William Hunter to James F. Perry, March 21, 1831
Summary: Hunter updated Perry on their business in Texas. He said that unfortunately not much freight had gotten up the rivers because of bad weather but he was optimistic that a keel boat would soon arrive to transport the rest of their cargo. Also cautioned Perry that even though credit was dangerous they had to use it in Texas because it was the only way to conduct business there. Overall, he was a little worried about meeting their debts to Philadelphia bankers and so he hoped they could get an extension while he purchased more goods in New Orleans. Finally, he encouraged Perry to move to Washington County in Texas because of booming emigration, rising slave trade, good wages for skilled labor, and the prospect of land given by Mr. Austin.
San Felipe D Austin 21. Mar. 1831
Dear Sir
I again take the opportunity of sending you a few lines which leaves myself and Austin in good health. Having wrote you several different times since my arrival I have nothing verry interesting to say at present I have had as the saying is the D.-s luck and my own two[sic] about getting our goods up. We have had a verry wet and cold season the roads have been and are yet verry bad In Consequence of all this we have got but a verry small part of our goods up Yet. However I recd. a letter from Josiah H. Bell a few days since saying a Keel Boat would start from his landing for this place in a few days I have instructed him to put what artacles we have on board and am in hopes they will reach here in say two weeks Our house I have not Yet got finished in consequence of not being able to get Lumbers I expect a load of planks from the Steam Mill the last of this week I will be able to move in it in 10 days after the Lumber comes. The first articles I recd. was on the 26. Jany. some sugar and coffee Shoes. Cloathing &c. I have since recd. some few artacles at diff. times. I cant complain of my sails out of the few things I recd. they amt up to this date to $24.000. I have recd. about 1/2 Cash what I have out is in Verry safe hands I find it Impossible to do business without crediting. some my accounts are with the best men here & with those pretty large I think there is more safety in crediting here than about Potosi though I am determined to do as little of it as possible I am able to average 100. pr. Cent whether this will continue long I cant say as there will be a great many goods here this season I wrote you that I have an Idea of sending a few goods to the garrison that has fallen through. I was about making preparation to do so when the Col of the garrison wrote to S.M. Williams that from his orders from the Genl. Govmt he could not permit us to go on, it is on Leftwicks grant said to belong to the Tennessee Company they have all been ordered off it by the Genl Govnt. Our notes will become due in Phila[sic] I fear before we can be prepared for them I will write to our friends there by the first vessle that goes out. I can say we will pay after a while if we cant at present. Since my arrival I have had our friend Jno. G. Stevenson to forward us between 3 & 4 hundred dollars worth of Sugar Coffee Wh[is]ky &c which I will have to forward him the money for in May Mr. Fletcher leaves in a few days for N. Orleans to buy goods I calculate on having him or Stevenson to purchase a small lot of shoes and send out, so as to do until you come on I have nearly got through our Tho Bell shoes Mr. Fletcher is a fine old fellow and has done well here he will probably be in N.O. until June
I recd. a letter from Col. Austin last Mail dated 19. Feby I wrote to him on my arrival and enclosed your letter which he had recd. he appears--was well and much rejoiced to hear that Austin and myself had got in safe he expected to start for this place about the 14th May and will probably reach this by the 20th when he expects to find you all here. I verry much wish he may not be disappointed. Your move to this Country will in my opinion be the best thing You Could possibly do for yourself and particularly your family. the Cols. Intentions from what I can learn is that you shall have all his stock and any thing he has. If I owned all the Col. land &c I would not change it for Washington County I believe. Emigrants are coming in verry fast it is thought that more will come in this year than has in any before there has been several vessles in this trade. no one has come in without a No. of passengers, a number of negroes have been brought in this spring. a vessel is now in the river that brought 70 passengers, she brought word that another would sail for Matagorda Bay in a few days with about 100. Give my compliments to Isaac Jamison tell him he is the only man I will say come to this country at any rate come with you and see it. You can give him work to do Carpenters are extravagant in there[sic] charges here and work rough with all. You will be compelled to have work done. I have petitioned for a league of land if I get it. marry a native and get Eleven more I will have about Land Enough. your best plan when at N. Orleans will be to charter a vessle as they are verry extravagant in there[sic] charges if you get on this spring and do so you can bring out a smart quantity of frt for our selves say castings, Iron, Sugar. I will write to you by Mr. Fletcher if you come this spring you will see him in N.O.
[Addressed:]
Opelousas 50
April 12
Louisiana
James F Perry Esqr
Potosi
Missouri
[Endorsed:]
W W. Hunter
21st March 1831
Source Copy Consulted: William Hunter to James F. Perry, March 21, 1831, James Franklin Perry and Stephen Samuel Perry Papers, Records of Ante-bellum Southern Plantations, Series G, Part 1, Reel 12, Frames 826-829