Surveying in the Fields of Fortune, 1847-Style
Here is an amusing collection of snippets from some letters written from Texas in 1847 by a surveyor named J.J. Giddings who had come here from Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania to seek his fortune. All of the letters were written to his sweetheart back in Pennsylvania, a gal who later married him.
The progression may be familiar.
Jan 17, 1847
"I love the fruits of my pilgrimage here but now is the spring time of life with me and the fields of fortune are open before me. I have already reaped an abundant harvest from the fruits of my own industry and enterprise and it appears very much to my interest to continue a little longer in the buiness in which I have been engaged while it warrants an ample compensation for continued exertion."
Jan 30, 1847
"I have just contracted with the German colony to do twenty thousand dollars worth of surveying this year, which will render it impossible for me to return this spring as I anticipated doing. [...] I am very much crowded with business and shall be the balance of the year. I expect to have 50 or 60 men in my company this summer and 5 or 6 compasses."
March 1, 1847
"My company are at Fredericksburg and I leave this place [San Antonio] this evening to join them. I shall then go to my surveying district on the River San Saba where I expect to reamin some time. [...] I will write you as often as I have an opportunity, but I shall be very busy as I expect to have some 40 or 50 men in employ and run 5 or 6 compasses."
April 19, 1847
"I am now engaged in a very heavy contract of surveying which will engross my attention until that time [as I return to you]. I have now 40 men in employ and run 6 compasses. My expenses are great but profit much geater. I think I shall do well at the contract and intend to give it my best attentions."
August 1, 1847
"I have carried on my surveing very advantageously thus far though it has kept [me} constantly employed having at some times 70 or 80 men in my employment. I shall not continue with more than 30. My company are now in the settlement and will return in a few days to the woods with me. [...] For a time, I have completed about $25,000 worth of surveying. There is much yet to be done. I have the confidence of the company, having done more for them than all the rest (or 20 others). They are anxious for me to continue work for them. I am also offered a $75,000 job of surveying for next summer, but shall not take it until I see you."
Sept. 13, 1847
"I shall be at this place for some months attending to my field notes and preparing them for the land office. I have 14 men out surveying and shall send out 7 more in a few days. [...] I am still crowded with business that must be attended to. I have more tha a years labor of writing to do if I were to do it alone, but I think I shall have it done this winter. I have not yet contracted to do any more surveying but have on hand about 2 months work that has accumulated while I have been surevying for the German Colony."
Oct. 30, 1847
"I have now closed my business in the woods for the present and probably for the winter. My time will be pretty much employed at this place in closing up my summer surveying. George and 2 other young men are writing for me and will probably continue some time as I have as yet but 1400 pages written of 5000 I have to write. The contract I spoke of with the German Emigration Company was at $20.00 per section for all I could do by the first of September. At that rate, I have surveyed to the amount of $30,000 or upwards. I have received but $10,000 and my men and some other expenses are yet unpaid. I am anxious to bring it to a close as soon as possible and know what is due me."
December 20, 1847
"I believe I shall be able to leave my business affairs in a few weeks, but cannot tell positively at present. I have not yet been able to settle my contract with the German Emigration Company, or they have not been able to pay me according to contract. I think they well do it soo and as soon as that is accomplished, I am ready to start for Pennsylvania ..."
By the way, here is one of the mesquite bearing trees that Mr. Giddings' survey party marked to reference a corner they established in August of 1847 in a part of Fisher & Miller's Colony known as District No. 3.
Mesquite Bearing Tree in Concho County, Texas
Where did you find that great stuff? And is it available for others? I'd love to have copies!
Nice job on the research for that one!
I love reading that type of correspondence. Thanks Kent.
BTW, what's funny is that there still are some of those high-volume surveyors around who don't write their own field notes:-P
What a neat find. Wonder if he ever got paid the remainder of his contract. I'd love to have a $25k surveying job to look forward to these days.
Weren't the Commanches a hazard in Texas during that period? Did he mention them at all?
The Treaty with the Comanches
> Weren't the Commanches a hazard in Texas during that period? Did he mention them at all?
Yes, Giddings did mention the Comanches a couple of times. They generally let the surveyors in Giddings company work unmolested because of an arrangement that the German Emigration Company had made with them involving payment of money and a formal agreement. That agreement is reputed to be the only treaty between Indians and private parties and is also considered to be the only treaty with an Indian tribe that remains unbroken to this day.
Texas GLO
> Where did you find that great stuff? And is it available for others? I'd love to have copies!
Transcriptions of those letters are on file in the Texas GLO as "Current Miscellaneous File No. 97". They were donated by one of Giddings' descendants in 1995. Unfortunately, that file hasn't been scanned and made available on line yet. When I get a chance, I'd be glad to scan them an post a link to a pdf.
> What a neat find. Wonder if he ever got paid the remainder of his contract. I'd love to have a $25k surveying job to look forward to these days.
Well, we know that the Giddings brothers continued to pursue a variety of businesses in Texas. His brother, George Giddings operated a contract mail route from San Antonio to San Diego from 1857 to 1861 when the Apaches decided to prevent all white intrusions on their lands after a white provocation.
J.J. Giddings evidently decided to take a party of twenty men West to attempt to make a treaty with Cochise in order to salvage the stage line business. He was killed in 1861 while apparently so engaged.
