Jacob De Cordova wrote to Neil McLennan in December of 1839 in order to obtain help selling plots of land in McLennan County. As he was not able to leave the portion of the country he was in, he depended upon McLennan to “make [his] property bring something to pay [his] debts.” De Cordova told McLennan, “If on future examination any of the titles should prove defective I bind myself to repay Principal & Interest, at the rate of 10 per Cent per Annum.”