DIY History | Transcribe | Pioneer Lives | Henry Eno letters to his family, March 1838-October 1840

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Henry Eno letters to his family, March 1838-October 1840

1840-10-17 Page 2

I also feel miserable on account of not being able to pay you the Interest of the money I owe you - you have already done all or more than a brother should & I feel that I too should do something.  I hope the day may come when I can return your kindness.  What you have let me have is secure as far as it is in my power to make it and when the land sales take place I shall (bid) off the property in your name and also some other and if spring bring a return of better days I am determined to sell every thing I have of a disposal nature to pay my debts & then I don't owe much and perhaps purchase me a farm near here, law business except to a few who ride the circuit is not profitable as we have no fee bill and then are now five times as many lawyers here in a population of 45,000 as there is in (Duluth?) in a population of some 50,000.  If my health had permitted I should have went east this summer as I very much want to see you & Father once more & I had hopes that by representing matters & things in this country in their (town light?) I might perhaps have induced some capitalist to make me an agent for him here, as I can now loan money on the very best & safest security at from twenty five to fifty per cent, the laws of the country allow of twenty per cent, but property can be purchased on a deed of trust executed so to make every thing safe and in many cases the very highest rate of interest secured - Our town continues to prosper & must ultimately be a very large place, but when our town lots come in market, many is so very difficult to be obtained that in many cases very great sacrifice will never be made - At the minimum price fixed by Congress for our town lots, they must bring at the sales about $11000 which is a large sum for a place of six hundred inhabitants many of which are poor and have recently expended their all in coming  ---------

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I also feel miserable on account of not being able to pay you the Interest of the money I owe you - you have already done all or more than a brother should & I feel that I too should do something. I hope the day may come when I can return your kindness. What you have let me have is secure as far as it is in my power to make it and when the land sales take place I shall (bid) off the property in your name and also some other and if spring bring a return of better days I am determined to sell every thing I have of a disposal nature to pay my debts & then I don't owe much and perhaps purchase me a farm near here, law business except to a few who ride the circuit is not profitable as we have no fee bill and then are now five times as many lawyers here in a population of 45,000 as there is in (Duluth?) in a population of some 50,000. If my health had permitted I should have went east this summer as I very much want to see you & Father once more & I had hopes that by representing matters & things in this country in their (town light?) I might perhaps have induced some capitalist to make me an agent for him here, as I can now loan money on the very best & safest security at from twenty five to fifty per cent, the laws of the country allow of twenty per cent, but property can be purchased on a deed of trust executed so to make every thing safe and in many cases the very highest rate of interest secured - Our town continues to prosper & must ultimately be a very large place, but when our town lots come in market, many is so very difficult to be obtained that in many cases very great sacrifice will never be made - At the minimum price fixed by Congress for our town lots, they must bring at the sales about $11000 which is a large sum for a place of six hundred inhabitants many of which are poor and have recently expended their all in coming ---------