Francois Guilbeau letter on Loredo trade

This source is a favor letter, one of the most common forms of communication among merchants along the Rio Grande in the nineteenth century. This is a longer form of that type of letter, but they all share a general format that includes letting the recipient know that their payment (favor) was received, how much remained on the account, and current market conditions. Guilbeau includes a wealth of information in this letter that helps us see the growing connections between Leyendecker in the small town of Laredo and the larger Atlantic market. Guilbeau explicitly outlines the agricultural products he can sell on the market at profits. These include “Mexican flour,” cattle hides, and beans. Guilbeau also includes a list of other merchants that are his customers, giving us insight into the growing regional network. Some questions for students might include: How might Leyendecker’s debt to Guilbeau encourage him to make broader connections outside of the borderlands? Why does Guilbeau, a French-born merchant, write his letter in a mix of English and Spanish to his German-speaking colleague?

This source is a part of the Connecting Local and Global History via Mercantile Networks teaching module.