"The Value of the Slaves:" State of the Farm and Mission of St. Joseph, June 28-30, 1831
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Observations
According to Father Hardys account the debts contracted before he took charge of St Joseph must have exceeded a $1000; of these 500 were borrowed at 6 per Ct by F. Newton, and with the interest stated within as due at Mr. Hardys departure. Mr. H.f ound the people without clothes, the house without any provisions, the stock and poultry poor and scanty, the buildings and fences in a state of ruin- He only found some scattered papers books had been in the house; but neither he or Mr. Grace could find them- the accounts that the visitor found were only from Jan. 1830 to June 29 1831 and these were not closed or regularly kept. With some trouble they were classified and the within statements extracted from them, which were submitted both to Mssrs. Cary and Hardy and by them admitted to be free from any considerable mistake. Admitting this general accuracy of the statements, we may consider as certain the following Result:
Monies expended and not arising from farm or mission $550
Do obtained by the sale of slave ------------------------ 300
Balance of expenditure above all receipts - 76.90 ½
Debts due on the 29 June 1831 898.
Sum wanted for repairs, totals, provisions $300 $2124.90 ½
Cr by sum to be received from farm before Jan 102
Debts, and monies expended above the income 2022.90 ½
And to be expended to prevent further debt
Product of land if sold at 5pr. Are $1700
Do of live stock and furniture 335 Bal. 12.9 ½
$2035 2035.00
This if the whole concern were sold the product after paying debts regarding money expended above the income would leave $12.9 ½ the 300 charged for tools and would scarcely meet expenses of sale.
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Congregations- St. Joseph and Denton: In the former are about 150 of whom 70 Comunts in the other 100. Com. 50
Pastors- The Revd John Cary the only one: One lay brother assists him in house and farm
Annual income from pews and other fixed revenue- none
Collections- In St. Joseph Anq. None. At Denton in 17 months visit now elapsed $39: In Kent Col: $46 collected-
Jura Stole- Within the last 17 months: $15 at marriages + $1 alms- it is supposed for masses-
Acres in the Farms- Blue field 63. Red field 62 ½ Yellow do. 64 ½ Green do 50 ½ Wood 100- Total 340 ½
Average income from the farm- at present fr. 150 to 200 doll: if well cultivated it is supposed that it would yield $600
Income of the year 1831- From Jan. 1830 to June 29, 1831 $104.46. part this was sold of Rye and wheat 102. Tot. 206.46
Monies received from private sources not connected with either farm or mission- Rev. Mr Hardy received $550
Monies Rec by the sale of 3 slaves not to be included in the annual income $300
Total received from every source from Jan 1830 to June 29 1831 $1047.46
Total expenses during the same period - $1124.36 ½ Bal. of expenses above all income $ 76.90 ½
Amount of debt due by the house and farm at Mr. Hardy’s departure $803: since added by Mr. Cary 95 lot $898
Amount of money now wanted for tools, repairs, winter clothes, seed wheat and one months provisions $300
Slaves- Ned and Tom each about 30- Sam about 12. Mick hired out for 40 per ann: This years ages included in $102 state above
Women- Nancy 70. Lucy 18, Beller 17. This last hired out 43 each wages also included in the $102 to be rec.
Moral Habits – none are charged with theft – one man and the old woman go the sacramants – the other 2 men do not go to sacraments- one is said to be a worthless fellow- the other notoriously living in habits of illicit intercourse, the married one wishes to.
States of the houses for slaves and room- they are very few and very bad- there is not one that can afford comfortable shelter to man or beast hence the men sleep in a room over that in which the women sleep.
Value of the land- good farms in the neighborhood have been lately sold for $6- St. Joseph-s is valued from 4 to 5. At present there is no selling land on the eastern shores; no man seeks to settle on it.
Nearest town- Easton is about 12 to 14 miles from St. Joseph- is a good town- population 1500 a lot would be given and other encouragement to build a church there- the Catholics there are yet but few-
The value of the slaves- the 3 men would probably bring $750- the 2 girls about 200- the boy -the old woman a burden
The live stock, farm utensils and house furniture may be worth 335 dollars-
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Mr Cary, B. Marshal and theirs say, that if the debts were paid and the money advanced for repairs of then with great industry and economy two missions might be supported, but this would be the utmost.
B. Marshall is rather inactive, unhealthy and is peculiarly obnoxious to the blacks and others there.
Though intended to stop there, he expressed a wish to be placed where he would not have such a laborious life out of doors.