Franklin County: William Seibert to Simon Cameron,
May 14, 1858
Summary:
Seibert offers a land deal to Cameron.
May 14th--1858
Chambersburg
Honorable Simon Cameron
Dear Sir
It is with some difficulty that I presume to address you- but your known and established character as a truly benevolent man, is as well known as that you are Senator at Washington from the state of Pennsylvania.
I, too, have tried in a smaller way to benefit my fellow beings by acts of
kindness--and now many of them have left me to get
through as well as I can- This has placed me in a position that is anything but
agreeable in a pecuniary view- Yet light is dawning in the distance, if I can
find a friend who will stand by me for a short time,
as the following
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facts will I think fully show.
I have a brother who has been operating in Western Country, he took the place a draft of which I send you - some two or three years ago. at twenty eight thousand dollars- all of which is paid except about four thousand dollars. This must be now paid before he can get the deed- In June 1856 he tried it at public sale as you will see--Section Number 1 3 acres 16 P. he sold for 160 dollars per acre, Section Number 2 he had bid up to 150 per acre, and withdrew it--he took the land at 200- per acre although it did not stand him the one fourth of that amount - yet he thought it was going too low and stopped the sale. The square opposite Number 36 and not marked, belongs to an other person and he asks 1000. dollars per acre for it.
besides this my brother's friends advised him to hold on, he would get a good price for it- if he kept
it a few years longer - he took this advice, and now see, he would have done
better to have made then a clean and sure profit -and placed himself in a
position to meet panic times-- That Brother P.W. Seibert
is as noble a speciman of humanity as can be found- he now proposes to me to
give me the one half of the whole if I can raise the 4000 dollars for eighteen
months, that we will go on to Lafayette directly after harvest- lay out the 140
acres. a little different from the plan before- sell on one tenth cash- [illeg.] on balance. with one tenth
additional of the principal yearly, for 4 years by giving these terms, he think
we can sell the 140 acres yet unsold at 150 per acre - making 21,000
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ten percent on this would be 2,100. And
[unclear: put] on balance 18,900 1 year -[unclear: 1134]
then at the end of the first year ten percent on
18,900 would be 1890/5124 making the amount payable. To cover draw back, the
Judgement on the balance might be sold -and would be at a sacrifice until the 4,000 borrowed would be paid--to release the
property.
But here you will ask what security can you give me--that you will secure the
4000- dollars-now required. Brother has the property now
in his possession draws the rent for it and he would willingly give the
Judgement on his interest in the place, and as soon as the 4000 was paid, and
deed recorded, it would be perfectly safe or I propose giving you a mortgage or
Judgement on 920 acres of land in Stark County Indiana unimproved part of it my
brother bought 3 or 4 years ago & [unclear: handed] at 4 dollars
per acre- he says it is now worth 20 dollars per acre- or will be as soon as the
Pittsburg-Fort Wayne and Chicago
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Railroad is completed- which is now
done as far as the land for [unclear: burden carry]. The above Railroad
runs through the land- The land is in one body and lays in this form [drawing
here] The dotted part is timber the balance [unclear: price]- The whole
lies in section 16 and 21 in Township 34 North Range 1 West Stark County Indiana
one mile from a new Town called Groverstown on the Railroad- Should you favor me
in this matter- you will be perfectly secure- and confer an obligation- that
will be remembered while life shall last- Where Brother
went into this matter Hezikah Easton was his firm and fast friend- but adversity
overtook Easton and now his name would not go for 40 dollars- let alone 4,000.
The deed for the Land 920 acres, is in the Clerk's office of Stark County Indiana- I will write on and have it mailed to me- and should you incline to favor me either directly or indirectly I will forward the deed to Washington - to have the Mortgage or Judgement written.
Yours with Respect
William Seibert
N. B. There is no lien in any form against the 920 acres and the deed for the whole is direct from the State of Indiana the 240 acres Brother paid 4 per acre for, the State made him the deed as the claimant had not received his deed--William Seibert
