1834: Brooks & Chanhill to Oakes Shaw Blish

The letter was written to Oakes Shaw Blish (1798-18xx), the son of Maj. Joseph Blish, Jr. (1767-18xx) and Temperance Shaw (the daughter of Rev. Oakes Shaw and sister of Chief Justice Shaw of Boston). After his marriage to a woman in Philadelphia in 1835, Blish went to St. Louis, Missouri, where he bought a farm. Later, he moved to Evansville, Indiana and engaged in the marble business. Before he died in 1852, he moved to La Salle, Illinois. His wife and daughter then moved to Red Oak, Iowa.

I couldn’t find anything on the “Brooks & Chanhill” firm who authored the letter.

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TRANSCRIPTION

[Addressed to Mr. Oaks S. Blish, Philadelphia]

Unionville, South Carolina
February 13th 1834

Mr. O. S. Blish

Dear Sir,

By accident we have heard that in all probability a letter would find you at Philadelphia. Feeling anxious to hear from you, we have directed this our epistle to said place. If it find you, be so good as notice its contents and favor us with an answer.

We were not a little surprised that you should leave this part of the country without giving us notice, and equally surprised that since your absence you have no so much as given us intimation of the place of our sojourn or location in business. And what has been a source of the greatest anxiety, you have not informed as whether you ever intended to pay us the amount you owe us or not.

We are no flatterers (pay us or not) but one thing we do say is that you are the last man that we should suspect of dishonesty. And sir, we do hope hat the small sum you owe us will not induce you to do an act that will forfeit that character for honesty, which you now possess in so high a degree among all who know you in this part of the country. On the return of E. Haules, he informed me that a note had been left by you in the hands of Esq. Jamieson for our benefit. We call’d on Esq. Jamieson a few days since & got said note for which we gave a receipt to place the amounts to your credit when collected. Mr. Collins has not paid us but little on the notes of Blish & Collins. [We] have no reason to believe but that in time he will pay the whole amount. Will you let us know what arrangements you intend to make for the payment of the ballance due us? Write as soon as convenient.

Business through the fall months was lively. Since, it has been verry dull. Nullification is stale, but the Union Party are in arms, determined – as they say – to resist all oppression. More excitement exists in the upper districts in this State than has ever existed before since the Revolutionary War.

Wishing you health & prosperity.  We subscribe ourselves your friends, — Brooks & Chanhill