John H. Baker to Buchanan & Gray, 1837

In December 1837, Baker made an arrangement with the Louisville firm of Buchanan and Gray to represent him, and to be a source of loans, or bills of exchange for him. To secure these loans, he deeded to them the forge tracts, the 250 acre tract to their north, his half of the Walton tract that he had purchased together with Thomas Joyce which contained his two iron furnaces, and a group of slaves.

Baker apparently met his obligation to Buchanan and Gray for in March 1838 they released everything back to him.

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This indenture made this ninth day of December, 1837 by John H. Baker and Nancy D. Baker his wife of the first part and Angerean Gray and Andrew Buchanan, partners under the name of Buchanan and Gray, of the second part. Witnesseth that the said John H. Baker has requested the said parties of the second part to act as his factors and commission merchants, and that to enable him to conduct his business satisfactorily, the said Baker expects that it will be important for him to obtain the acceptances and endorsements of said firm and occasionally to procure some advances from them; and that said Buchanan and Gray have consented to act as the commission merchants of said John H. Baker and to endorse and accept for him from time to time on condition that he make them the said Buchanan and Gray secure for and such responsibilities, and that in consideration of one dollar to the said parties of the first part paid and the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, and in consideration of a desire to indemnify and secure said Buchanan and Gray for any and all liabilities, the said parties of the first part have bargained and sold and do hereby bargain and sell, grant, and convey to said parties of the second part and their heirs and assigns a tract of land lying in Bullitt County, Kentucky on Salt River and adjoining Shepherdsville and bounded as follows.

Beginning at two black walnuts and three mulberry saplings on the north bank of Salt River, thence North seventy nine degrees East two hundred and forty poles to a red or black oak, elm and sweet gum sapling in a flat, thence South six and a half degrees West forty nine poles to a stake, corner to the grave yard, thence with a line of the same North eighty three degrees West twenty five poles to another stake, thence South six and a half degrees West six poles to another stake, thence South eighty three and one half degrees East twenty five poles to a stake, thence South six degrees, thirty minutes West twenty six poles to a line of Adam Shepherd's six hundred acre survey on the bank of Salt River, thence down the said river and binding thereon with the several meanders thereof to the beginning containing one hundred and fifty acres be the same more or less, and also the fifty acre tract conveyed to said Baker by J. D. Breckinridge and James Guthrie, and also the 250 acre tract below the town of Shepherdsville, one moiety of which was procured by said Baker from Cornelius Comyges by deed dated 17th of June 1835, and also the divided half of the dry lick tract formerly owned by General Walton, which Dry Lick tract contained about 7880 acres and was sold by John Pope and wife to said Baker and Joyces, and which said Dry Lick tract was afterwards divided and for a better designation whereof it is the same tract on which said Baker has two blast furnaces now in operation; and also all the fixtures, improvements, forges, furnaces, machinery, mills and tools including the rolling mills, and also the following negroes, slaves for life, to wit Alexander, Peter, Louis and John - To have and to hold the said lands, forges, furnaces, fixtures &c together with all the appurtenances thereto belonging, and also the said four slaves to them the said Buchanan and Gray, and their heirs and assigns forever, and that the said John H. Baker for himself, his heirs &c covenants that he will forever warrant the title to said property against any and all claims. Provided however as the condition of this deed, that whereas said Buchanan and Gray have at the request of said John H. Baker and for his benefit accepted three bills of exchange drawn on them by said Baker, one for $2000 at three months date favor of B. W. Hendrick on order and dated December 1st 1837, one for $3000 at 4 months favor of said Hendricks, and dated December 9th 1837, and the other for $2000 at 4 months dated 5th December 1837, and payable to said Hendricks on order; and whereas said Buchanan and Gray expect to make other acceptances and endorsements and advances from time to time for said Baker. Now if the said John H. Baker or his heirs or assigns shall well and truly pay off and discharge said three bills of exchange and if they shall also pay off and discharge any and all advances and acceptances that said Buchanan and Gray may hereafter made for said Baker, and if they shall protect and indemnify said Buchanan and Gray against any endorsement, security .. or liability that they may incur at the request of said Baker, then this conveyance is to be void. And as the said Baker may wish to lease the said Dry Lick for three years it is understood that he may do so, and that the tenant shall be protected in this lease by said mortgagees provided that the rents reserved under seized lease shall be subject to this mortgage. In testimony whereof the said Baker and wife have hereto signed and set their hands and seals on the day and year first above written. (signed) John H. Baker.

Whereas on the 9th December 1837, John H. Baker, by his deed of mortgage of that date conveyed to us the undersigned Angerean Gray and Andrew Buchanan of the firm of Buchanan and Gray certain lots of ground and tracts of land and other appurtenances in he county of Bullitt and state of Kentucky including said Baker's iron manufactory, mills &c, which deed of mortgage is recorded in Bullitt County Court office in deed book J, page 59, and said John H. Baker having satisfied us for the said mortgaged estate, we said Buchanan and Gray have and do hereby release and reconvey unto said John H. Baker and to his heirs forever all the estate and appurtenances conveyed to us in said deed of mortgage, and discharge said Baker from the effect of the same, hereby fully reinvesting said Baker with the complete title to all the estate and property conveyed to us by said mortgage, but this reconveyance is made by us without any warranty whatever for the title to any of said estate so conveyed. Witness our hands and seals this 16th March 1838. (signed) Andrew Buchanan, Angerean Gray

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