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Hard Times 30th March 1845
R.C. Ballard Esqr
Dear Sir
Yours dated 25th Inst. is come to hand, I regret that yr business prevents your coming up to see us. Suppose you are breaking up the place on a/c of the continuation of Winter It looks to me like we cannot certainly plant too much purpose this year - and it would not I presume be amiss if we did not make much cotton provided forbearance of proper order, could be used one to warn another at present certainly the culture of cotton does not pay. & what can we do? I propose to send you 100 bales of cotton the verry moment I can haul it to Marion and desire it should be shipped to Liverpool rather than take the present low rates - You to profit by the amt realized on it. I regret the impossibility of passing over our Roads at present are waiting sunshine & shall be after hauling the moment we can do so
Upon the subject of your purchase in Jefferson I should have visited, you before now but for poor & feeble Health which is not yet fully restored. I have the more anxiety about that matter- the more I think of it Turn over
My Brother an old man, now not able to walk & whose general Health is at present bad can do nothing for himself. If I could see you I would desire that he should remain on the plantation [wield?] and manage it through yr overseer and in all things I would promise for him, strict adherence to your Interest, when his Health is restored if ever, he could then do you more service on that place than any Human creature. his stay there could not effect in any shape yr Title, then would you still employ him as agent & when able as overseer Mr. Jefferies is not more than able to attend his own Interest at home still he would do all he could to forward your & his interests. at present I see nothing that could be done. it would be madness in any man to undertake to pay money three times
I will However be down to see you when the weather settles & my health is better. shall endeavor at the same time to get off my cotton please write now & again that I may no where you are - with regard to my suggestions above please think of it & let we hear from you I called on my brother as I was leaving Jefferson and I assure you my time was rather a trying one my brother though thus thrown upon the world by the Indiscretion (to call it by no harder name) is just in all his views the truth is if he was turned in side out nothing could be found to object to
for Champ I fell sorry but nothing more. he has truly been his own Enemy. I am verry truly yr friend W. Terry
Black Hawk Miss 12
R.C. Ballard Esqr Vicksburgh Miss
William Terry
Natchez 31 Mch 45
Dr Col. I returned from New Orleans day before yesterday, & have forwarded a letter to you from Noble & Cox, which will let you into the condition of the market. Pork is rising & unless the supply from the Wabash should reline the market, it will not be lower. N&C thought it would be best to wait till this could be ascertained.
I want to file a bill to foreclose on the land of Col Wilkins in Warren Co, to secure the debt I named to you. If there are no jugts against him I can get on rapidly, but if there are any recorded in Vicksburg, I want to know it, so as to make the creditors parties to my bill. Will you ride to Vickbg, & ascertain from the Clerk, whether there are any jugts against the Col. on the judgment Roll,
with the names of pltfs, dates & amts of jugts, & inform me as soon as possible.
I heard from Pine Mount yesterday all well & every thing going on smoothly, the cotton about half planted & the corn coming to a fine stand. One boy run away.
I also heard from [Wilkerforce?], where I have finished planting cotton some time since, & have a good stand of corn. Old Jake is runaway again. Nancy has been sent up to you by the Yazoo City & Hudson wants a good hand he says in her place.
He is making preparations for raising his meat this year, & is underway with the spinning & weaving machinery. I shall go down there in about a week.
Mr Weems made me a present of another sack of his