Daniel Cady Letters

The text of this letter will be filled in later. When I was looking at the Cady letters a few years ago, I took pictures of this particular one. It's a letter written by Elizabeth Cady, written as a young woman to her Uncle, Peter Smith. She writes to him about a few things, including how much she enjoyed the discussion about abolition at his house.

Image 1 of the letter is below - this blog software does not show the whole image, but if you open the image in a new window, or download it, you should be able to see the whole thing. Unfortunately, this photo is not the best quality. I will see if I can scan the print.

%%10:16 PM"> | | (0) | (0)

Johnstown 25 Dec 1821

Dear Nephew,

I cannot suppose that any benefit to anyone can possibly result from Mrs. Cochran's annuity passing through my hands - come from whom it may she will know that it is the county of her Father and if it be not, in her opinion enough, she will look to you to make up the deficiency - and if you refuse, you may be reproached by her and her husband and those reproaches you must hear as much like a Christian as you can.

If Doctor Henry has any real estate would it not be advisable to get an assignment of the oldest judgment against him and sell what estate he has in Otsego - [and] his equity of redemption in the triangle? This might save the expense of foreclosing his equity of redemption under the mortgage. His failure will I fear have a bad effect upon the future sale of the lands which he has had in charge, and it will require much consideration to determine how far it will be advisable to throw, the loss upon those who have purchased of him - how is that estate hereafter to be managed? To make it productive will it not require the attention of some person the greater part of the time?

I am Dear Nephew
Yours Sincerely
D Cady

Mr Gerrit Smith

%%09:32 PM"> | | (0) | (0)

Johnstown 10th Dec 1821

Dear Nephew,

Your Father left us two weeks since very much depressive in spirits and very much dissatisfied with the world. On the 30th [Ult.] he writes to me and in his letter he says "I cannot do without a payment in May short of $10,000 I ought to have had it before, [cruel] that I have not! I must entreat you to see to it! I think I have reason to believe that the collection is to leave me this cramped thereby [ruling] down my spirits [lo when our] I to obtain a residence!" I know nothing about the means you have of raising money but money must be had and I am apprehensive that your Father intends me shall pay his bonds let the effect be on the estate what it may - and the estate must be great and productive indeed if $250 and can be paid out of it in 15 years and exclusive of takes [Ru?].

I have written to Mr [Talcott] in the Lasher cause + directed him to charge you with a [unusual fir?]. I shall bring our question in that cause before the Court on [demurrer?] unless the Plaintiffs around their replication - and should the Supreme Court decide against us I think we must bring a writ of error. I hope you finished Doctor Henry's business, in good order - Although I have suspected him to be had [way] - since I wrote to you last year.

I am Dear Nephew
Yours Sincerely
Daniel Cady

G. Smith

PS You were to have forwarded to me a list of the tax lands in this part of the estate - that a sale might be made. They ought first to be sold if any thing must go under price.

%%09:28 PM"> | | (0) | (0)

11/22/1821

Dear Nephew,

It is difficult for me to say what you ought to do with Doctor Henry unless I knew what he has done I think however you ought at once to call upon him and get an account of all sales which have been made by him, and of all monies received, and of all bonds and mortgages which he [unreadable] has on hand, you ought if possible to get possession of the bonds and mortgages which may be in his hands. And when you have obtained all the information from him which you can get you ought then to go in person or by a competent agent to every man on the land and learn when he purchased how much and when he has paid any money to Doctor Henry - you ought then to search the Clerk's office from the date of his [power] to this present day and learn to whom he has sold any lands + from whom he has when any mortgages you will have to search the Clerk's offices in Chenango + Broome. And when you have done all this, you will be able to say very nearly how much of a rogue he is - and what must be done with him. I have no doubt he will be unwilling to exhibit his account he will wish you to call again; but you must stay with him until it is done. His power of attorney ought to be delivered up, if he refused that, it will furnish [evidence] that he wants to cheat more. The [reservation] of his [promise] ought to be shown to him, and [reserved] in Chenango + Broome, and notice ought to be given to all persons on the land not to pay him anything now.

