The Brigham Young Center

Great Salt Lake City
Jany. 10th 1867

Mr. Josiah Butterfield
San Juan, Monteray Co. Cal.

Dear Sir: On the 1st Sept. 1837, these notes were drawn, one for two thousand, two hundred and fifty-one dollars and seventy-seven cents (2251.77); a second for two thousand Three hundred and twenty three dollars and sixty six cents, (2323.66), and a third for two thousand three hundred and ninety five dollars and fifty seven cents, (2395.57), by Hiram Smith, Reynolds Cahoon, and Jared Carter as principals, and thirty other brethren as sureties, in favor of Messrs. Halstead, Hains & Co., at the Bank of Geauga in Painesville, Ohio. Among the names of the sureties are yours and mine. 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 cannot 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 nearly all dead they revive them.

You can probably recollect something about the notes, and whether they 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 were given, I think to the Geauga Bank; and I think these must be the notes. Any light, you can throw upon this subject will be received with pleasure. Hoping to hear from you soon I remain Yours &c.

Brigham Young