Born in Dorsetshire, England, Thomas Ridout (1754-1829), was a resident of Annapolis, Md., for several years.  In December 1784, GW wrote a letter of introduction on behalf of Ridout, who was looking to settle in Bordeaux, France, where, by the spring of 1785 he was working as a commission merchant.  For several years, he regularly sent his brig Fanny to Alexandria, Va., and at times his brig carried wine and other articles for GW. Ridout was back in North America by the late summer of 1788.