Josiah Parker Papers Letter 33

Wayne County Indiana 10th moth. 7th 1830

Dear Father Mother brothers and Sisters I left S P the first day of this month got to richmond 2rd went to meeting next day it was first day it was very large has been so every day since its very dry at this time was wonderful dry pretty much through the state of Ohio so as to make their corn crops very short in some places nearly or quite no corn at all in some places corn crops are better here still better on Blue River my corn was so forward and thick and was but little rain from the time or little before it commenced silking till there was roasting years there is a great crop of stalks as ever I saw but not of corn on account of drouth and rackoons and other varmints they tore it down by thousands before my neighbours corn would do for them in fact they tore down a great quanty before there was any year on it. I never saw the like before there are two ministers of friends from New England John Meaden and Elizabeth his wife she is a daughter of Joseph Hoag I have been trying to get the names of all the recommended ministers that are at our Yearly meeting have taken down 39 whose names I here insert Ann Harvy. Patience Sleeper. Katherine Coffin. Anna Unthank. Hannah Baldwin. Jane Thompson. Elizabeth Bond. Ruth Boswell. Rebecca Unthank. Dinah Cook. Amy Moore. Elisha Bates. Charles Osburn. Daniel Puckett. Daniel Wood. Thomas Frasier. Thomas Arnet. Jefse Arnet. Calvin Wasson. Obadiah Harris. Benajah Hiatt. John Kindley. William Beard. Samuel Spray. James Stanborough. Aaron Coppoc[k]. Abijah Jones. James Hadley. Jacob Branson. Enoch Parson. John Jones. Elias Fisher. William Pearson. Eleazer Bailes. Isom Pucket. John Davis. Samuel Edgerton my health has been tolerable good this fall have taken some cold since I left Bleu River my head aches some tonight. I have been to J Parkers they are about uncle J P has sold his land on Elkhorn is going to move to hopewell where Robert lives. J Hall has moved down there has lost one of his children the youngest people are moving westward in companies some large some small they have been sickly in some places there away Edmund P Albertson is in the settlement says his mother is so as to see to her house businefs has been to meeting several times our relations down there are in tolerable health as far as I know of I saw Jeremiah Patterson and Isaac Brown to day the ague has prevailed some in our settlement and fevers also. I have been to Kader Woodards they were all tolerable well Nathan Parkers also 7th of the week. 9th of the month I have got better of my cold I had some conversation with J Meader about his father in law to day after meeting he said he had just received account from one of his wifes brothers stating Joseph Hoag and wife were unwell he wrote a few lines concerning them which I copy here. Joseph Hoag and family is nearly in usual health. all of their families are attached to the order of society (thats all of J Hoags Children) also within the limits of New England Yearly meeting is no Seperate meetings the Doctrines of Elias Hicks not having gained Sufficient ground for such meetings, I have seen a number of people that I knew and a great number that I did not our Yearly meeting has adjourned to meet again at 11 Oclock on second day morning S P I have understood wrote a letter to send put it in the hands of Phinehas White to take on here he forgot it. I exspect it will not get along. they were all well when I left there that is Samuels folks and all of the Binfords and their families as far as I know of 1st of the week and 10th of the month I was weighed yesterday weighed 159 I have been looking for the Roberts is sometime thinking when they got along I Should get a letter from you which I very much want to do. James White has gone to Lexington Kintucky has been opened and a rough looking stone taking out of his bladder about the size of a partridge egg his wife was sick at the time but is so as to be about. J White is mending finely I think its said he is the 84 person that Doctor has opened and lost none-- I think some of going to school this winter but I dont know whether I shall or not I some times think and look toward my native land and Should be glad to be there. I have not heard how crops are there I hope I shall get a letter by J. Roberts in a few days theres no school in our settlement. If I had a little better education its likely I could get a good school there. I believe my old acquaintances would support me in that undertaking-

William Parker

[The following was included in the same letter:]

