| Title: | Henry Neill, Princeton, Mercer to “Dear Brother” |
|---|---|
| ID | 1949 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Neill, Henry/35 |
| Year | 1849 |
| Sender | Neill, Henry |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | unknown |
| Sender Religion | Protestant |
| Origin | Princeton, Missouri, USA |
| Destination | Louisville, Kentucky, USA |
| Recipient | Neill, John or Matthew? |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | brothers |
| Source | Donated by Hilary Murphy, 45 Ava Avenue, Belfast BT7 3BP |
| Archive | Centre for Migration Studies |
| Doc. No. | 611008 |
| Date | 05/11/1849 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | unknown |
| Word Count | 905 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | [Page 1] 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 [Page 2] 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 [Page 3] 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?] |
