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Description
Dudley updates George on land transactions and on his plans for the farm. He wants to swap farms with Eli Blodget, but hopes to renegotiate fairer terms.
Date
Spring 4-3-1826
Keywords
Aunt Chase, Salmon, Northfield farm, Eli Blodget, Washburn, Pember, Russell, Mr. Waldo, Mr. Arnold, Schubal Converse, Sun Mill Pond
Recommended Citation
Chase, Dudley, "Letter to George Chase" (1826). Philander Chase Letters. 615.
https://digital.kenyon.edu/chase_letters/615
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Transcript
Washington April 3. 1826
Dear George,
Last evening I sealed a long and [prosing] letter to your good Aunt Chase of which you will, if you wish, have the perusal, and will please have the goodness to appropriate it as for an answer to all of your kind letters of 24th and 25th March except as to the business part, to reply to which I now write.
Your reasons for arranging the [leety] Business are very proper and the arrangement good Salmon will, no no doubt attend to those matters as they ought to be attended to.
As to the Northfield business Eli Blodget wrote me on the 12th [Inst.] informing me that he learnt from Dea. Washburn he intended to leave my farm this spring on account of bad health. Eli further stated that if there was a probability of our trading farms, he should like to take the N. Farm this year upon the same terms that Dea. W had taken it. He proposes to leave it to the select men of Northfield to appraise a certain part of that farm and to the [Select men] of [Randolph] to appraise his farm and for me to deduct $100 from the [boot] and take stock or the grain for the balance. If I will agree to do this he will take the Nd. farm this year on shares and swap farms with me on the [aforementioned] terms, when I return; If I do not, he cannot take my farm. I cannot agree to his proposal -- and there is an end to that chapter.
I should however like to swap farms with my friend Mr. Eli Blodget could we agree on fair terms. Now, should Dea. Washburn prefer leasing the farm, I know of no particular way in which that farm stock and property can be disposed of this summer. You are well acquainted with my good feelings and friendship for Mr. Washburn, and so is your Aunt I wish him to be [served] with justice and kindness. In case of his leaving, you do the best you can, take advice of Pember Russell and brother John S. as you proposed to do yourself, in your letter to me. I have no doubt lest some person, and a suitable, can be found who will be very glad to take so good a farm stock and property on such favourable terms as Dea Washburn has occupied.
The piece of land I proposed to sell to Mr. Waldo for the price I gave for it, lies on the East Branch and is bounded by the [Sun] Mill Pond on the East. The South East corner of it is near the same mill ([once]) owned by Miles. Mr. Arnold and [Shubal] [Converse] were the appraisers.
The price I bo’t of Fred’k Converse (and which I perceive is the land you propose to have sold to Mr. Waldo) lies ‘long side of [Almer] W’s land, and we have for some time been talking and biding on each other at a higher rate than the [first] cost of the land. Mr. Arnold never prised off this land. And it is now worth more than the [first] cost, and better offers, have been made between us. I perceive you have mistaken the lot I was talking about and I have also misunderstood you, “the land that Mr. Henry Arnold prised to me”, best please refer to my letter to you on this subject and you will see. I hope no harm is done that you can let him know of the mistake. Mr [Abner] Waldo has often spoke to me of buying the lot adjoining his and has never proposed to you so small a price as $145, [dol] -- we have bid on each other, I for his and he for mine, at a much higher rate than that. This, Mr. Ab. W. knows, if [pleases] to remember, full well. “That he has at length concluded to give the consideration expressed in the deed” is not very strange. Now, Dear George I [said] before, please refer to what I have [?] [recollect] what you have written me [?] [?] [?] I am mistaken now, [?].
Please give love & compliments to your Dear wife & remember me to all enquiring friends. Write as often as you can make it [?].
Your most affectionate
Friend and uncle
Dudley Chase