Dear Brother & Sister

William being here gave me the chance of adding a little I thought I would give thee a little acct. we are both weakly & infirm in our advanced age tho mostly able to attend to our little concerns I & John Hall has sold our land on Elkhorn are about to move to henry county this week John has been gone near 2 months Isaac is yet unmarried Robert has got a Quarter of land since I sold Isaac 1/2 Q I exspect to give $100 more to him Shortly I have not bought any land yet I thought it best for us to be near our children Sally 6 children living lost her Babe last summer a little more than 2 Months old he was called after me Jemima has 5 children Catherine 4 Robert 3 I sold for $728 Recd. $300 200 more to come this week 12$ the first of the new year the last 100 I wait a year from this time I had the misfortune to loose my mare Spring which checked my prospect some as raising colts had been advantageous to[o], I am clear of debt have been so for nearly 3 years which has afforded us a deal of consolation & comfort which course I hope to follow Please to Remember us to all our near relatives & c I must Quit as the paper is spentt I want thee to write me a full acct. send it to post office in Milton Wayne county my wife joins me in love to you all

Jeremiah Parker
& Keren

Josiah Parker 10th Mo 10th

[William Parker’s letter resumes]

after meeting at John Smiths we had a great meeting _____ Meader had something pretty smart to say John Meader [“her husband” scribbled out] preached a _____ I ever heard he said he dare not preach any other doctrine than Jesus Christ him crucified or something to this import. theres another meeting appointed to commence at 3 OClock this evening by Elisha Bates and J Meader for the youth that belongs to society I have been to the evening meeting it was Amy Moore that preached first this morning J Meader spoke very affectingly again nearly all or I think most of the last setting E. Bates explained things very plain last 4th day it was a public meeting its commonly so on that day of the week here in yearly meeting week. I am at Amos Cadwaladers John Wildman and Margaret are here She desires to be remembered to you James Stanley is here he’s in tolerable health he wished me to give his love to you (thats at meeting) I know not what is best for me to do but I think I shall let my place out for clearing I could I expect let it out to some of the people of colour wants it I think it would be better for me to do so then to do as I have been doing this and last year not that I am under any apprehension of its being [w]rong but its a hard way of getting a living . I did not live as well last year or the forepart thereof but times are getting better here now ____ some of them had great plenty of peaches and plenty of flour and some sugar I think I could live better _________ olde Settlement if nothing turns up more than I know of I dont want to make any of you oneasy about me by no means ______ so the best I can, I owe about $5 I have notes to the _______ of $115 or there abouts. its in good hands $72-60 cents ________ be due in some time yet I have no horse at present go_______ come partly on foot and am the better of it know I have not staid at a publick house as yet though anumber do James Honeycut amongst them there a__ _____ in Richmong and I believe they were generally full and I understood they turned off some I mo__ write ____ light I wish thee to make the best of it thee can I want ______ give ______ as you may think best I have been watch_____________ before I closed the until it appears there___________ ____________________________ day morning so its likely I shall _______________ school [sict?] is will be sold shortly ______ I exspect it w________________ to sh________ lands selling this way ______ money unpaid down and ______on the balance in advance ______ by so doing ____son may hold on ten year or at the commencement of the 9th year _____ they forfeit all; I dont care much about [engrossing?] any more land in that settlement at this time I still look toward Springboro altho it appears to be to grand a place for me I am ________ this morning. it rained night before last so as to lay the dust as make it some muddy . I believe I have wrote all thats necessary perhaps more I have seen Zang [harrison?] and Charlotte he has a letter for thee and another little budget which I thought best for him to take back I think such things cost more than they are worth this way Zang sais he raised or raises a plenty of corn wheat & c which is not necessary for me to mention as thi___ _____ letter for you from him or them 3rd day morning 12th at Caleb Morrison in Milton meeting broke yesterday about 2 Oclock I came on here after meeting its called 16 miles I am pretty well this morning I am going to look me a horse this morning but dont much expect to purchase one now my money________ like to got in debt for one and when I get back I shall ______ till I should want to go some distance to meeting again ____ It rained again last night a smart shower its likely I ______ to Blue River until the 12th moth. and perhaps longer ________winter on my land unless I was living on it I think ________ state of Ohio amongst some of my acquaintances in _________ones I have been to John Kindelys he has a great ____________ tree they are excellent fruit trees and another of pure ______ about 13 p they are also excellent indeed I am now about to ________ I ____ I have made a poor out of writing this letter but thou art a ________

thine I am

Josiah Parker
Wm Parker

Envelope:

Josiah Parker
Northampton Co.
North Carolina
Murfreesborough
Recd 29th of 10th mo 1830 from William Parker