Note Type
Cataloging NoteNote
Transcribed by Danya Bichsel:
Mattapoisett March 26th 1832
Dear Sir.
I was very glad to receive your letter last Saturday; and should have been pleased to have had you written more. But I can easily believe you are much occupied.
With regard to my land, you know that it has been given by Will to your Ecclesiastical Society. That Will has not been revoked. But I have concluded, latterly, that I will sell it, if I can find a convenient opportunity. I conclude by your writing that you or your father do not wish to purchase it. I think he told me once, that he should wish me to let him know if, at any time, I designed to dispose of it, and that I promised to do so. You, therefore, have the first offer. Then I would say, as you suggest, that I would certainly have it offered to Mr. Tudor. He has always been my friend, as was his father. If he or David would wish to make the purchase I shall be glad to have them. Should they not incline to take it, you may sell it to Mr. Rider or any other person you may judge suitable. It naturally belongs to the place which he occupies. I conclude he has made himself acquainted with the land. Mr Timothy Anderson, who has worked on it, told me that it was one of the first pieces of land in the meadow. The quantity, I believe, is six acres, and three eights, more or less. It may not be exact, for I sold a small piece to Mr. Tudor. It had better be measured. My price is 500 dollars. I do not know what it cost me; I purchased it of W. Tudor At different times, the most of it when lands there were at their lowest rate, and I paid from 50 to 80 dollars an acre. At 500 dollars it would be as I cast it, 78.42 an acre. You may tell Mr. Tudor or David they may have it, if they wish, at 75. If they do not incline to make the purchase, you will do as well as you can with it, with Mr. Rider or any other person. I think it would be well to mention it to Mr. Anderson. You may sell it at your discretion, not lower than 75 dollars an acre. I would take Mr. Rider’s Note or Notes for the whole, with an endorser. He being a stranger to me I make this addition. Or I would take his Note with a mortgage on the land, with the payment of 100 dollars. If you do not sell it I wish you to rent it on as good terms as you can. I think it ought to be not less than thirty dollars. If any repairs are necessary I wish you to attend to them. It appears to me that it will be better for me to keep the land than to sell it below the terms stated. I think, as Mr. Clay stated in Congress, lands are steadily rising, in all parts of our country. You may rent it for 30 dollars annually, payable on the first of March, for a term from one to five yeras; the tenant taking care of the fence, and I pay the taxes. To be left in as good a state as taken.
I must now trouble you, my good friend, with some other services. I find myself much occupied, and I think I shall not be able to visit you this spring. In the first place, I wish you to go to the Hartford Bank, with the order below, and get 15 dollars, I suppose, due me. Then to Hamilton and Wildman’s Hat Store and get a Hat with I suppose they have made for me. I spoke for it the day of your military Review at Wethersfield. I believe I have two small Demijohns At your house, a gallon and a half-gallon. I wish to have the larger filled with good wine, not far from two dollars a gallon, and the smaller with good brandy, at E. W. Bull’s. Set Mr. Bull see that they are sufficiently secured to be sent in a trunk with clothes and books. I think a piece of cloth or leather should be tied over the top. I want a yellow Bandana handkerchief of the best kind, from John Olmsted’s. If he has not one I wish he would procure One for me. The articles in the Post Office I wish you would take up, pay the postage, look at them what you wish, and put them in my largest Book-case. I wish you to enquire at the P. Office in E. Hartford and do the same. Please to ask Loring, if they design to pay the residue of my Note. The Note was given April 23rd, 1829, for 60 dollars, payable on the first day of January succeeding the date, and signed by him and his father. June 21st 1831 the Deacon paid me 30 dollars. The Deacon told me distinctly, at different times, that he would pay the Note when he finished his steel plate. He thought 12 dollars was not sufficient which I allowed him for Brown’s Bible. I have paid Andres five dollars for binding it, and you may let him have it now if he wishes, for 12 dollars. I lent him that 100 dollars under very peculiar circumstances. I believe Charles Olmsted has some of my pamphlets or books. I called on him as I was coming away, but could not find him. Should he be going again to the westward, I wish you would ask him for them. I think I shall direct my brother to pay you some money, if he should get the remainder of what is due me from Somers. If he should, I wish you would pay 10 or 15 dollars to Maria Burnham. I would be glad to have you keep a running amount with me of debt and credit. The Deacon’s Note is on interest, yet if he or Loring will pay you 30 dollars, I would have you give him a discharge on the Note for me. Levi Rockwell owes me 14.34 for my grass for 1830. If he cannot pay it soon, I wish you would take his Note. I wish you to pay for the Hat, handkerchief, and liquors, and other expenses that may accrue, if there is money enough. If not, you may ask Mr. Bull to put me on his Book. Since I have been here, I have looked over my accounts with your father and mother. I believe I owe her near 300 dollars; and that he owes me toward 100. Yours – T. Robbins.
Miss Ursula. It is no new thing for me to make requests of you with regard to my things. I have written so much already that I fear my paper will hardly hold out. I want you to send me my seal-skin Trunk. I conclude the most of the things in it may come. If any thing should be taken out please so do as you think proper. I wish you to put in the things which I have desired Tudor to procure, the Demijohns at one end, and the books separated from them by clothes. The crown of the hat, perhaps, had better be filled, and I hope it will not be injured. I wish for my summer clothes. The silk small-clothes and the most, I believe, of the stockings, I have. My silk coat, shirts, and other things, whatever you find that you think I should wear, I will thank you to put in. My two gowns, but not the kersey great-coat, I wish also that you would put in my sheets and pillow-cases, I believe they are in a drawer of the case-of-drawers, and some of the white-top boots. Harriet is a good girl and will help do the work. If any of the white handkerchiefs are poor, do give them to her. Please to send no poor shirts. Keep such yourself. Do let the good mother look a little at the business. My own mother never treated me more kindly than she has. Please to put in my best Bible; I believe it is in the case of drawers, wrapped in a paper. My Almanack, lying in the Desk; the old Registers, if you can find them, but it is not material; and my Village Hymns book, my name written on the outside. Also the Gazetteer, and some of the Dictionaries standing in the same now in the Desk Book-case; and other books, if there be room, to fill the Trunk. Whatever you please. The flannel gown can be laid over the whale. I expect my things from Hartford this week. Bottom of the page.
I wish Tudor to procure a wide leather Strap, with a good buckle, and draw it close round the centre of the Trunk; or two if he thinks best. I believe there is a Key; I would have it locked and the key tied securely to the strap or a handle. He can put it on a cord if he wishes. I believe there is one in the drawer by the Stove. I wish to have it sent to New York by Steamboat or otherwise. Please to mail on a firm paper with the direction, “Rev. Thomas Robbins, Mattapoisett Mass, care of Messrs. Barstow & Tucker, Merchants Pine Street New York. Freight paid to N. York.”
Yours as ever, Thomas Robbins
