Peffley Family OLD LETTERS FROM
BOTETOURT COUNTY, VIRGINIA
The Peffley, Peffly, Pefley Families in America, A historical and
genealogical record of the Peffley, Peffly and Pefley families from
1729-1938; Published in 1938, By May Miller Frost and Clarence Earl Frost
Call Number: R929.2 P375
Written by THOMAS ROBINSON and ZACHARIAH ROBINSON to JOHN ROBINSON and MARY
M. ROBINSON PEFFLEY, of Montgomery County, Indiana.
Two of the original letters are in the possession of Grant E. Rose, Ladoga
and Alice Peffley Priest at
has the third. (as of 1938)
Salem, Botetourt Co.,
Co.,
evening sent to us by Sirkle Robinson who had been at
the office two days
before and it had not come yet. We all hail it's
welcome visit and every eye
glistens and sparkles to hear its contents, and are highly grateful to hear
that you are pleased with the country and the people.
You state that you are all well at present and for these kind mercies, we
feel it our duty to thank our Heavenly Father for his benevolent mercies
sincerely hoping that these few lines will find you my dear children
enjoying the same good blessing of health. You want to know all about our
affairs here and I will give you a detail after I make more inquiry. In the
first place I will say something of your old neighbors as that will do to
fill part of my letter. You say to F. GARST, "you have selected several
thousand acres of land for him." I can tell you that he has commenced
purchasing the
STOVER'S at the sawmill and the place where M. FRANTZ
lives. For which he
pays $3600.00 and G. STOVER expects to go to your country about the first of
October next and GEO. STOVER is going with him. JOHN GARST has bought all
the land that belonged to
$1800.00.
Dreadful fire last night a week, James Huff's shop on the street took fire
from the chimney supposed to have caught low down between the logs and
chimney it was discovered about 12 at night and before relief could be
obtained it was in a flame, and consumed about 400 hats Six
bbls. of flour
with a great many other valuable things. Then his dwelling house and kitchen
with some other small houses took fire and in a few minutes all were
consumed then the house of Mr. Goodwin where Dr. Griffin and Dillon lived
took fire, in a second the whole end was in a flame and soon consumed then
Mr. White's store and dwelling, took fire on the roof and was in a blaze
from one end to the other but by the violent exertion of the people the fire
was checked, and the house was saved, but all the rooms in the upper story
were racked and torn to pieces some other houses caught but were saved. By
wetting woolen blankets and spreading on the roof.
There were nearly Four Hundred of the blankets with large holes burned in
them and some nearly burned up. About 30 tin buckets thrown from the top of
the houses and ruined after pouring their contents on the roof. Huff's loss
is about two thousand dollars.
Poor Joe Akels, last Thursday was caught in that
suite with Geo. Grounds,
Costs and the negro wench is near a hundred dollars.
Joe says he came naked
into the world and naked he must go out, what a sorrowful scene with him and
family, much pitied by his neighbors.
Old Mrs. Erby is dead and the old man Erby nearly off. Mark gave me an order
on him a few days ago for that money he owes you and I heard he was very low
in health so I did not go in to pester him in his frail state, and poor
spleen is about to burst. I understand all his property is under execution
and will be sold in a few days unless he can borrow the money or sell his
land and what to do with him I do not know so I quit him and commenced on
Hanes. He tells Stephens he owes you nothing, Stephens told me if you have
any proof to say in your next letter and he will warrant him. Halls (or
Molls) money Stephens says I shall have in a few days.
He says Dillards money is uncertain he has been
waiting a long time in hopes
he would come to Salem but he never came he sent a list of the amount by his
brother Nathan Dillard but never has heard of them since.
Dunnington's money I got which is $144.00 he said you
got a pair of side
leathers at 62 1/2c. I got that of Frantz $150.00 and made a set of gears to
fill the place of them you took with you -oats at Hashbargers,
in a day or
two after you left here. Zach and I went after them and found so grown
together that a number of the top sheaves we left fast growed
together and
that we fetched was so damp it made a heavy load and coming up the hill at
Weathers' we had like to stalled.
Just now I heard from McCrery that cut his throat with a razor a few days
ago he is at the point of death. It is not known for what he did it. Old
Mrs. Keagy is very low and I think will be off in a
few days. Old Granny
Burntrager lays very near
unto death. Old Mrs. Huffman ditto with
consumption. Chris Huffman is dead and buried in eight days after you
left
here.
John says I must write to his sister Polly. And John, he sends his best love
to you both and says I must tell you what he is doing he raised a house and
a still-house last week and intends to commence stilling in about three
weeks. He has bought three stills one holds a 140 gallons also 70 still tubs
and several unpainted wine casks a cider mill etc. The house he raised is
for Joe Stover to live in while he stills for him, he has hired a young man
a year for which he pays $70.00.
