(Some Texas documents reflect Brit Bailey was involved in counterfeiting before he came to Texas. The James B. Bailey that was indicted in Alabama was about 20 years younger than Brit. This James B. Bailey was cousins to Brittain and Nancy Bailey of Alabama and probably the son of Brit. It is possible Brit was part of this counterfeiting ring before he came to Texas and may have had something to do with him coming. There is no concrete proof this counterfeiter, James B. Bailey is Brit’s son. Brittain Bailey and his cousin, James B. Bailey, were both indicted for passing counterfeit bank notes. In the confession of James B. Bailey is a mention of James B. Bailey Sr. passing counterfeit also. This is probably Brit.
There is proof that Brittain and Nancy Bailey did come to Texas and were in Brazoria County. They had one son, John Aursban, when they came to Texas. One daughter, Eliza, was born in Texas in 1832. Brittain died about 1837. Nancy was pregnant with their third child, Helen, when she returned to Alabama in 1838.)


(page 1)

                    State of Alabama | The Confession
                                             |
                    Shelby County     |  of James B. Bailey
                    ------------------
                                                on the counterfeit

                    =ing Business which he says he Does willingly

                    and Deliberately without the influence
 
                    of any person whatsoever.

                    1815 Thomas Bailey’s wife Zilphy passed

                    a counterfeit $100 Note or Bill, Bank not
                                passed to
                    recollected, ^ Neel & Simpson in Co., the bill

                    sent to the Bank and passed, then the

                    bill Brought Back and returned, to the Best
                         my
                    of his knowledge which Bill he told to Thos

                    L Bailey he knew the Bill was counter

                    =feit Before it was passed.

                    In this state 1819 I heard Thomas Bailey

                    say that he had in his possession Thomas

                    L Bailey told me that he heard Thomas

                    Bailey Say that he had some quantity of

                    Counterfeit money in his possession.

                    1819
                                                              Senr
                    In 1820 or 1821 Thomas Bailey ^ told Thos

                    L Bailey that he had a quantity of Counter

                    (=feit money on some of the Tennessee Banks)

(page 2)

                    M October Court 1822 Wm T. Wallace

                    told me that he had A considerable quanti

                    =ty of counterfeit money in his possession

                    and said to me if you stand in need of

                    any money I have plenty for you as

                    we have always Been friendly and I

                    heard Elsey Dulany say that he got a

                    two dollar Counterfeit of the Said Wallace.
                        September
                    In October the Day Before I got one ten Dollars

                    Bill which I got from Brittain Bailey for

                    Counterfeit, also one ten Dollar Bill which I

                    got from Brittain Baileys wife which I Believed

                    to be counterfeit, also three ten Dollar Bills

                    I got from Brittain Bailey which I believed

                    to be counterfeit, and I also saw Brittain Bailey

                    get the three ten Dollar Bills from Thomas

                    Bailey and knew it was counterfeit when

                    he got it from his father, and says that

                    he heard Brittain Bailey say that his

                    father got this counterfeit money from

                    J Goodman. Thomas Bailey got this

                    money from goodman as Base money

                    So says Brittain Bailey, also says Thomas

                    L Bailey, That Thomas Bailey told Thomas L

                    Bailey that he had Counterfeit money

                    to the amount perhaps of two or three hundred

(page 3)

                    dollars. I also saw Thomas Baileys wife

                    have one fifty Dollar Bill on the united

                    State Bank which I saw her take out

                    of Baileys pocket Book.

                    I also Lived with a certain man of the

                    name of Calep Friley, he told me that

                    he had passed one Bill of one hundred Dollars,
                    it was counterfeit,
                    also he frequent had passed Counterfeit
                    money
                    that he had got from James B. Bailey Senr,

                    and passed it frequently.

                    I also heard Brittain Bailey say that

                    he loaned Ezekiel Henry ten Dollars

                    of the same Bank that I Let Davidson

                    have which he Let me have.

                    I also heard Job Mason Say that some one

                    had Let him have a Counterfeit Bill and

                    he intended to pass it and Doctor Thach

                    Beford told him if he Did he would

                    prosecute him for it if he Did that is if

                    he Did pass it.


(page 4)

                    James B. Bailey further Sayeth that

                    The said Wm T. Wallace proffered to furnish

                    him with any Quantity of Counterfeit

                    money that I Should want for me to

                    pass on the Shares and also says I may

                    pay him in any good Current Just money

                    and then pay him Just the any amount

                    which I thought proper for the Services

                    or use of this money.

                          Attest James B. Bailey
                          Sworn to and subscribed before

                          me this 7th November 1822

                          William Cameron (seal)


                                  (Transcribed by David Roberts February 1998)