Squire Ensworth's Letters to Mr. Whaley
June-August, 1861
San Diego, Ca.
June 7, 1861
Mr. Whaley
I am unwell this morning. The Lewis Perry did not arrive until day before yesterday - Placed 30 sks of the flour on the wharf, which broke down, wetting the sacks in salt water. These I have declined receiving. I have not yet paid the freight bill. Your letter of June 2nd was rec'd - by ST. of this morning. I am surprised you did not receive my two letters sent overland. The potatoes (1 sk) & 16 Ress & Bulletins are rec'd - For which I am obliged. Don't send me any more soap. I have plenty for four months. I am sorry to inform you that the bacon you sent me is just about four thousand years old. But the covering of cloth is only a few days old. I can never sell it. As to the sugar I wrote to you overland about, I shall not send up by this boat, but wait and see what you say about it. There is now only 4 CWT of the worthless, having sold one CWT to H. Mannasee - Please send me a good sized school Atlas - I want to see the locality of those two fighting armies on the other side - I will write you more fully by mail as soon as I get a letter. I shall send you more money than I had any idea I would be able to. In fact, I did not expect to be able to send you any. Where it comes from I can't see. Be particular and answer my two overland letters. I must go down street before I can know how much I can send.
Truly
A. S. Ensworth
P. S. I send you $270 through W. F. & Co. Express (charges paid). Of this $25 you will credit me for on my private account. I've not yet settled with the Perry. I expect a row about the flour which I decline receiving (30 lbs.).
San Diego, Ca.
July 7, 1861
Mr. Thos Whaley
By the St. of this morning I am in the receipt of yours of the 2nd inst.
"Take it Easy" - Yes I am taking it easy and intend to take it easy if there is not another dollar of goods sold in San Diego. As to the assortment on hand - the whole is of sugar. No person owes me and I don't intend they shall. There is no probability of my wanting any more goods even by the next steamer, but if I should, there will be plenty of time to let you know over land I remit you through W. F. & Co. $110 on merchandise account which is much better than I expected to have done a week ago. I find by adding up my private account between us, after placing to your credit the bill by this boat of $19.50, that I am in your debt about $25, which I have not the means of paying at this time, but will try by the next steamer.
Never mind the pen maker - they will get them out of the ship some time or other. I will try and get the power of atty from Arreabor as soon as possible. He is now living at San Jacinto.
I think I have requested you but not certain to send me the statute laws for 1861, so soon as bound.
I've paid express.
Give my respects to Mrs. Whaley and the boy.
Truly
A. S. Ensworth
Mr. Whaley -
Just as the express is closing I have rec'd and opened the package and find 'Stephens Book of the Farm,' instead of "Stephens Practical Irrigator and Drainer." How did you make that mistake? I return them by express charge - Please try again.
Yours
Ensworth
San Diego, Ca.
July 17, 1861
Mr. Thos Whaley:
My Dear Sir:
As the mail will leave here in the morning, I will drop you this, although I have nothing in the world of interest or uninteresting to communicate. I sell no goods neither does anyone else for cash. I could sell all out, in a few days, on a credit, but I could never collect a dime of the money. Those resources from whence circulatin money came - sale of cattle - overland mail - have left us. Many residents have gone off, as they see no chance of earning a livelihood here. Most of the merchants have debts due them have been taking cattle when they could get them. Crosthwaite, who owes largely to Mannasse and Schiller, Meier and others, one bright moonshine night run his stock over the line. Those who have the means of purchasing for cash, such as Hinton, Witherby, Couts, purchase above. I have on land near all rec'd by the schooner and from present appearances I fear it will be sufficient for a long time. The other day, Don Juan Foster, at the Ranch of Las Flores, sold 500 head of cows for $7 per head. Couts had just finished killing 80 head for the hides and tallow. Don't forget to send me the statutes of 1861 so soon bound. I must again thank you for files of bulletins, and assure you that in these war times their receipt is appreciated.
Inclosed here with you will find some law papers in the case of Soto vs. Louis Hauck & M. M. Sexton, which please hand to the sheriff for service immediately, as I am afraid I will not be in time for judgment at the next District Court. Hauck, no doubt you recollect as the partner of Sexton in the ranch, altho he always resided in San Francisco followed his business of bar keeper. Please inform the sheriff there he is to be found and pay him for the service. Charge the same in my private account and inform me of the amount. As to Sexton, I have sent the papers to Tulare County to be served on him. I have always understood that Hauck is well known by all who drink whiskey, and as that class of people is pretty large, I presume he will be readily found.
Now what more can I say? I've nothing to add.
Truly Yours,
A. S. Ensworth
P. S. Don't forget my sack of potatoes
San Diego, Ca.
August 6, 1861
Mr. Thos Whaley:
I intended to write you a respectable letter today, so far as its length would have been concerned, but the steamer anticipating her arrival by one day, I must confine myself within the bounds of business only.
Yours of the 2d - Inst, is rec'd together with the Bulletins (Ever invaluable at this time), with potatoes and statutes, which several amounts as per bill I have credited to you in private account.
Now Look Out! I send you $100 through WF & Co. - $62 of this you will credit on merchant account and the remainder $38 on private account book over balances my private account by several dollars. The Express charges is paid.
From time to time I have sent you money rec'd from weighing which has been included in money to be credited to private account. I do the same now. I have yet some letter standing out for weighing which will be collected.
I will see Mrs. R and tell her what you say. Estudillo being out of town, I could do nothing with the Escajadillo matter & can't until I can see him and the doctor together.
God Bless you and the young ones.
A. S. Ensworth
Sacred to the memory of Francis Steele, who died January 17th, 1860 aged 32 years.
I have opened my letter to request you to have a foot and headstone with the above engraved upon it.
San Diego, Ca.
August 20, 1861
Mr. Thom Whaley
In my last letter to you, I forgot to acknowledge the receipt of your two letters - one of July 23 and the other of July 11, both rec'd on the 30th of July. But on looking through them, I find nothing in particular for me to answer, as one is short and the other relates to the Escajadillo business. As to that, however, having seen Estudillo, he says that before he makes an offer, he wants to see Escajadillo. As yet he has not done so.
As to merchandising, the thing is dead as a rat. There is in truth and in fact absolutely no money. As the saying is the Californians, nearly in a body, in this County, are gone in. M & S have attached several lately and such of the Machado family and such turning over property to sives and parientes was never known before. At that kind of work they can beat Americans. There is no need of sending any goods by the next steamer, as I have only sold since last remittance about $30. Stock is worth nothing - you could not sell cows today for $5 per head. They were assessed this year at $4. As our mail will start tomorrow without laying over a day as heretofore, I hope you will receive this before the starting of the next boat. They say Jose Maria Estudillo has been busy during the last few days in branding all his stock in the brand of Luce Marron, who now lives on the Ranch with him.
Yours
A. S. Ensworth
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