To Hugh Brown

Philadelphus Office, Robeson County, North Carolina

McNairy County, West Tennessee

27^th March 1829

Dear Cousin,

Your letter of the 25^th February enclosing me Fifty Dollars, I received in the 24^th instance which you will perceive was not quite a month on its postage. It's coming safe in so short a time encourages me to request you to try again the same means of conveyance and you may send what you have collected or had when you wrote. If I made a correct calculation, you have $81 principal. If so, you may send a fifty, a twenty and ten or five. I think 3 bills as many as will fold in a letter without being perceived. The letter I received no person could tell there was any thing in it without opening of it. So that if you fold again as well, I do not think any one can discern that it has any thing in it.

In your letter you informed me of the sudden death of Mr. McPhatter and that his last payment was still due, but you were of opinion that his son was disposed to pay as soon as he could. But I know he has it in his power to plead 2 years, but I am of opinion that you can collect the money from Walker as well as if McPhatter was living. He is joint with McPhatter in the note as much bound in law to pay. Yet if McPhatter's son will pay in the course of this season, it would be rather hard to collect it out of walker. I think that Walker can lend the money to the others to pay, and perhaps would do so if he knew it could be collected account of himself in the accounts of 1820 or 1821. If I remember right the holders of a note may take his choice of any of the makers or endorsers of a note to collect his money from.

Your letter found my family in reasonable good health. There has been some sickness in my family since I wrote you. My wife had 2 hard spells of croup colic in December and January. Several of my blacks has had bad colds and pains like pleurisy, but are all up at this time. We have had the hardest winter that I have seen for many years and very short crops made. So that I expect corn will be more siren and dear than for several years. Path corn is selling in some parts of this district at $4 per barrel, and very few have corn for sale at any price, and money so scarce that it appears that people must suffer.

I saw a man from Tipton a few days ago. Said there was not corn enough in that county to supply the inhabitants if it was equally divided.

Your letter to Mr. Gillaspie came to hand, but was more than 2 months on its postage. His family are all well at this time, except himself. He was taken unwell today. I have just returned from seeing him. [He] was quite bad off with a pain in his breast and shoulders. [He] had some blood taken and was easy when I left him. [I} suppose it proceeded from cold.

You will remember in the kindest manner to all my relatives without exception. Tell them I should be glad to receive a letter from any one in that section of the country. Tell sister Betsy she must write me. My wife and children all sends their love to you and your father and mother and family and connections.

Yours Respectfully,

Hugh Smith

NB: I think letters mailed at Lumberton or Fayetteville came in less time than those mailed at Philadelphus.

Original: Neill Brown Collection #702, Perkins Library, Duke University

Transcribed by Bradley M. Buie, January 2000