William Goodrich & Co. to Abraham Lincoln and John T. Stuart, 9 March 18491
MERCANTILE AND LAW AGENCY,
No. 116 Market Street,
ToStewart & Lincoln Esqrs[Esquires]Attorney and Counsellor at Law,SpringfieldSangamonCounty,State ofIll.[Illinois]Gentn.[Gentlemen]
The unsettled claims of the late firm of Ingraham & Martin have been placed with us for final adjustment.2 Among them we find one in your hands vs. French & Lurton, balance Jany.[January] 1/39[1839] $398.01.3 Please advise us by return mail of the Condition & prospects of this claim. We are anxious to close all these matters as soon as possible.4
Yours respy[respectfully]Wm Goodrich & Co.
[J. L. C.?]
1This letter, which includes printed letterhead and partially printed date and address lines, was written by an unknown clerk in the Goodrich Company.
2The firm “Ingraham & Martin” could not be identified.
3On March 6, 1840, Ingraham & Martin retained Stuart & Lincoln to recover a debt of $398.01 from French & Lurton. By March 1849, Stuart and Lincoln were no longer partners, but it appears that the debt had not been recovered by that time.
Office Fee Book (Document ID: 129751), 6 March 1840, Ingraham & Martin asked Stuart & Lincoln to collect debt, Martha L. Benner and Cullom Davis et al., eds., The Law Practice of Abraham Lincoln: Complete Documentary Edition, 2d edition (Springfield: Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, 2009), http://lawpracticeofabrahamlincoln.org/Details.aspx?case=141208.
4No response to this letter has been located.

Autograph Letter Signed, 1 page(s), Abraham Lincoln Papers, Library of Congress (Washington, DC).