The Brigham Young Center

President's Office,
Gt. Salt Lake City,
Jan. 7th, 1867.

Elder Reuben McBride,
Fillmore City, Millard Co.

Dear Brother:

On the 1st of Sept., 1837, three notes were drawn, one for Two Thousand and, two hundred and fifty-one dollars and sixty-six cents ($2323.66/100), and a third for Two thousand, three hundred and Ninety-five Dollars and fifty seven cents ($2395.57/100), by Hyrum Smith, Reynolds Cahoon and Jared Carter as Principals, and thirty other brethren as sureties, in favor of Messrs. Halstead, Haines & Co. at the Bank of Geauga in Painesville, Ohio. Among the names of the sureties is mine, and the notes have been sent on here for collection. It is my present impression that these notes were given as collateral security, and that when the notes which they were given to secure were paid, these others were not taken up. I can not imagine why they should have remained unsettled, for the principals who signed the notes had property, and it does not appear reasonable that they would have been allowed to leave Kirtland until these notes had been paid. We remained in the States upwards of eight years after the Notes were drawn, and they could have been collected at any time during those years; but we heard nothing of them, until now, that the sureties are all nearly dead, they revive them.

You were in Kirtland, and familiar with affairs there, and probably are conversant with this transaction, and know whether these Notes were settled or not. I recollect an occurrence in which Mr. Hanson acted in which some notes were given as collateral security for indebtedness East, and I think were given to the Geauga Bank. Put your thinking cap and try and recall these business affairs, and see what light he can bring to bear on the subject.

With love, and hoping to hear from you soon
I remain Your Brother,

Brigham Young