Mrs Mary A Baker
       LaFayette Ill.

              My Dear Cousin.

                 Your letter of Feb 2nd came duly to hand

   And in regard to your question concerning the two Brandenburg Estates in Baltimore and in Berlin Germany, I will state that the one in Baltimore was leased (by William H. Brandenburg it is said) for 99 years, the lease will expire next April.  It was a tract of land that was not built to any great extent upon at the time it was leased, but is now in the heart of the city and valued at millions of dollars.  It is there beyond doubt, for an attourney in the office of the Prosecuting Attorney of Miami Co Ohio, told me last week that he investigated the estate some years ago, and that he had in his possession at one time a coppy of the lease record, but that in moving from West Milton to Troy, he had lost them, but that they could be obtained again if necessary.

   The German Estate will be fully explained in a Circular letter that we are about to have printed for the benefit of all the heirs, and we will send a copy to you.

You speak in your letter of your Uncle Samuel Bozzard.  I presume he was a brother to Catharine, your grandmother, who died in Maryland

There was a meeting of the Brandenburg heirs at Dayton Feb 12th 1889. ____ the proceedings of which will be set forth in the Circular Letter above mentioned.   Your niece, Mrs W. W. Smith of Clyde, O, was present at the meeting,  I was pleased to meet her.  We did not know your address in time to notify you of the meeting.

Feb14th 1889

Very respectfully

Naomi Shepard

      Sulphur Grove
                        Ohio