L. Virginia French Papers Box 1 Document 2

Nashville March 26. 1857

Mr. H. French, Esqr

Dear Sir,

I received your note of the 20th inst- with that of my friend Judge Ridley enclosed, last evening.

I beg to assure you and your friends, that I feel deeply sensi= =ble of your kindness, in the tender which you have made to me of a summer residence at Beersheba Springs. I do not know how better to testify my thankfulness and my appreciation of such {insert symbol}a favor, than to simply say I ac= =cept with gratitude your generous of= =fer : I pray God to enable me to show myself not unworthy of such kindness. I might say more, but I do not think that the multiplication of words would render my thanks more acceptable to you & the friends concerned in this movement.

In reference to the selection of a location at the springs I am obliged to leave that matter to yourself and my friend Mr. Armfield. A very few words will suffice to explain to you satisfac= =torily, why I cannot under some weeks visit your region of country. The Canons of our Church require its Bishops to give the parishes & congregations one month's notice of intended visitations. According= =ly my appointments were all made more than a month ago, and extend onward from this time, to the 12th of April. That day I am under promise to hold Confirmation at Memphis. So you see, that I cannot in the interim in= =termit one of my appointments in middle Tenn'e, without deranging the whole & disappointing my Clergy and their people. _ It is better perhaps that I should have nothing to do with selecting a lot or planning & ordering a building.

It is out of my line. I can expound{underlined} a{underlined} text{underlined} with some confidence, but I can neither build a house nor tell others how it ought to be done. But beleive me, I shall be perfectly satisfied with whatever you & Mr Armfield and other friends may do in the premises. I was born & raised in the mountains of Va. and I look forward to a sojourn among the hills once more, with unmixed satisfaction, in the hope, that it may {insert symbol}somewhat restore my health, of which I have enjoyed but little in the last 20 years. -- Bishop Polk & myself expect to be at Beersheba the first week in June. We shall be on a tour of exploration and personal inspection of localities suitable for the site of our projected University. We shall examine your region of country -- and several other neighborhoods &c, in East Tenn: so as to be able to report to a meeting of Bishops & delegates from the S. Western States appointed to meet on Lookout Mountain the 4th day of next July. Our convention meets at Jackson the 20th May. I have written to Bp.

{in pencil: Mar 20 1857}

Polk, urging him to meet me then & there. I hope within three or four days after the Convention, to proceed to Beersheba taking McMinnville "en route" and trust that my wife or daughter -- perhaps both may accompany me. I do not propose to visit East Tenn: be= =fore that time.

Allow me to express the gratifica= =tion I feel in learning that you are in the occupancy of your "{illegible: First? Final?} Home." Since your marriage I have lost sight of you. I hope that you & your gifted wife have enjoyed days of unin= =terrupted happiness & prosperity : and that you may long live to feel that noblest & purest of all earthly pleasures, -- the pleasure of making others happy.

With the tender of my most respect= =ful salutations to Mrs. French I remain very truly yr faithful friend & servant

Ja. H. Otey