In short you must adopt all wise and prudent and energetic measures to get into your hands all the papers relating to the estate and as much of an indemnity for his defaults as you can. He shall have to foreclose his mortgage and that will delay and [embarrass] my future sales of the property for some time. Were their [unreadable] judgments against him it might be safe to take a conveyance from him, but should this be done and the mortgage discharged. The judgment creditors would [claim] a right to sell his share of the land.

Were it not for the business of the roads I would meet you at the Doctors, but should you find the business with him so [embarrassed] that [resort] insist be used to law. Let me know all the facts and if necessary I will attend to it.

I am Dear Nephew
Yours sincerely
Daniel Cady

Mr Gerrit Smith

Johnstown 22nd Nov 1821

%%09:25 PM"> | | (0) | (0)

10/29/1821

Dear Nephew,

I am not certain when the cause with Lasher + Mc Michael will be tried but expect it will be in the first week in December and in January judgment may be given and then you must have ready $7000 to prevent an execution. Should the judgment be against the plaintiff of which I have little very little hope, you may dispose of the $7000 in some great speculation, although we ought to. Have you great crops of wheat ready for market?

Your Father has returned from his eastern journey very much pleased with the Yankees; but your letters which he received on his return at Albany trouble him very much. How he has [merited] from you a charge of having broken up your domestic happiness he cannot imagine. I very much regret that you should ever deem it necessary to make any accusation against him, but when that becomes necessary, would it not be most advisable to state the act which he has done, instead of making a general charge of his having broken up your schemes of happiness? He would then know in what he had offended.

He intends to send his horses to Schoharie, have his carriage at Johnstown, go to Utica in a stage, to Canastota, + boat from that place to Peterboro in a waggon [sic], pack up or sell his goods and bid a long farewell to Peterboro, although he would prefer living at that place to any other.

I hope you may be able to give him abundant consolation and induce him to take back his estate giving you enough to pay for Florence. I am confident he would manage his estate more advantageously than you and I can, and if he did not he would be better satisfied with it.

I think you have settled the Johnson business well + I wish you would negotiate as successfully with Lasher. That man ought to be punished, shall we put him in [gaol] and compel him to take the benefit of the act? Do you intend to let Brown escape? He too ought to be chastised as a rogue.

I am Dear Nephew
Yours Sincerely
Daniel Cady

Mr Gerrit Smith

Johnstown 29th Oct 1821

%%09:16 PM"> | | (0) | (0)

10/8/1821

Dear Nephew,

The Chancellor has dissolved the injunction in the cause of Lasher and McMichael vs. your Father. It will probably be tried at Troy at the next Circuit in the County of Rensselear [sic], in Nov. or Dec. next. I do not know what may be the result of the trial but you must have the money ready.

I wish you would take the letters which Mr [Trast] wrote to your Father respecting the note and call upon Mr [Trast] and see whether he still recollects what Lasher said respecting the consideration for which he received the note. I have written to Mr [Trast] on the subject but can get no answer from him. I fear he is the friend of Lasher and unwilling to say any thing to his prejudice.

I am Dear Nephew
Yours Sincerely
D Cady

Mr Gerrit Smith

8th Oct. 1821

%%09:18 PM"> | | (0) | (0)

8/13/1821

Dear Nephew,

Your turnpike question is one which has never been decided by the Court to my knowledge. I do not believe the right to demand toll is the subject of sale on execution. I give this opinion without examination. Yet the gates + road itself may probably be sold and the purchaser although he may not acquire the right to demand the toll may [and] probably would acquire the right of cutting down or removing the gates, + taking possession of the road + toll houses. To that you had better purchase than to loose [unreadable].

The business with Johnson will answer not withstanding the mistakes. Your Father left here last week after having his [gig] repaired in the [least] possible manner so that no lady who is the least inclined to matrimony can say no,

Yours Sincerely
D Cady

Mr G. Smith

Albany 13th August 1821

%%09:23 PM"> | | (0) | (0)