American Historical Ephemera and Early Photography

Group of 35 letters written by English-born William Herries, the third son of a well-known English banking family, to family members, predominantly his older brother Col. Charles Herries (1745-1819), a Colonel of the Light Horse Volunteers of London and Westminster. Letters describe his 1804 ocean voyage to New York City, then a journey by horse and stage to Washington, and onto New Orleans and Baton Rouge through what was at the time America's frontier. Along the way, Herries secures introductions to some of the young nation's most prominent figures: Vice President Aaron Burr, John Jacob Astor, General James Wilkinson, President Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State James Madison, St. Louis fur trader Auguste Chouteau, and Indiana Territory Governor William Henry Harrison, among others. Eventually establishing himself at his plantation "Montesano on the Mississippi West Florida," Herries's later letters from Baton Rouge describe an historic time in that contested region, just as it declared its independence from Spain forming the short-lived "Republic of West Florida." With detailed descriptions of the frontier just a year after the Louisiana Purchase and personal interactions with iconic American figures, Herries's letters are an exceptional glimpse into the nascent years of the Early American Republic, while simultaneously providing an example of the adventurous and industrious immigrants who sought their fortunes in the newly established United States of America. Most letters 4pp+, with some as long as 11pp, many letters with integral address leaf. Various places, including "River Thames," “On board the Jupiter Captain Law for New York,” New York City, Washington, Baltimore, Lexington, "Louisville Falls of the Ohio," New Orleans, and "Montesano." 1804-1811 (bulk 1804-1805).

Herries reaches New York Harbor on 9 May 1804 and begins to cultivate relationships and explore business opportunities that he believes are potentially lucrative. Herries’s intent is to establish himself as a successful businessman in New Orleans, and await the arrival there of his wife and two sons. The fur trade is discussed extensively in letters of 7 and 8 June 1804, including details about the “North West Canada Company,” “Sir Alex McKenzies company,” and a meeting with John Jacob Astor: “…[I] have been among other things scrambling among the skins in the Fur warehouse & getting myself introduced to everyone who could be of use to me in every line, I saw among others Mr. Astor Sir A’s [Alexander McKenzie] correspondent a very rich man. From him I learnt to my astonishment that …he was going to form an establishment at New Orleans & another in St. Louis near the mouth of the Missouri or thereabouts near 1200 miles higher than New Orleans….” Herries also secures letters of introduction and recommendation from other New Yorkers, including Vice President Aaron Burr. Herries writes on 18 June 1804: “The Vice President of the United States now here has given me much useful information, and recommendations where I am going. I have also got many other letters of introduction, one of which is for the Spanish Governor of East Florida where I have strong hopes of getting the 5000 acres of lands formerly granted to Sir Robert [presumably his older brother, Sir Robert Herries]….”

Armed with letters of introduction, Herries begins his journey to Philadelphia, Washington, and Baltimore. An 8pp letter written by Herries on 30 June 1804 to his niece, Isabella Herries, from Washington describes meetings with Secretary of State James Madison and provides a detailed account of his first meeting with President Thomas Jefferson: “He came in a few minutes while I was looking at an Indian Belt & arrow suspended below a looking glass. He received me in the most affable and easy manner, desired me to sit down, which we both did and he gave me the opportunity of informing him more particularly of my view & intentions of going to Louisiana to establish myself there….This led naturally to a conversation on the subject of that newly acquired possession, and I perfectly agree with him that New Orleans must one day become the greatest trading city in the world….” Writing to his brother from Baltimore on 17 July 1804 (8pp), Herries states that he dined twice with the President following his initial meeting. He describes Jefferson’s attentiveness to his dinner guests, July 4th celebrations at the President’s house, Jefferson’s plans for a road to Louisiana, and Jefferson’s demonstration of “the new copying machine [polygraph] which writes two letters at once.”

As Herries prepares to “enter the first part of the Wilderness,” he has once again secured introductions for his future destinations. A one-page sheet from Baltimore, July 25, states: “Genl. Wilkinson…has provided me with letters to the comdg officers at Pittsburgh, Fort Massac, Fort Vincennes, Kaskaskia, St. Louis, New Madrid, the Chickasaw Bluffs, Natchitoches, and New Orleans.” By August 1804, Herries reaches Pittsburgh, then in September has arrived at Lexington, and by 4 October has reached the Falls of the Ohio at Louisville, Kentucky. Lengthy and informative letters provide details of his travels, the steps he takes to appropriately outfit himself for his journey, the nature of his traveling companions, and the settlers he encountered in America’s frontier regions. Noteworthy is a letter from “St. Louis, Louisiana, 12 Novr 1804” which Herries states was carried by hand to Washington City by [Auguste] Chouteau, and that he also gave Chouteau “a letter to the President of the United States & one to the Secretary of State….” [letters recorded in Founders Online, National Archives, the Jefferson Papers and the Madison Papers]. While in St. Louis, Herries meets Indiana Territorial Governor William Henry Harrison, “and had the pleasure of joining his excursion to the Missouri.”

Arriving in New Orleans in February 1805 Herries plans to continue to a better, healthier location, Baton Rouge: “And I have seen the spot where I think all the future trade must fix. It is Baton Rouge...the first high healthy land…I am of the opinion that Inhabitants and trade will move altogether to a more perfect and healthier situation. ...” The remaining letters in the archive deal with Herries activities in the Baton Rouge region of West Florida. With the financial backing of brother-in-law Fulwar Skipwith (1765-1839) [Consul General to Paris, later the Governor of West Florida], Herries bought substantial property north of Baton Rouge in the hopes of forming a new town, “Montesano.” Notable here is the May 1805, “Estimation of a Sugar Estate in the Orleans territory, in a general review,” prepared by William Herries for his brother, as well as letters of 14 November 1805 and 15 January 1806, in which Herries discusses the prices for purchasing slaves and the importation of slaves, noting in January that he has permission from the Spanish government to build a town and “only wait for negroes to set to work.” By 1807, Herries’s letters are datelined “Montesanto,” and he reports on the progress in his new venture. His final letter of 20 March 1811 (7pp), is written from a friend’s house where Herries has gone to attempt recovery from debilitating illness. This letter provides a fascinating glimpse into political machinations in the region, specifically related to Herries’s thoughts on Fulwar Skipwith. Herries writes, in small part: “… all my best friends were taken in by his smooth tongue and deep duplicity, low & dirty cunning – so that I became his dupe against my will…but while he duped me out of a fortune…he duped this whole Territory out of their senses and led them first to revolt against their Sovereign….”

A truly extraordinary letter grouping. We locate no William Herries letters at auction. OCLC locates only one William Herries letter, housed in the Jefferson Library, Thomas Jefferson Foundation.