Josiah Parker Papers Letter 38

Rush County Indiana 9th moth. 16th 1832

Dear Father Mother brothers sisters all there away I have not received any accounts from you since you wrote to N Parasho last 5th moth. it seems like a long time I was at meeting to day Samuel and Rebecca were there and all the Binfords old set and a number of the young ones no complaint remarkable that I know of in this settlement meetinghouse is raised and shut in N. Parasho was also at meeting to day and wife Crops are prety good here away I think if nothing happens to my crop to injure it I shall get 500 bushels and hope more I was about Hopewell the last of 8 mo. our relations were tolerable well there away ____ also at milford monthly meeting held the same day of Little ______ Quarterly meeting not much complaint in that settlement that I know of except Margaret White wife of Aaron White ____ was confined prety much to her room tho got better in af_________ I went to Caleb Morriss after mo. meeting they were well _____s got fine buildings again geting well fixed. there _____ proposition went from our mo. meeting to last Quarterly meeting to have our monthly meeting divided and a committee appointed to judge of the case our mo. meeting consists of three preparatives Duck Creek Walnut Ridge and Spiceland its granted Spiceland will hold a mo.ly meeting within its own limits and the other monthly meeting will circulate from Duck creek to Walnut ridge there is considerable of talk about the presidential election, I exspect friends and many others in this Country will support H. Clay 2rd day morning 17th flower is selling about here at $2 per hundred there is a number of hands at work on the National Road not far from us west of our settlement about 10 miles has been considerable of wheat ground at Hills and Henleys mill and taken out there its a newly settled Country out there has been very dry so its said very little corn raised west in some places crops are very short in places East also I exspect they are as good on Blue River as any where in this Country. I saw a man from Blue River in Washington County some time ago he said it had been so dry there they would not raise more than 20 bushels per acre no peaches here I have not seen a peach blossom since last spring two years ago or Spring 1830 the peach trees are mostly killed as far as I am acquainted I have some young ones they dont appear to be hurt as yet by the cold its supposed to be the extreme cold winters that kills them; some apples out here and abundance in some places young apple trees or orchards are killed very much I have seen a number of dead trees in the orchards on Blue River which were thrifty looking trees last year 24th we are well to day I was at Samuels yesterday they were well then my Spring is nearly in the South West corner of my land its in this corner where I now live; I want to build me a better house the ensueing year I exspect there is 80 acres of land west of mine joining not yet entered which if I can get I shall build by my spring but if not I must go further in to my land and dig for water which is sometimes hard to get. some wells are as much as 40 and some 50 feet deep in this Country so if I could get some of the Dickhomony land money I should be very glad indeed but if not perhaps I can make out 10th moth. 2 we are in good health I staid at Samuels night before last they were all well there its now drawing towards our yearly meeting its a raining and has been some rainy for some time past so as to make the roads muddy, it seemes very much like to be a wet spell, we want to go to the ensueing yearly meeting I exspect Samuel wil[l] right to you and sent it to Guilford by private conveyance I intend to male this for you James Butler I exspectt is about or at Lazarus Johnsons in V.a. he has gone after them his father and mother in law he lives in Henry County when at home not far from Richsquare meeting house. If you should see him I should be glad you would send me some accounts by him or some of the company as perhaps there will be several families along. I finished sowing wheat last week some is up there has been 84 bushels sowed on my place some ____ I have all of some half and some only 1/3

10th moth. 15th I have been to Yearly meeting it was a rainy time and abundance of people very much crowded at some places; theres several publick houses in Richmond I think they were mostly full Jacob Green was there from Ireland Sarah M Upton from New York Ann Taylor Rebecca Updegraft and E Bates from Ohio yearly meeting E Bates intends to set out for England next Spring I was in Hopewell settlement yesterday our relations were all in tolerable health there away I did not stay all the time of the yearly meeting but have heard it broke or ended 7th day about 3 oclock I heard from our relations at old Blue River they were in tolerable health P Moore has got better 10th moth. 24 we are tolerable well to day as to health I cut my foot yesterday so as to lame me very much I think its likely I shall not bee able to work much for several days has been several little frosts and this morning a great frost. I have a plenty of irish potatoes but not any Sweet ones we have lost Seed of the yams they still raise them at or in the Settlement of Sand Creek about 60 miles off its beautiful weather for businefs at present and I have to set in the house 26th my foot seems in a fine way to get well its so that I can attend to my businefs we are well to day I shall now conclude my letter is badly done perhaps you can make out to read it give my respects to all my relations and acquaintances that enquires about me

William Parker

[the following appears in the same letter:]

26th of 10th mo 1832

I am now at my Brothers on my way home from the monthly meeting and seeing [“William” is marked through] part of a letter I thought I would write a few loins to inform you that we are in tolerable health at present or wafs yesterday morning when I left home I have not had nary attact of my lamenefs since I started my last letter to you in them parts we have had a very great Acorn mast here away this fall so that my hogs has got prety fat in the wood I have not seean mine for Some time if they should all come up again I shall have a 11 head to fatton this fall and 5 ove them about 2 years old the balance 16 months I believe my crop this year will be good for 70 Barrels of Corn and plenty of stock hogs for another year am likely to have if the Wolves dont take them and so I must conclude and remain you effectionate son and Brother

Samuel Parker

P. S. Wm Pickett lives in Raysville about 7 miles from us it appears the prevailing disease is called the colory is prevailing sadly in Cincinaty and many other towns some not far from us I have kept this letter in order to try to fill it full of something and it is now pretty well filled up. I am going this evening to Hills mills and male it to you.

To N. Parker Dear Brother] I received a letter from thee by the Morris company last spring which was acceptable tho too short wasnt thee to write very convenient chance I was at a little meeting Called Richsquare 3rd day of last 8th month and was married with Almeda Johnson She says She saw thee at John Wilkins and got some little acquaintance I exspect thee remembered her we then came down home and are living on the west side of Blue River in a little pole cabbin about one mile from Walnut Ridge meeting house we are in good health at present tell Father and mother not to Scold about it for I thought the distance to[o] great to send them any account about my intentions infact I did not think it necessary I am too busy to come to see you I should think or do think some of you might come over this side the mountains you dont know how they look.

Envelope:

Ripley, Ind
10th mo. 24th

Nathan Parker
Northampton County
N C
Richsquare post office

Recd the 25th of the 11th mo. 1832 [appears twice]