Josiah Parker Papers Letter 37

Rush County Indiana State

2rd mth 8th 1832 To my Parents We received 2 letters from the[e] and one from Nathan which wafs very satisfactory to us to here from you onst more and Should be glad to see you all; We have had a very Cold Winter here so very cold that it has kiled a good many of our peach trees and some times a Apple tree we are all as well as common at present; I have had a Whitbow on my right thumb which wafs very painful to me for 6 or 8 days in which time I had it Split which I thought saved the bone it is very stif yet 11th and 7th of the week we have had muddy time a long of late and a bun dance of rain the water courses is up and has bin for a week or more so that they cant be crosed without swimming; 15th to day and our Preparitive Meeting day which we made an attempt of Building of a Meeting house as our settlement has so improved in number and is still improving the sise of the house is to be 30 feet by 50 We propose the sum of four hundred Dollars be raised in order to carry the work on we immediately offered a free subscription to be opened in the Same Meeting and Subscribed 364 Dollars all of the members not being present it is thought they will make it out by showing the paper to them that are not present 26th we have had a wright tite spel[l] of weather a few day past but it seams to be a moderating and shugar making appears to be approching 29 Rebecah Micajah Binford daughter wafs maried to day 4th of 3rd mo 1832 there has bin 3 days of Shugar making I made 66 pounds in the 3 days the water stoped running by then its being so warm and windy; 5th We have another daughter bornd and we cal[l] her name Martha Ann, the children all looks well but I think the Indiana on[e]s looks the fleshiest 7th Mary Joshua Binford daughter wafs Maried 4th mo 18th We have had a butiful spring for Cleaning up and burning up logs I made 121 Pounds of Shugar I mis[s]ed a good runs 5th mo. 3rd it appears to be quite rainy a long of late we are all midling well at present 8th I have the St antnesfire so that I have been able to do any thing for Several days but I am some better to day my thum[b] is [healed?] up but very tender yet it has bin very rainy to day; corn is from 25 to 37 1/2 Cents per Bushel Wheet from 62 1/2 to 75 cents per Bushel Bacon from 7 to 8 cents per lb there are three distilerys not more than 3 miles a part not in Friends settlement and I have been in the town Several times not more than 2 miles from them and not heard and oath nor seen a drunken man not only so I have been to geatherings Alections & c And I can say I believe with truth that I have seen more drunkenness and swearing there in one day that I have here since I have bin in the state I dont unite in yousing of [“spirits” is marked out] whiskey or visiting the [“stinking holes there” is marked out] Stills there is of the Temperance society here 20th My fammily is all well but myself I have been very porly with my leg and I have not been able to walk a step without help for a bout a week ________ that I Can walk a little with a stick and but little it started this time mostly in my knee and so Settled down my leg and to my ancle it wafs very much swelled and very read and a bundance of pain it wafs thought to be the information. Hannah Binford wishes to know Something about Elizabeth Marmon how she is comeing on & c 30th and I have got a bout again and the rest P S Well and our relations and acquaintances well direct all communications to Ripley post office Rush Cty I.a. as fare as I no and so I conclude and my Wife joins me in love Mother wishes to be remembered to you and Winey [Prude]

Samuel Parker
Rebecah

[The following is included with the same letter:]

Dear Father mother brothers sisters 6th mo 2rd 1832 Wayne County I. a.

I have been to Quarterly meeting to day Exum White Thomas and Robert Newby we had a la[r]ge Quarterly meeting James Stanton [Thomas?] Arnett Obadiah Harris and many others [were?] there not much complaint of sicknefs in these parts at this time I am in good health at present left S Parkers last 5th day morning went up to Duck Creek and saw Asbell Binford married went and took dinner with him in company with S B Binford then we came on to Hopewell settlement where our cousin Parkers do live uncle J. P. and aunt as weakly tho all about Martha Hall was quite low some time ago has got about again I think not much complaint amongst our relations there away I have recd t[w]o [letters?] from you in the course of last Spring one by post by the Morris Company from N P which I was glad to see I saw two of Cader Woodards sons at meeting to day they said not much complaint amongst them I have turned my attention to farming I have about 12 acres in corn some oats. I began to work on my place about the 30th of 3rd mo cleared about 3 1/2 acres nearly all off where when green was about as heavy timbered as Uriah Swamp but we had some beautiful weather for clearing tolerable dry and windy so that dead timber burnt ____________________ self when I could not move a log I generally got less _______ it and burnt it less my new ground was just coming up when I left there the rest of my crop was up pretty well tho a great complaint about seed corn I did not give higher than 31 cts. per bushel tho corn in our settlement at this time is not to be had that I [k]now of under 40 or 50 cents per bushel & seed corn would fetch $1 very ready in places I saw a man from the Wabash yesterday he said it was selling there for $2 per bushel tho where the country has been settled so as to have good large farms it is not more than 25 cts I saw a letter from N. P. Moore said her mothers health was better our cousin Wm Copeland has been to Hopewell Settlement last winter he passed for a single chap he would not got to Blue River he was at Roberts when the letter came to hand from you R. P. purposed breaking them which he discouraged and went away before they were opened we [k]now not where but suppose to the State of Ohio. R. P. Binford says give his respects to Nathan

Josiah Parker
Wm Parker

[There is a post script on the letter which appears to be from William]

There was a great quantity of rain I exspect pretty much all through the western Countries the lst of the 2nd mo and 1st of the 3rd so that the water done abundance of damage one the Ohio River considerable in Cincinati two men were drouned in a sellare went in to take care of goods or something the water broke in upon them there is a little meeting by the name of Richsquare about 1 mile from Isaac Uncle J. P. and aunt live with him 5th I am at Blue River again in tolerable health at present stopped as I came along awhile at Isaacs saw my Uncle and aunt they in tolerable health I would like to [k]now whats the reason the Dickhomony land is likely to fetch nothing.

Envelope:

Nathan Parker
Northampton County
N C

Recd 23rd 9th mo 1832
Richsquare post office
From Saml & William Parker

Recd. the 23rd of the 9th mo. 1832 from Saml & William Parker