Correspondence (outgoing)

[Port?] Washington April 1st 1832 Dear Parents

Your letter of [?] 19th March was received this morning, I have answered all of you letters regularly, and sent you one [besides?] in March. They were all directed to 42 Washington St. I shall direct this to Mr. Lathrop. In my last [I?] gave you an account of [the?] fire which destroyed my library, papers book [accts?] [etc?]. Your speak in your letters somewhat it seems to me as if you would prefer that I should not go to California. Now that my library is burned I make no doubt that you would say to me go though I had said nothing upon the subject. There were on [my?] books about $2000 in accts, But they were worth but little, and since I have been trying to [settle?] [up?] I have found that I could have collected little out of the whole without putting them into judgement - I shall probably be able to settle up everything here and have something upwards of

$200 without selling any real estate, I shall have some [judgements?] and a mortgage perhaps $200 more and some fun [accts?]. Lots in this place do not sell at present. The [reccut?] [firs?] together with the fact of the passage of a law removing the county [seat?] hs put a pefect damper upon real estate here. Though I have no doubt that the county [seat?] will remain here. The people are to have a [vote?] on it and I have little doubt the vote will be in our favor. You have kindly offered to furnish me with means if necessary to take me to Cal. Now it will be with reluctance that I again receive assistance from you, for I do not forget how often and how heavily you have already assisted me. Now if you think it best for me not to sell my property I wish you would let me know how you are [presumably?] situated, so that if you will be inconvenienced I may sell my lots or a part of them at a [sacrifice?]. If I sell I must sell at a good deal of a sacrifice

and the lots are most of them such as I would desire to keep if I stayed here - and [those?] I think little of I will have to [keep?]. I [some?] [expect?] to trade [lots?] worth $100 and some [notes+accts?] for 80 acres of land. The trade [if I?] were [a?] going to stay here would be a good one. But I can sell these particular lots I think, and it is doubtful about selling the land. If [Jane?] did not oppose so strongly I would go across the Country, in that case I could trade for my team, and have no trouble about the means, but she is so much opposed that I give up the idea. I am much obliged for Thomas' letter, but hardly think a man who would go to California should be deterred through fear of sea sickness. I have little hope of getting away from here before the first of [May?]. I should like very well to go in company with Thaddeus, but it will not be the first time I have started out without company. Please write me again soon. Ever your affectionate Son L. Stanford To Mr.+Mrs. [Josiah?] Stanford

P.S. I write this at a lawyers office. Jane would write something had she an opportunity. I hope you are in good spirits for I am afraid [?] approach very near [the lilies?]. - L.S.

Steam Ship [N Light?] Nov 1st 1855

Dear Parents We expect to arrive at [Graytown?] this evening. We have had a very pleasant passage thus far, none of our party were sick after the second day out We get along much better than I had expected. We are all in good health and spirits, we have had very little rough weather. All send their love. Ever your affectionate son Leland

Sacramento May 4th 1836 Dear Parents This last mail brought me letters from Charles & DeWitt. I do not answer them but write to you because it seems you think I do not write you as often as I should. I make it a point to answer all letters, and to write to some one by every mail [unless?] some one of the others write when I do not deem it necessary. But now I am here alone I shall probably write to some one at [home?] every mail. I suppose you all feel anxious to know how my business progresses. It is doing very well, I am able to increase it a little occassionally and in time I think I shall be able to nurse it into a flourishing state. When I took [is?] the old [trade?] was very small. It has increased steadily up to this time. I sell my my goods low and intend to continue doing so. I deal on the "square" with all, I shall try to be content with moderate gains. If selling goods for low and dealing honestly shall