William Skilling, a laborer, worked for GW as early as 1767 (see Ledger A, 249). On 30 May 1767, GW paid Skilling £3, the amount GW owed him for "Sinking a Well 60 feet" (Ledger A, 249, 251). Articles of agreement on 25 Feb. 1775 between Skilling and GW provided for Skilling to take GW’s servants and slaves to his Ohio lands, there to work with them on whatever was necessary. Skilling came again to work at Mount Vernon as a hired hand, probably in 1784, and continued there at least until the summer of 1785. Skilling died in 1785 or 1786, and GW noted that Skilling died in his service "as a Ditcher" (GW to Thomas Nelson, Jr., 3 Aug. 1788).