113. Morris, Robert. Autograph letter signed (“Robt Morris”), 1 page (9.3 x 7.5 in.; 236 x 193mm), [Philadelphia], 25 May 1798, to John Nicholson; address on verso; some browning; repair to upper horizontal fold.

From Debtor’s Prison Morris writes he has no money and articulates his financial woes.

The Revolutionary War financier writes in full:
I am sorry to learn by the Contents of your No.1 of yesterday that you have for a time lost the use of your messenger, his complaint is not dangerous. The Trustees have not yet answered my Letter nor have I heard if they appointed a Committee. I will write to Genl. Forrest that we have no Money nor any expectation of getting it and ask him to try to raise it by selling at private Sale some of the Lots. As I see you have marked & numbered the Sherriffs Advertizement I send it back herewith. The Steam Engine Affairs were I suppose on the Lot but I am yet ignorant how it is and wish it may rain this morning so as to oblige them to postpone. I have written Jno. Barclay a short letter telling him as I formerly told him that he should able to you rather than me but that when the Law was resorted to I considered all Negotiation for Security as at end. And that as to the No. Amn Land Company we had long considered him as having declined the Trust that we attributed his having done so to the example of Mr. Willing who had by his refusal given the first fatal stab to our affairs. Somebody has sent me a Pittsburg Paper of the 19th May wherein your Lands & mine are again advertised by the Sherriff for Sale on the 5th of June. J. Ingersoll is added to the list of Executioners. What is to be done, where is my deed. Genl Dickinson was here. I was engaged. He is gone to Delaware but will soon be back and the business with him must be closed. I pray you therefore to examine and let us be prepared one way or other for him.

In his later years, Morris used his fortune to buy millions of acres of frontier land, confident in a real estate boom as the country grew and prospered. A boom eventually came, but too late for Morris. He was put in debtor’s prison in Philadelphia from 1798 to 1801. Congress eventually rewrote the bankruptcy laws, so the “Financier of the Revolution” lived out his final years in dignity at home. $2,000 - $3,000

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June 11, 2015 11:00 AM PDT
26662 Agoura Rd
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