of both or twenty dollars for the return of either.

They were described as follows: "THOMAS SPEARS, a joiner, born in _Bristol_, about 20 years of age, 5 feet 6 inches and a half high, slender made.

He has light grey or blueish colored eyes, a little pock-marked, and freckled, with sandy colored hair, cut short; his voice is coarse, and somewhat drawling.

He took with him a coat, waistcoat, and breeches, of light brown duffil, with black horn buttons, a light colored cloth waistcoat, old leather breeches, check and oznabrig shirts, a pair of old ribbed ditto, new oznabrig trowsers, and a felt hat, not much the worse for wear.

WILLIAM WEBSTER, a brick maker, born in _Scotland_, and talks pretty broad.