The Wallace family's financial problems
Full transcription
Hertford, August. 12. 1835.
I am much concerned my dear friend that the renewal of our
correspondence should be answered by a painful occurrence and one
so entirely unexpected, - I allude to Mr. Wilson's
mis[sic]misfortunes which must I fear involve many others besides
himself.
You are doubtless aware that your Father is joint Executor &
Trustee with Mr. Wilson to my dear Father's will, the Legacies
which were left there into our children though diverted to be
invested in the funds have nevertheless remained in Mr. Wilsons
hands, and there is still upwards of £300 remaining unpaid of
these legacies, - since Mr. Wilson's unfortunate failure we have
asked the advice of more than one professional Gentleman on the
subject, the opinion is, that the other Trustees become liable to
make good the deficiency and that he has his remedy by proving the
amount as a debt against Mr. Wilson's
estate.
Considering the weak state which your Father is in we feel very
reluctant to harass him with this matter have therefore addressed
you that you may mention it
where & in what way you find best. As you
have been in the habit of corresponding with Martha and Mr. Wilson
perhaps you had better learn what he can do! or what probability
there is of his being able to make good the money at any
period.
I have written twice but nothing satisfactory was returned within
time, I feel afraid he will
consider it a debt of honour to be paid to my children, but if
there is nothing how can it be paid? I hope you will not feel
offended at this application on behalf of my poor children, they
have but little, and it is hard that little (their all) should be
left. It is a delicate matter to know how to act between friends,
but in such a matter as this I must act the best for my children by
doing everything in my power to recover that which sums lost
through the failure of one of the Trustees.
The only remedy left me, is to state the matter to the other
(through you) he having equally engaged to seethe will executed
agreeably to the wishes of the testator. My situation is a
most painful one we are harassed in every way. The interest upon
these Legacies which I have hitherto received of Mr Wilson being
all I have had to find myself & younger children in clothes
& -is now stopped - which places me in a very awkward dilemma,
in fact, this unhappy business of my Mother's will be felt severely
by us in many ways. We have been obliged to write for Fanny to
return and her remittance
is stopped, there is £45 due to her which I fear she will
never get, it is a serious loss to a girl who has to get her living
by her abilities & who had hoped to have had it in her power to
have remained abroad a few months longer for the sake of obtaining
a more thorough knowledge of the language. Dear John to[o] is
unpleasantly situated as Mr. Wilson had engaged to pay his board
half yearly out of his Legacy which he can no longer do.
All this will I trust excuse me in your eyes for making application
to your Father(this being a last forlorn hope) I must now conclued
this painful epistle.
[Signed] [?]
[in Alfred Russel Wallace's hand]
Letter from Mrs. Wallace to Miss Draper (August 1835) about Mr.
Wilson's bankruptcy & Mr. Draper's joint Executers under Mr.
John Greenell's Will.
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