This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/SFk.2ACIB/1300.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1 Message Board Post: This letter brings into the House story some different names, including Andrew House Jr. This is a typewritten copy translated from the original by the H H O Secy and some words she could not determine so were left blank Mr A J Russell Connellsville, July 22, 1887 Dear Sir: I am very glad to hear from you and family. I suppose that there was something the matter as no letter came to me from yourself or Anderson, it had slipped my memory that you had written the last letter to me, and this is my apology. Well as to Antietam, I have something to say. There was a man by the name of Henry Scott who came to Connellsville last fall. He is a poor man, a carpenter, came here to get work at his trade. This Henry Scott several years ago was elected constable in Washington County, Maryland and was sworn in deputy sheriff at Hagerstown, Maryland. Mr Brown the present claiment of the Furnace property at Antietam, sold the part of the Antietam or House Estate to a party of capitalists in New York City (and we are trying to find out who they are) who sent a lawyer to Hagerstown to hunt up the title. ( Hagerstown, Washington County is the county town in Maryland). Mr Scott, Dep Sheriff went into the -blank- where the papers are kept and he -blank-that he must have turned over thousands and loads of papers before he found the title. Concerning the whole transaction between Brin and McPherson, and Herderson and Andrew House, as the owner of a very large estate in land, Mr Scott told me that he read the Patent from the King of England, that all the lines of survey are on the Patent and the exact number of acres he had forgotten, or the number of miles square. He thought about or nearly twenty. (Now that will amount to 120,000) that is just one hundred and twenty thousand acres that our Great Grand Father Andrew House owned). Mr Scott said the company to whom it was leased were to pay 14 pence per acre per year for 99 years and that it was leased from Andrew House about the year 1774, though he said he would not be sure of the date. Now those New York men had paid several thousands of binding money to Mr Brown, claiming the Brin, McPherson estate and when the lawyer found that Brin and McPherson were on a lease themselves, the Court said it was no use to go any further and Scott said he had to sell Brown out to get the money back that the New York men had paid to bind the bargain, the Brinn and Company failed to make a title to the land and as far as I know not one pence has ever been paid to the heirs of Andrew House; and that money is owed to we heirs, don't you think so? I will give ten dollars, Joseph will give ten dollars. Suppose you write Mr Ferguson and Mrs Washington Pearce and to Ellison, and to Mr Ellison to send the money to William A Barnes or send it to yourself, and you and me will go to Hagerstown and see just how the thing is. We would like to see you at Connelsville and you and me will start over in Washington County. You will have to -blank- and see the most beautiful farming land you ever behalf?? and the Antietam Furnace and see Mr Brown there and have a talk with him about the estate. I have never seen the man to know him, though I called at his house and was informed he was not at home. He lives at Atietam farm 4 miles from Shepard Town near the Potomac River, MD, where our Great Grandfather"s estate is located. It once was all Frederick County. Now, there is a matter I do not understand. Maybe you can explain it? You call ANDREW HOUSE JR. Now if he is Junior he must have been a brother to John Valentine House. our grandfather and therefore, must have been a very old man. Please explain that and tell us all you know about Andrew House as we want to do the fair thing and if you can make the matter straight we will make him an heir with us, and go to work and get our estate if it can be got. We expect soon to see the copy of the Patent. ( This page Numbered one) It is unsigned so hope to locate page two)