2006-06
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/31/2006
A good Reconstruction period land office letter, 2pp. 4to., written in period ink by "Johnson, Strange & Co., Navasota, [Tx.], April 14, 1870 to a certain Mr. Cowran of New Madrid, Missouri giving the best advise on land to grow cotton and sugar in Texas, reading, in small part: "…the lands in Brazonia are highly valued for planting Sugar & Cotton. That lying on or within two to four miles of the Brazos is "timber" and more valuable than the prairie…the health of that County like all those lying on the Brazos is good. The Whites…are generally looking to the "up lands" between the rivers for permanent [?] and the richer lands of the "bottoms" are being chiefly occupied by Negroes and wealthy white men who employ them. The particular information desired in relation to the [?] tract would involve considerable labor…we have reliable attorneys…in every County in the State and…we must compensate them for labor. Information of the general character we are ever ready to give without fee but when the records of Deeds and the assessors & collectors books…at Austen have to be searched [then] we are compelled to charge a moderate fee…we think $20.00 not unreasonable…during the war the evidences of taxes having been paid are not very easily ascertained…no lands sold for taxes during that period are valid. It is only Since the war that valid sales could have been made…". Margin tear repaired, else very good.
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