Dear Sir June 25. 1852
Yours of the 23rd. is just received. I can not recollect John W. Gere by name, but if it is the case I had in hand once, Gere had no legal claim or title papers, but on speculation had made an arrangement with one of the Shurtluffs, to share expenses & profits in an attempt to get the land under Shurtluffs' claim. At my own expense I went to Jacksonville once, and investigated the claim, & decided it to be valueless. The case was this. While Shurtluff was a minor, his father entered the land in the minors name; then wishing to change residence, as guardian of the minor, applied to the Morgan circuit court (in which county the land lies) for an order to sell the land and to invest the proceeds in other lands for the minor. Judge Lockwood