Sowers-Campbell Business Correspondence, July 10, 1860, Page 1 |
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| Title | Sowers-Campbell Business Correspondence, July 10, 1860 |
| Subject |
Correspondence Medicine Slaves Land |
| Description | Letter to Mr. Sowers from Eliza Kinney, a doctor's widow. The doctor was in a trade deal with money, slaves & land and the deal went bad. |
| Date | 1860-07-10 |
| Identifier | A41, Box1, Folder2 |
| Collection |
Sowers-Campbell Family Papers |
| Collection Link | http://library.sfasu.edu/findingaids/?p=collections/controlcard&id=310 |
| Biographical Note | Robert Sowers, farmer and part owner of a steam mill in Alto, Texas, was born in Virginia ca. 1820, and eventually settled in Cherokee County, Texas. In 1872, Sowers married Ellen Anderson, born in South Carolina ca. 1840. Ellen's daughter from a previous marriage, Emma, eventually wed and became Emma A. Campbell. Robert Sowers died October 26, 1885, and his wife followed on December 18, 1909.("Sowers-Campbell Family Papers" Control File, ETRC, Ralph W. Steen Library, SFASU) |
| Scope and Content Note | Included in the papers are bills and orders to Sowers and Wells at the Steam Mill in Alto, Texas; receipts, business letters, recipes, and other business papers relating chiefly to Robert Sowers of Cherokee Co. Texas (1808-1890); personal correspondence addressed chiefly to the Robert Sowers' family (1860-1887) of Alto, Texas, and to Emma A. Campbell (1875-1883) of Alto, Texas, from relatives and friends. There are 213 documents in the collection. |
| Associated Dates |
1860-1869 |
| Type | Correspondence |
| Repository | East Texas Research Center |
| Repository Link | http://library.sfasu.edu/etrc/ |
| Transcript | Union Place La. July 10th 1860 Mr Sowers. Dear Sir I suppose you will be very much surprised to get a letter from me, but in justice to myself I ought to write to you I wish to ask you a few questions. I have heard so much that you have said about me, and what you intended to do towards me. Now I wish to know if it true. In the first place - I understand that you were going to take some of the negroes off the place to pay for that indebtedness - and the next you would take every dollar from me if you could and many other things which are too numerous to mention. Now Mr Sowers if you did say those things, answer me truthfully and candidly I want hear it from you - no doubt you have heard a great -many things said - that I and the Doctor never thought of saying. There are some people in the world, that love to make difficultys (sic). I understand that you say you will beggar me if you can. Why are you so inveterate against me. I never harmed you in my life - perhaps you think the Dr MK has, but I think you are mistaken. I heard the Dr say (just a week or two before he died) if he could see you he could explain every thing satisfactorily to you. You never understood him. You are mistaken in the man that has injured you, you seem to be very friendly with, he shall loose (sic) not a dollar. You know how every thing commenced last winter. How Dr MK worked to get every thing fixed right - walked streets day after day when he was nearly dead, and ought to have been in his bed in trying to accomplish the trade. You know Mr Sowers who it was undone every thing. Dr McKinney went in the trade with intention of carrying it out, but the other man did not, I judge from the way he acted. He went in three other trades last winter and backed out from all, and would have got out of this if it had not been for Dr Mc (sic) You blame the Dr for leavening (sic) the place but why did he leave it - that is [the] question. Mr Robinson telegraphed to you, he did not intend to comply with the contract and his wife would not sign the papers, and moreover you had said in New Orleans it was not a trade (the Dr thought it was) he had nothing else to do but leave the place. Robinson knew he had nothing to loose, he went in this big trade without dollars worth of property. You recollect the conversation you all had at our house when you went [to]Ark. you and Robinson said there would not be any difficulty in raising the rest of the money, already ten thousand had been raised, there was five more to get, You know how Mr Robinson did, he would not get the money - after saying he could get it any moment he wanted to. They have worke (sic) and fixed it around to get you mad at me and to beggar my children. Now Mr Sowers I appeal to you as a man of honor to save my children from begery (sic). Why not do as much for me, as you are willing to do for Robinson and Roberts. Roberts say he does not want the trade and his wife is opposed to comeing (sic) here. But I will be a little more honest, I do want it, for several reasons, all that I and the Doctor have made in the last ten years is invested in here, and my dear husband and dear little baby is burried (sic) here. Mr Sowers I am not asking you to do any thing for me, but I ask it in the name of my dear little orphan girls, they shurely (sic) have not injured you. I told Dr Roberts to tell you if you would extend the time for me that I would pay that indebtedness but he says you are not willing to do any thing for me, but he and Robinson you will do good deal. What will you gain by beggaring my children. I think if any one is entitled to leniency I am the one my property is invested here What sort of a first payment did you recieve (sic) from Mr Robinson, negros (sic) you have no title too. They say you will not do any thing for because that negro ran away whose fault was it. Why did Roberts seperate (sic) from us in Vicksburg. Dr was opposed to it Dr McKinney wanted to put all the negros (sic) under his care, but he gets in a terrible hurry to go home, he must go down on the cars. (which he knew the Dr could not do he was very sick) but instead of going on the Cars, he takes the negros (sic) to the hotel, locks them up all day, would not give them time to get their clothes, and takes care not to let the Dr know he was still in town. He was to get the negros (sic) down on the place on wednsday (sic) which he did not do until Saturday. We would all come down together if we had knowned (sic) he did not get off on Cars. The negro that ran away was always unmanageable as for her going I never could account for it, perhaps some of my enemies can tell you more about than I can as for the Dr McK (sic) runing (sic) the negro off the idear (sic) is perfectly absurd. She may have been caught at the time if the Dr could attended to it, but he was very sick and you know a sick man cannot do any thing. There alway (sic) has been a mystrerry (sic) about this trade I could not understand. time will reveal all, and you will see who was the honest man now Mr Sowers I appeal to you as a gentleman of honor to extend the time for me (Dr R says he does want it) as you are going do for Roberst (sic) for the sake of my children. I believe I have as much energy as any man I can work the place out of debt if it can come out of the Land and negros (sic) If Roberson (sic) wants to get out of the trade let him do so, let some good man take his place, some man of energy. Mr Sowers excuse me for writing to you, I am doing it all for sake of my two little orphan girls God has given me. And I think it is my duty to do the best I can for them. If you should do any thing for them I know God will reward you Yours respectfully Eliza McKinney Answer immediately. If you will not give me time on the trade let me take my negros (sic) away. Do not break the heart that is nearly broken. O if I could go somewhere I could not hear of the name D J Robinson, he is the one that has injured my once happy family, he wants to make out like it is you, but I know better, but it is in your power to relieve me of some of this trouble I maybe doing in writing you, but forgive me. Eliza |
| Rights | This item may be protected under Title 17 of the U.S. Copyright Law. It is available for non-commercial research and education. For permission to publish or reproduce, please contact the East Texas Research Center at asketrc@sfasu.edu. |
Description
| Title | Sowers-Campbell Business Correspondence, July 10, 1860, Page 1 |
| Repository | East Texas Research Center |
| Repository Link | http://library.sfasu.edu/etrc/ |
| Rights | This item may be protected under Title 17 of the U.S. Copyright Law. It is available for non-commercial research and education. For permission to publish or reproduce, please contact the East Texas Research Center at asketrc@sfasu.edu. |
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