Sherwood Forest
Jan 15. 1852

My Dear Col:
My desire to part with the
Kentucky land encreases daily. Some
enquiries have been addressed to me but nothing
of a definitive character has transpir'd,
and without the employment of some
agency I fear that it may remain on hand
for some time. It has occurd to me therefore
that it would be judicious to employ
Mr. Prentis, the Broker, to look into the
matter and ascertain whether anything
can be done in New York. From his
solicitude to have a finger in the business
he may see an opportunity to sell
which is unknown to me. Will you then
enquire of Mr. Stillwell as to his whereabouts
and see him without delay. Of course I
do not mean to invest him with controul
over the subject, but mean simply to interest
him to make enquiries and to report
to me. If he can affect a good sale, I
should not be disinclined to allow him
a reasonable compensation.
I am once more getting [?] Ely
says, in more comfortable health then for
the last two months, but still fear to venture

about much. I have procurd the services
of a nephew, a son of Doctor Tyler about my
farm and shall in future exercise a more
general supervision. This will enable me
to devote more attention to my manuscripts
and to complete a task which I have begun.
Your mother is decidedly improving in health
and I think the prospect of her entire restoration
is better than it has been for 12 months. She
however begins to cast her eyes to New York, where
alone she seems content to be. Well it is natural
that it should be so-it is her birth-place and
besides possesses numberless attractions.
Julia and the leader of The Scotch Clans are
getting on finely. I have my hands full
in attending to the other children all of whom
are well. No news. Our dead Sea is never
agitated by waves. The fall of an oak or a
towering pine, both children of centuries,
sometimes startles us, and that is all. We make
ourselves comfortable over large fires, and
scarcely etch down the passing time.

With best love to Margaret and little Henry
Affly Yrs
John Tyler

Col. D.L. Gardiner

Chalres City Courthouse Va
Jan 16 1852
J. Tyler

Col. David L. Gardiner
No. 4 Union Square
New York City