Yazoo County MsArchives Photo Document.....Lamb, Jonathan Capt. Letter From George W. Terrell March 14, 1841 Page 2 March 14, 1841 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ms/msfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Laura Van Ness lsvanness@gmail.com February 26, 2022, 3:44 pm Source: Laura Van Ness Personal Collection Photo can be seen at: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ms/yazoo/photos/documents/lambjona7712gph.jpg Image file size: 247.7 Kb Letter Date: March 14, 1841, postmarked March 20 From: George W. Terrell (1803-1846), San Augustine, Republic of Texas To: Captain Jonathan Lamb (abt. 1795 – 1848 or 1849), Benton, MS RE: Business. Terrell speaks again of his debt & is expecting Capt Lamb to respond to his many letters and get to Texas. Donated to: Texas State Library and Archives Commission Donated by: From the collection of Laura Conrad White Stettbacher (1936-), 2nd great-granddaughter of Jonathan Lamb Transcription, formatted: Laura Byers Stettbacher Van Ness (1961-) Last updated: 19 Jan 2022 Cover: Postmark: NATOCHITOCHES, La MAR 20 Postage: 25 Addressee: Capt Jnothn Lamb, Benton, Mip [Captain Jonathan Lamb, Benton, Mississippi] Transcription, Page 1: San Augustine Texas March 14th 1841 My Dear Lamb, I have written you so many letters to which I have received no answer that I am weary of writing. What is the matter? It cannot be that all my letters miscarry. I have received one (solitary and alone) letter from you since I left Mississippi, and have written you well nigh a dozen. I hear from you occasionally by persons from that country [the USA], or I should not know whether you are dead or alive. I had hoped to have seen you in this country before now_ and would like much if you would pay us a visit this spring_ you could land at my house in 5 days from the morning you left home, if you were not detained by boats. And I assure you that this country is worth seeing. I can get as good land as found for two dollars per acre_ in a beautiful, healthy country_ where your hands could work all the time, and no heavy duty[?] bill to pay for killing negroes. Our last congress made some wholesome laws for the Mississippians_ negroes are entirely exempt from forced sale, for any debt_ either by virtue of an execution,[? torn paper] deed of trust, mortgage, or any other lien, whether contracted here or in the United States. They also proposed a law suspending the collection of foreign debts [for] five years. These laws I think will be of service to me in the settlement of my old debts. I will however still pay them off in lands at a fair price. I wrote you some time ago that I would give you 25000 acres of the best land in the world, if you would undertake to pay all my liabilities in the United States_ and I have no doubt you could do so and save 10000 of it, which in a few years would be a big fortune. I have the land and will give it, at any time. If you will not Transcription, Page 2: undertake the whole of it, I would like for you to make a settle =ment of my business with Briggs, Lacost & Co. If they will relinquish their whole demand against me_ together with their claim on the negroes they bought, I will give them two leagues and labors of land_ making 9210 acres of land which in less than 5 years will comm =and $5 per acre_ and (inter nos[?]) if this will not do I will throw in a little more_ and will give you 640 ___, to conclude the nego =tiation. I wrote to Garrett to sue Buck Walker on the Warren note_ it is yet unpaid_ make Garrett bring suit and you can collect your own part of it. I am doing as well here as any man in the country who came here without means. I am Judge of the Supreme Court at a salary of $3000 per annum, and if we had any good money it would do very well, as it is however, I get no money_ I am just letting it lie there until they get some in the treasury_ and am hard pressed to live. I have been here only a little more than a year, and have in that time, received from the President, the appointments of Judge of the District Court_ Post Master General and [?torn paper] secretary of state_ and was elected by congress Judge of the Supreme Court_ receiving every vote in both houses_ which was more than any other man did. I also had our old friend Tom Johnson elected Judge, and Dr. Chalmers made Secretary of the Treasury_ and if you will come over here in time, I will have you made Post Master General next winter. It is my opinion you would do much better here than where you are_ you could here have choice of a country that presents every variety of climate, soil and productions_ which can be obtained at a mere trifle. You could cultivate either cotton or sugar as you choose. Transcription, Page 3: It is time over running/evening[?] at present is in a most wretched conte =tion, but it will not be so long, and the country is not possessed with debt_ and it is my candid opinion that in three years more this country will present a spectacle to excite the envy of the civilized world. Do let me hear what you are doing, and all about you. Your friend G. W. Terrell File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ms/yazoo/photos/documents/lambjona7712gph.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/msfiles/ File size: 5.5 Kb