Rhode Island Postal History - Hazard Family Letters - 1844 Stampless Letter from H. Greene, New Orleans to Roland Hazard

The Hazard Family Letters 1832-1950
1844 Stampless Folded Letter (SFL)
Sent from H.R. Greene, Cotton Factor at New Orleans, LA
to Roland G. Hazard - Peace Dale, Rhode Island
(Scroll down for Background Information and Full Text of Letter)

VIEW: Full size Scan of the Letters First Page
VIEW: Full size Scan of the Letters Second Page

Docking - H.R. Green Jr. N.O. May 30, 1844

This business letter was sent from New Orleans, Louisiana to Peace Dale, Rhode Island at the 25 cent rate established by the Act of April 9, 1816 and effective on May 1, 1816 for mail sent over 400 miles.

This is a very interesting two page letter; in that the Cotton Factor, H. R. Green goes into quite lengthy detail concerning several of the accounts and plantation owners that R. G. Hazard & Company did business with in the Louisiana area.

(In 1848 - became The Peacedale Manufacturing Company.) It is very apparent from the content of the letter that doing business with some of these cotton planters was difficult at best and collecting on their accounts involved quite a bit of extra effort on the part of the Cotton Factors employed by the Hazard family and other Rhode Island mill owners. It should also be noted that although the Hazards were members of the Society of Friends, (Quakers) and were against slavery on principle, their extensive dealings involving the purchasing and selling of cotton, wool and cloth goods in Louisiana and other southern states certainly helped to perpetuate that institution.

The Complete Text of the Letter Follows Below:

New Orleans May 30 / 44

R. G. Hazard Esq.
                      Dear Sir,
                                Please ship us as early as convenient 800 yards of 4/4 white U.D.P. -- as this is for filling orders it may as well be put up in bales.
     We have collected nothing for your a/c except Roberts & Vinsons. Inos Wall sent us a draft on his Black & Wine today, payable Jan 10/45 with interest added at 6 percent, which they have accepted.
     R. P. Connick enclosed an order on Payne & Harrison to take up his note with interest since Jan 10/42. Mr. Harrison says he will have Connick's a/c made up tomorrow & pay the note if theirs is late sufficient in his favor.
     We got nothing yet from Prander Williams & Co. I called them again today.
     Col. Nicholas has been in town since Jan last, but did not call with the note as expected. I feared I should not see him and addressed him a note. It was returned to me with a message that he had again left and would not return until next week. I shall be unable to see him, as I design leaving tomorrow or the day after.
     Geoff Winston has not yet been down here. Have heard nothing of H. M. Kleary.
     Since the recpt of the remainder of the goods by Lancaster & Sons, they have set up a claim of 10 @ 15 percent indemnity and decline sending us a draft on Msrs J. B. Byrum & Co as agreed. It is quite unfortunate for us, as they had engaged to deliver their customers such goods as the exhibited specimens as recvd of us and the cause of the non-fulfillment of contract will doubtless be generally known in that vicinity. Such accounts are more painful than the losses of business could possibly be ----
     We have invoices today of 6 bales 7/8 Carolinas per ship Arkansas. If you could dispatch more 4/4 they would be of service

                                                        Truly yrs,
                                                                      H. R. Green
P.S.
    H. S. White orders for Est. Wm Newel - 14 Men's suits Four of them to be extra large and the remainder of full size for ordinary men. Mr. White says he wants more of the smaller size. Some heretofore sent have been entirely useless. He wants them by the latter end of August.

There is a note written along the left margin of the letters first page, undoubtedly written in reply to Green's request after the receipt of the letter by by either Roland or Isaac, which states, "6/7/44 Sent two bales 800 yds 4/4 whites U.D.P."

Mr. Green is also the sender of an earlier SFL from New Orleans to Issac Hazard on February 19, 1843.
SEE: 1843 Isaac Hazard Cover for further information.

The ship Arkansas has been used previously in the transport of Hazard merchandise.
SEE: 1837 Arkansas Invoices

See Also:

The Hazard Family History

1843 Isaac P. Hazard Letter

A Full Size Multi-Invoice Form

Full Text of One Invoice

History of Carolina Mills

Intro to "Jonny-Cake Papers"
Bio of Thomas Hazard by
Roland Gibson Hazard II - 1915

Postcard - Hazard Memorial Hall

Postcard - Hazard's Castle

Explanation of Postal Rates