James W. Jones to Unknown, 02-26-1824


Summary: Economic conditions.


Fort Settlement 26th Feb 1824

I certify that early in the month of July 1822 my Brother and myself found Mrs Jane Long low down on the river St Hyacinth in a Palmeter camp exposd to the rains and sun and nothing to support herself and family on except a small quantity of milk which she got of a family that livd near We took pity on her and proposd to build her a cabin near where we were and that we would hunt and support her in the best manner we could until her relations would send for her; to which proposition she agreed we hired hands and movd her and furnishd her with corn meal, pork and salt and at all times found her in plenty of venison until late in August when she proposd going to St Antonia saying that the Govournor had given her encouragement to go on there and he would do every thing in his power for her she proposd that we should go with her She promisd to satisfy us to our full satisfaction when she arrivd in St Antonia we furnishd her horses to pack her Bagage and for part of her family to ride And meal and meat for the Journey we walk'd ourselves for to accomadate her and family through the heat and dust and at some places twenty miles without water with the calculation of being reasonably compensated We arrivd at St Antonia after we had been there for or five days we proposd to return she then informed us that it was utterly out of her power to compensate us as she had promisd at the time she had started that she had been there so short a time and had had but little conversation with Govournor and dislikd asking him for any thing to pay us With but that we should be amply satisfd in a short time, she then let my brother have her rifle If we left the Province the gun was to be left at Mr Banian's If we remaind he was to keep the gun until she calld for it. She gave up the horse for us to use until we were settled With at the same time requestd that we would not part with him as she wanted him for her Daughter she was to have Borne our expences she let us have five Dollars only to bur Provision when we set out

James W. Jones