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The Ellsworth Letters

[Editor's Note: The following letters were written by Henry William Ellsworth (1814- 1864) while serving as a land agent for those speculating in western (now the Midwest) lands. Such speculators often employed agents to inspect and purchase land from the government in hopes of later reselling it to settlers at a great profit.

Ellsworth was the grandson of Oliver Ellsworth, who served as the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, and son of Henry L. Ellsworth, the first U.S. Commissioner of Patents and one of the largest landowners in the West. Henry W. Ellsworth was the author (though some historians believe his father Henry L. actually penned most of the book) Valley of the Upper Wabash Indiana an early work describing the advantage of settling in Indiana.

The letters, offered through the courtesy of the Conner Prairie Rural History Project Archive, offer insights into the economics and mechanics of land buying.]

F Taylor
Bookseller
Washington City D.C.

January 1, 1837

My dear Sir

Your letter of the 22nd of December was rec'd by the Eastern mail of yesterday. And in compliance with your wishes, I forward an immediate reply.

I have no doubt, both from private communications and from other reasons, that a law restricting sales to actual settlers will be passed during the present session of Congress__ it will therefore be necessary for those who are desirous of investing to do so soon__

There will however be sufficient time to make investments for you. Even should a law be passed-its operation will undoubtedly be prospective-- in the mean time I can meet your wishes

And now, as to the prospects of speculation here__ in the Indianapolis district-little can be done-- considerable land indeed remains unentered but, it is not of a character which I could recommend-- the same remark will apply equally to the Crawfordsville district__ these two districts extend over a great portion of the middle part of the state-in the Fort Wayne district good entries, as good as any, can be made__ this is the northern district__ the southern or Vincennes district, presents a fine field also__ in addition to these last mentioned districts I will add the Danville district in the state of Illinois__ this district joins the Crawfordsville district in this state-you will find Danville on the map nearly opposite Lafayette

In any of these three districts, I think very profitable entries may be made-I propose however to make small entries in two or all of them__ It will be better for you to have small tracts well selected in different places__ the risk in that case is really nothing. I shall personally examine each tract I enter for you.

In regard to funds__ it will be better for you to deposit and take treasury certificates at Washington. One thing is of particular importance__ instead of getting one large certificate, get several small ones, if possible. And I presume you will have no difficulty-get certificates in sums of $50-- with a certificate for $50 you can enter a forty acre tract-and if you desire an eighty acre tract they can be entered with two certificates__ but on the other hand there is great difficulty in dividing a certificate of $100 or more for these small tracts__ therefore take the lowest certificate given: those of $50__

I am inclined to think you can invest as much as $500 or $800 to great advantage__ when you obtain the certificates, if you desire, you can enclose them directed to me, and hand package them to my father__ he will send it to me. Or you can transmit the same yourself.

I will make the investments for you with great pleasure__ My traveling expenses, which will be small, I shall charge to you

With these remarks, I leave the matter, hoping to hear from you as soon as you can make the requisite arraingements-- In the mean time shall devote my attention to the subject. And as the legislature is in session, I have ample means of gaining information in regard to any portion of the state

With sentiments of affection & respect

I remain yours

Henry W. Ellsworth

Franck Taylor
Bookseller
Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington City
D.C.

January 27, 1837

My dear Sir:

Your letter of Jany 18th reached me this morning, and I hasten to reply to its contents

The method you mention of obtaining scrip is undoubtedly a good one, and although I did not mention it in my letter, was among other plans I had desired prosecuting the investment-it occurred to me, however, that there might be some difficulty in obtaining scrip at the East, as I have been informed to that effect in answer to repeated enquiries. The chief advantage of scrip is its shape and ease with which it is transported -the great disadvantage (especially in entries of small amount, where the policy is to scatter and select) is that fractional tracts, which are often valuable from the peculiarity of position cannot be entered with this scrip__

Let me explain a little__ suppose you obtained $400 in scrip__ in certificates of $100 each__ or even of $50, and the last are very rare, and suppose that you are entering land__

There is what is called a fractional 40 acre tract-containing for example 34 acres and some hundredths-your scrip warrant for $50 will be more than the land amounts to and the receiver cannot change it so as to pay you the balance__ this he is not allowed to do-you therefore are the loser-

Again suppose the fractional 40 acres contains really 50 acres__ your scrip will if in certificate of $50-- apply to 40 of the acres, and the over plus must be paid in gold or silver-in order to effect this you must exchange some of your scrip for specie__ this exchange cannot be effected without paying a premium-at least in general cases

Again it seems to be doubtful whether a scrip warrant of $100 will apply to two separate tracts of 40 acres by separate I mean tracts not in the same section or township-I think myself that it will, and believe I am sustained by the regulation of the land office__ the receiver here thinks differently__

Again difficulty sometimes occurs in the assignment and transferal of scrip__shall the scrip be surrendered [?] in your name or mine-this seems also to be doubtful__ if in yours-I have no power of attorney to do it fro you-scrip is the proper paper for large and contiguous entries

But without putting you to the trouble of purchasing and sending scrip here, I am doing better than I could do if I had I__ I have already $200 in gold of yours__ this morning previous to the reception of your letter I drew a draft on you at sight in favor of James T Pollok for $200-he paid me in gold, and charged nothing for it-the remainder $400 I have not drawn for yet-I am considering which of several _______ to take. I can sell the draft of $400 to a merchant of this place and receive $400 in silver-or I can negotiate with the bank, and take $400 in scrip-or as I think I can make the bank take the draft at par and give me a check on any bank when I wish to draw the specie __or I can get some specie and notes which will enable me to draw the specie-I shall hear from the bank tomorrow-probably as I have mentioned I have drawn on you at sight for $200-this draft will come along bye & bye in honor of some Western merchant__I shall inform you as soon as the draft is negotiated-which will be in a day or two__the date of the draft is January 27, 1837__payable at sight to James T Pollok

Yours etc
H. W. Ellsworth

Indianapolis June 5th 1837

My dear Sir

I am expecting to be in Washington in about 3 weeks. I will take maps of your land and give verbal explanation while there --- In your last you desired me to send on the amount expended by myself in investing fro you--- the following is the account

This is the amount copied from my books__ I am sorry that it is not less, but the state of the roads at the time I made the investment was so bad I was fully one week longer than I should otherwise have been__ For my own time and services I charge nothing. I have the satisfaction of selecting each tract, and of making the requisite examination. I have no doubt that the [word "amount" written and crossed out. Ed.] land purchased for you could be sold now for full $1000. One of the tracts, situated on the Wabash, is extremely valuable, and will in a short time be worth $8 to $15 per acre - I shall visit your land probably, at least some of it, on my way east__

I intended to have settled with you at Washington, but am now so situated as to be compelled to draw upon you__ This I shall do, either to day or tomorrow for $45__ Please honor the draft & should there be any thing wrong about it we will rectify the same at Washington __

In haste yours etc
Henry W. Ellsworth