The following is a transcription of the letter that Emanuel Jackson (1786) wrote to Isaac Fontaine Hite on December 6, 1846 in which he discusses the financial details in the purchase of his son, Daniel, and the logistics of Daniel’s journey to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.1
Birmingham Decr 6th 1846
Mr Isaac F Hite
Dear sir, I have purchased a Draft for six hundred and fifty dollars (in Baltimore payable to your order (in par? funds) at Baltimore, as you will see when you receive the same, which Draft I will mail at the same time as this letter. I have added a few lines at the bottom of the Draft in which I have desired you to execute a bill of sale for my son as soon as you receive the money, and deliver the same to him, if any thing should happen to prevent your receiving said Draft, you will please write to me as soon as you receive this letter, the Draft is made payable to your order, and could not be used by any other person without your indorsement [sic]. Dear sir you will please be good enough to assist my son in getting my Bond from Phillip Williams, which was formerly held against me by Phillip Swan which Bond I have already paid provided the money was all in good enough, it there was anything wrong about the money I wish him to write to me on the subject. I wish Daniel when he comes to Winchester to take Rail Road cars for Harpers Ferry, for which he will have to pay two dollars then from Harpers Ferry to Cumberland, for which he will have to pay Four dollars, then take the stage for Brownsville which will cost him Five dollars, then take the Steam Boat for Pittsburgh, which in the Rail Road Cars, he will try to get some Gentleman to speak for him at the stage office in Cumberland, as colored people are not taken notice of when passengers are plenty. I would also advise him to prepare himself with some Bread and cheese before starting on his Journey as he may find it difficult to get his meals on some parts of his Journey. Please give my best respects to your family and all inquiring friends, my health is about the same as it was, when you seen [sic] me last, I arrived at home on the evening of the second day after I started. I remain your most obedient humble servant.
attest his
John McKee Manuel X Jackson
mark
- This manuscript is reproduced with permission of the Stewart Bell Jr. Archives, Winchester, Virginia. It is in collection THL, Box 1, Correspondence and business papers, 1845-1846.