Chautauqua Land Office
Westfield. Sept. 6. 1837
William H. Seward Esq.
Dear Brother
I have your favour of
the 2^d inst. Thanks for the pleasing
details it contains of your rides, calls
little visits & pleasures during you jour-
ney and your happiness on your safe
arrival at home. I do not doubt that
a retreat to the bosom of your own little
family from the bustle of business, must
be very pleasant to you. But you do not
tell us where you left Mrs. Worden.
I am glad you mentioned the matter
relating to Oliver Lee & the Miner Mill.
He mentioned his purpose of examining it
next week & asked me to accompany him
to all which I could only look wise & hide
my ignorance, not knowing what was
meant. There came three days ago
a man & son from Seneca to the office
who had conditionally agreed with the
Findleys to give $1,800 for the mill site
& five acres together with all the land

[left Margin] We are rather full of business. Marcia

x

Marcia Seward

Birth: 1794-07-23 Death: 1839-10-25

is mending. Thank
you.

overflowed under contract to them. But all
was upon condition that other lands could
be had from us. The hint you gave
me about Morse determined me to do nothing
although I did not find it necessary to deny
to these applicants any of the terms that are
understood to be usual in the office. Our
young men are informed by Lewis the those
hostile to the creation of a mill are desirous
of obtaining frurther liens upon the land from
their office with a view to hinder it—and
they are instructed to renew no contract &
make no sale to anyone to ^the^ lands in
question. I was gratified to hear this
man, who seemed a sensible & practical
man, speak so unconvincingly about their
property—he says the dam never need
be so high as it has been by one or
two feet: & that the pond may therefore
be less objectionable than heretofore.
I am gratified to hear you speak so
favourably of the situation of Lehem. He
is a good fellow—it is a pleasure to
work for him.
Your statement & letter was sent to
Mr. Vanderkemp, the very day you left.
copies of both are herewith. I am all
anxiety to learn how this negotiation is
to [ evntuate ] . Pray keep me advised.

[left Margin] I regret that I should have omitted to mention in my former letter
the sending of your statement to Vanderkemp. I ought to have done it.
h

Unknown

Copies are retained by Judge Miller

x

Elijah Miller

Birth: 1772-04-11 Death: 1851-11-13

on account of postage.

h The mortgage men are coming in one after another
all Mullet's men have settled—& some others. Usually
they beg off by giving a note: & paying off costs to Atty:
I am now going over to see how many more
delinquincies there may be among mortgagors—but
believe there will not be many to add. I will send
whatever new cases may be discovered, away, as here-
tofore. —The few remaining unsettled cases in
Ripley have been adjusted either by of
occupants or reversions & notices given.
In Gerry, which you recollect was a
country, we find a number of shiftless fellows upon
plundered lands who refuse to pay up un-
less the price is reduced.—That it so turns
out that the old articles were made by
men who have grown rich by their illgotten
gain and now suppose themselves exhausted
by selling the old article for a trifle & deserting
the land—and we have been hunting up these cases
and shall be able to find responsible men for a
number of them. These we propose to put in train
for collection as soon as the mortgage cases are
all looked into.
Mr. James he that you directed Tucker to issue fine
a supreme writ against, is here—says he gave up his
old article to Peacock, six years ago persuant to his
advertisement—has not considered the land his since
that time—has had nothing to do with it. He goes
home to get affidavits from three of his neighbors to show
that he gave up the article & Peacock agreed to recover
back the land—& he proposes to get a strong letter
from Peacock also to Van Hall, —what shall I do
in the case?
I am getting very uneasy about our Lumberman
money (about $3,500)—of which we are every day near-
ing a little. I went up yesterday to see Tucker about
it but he was absent. I do not hear from Falconer
and I know not what to do about continuing to

recieve. Your letter of Sept. 3—meets me this moment.
—I was just about to say that I should not re-
cieve Lumberman—& that I should proceed to Warren
without delay—your letter determines me. If I have
any power in negotiation, I as sometimes I have sup
posed I have it shall be put in requisition. The
whole thing has occasioned me a good deal of
uneasiness. I must see what Patchin will do
about taking Michigan & other foreign papers—&
make up a judgment how far it will be safe
to pursue the present liberal policy of the office
in regard to the description of money we receive[ d ] .
The Bank of Ba Geneva, Evans says refused your
chk for 3853$—he sends to me for something els which
I will send him.—Thanks for the good news of your
letter from Weed. Your grateful Brother B. J. Seward
W. H. Seward Esq
Albany
AUBURN, NY
SEP
10
hAt American Hotel
Philadelphia
Penna
hB. J. Seward
Sept 6, 1837
hB. J. Seward
B. J. Seward
Sept 6, 1837