Leonidas Polk Family Papers

of thirty and the North half of Section twenty nine, all in Township Twenty, Range Eight West, and containing about Twenty Seven hundred and Sixty acres, being the same tract or parcel of land now being cultivated by the said Leonidas & A H Polk as a Cotton plantation, to gether with all the appurtenances and improvements thereto belonging, and the said parties of the first part do for the consideration aforesaid further bargain sell and deliver unto the said party of the second part the following negro slaves now on said plantations viz, Ivey aged about forty years, Pleasant aged about thirty two, Clinton aged about [strikeover] fifteen [/strikeover] thirty eight, Beckey aged about thirty three, Jim aged about sixteen, Josh aged about seventeen, Silas aged about fifteen, [Salma?] aged about thirteen, Polly aged about eleven, Sukey aged about nine, Harry aged about seven Ritta aged forty, Clarissa aged about twenty, Margarette aged about three, Infant child aged about one, [Manquo?] Joe aged about seventy, Celia aged about forty, Amy aged about fifteen, Nathan aged about thirteen, Edney aged about twelve, Eunice aged about ten, Burwell aged about twenty two, [blank] aged about elighteen, Sampson aged about three, Infant child aged about one, Solomon aged about forty eight, Charity aged about thirty eight, Ben aged about seventeen, Charles aged about fifteen, Lorrisa aged about thirteen

Alston aged about thirty eight, Lucina aged about thirty five, Leander aged aobut ten, Irvine aged about eight, John Lewis aged about sixteen, Winney aged about eighteen, Mary aged about sixteen and Henry aged about fourteen years, [strikeover] aged about six [/strikeover] together with their increase; To have and to hold the said lands and negroes unto the said party of the second part his heirs, and assigns for ever And the said parties of the first part do covenant with the said party of the second part to warrant and forever defend the title to the said lands and slaves free from the lawful claims or demand of all persons whomsoever*. This conveyance is in trust and upon condition, nevertheless, That whereas the said parties of the first part are indebted to the said parties of the third part for money advanced and loaned to pay for the said tract of land, plantation supplies &c as evidenced by certain drafts or bills of Exchange drawn by the said L & A. H Polk upon and accepted by the said Mills & Adams as follows to wit, one draft dated December first Eight een hundred and fifty four to their own order due October fifteen Eighteen hundred and fifty five for Four thousand one hundred and thirty four dolars and sixty two cents, One draft of same date to their own order due November fifteenth Eighteen hundred and fifty five for Four thousand One hundred and eighty five dollars and thirty four cents, and one draft of same

to the said Instrument of writing as Grantor thereof, who being by me privately examined separate and apart from her said husband acknowledged to me Commissioner, that she signed sealed and delivered said Instrument of writing on the day & in the year therein stated, & for the uses & purposes therein mentioned, as her voluntary proper act and deed free and without any fears thereat on Compulsion of, or on the part of, her said husband.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal of Office at New Orleans aforesaid this 21st day of February A.D. 1855.

Signed Marcells A Fonte Commissioner of Mississippi in and for Louisiana.

{seal}

State of Mississippi Bolivar County

Personally appeared be Thos. H. Christmas an acting Justice of the Peace in and for the County of Bolivar and State of Mississippi A. Hamilton Polk whose name is attached to the foregoing deed who acknowledged that he signed sealed and delivered the same on the day and year therein written, and for the purposes therein specified as his voluntary act and deedAlso appeared Emily Polk wife of the said A. Hamilton Polk, who upon a private examination separate and apart from

New Orleans [Sept?] 20, [1858?]

My dear Elliott,

I am to day in receipt of the accompanying letter & maps-proof -- from Col [Burney?] & transmit them to you for your perusal & information.

After you have had the letter I should like to have it returned to be placed on file..

I have written you on the subject of the map since my return to [?] [?], & then I heard from Burney you had directed the Engraver to suspend operations on it. As yet I have received no reply.

