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Princeton Mercer Co. Mo. [Missouri?] Nov 5th 1849
Dear Brother I now take my pen to give you some accounts of my
sojourn in the land of Pakes or State of Missouri. I have traversed
the greater part of the State North of the Missouri river from St.
Joseph to the Mississippi. river. St Joseph is the largest and most
flourishing town of the age I have ever seen in any country and it
is confidently believed by most people that it will ultimately be the
largest city above St. Louis althou [although?] I do not think so
much of the country in the immediate vicinity as I do some twenty
or thirty miles east and instead all the way east until we pass the east
fork of [Grant?] River some twenty miles where the land again
becomes hilly and broken as to the people I think more of them
generally than I do of the people of Iowa there being neither as
many Yankees Dutch nor Irish all of whom are difficult to trade
with being more miserly than the inhabitants of this state who are
chiefly Kentuckians Tenneseeans [Tennesseans?] &c [etc.?]
who are all more liberal in trading than the citizens of Iowa and
they are not so [enterprising?] thrifty or selfish and consequently
I think a person could trade among them to better advantage than
with Yankees Dutch or Irish while at the same it would be requisite
to be liberal among them in certain respects such as keeping liquor
and treating customers whether they buy or not I believe would be
of immense advantage as in this country Temperance or Teetotalism
is unknown
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respecting the land warrants I believe they are both good.
I have been to the land office in Plattsburgh and located one of them
on a quarter section in this county six miles from Princeton and
intended laying them both but could not as the land I had selected
only joined at the corners and when I went to the office I found the
law required it to be in a solid body as I had it selected it stood thus
[diagram inserted] the law requires each to join together their full breadth
which may be in a long string or perfect square- Warrants are worth
$150 here in cash. If I had all my means invested in warrants at the
rate those two cost in Louisville I would ask no better speculation
as there are many people having improved land who have not the
means to enter many of those and willing to have their land entered
by warrants by giving them two or three years to pay for it the
entrance is $1.25 [per?] acre a warrant covers 160 acres and only $1.00
Office fee consequently for a warrant [per?] $1.00 can be had $200
at 6 [per?] cent the land being entered in your own name which is good
security for the payt [payment?] when well selected giving a bond
to make the deed when the $200 with interest is paid according to
your agreement in one two or three years as the case may be.
Unfortunately I am so situated that I cannot speculate in this way
and must content myself by barely making a living for the winter
and enjoying the society of the girls in the spring. I think I will
endeavour to do something towards making a settlement.
My inclination is to the stock business and by selecting a good
situation for that business in conjunction
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with country store I think
would be both pleasant and profitable were you and I together in the
business you for the inside and I for the outdoor business it is often
the case a farmer my have one or two head of cattle which He would
sell for store goods and them too at a pretty good price. You and I
could gather in a lot each year in this way in a location in the back
country and then drive to the river and sell at a good profit. I think I
shall lay the other warrant somewhere on the west fork of Grand
river it being an excellent stock country and in the spring when I
get the means I shall endeavour to buy a piece in some publick
[public?] place on a good road in order to make a good stand for a
Tavern and store.
I write this at Uncle Andrew Clarks where I have made my
home or the past two weeks again I intend to travel on towards Iowa
and if [more?] find a chance of teaching school for the [stained]
[winter?] quarter I shall stop and will then write to you again so,
that you may know where to direct your letters to me. I have heard
from Iowa since I came here [thy?] children and friends are all well
– If you could spare the money to buy some more warrants I think it
would be the best investment you could make as it will pay you more
interest than you can get on a loan. I think if you were in this
country you would be well pleased with it and keeping a store in the
country is not so confining as in town and a great deal more healthy
but before you are ready to leave Louisville I hope to be able to give
you more satisfaction whilst I now remain Your brother
Henry [Neill?]
