Letter to Hiram Barney, 3 March 1842
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Source Note
JS, Letter, , Hancock Co., IL, to , , New York Co., NY, 3 Mar. 1842. Featured version copied [ca. 3 Mar. 1842] in JS Letterbook 2, pp. 227–228; handwriting of ; JS Collection, CHL. For more complete source information, see the source note for JS Letterbook 2.
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Historical Introduction
On 3 March 1842 JS composed a letter to attorney declining Barney’s earlier proposal to sell him property near , Illinois. Acting as an for the property’s owner, prominent New York City merchant Abijah Fisher, Barney had written to JS on 24 January 1842 offering to sell him twenty acres of land on the swampy western edge of the Nauvoo peninsula at $1,200 per acre.JS apparently dictated the letter to or directed him how to respond. In the letter, JS acknowledged the receipt of ’s 24 January correspondence and outlined the reasons he was unwilling to purchase Fisher’s land at the proposed price. He also made a counteroffer to purchase the land for $100 per acre or, alternatively, to sell the land for Fisher as an agent. The letter was ostensibly mailed to Barney in , but Barney evidently did not respond to JS’s counteroffer or agency plan. Neither JS nor the purchased Fisher’s land, and the area around the property remained largely undeveloped through the nineteenth century.JS’s original letter has not been located, but acted as scribe and copied it into Letterbook 2 presumably shortly after it was written.
Footnotes
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2
On 20 January 1843 Fisher sold 120 acres of land in Nauvoo to William Spencer. This sale likely included at least a portion of the 20 acres Fisher offered to JS. (Hancock Co., IL, Deed Records, 1817–1917, vol. L, pp. 418–419, 26 Sept. 1843, microfilm 954,599, U.S. and Canada Record Collection, FHL.)
U.S. and Canada Record Collection. FHL.
Copy of a Letter to Esqr 52 John St—
Hancock Co— Ill
Mch 3rd. 1842
Esqr}
Dear Sir
Yours of the 24th. of January in relation to Mr Fishers [Abijah Fisher’s] Land in this is received, and I feel to reciprocate the friendly sentiments therein contained and hope I may again have the pleasure of your society, & also of Messrs Silliman & Mitchell, when it shall suit your convenience to grant it
The Land you refer to, is so situated that it is not likely to be a source of great profit to any one at present, there are several difficulties in the way of rendering it as valuable as are some other Lots in the vicinity, which I have not time to enumerate at present; but if we can come to any conclusions for an exchange, which might prove to our mutual advantage in the end I will be glad so to do.
Our city Lots are one acre each, and while good lands and near by, can be had for $3. and $5. pr acre, the citizens will not consent to be circumscribed to 1/12 of an acre; unless it be in some peculiar instances which have no prospect of any bearing upon the land in question for a long period, if ever— [p. 227]
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