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AMERICAN. HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION.
RECEIPT FOR OCCUPATION TAX
Territory of Missouri THE first day of July one thousand eight hundred and Eighteen THIS certifies that Moses Austin is authorised to sell Merchandize within this territory for six months from the date hereof, the said Moses Austin having this day paid to me John W. Thompson sheriff of the county of Saint Louis, the sum of fifteen dollars. It being the semi-annual tax imposed on the retailers of Merchanclize by a law of this Territory.
A. GAMBLE Clerk of the circuit court of St. Loui,s cownty.
countersigned July 20 th 1818 J. wm. THOMPSON Shff
Recd, July 20 th 1818 of Moses Austin seven dollars and fifty Cents the additional duty due for building. a Jail in the County ·of St Louis the tax was imposed by the Legislature of the Territory of Missouri
J. wm. THOMPSON Shff
STEPHEN F. AUSTIN TO JAMES BRYAN l
Herculaneum July 3. 1818
D'· Brother
I~ now here endeavoring to arra[n]ge my Fathers business and my own so as to leave this country-Orders have been lately recd· at the Surveyors office to prepare the Red River property for market as soon as possible, and in consequence New Madrid claims have risen very much-Langham and a Company are purchaseing them up to locate on Red River and offer as high as 12.$ an arpent on a credit-- I think I can get a small claim for 5$ Cash, and I have determined to sell all your Flour and buy a Madrid claim with the money, and not send down the Boat at all-I should have clone so if the 'property had been my own and very well know that it will be more to your advantage to sell the f[lour] here at 8$ and buy a claim at 5$ than to get 30$ a Barrel for it and loose the opportunity of geting a claim even at any price-I value my improvement in the Long Praire at 100$ p'· acre for it will yeald an interest on the money (calculating the land at 100$ p'· acre) of at least 25 p•· cent and pay the expence of working it besides-I shall therefore sell the Flour get a claim and locate it for our joint benefit on my improvement in the Long Praire I can not tell when I shall leave here-My Fathers business is all in confusion-I advise you to return as soon as possible by Land
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