I supposed you may have had some plan for getting the work done cheaper. Not knowing your views I have done nothing. But my opnion is decidedly, that the maps both should accompany the address. They will arrest attention & give to the movement a character for thoroughness, as well as scope, which must tell in impressing itself in the public mind. It will be seen, that the men who have charge of this matter are not dealing with it, as with a petty affair in which they have no confidence & to which they have given little thought or [?]. But that they have much considered their ground, have taken

I am still hoping it is not an error and I cannot see how it could have occured as I colored the land pink to which the conditions applied, and the other blues accompanied the place with a note to Mr Fogg calling his attention to the teach by colors and also made out the description of each heading them with necessary instruction to guard against any such mistake

I acknowledge my remissness in not answering your letter of the 27th Oct but as it was a reply one from me on the subject of putting up cabins as I had nothing particular to communicate at the time. I though I would not trouble you with something of interest should renew

Your letter of the 27th nov was recvd about a month after its date and answered on receipt informing you of the cause of delay.

I sent for Mr Rutledge a few days since hearing that he was in the neighbourhood and had a long conversation with him in relation to the deed for the small trench, gave him a memorandum of what was required which he said he had seen (Colyar?) a few days before & believed he was doing everything in his power to secure the respective titles. I showed him what would be required out of his land to complete our boundaries and offered to give him the calls so that he could have the deed made, but it seems, he has sold to parts of it and must have to arrange with the parties concerned before he can gain the deed. he assures me howeveer

POLK Letters: June 18, 1859

[printed:] 1859, June 18

Bishop Polk, New Orleans, La., to Francis B. Fogg, re: reporting that he has heard from Tracy that the corrected deed for the lands has been given to him, hoping that he had received it and had it recorded; mentioning a misunderstanding developing into ill feelings between Col. Barney and Mr. Bachus and that caution should be taken in examining Col. Barney's survey to be sure it is correct; his own opinion that it will be found to be correct; hoping also that all other tracts have been recorded; stating that he has $320,000, believing that he will have obtained the amount of $500,000 by the time of the meeting in August at which time he can say "the University is a fact." 45 pp. ( Note: These deeds and tracts refer to University lands ).

I have replied I have no doubt the Board would do so immediately on there being shown to be errors. I have myself no doubt that the surveys have been carefully made & that they will be so found & that this feeling, which suggests there has grown out of certain suits in which Tracy & Bachus have been engaged with [their? ] employed of which Barney has probably allowed him to speak rather more freely than a prudent man should.

I have felt uneasy about the [securing ?] [tract?] [canceled?] deed from Tracey & am glad

to hear from him it has been sent to you. I hope you will dispose of it as early as may be by having it put on record.

I hope also all the other [Lewellen?] tracts have been secured by deed & that [those?] deeds too have been recorded. Every day we put off that [matter ? ] will make it more difficult for us. In this we shall have to rely upon you as you are upon the ground.

I have secured $320,000. of the $500,000. required as the lowest limit at which we will begin, & this [from?] [say? ] 50 percent. I think I shall be able to obtain in one

June 29 1859

Rowe's Spring June 29th 1859

Rt. Rev. Leonidas Polk Comr. of the University of the South New Orleans

Rt Rev Sir

By authority from Bishop of Otig Ch.. Ex..Com U of I dated 27th inst at Rowan. I have this day drawn on your at sight in favor of Smith and Carr of Winchester for one hundred and fifty Dollars, which draft than honor amid change to building expenses of the University of the South

I wrote to Bishop Otey some time since informing him that I would want funds by the 20th inst as by that time I would have finished my field work and would wish to pay off my men, which lettter I suppose had not reached him, as he makes no allusion to it in his date of 27th inst.

Memo[Expcs?] building [Cabin?] made out from Smiths Estimate June 29, 1859

To Bishop Polk Feby 7th [?]