It can always be a challenge to transcribe a document when there are no others with which to compare the handwriting. Harrison Ramsey, of Clinton County, Illinois, hired a man from Mt. Vernon, Illinois, to help him with the bounty land warrant application based upon his son Andrew Ramsey dying in the Mexican War. This is a letter regarding that application. It is not known why Ramsey chose someone in Mt. Vernon to handle the application although it is possible that Hicks specialized in these applications, knew Harrison, or that Harrison had temporarily relocated to the Mt. Vernon area.
[begin transcription]
Mt. Vernon Ills Oct 22nd 1848
Honl. J. L. Edwards
Sir you will find inclosed a certificate of Harrison Ramsey father of Andrew Ramsey which is sent for the purpose of obtaining [—] Land Warran that is comin to him as said A Rams=seys father the latter having died in service if it is sufficient when you have said warrant please send the warrant to my care. I oblige [??] &c
S G Hicks
SB please direct to me at Mt. Vernon Ills.
[end transcription]
