Toes, 27 St. Vernandes Feb. 13, 1826
Dear Brother,
You will think it is a long time befor you hear from me but their has not been a company gone in expect one and at that time I was not able to moove in bed I have had a severe spell of sickness morso than I ever had in my life and if it had not a been for Mr Stanly I should have died for they was no Doctor hear and noe much medison, and it is one of the meenest Country to be sick in the world for their no nurishments to be got, but I have got quit well again and injoy good health which I hope you do the same and the Boys that is with you, David I have sent you in a draft of two hundred dollors by . . . Th. Bogs and I wish you to collect it as soon as possible for their is a great many drafts on the old man Prat but I have no dought but he will pay it at sight, you may think I ought to have sent in more money but it is out of my Power do it at Present it is not in the power of man to sell goods where their is no money I have bought up a large quantity of corn and wheat which I hope to sell it for cash in the spring or turn it into whiskey and that is cash or fur so you may expect one or the other in the spring. my chance was never more flattering than it is at present Chambers has been to St ta Fee and got the holy water put on his head and the Governor is a great friend of his he will assist us in any thing that we under take so we have want you to get of Aberham Barns eighty gallon stills and some other articles which I will give you a list of, if you could do me the favour I shall be very glad for we are not on any uncertinty about it for we have got the stuf that will bring the money in the spring so that you and Mr Barns need not be the least afraid to get those articles but be shoor never to name it to any person for they are countraband Articles, and I hope by this time that you have got that money from Johnson and Mc Keney if not make them pay if they have got it for they used me very bad Johnson is as meen a man as ever lived give me an axact account how you come on with them for I am affraid that you will have some troble with them.
A list of the Articles
Two Eighty gallon stills, the caps to be of the goose neck kind
Six Brass cocks
Six falling axes
Two grubing hoase
Irons for one tub mill
one inch and half Chisel
one inch ditto of the very strongest kind
Two Augers one inch and the other half inch
Two Mill picks, one stone hammer Iron
Twenty pounds of steels, One hundred lb of hoop
One Crane for Drawing water
twenty lb of Flouring nails.
One good strong Plantation Wagon
The things that I have named I want you and Aberham Barns to see to getting them if it is convenient, Mathew Kinkead and myself pays for half of them which I expect it will come to about eighty five dollors for each of us, Chambers pays for half and we the other half and perhaps you can get some of them with traid The goods that I named in my other letter I dont want you to send them but if any of the stores will credit me for five hundred yards of the Cheepest cind of Brown Domestic some narrow and some of the widest kind I will send them in the money this summer without fail and some tobacco if it can be got cheap, and one Blue settute coat made in the same fashion that my other on was but have it made a little larger so it will button easy on you and the ballance of my close I think I can make out except [shoes] and a hat you must send me two pair of shoes of . . . high quarter, and tell P. B. Ranys that he [must pick me] out a good hat, unfinished so that I can get it finished hear and I will send him the money or fur in the spring, there will be a very large company that will start from hear in march with about two thousand head of stock which they may calculate to loose half them I could have sent you in stock but it is so uncertain about them getting in for this reason I think that man in any Business that started with as little as I did ought to lie on a shoor futting, I have to furnish mule to Capt Brannin and you cant get one convenient I wish you to get one of M Kinkeads if they are not sould, I have sent you in twenty dollor by Thos Bogs to get us some Sugar and Coffee, and you must send me out colourd paper for lining Trunks and some saddlers tacks as as I did not bring any with me and some morocker Leather as mine was taken from me, I want you to send me out my tools such as eck planes and schels gouges holers and rounds and one male turning saw and my smoal hammer so I reman, yours
W Workman
Mr Patton and myself tried our work in St ta Fee this winter and could sell nothing as for trunks I can Barter them of to a good advantage but their is very little money in Country and they thought that we would make them up and the would get them for nothing but be shoor to send me out that coulerd paper and nails and some locks of a better quality for their is half them that I brought is good for nothing and I want some good ones for some particular Persons in this country, Capt Brannin has to load his waggon with his goods and our Articles and if he cant fit it all of them Mr Thos Bogs has promised to bring them that we want, and if you can get some sassifrass Bark . . . if you please, you will oblige yours
W Workman