Stover says yesterday while he was working at his new fabric near the
stillhouse that when they got their stills in
operation they could make from
eight to ten dollars per day. Zach says Write for me Hanner
and Betsey and
tell our dear sister Polly and brother John we send our most affectionate
love and good will with the best luck and sincerely hope you may live long
and happy in that new and prosperous country. (and to
these last words) I
and your dear old mother with all your brothers and sisters render a hearty
and sincere Amen.
Betsey and Hannah have each a daughter about five months old. Betsey called
hers Sarah and Hannah called hers Lavina, Zach and
their hired negro have
made upwards of five hundred flour barrels since New Years day two hundred
all ready packed with flour, they have to make five thousand, this season
for Wrolunds Mill 84 barrels a week is Zach's and the
negros task between
them. Zach has planned a peach orchard plum and grape orchard and intends
making wine, peach, plum and apple brandy. Now my dear son and daughter your
letter stated everything so nice what you had done and what you was doing
that I thought perhaps you would find some satisfaction in hearing of our
proceedings. Your first letter I could never read the whole of it without
stopping filial and benevolent tears for my dear and for absent children who
have penetrated far into dreary lands to provide something to support
yourselves and dear little children oh may the Lord of Glory and the God of
Heaven and Earth with his infinite mercies guide you in all the paths of
peace and consolation through this life and at the appointed time when this
mortal body must be changed that you may both be perfectly willing to quit
this world of labor and toil for one of Glory and everlasting happiness is
the sincere prayer of your old Father and Mother.
As I have said nothing about Allen and myself you may think we are doing
nothing. All went to school til the first of March, since that we have made
several hundred rails, collered two fields for corn
sowed one field of oats
and sowed four fields of clover seed and made a great deal of fence. The
high winds last winter blowed down fences for me that
had stood the storms
for 12 years and it is said that D. Shanks, Thermometer showed that it was
four degrees and a half colder than was ever known before in Botetourt. The
reason we sowed so much clover seed it is selling at 10 dollars per bushel
in
tell that young American buck to hold himself in readiness until she comes.
That is the one you mentioned in your last letter.
Allen, Leanerer (Leannah) Ruth,
Joseph and Perry went to school last winter
and Perry run two races with the master. Olds beat the first and Perry beat
the last.
John and Polly what next - a few weddings John Smith to Betsey Pefley, Sam
Peffley to Hannah Stover, A Mr. Cizar
a storekeeper at Lexington in Virginia
to Hannah Miller. He has bought Spunks old storehouse
and lot for the sum of
$2850.00 and is going to set up a large store there. No less than five
stores in
John you recollect the widow Greene if you don't you do Polly. was not you
and your Mamy in John's wagon going to
than one million of great broad ribbons and scared John's horses almost to
death. Well the flying jib is married to the hog drunken Bohon. Mat Frantz
to a Graybill and a Graybill to a Miss Frankenbarger.
Mr. Williams in
his eldest daughter to Neal that used to clerk for Shanks. This will do for
the present Stop until I start afresh, Aim Howbard to
a Mr. Soffered a
blacksmith that worked in the shop at Howbard's. I
think I have mentioned
all your brothers and sisters in this letter but Sirkle
he is well and your
second letter he lifted, read it and then sealed it brought it to us and I
have not seen him since but shall perhaps before I seal this letter. Mangus
bought a place about a week ago on Catawba two miles above the forge near
Fincastle it is a 178 acres I think for which he is to pay $1500.00 down. I
then went to Jacob Gish and he took your note. Myers is to start in two or
three days.I shall do all in
my power to get all your money and send it with
Old Geo. Stover next October when he moves to your country. ~~~~~~~~
John by
trying to sell your note I found the worth of cash in Botetourt,
your note
of $184 dollars 25 per cent discount on a six year note) $73.60 is the money
you would get for your note.
Signed,
THOS. ROBINSON. April
28th, 1834, Salem Bot. Ct., Va.
------------------------------
To John and Polly Peffley, Dear Brother and Sister:
I once more embrace this opportunity of writing to you ~ The first item I
shall endeavor to inform you of is the visit I have had in contemplation to
visit you this spring but I must state with a degree of sorrow that instead
of coming myself, I only have the pleasure of sending you a letter to try
and let you know the cause of my delaying the journey until some future
period. The circumstance is as follows. Our money in these parts is in
jeopardy that is our paper money silver cannot be had at present. The
Maryland bank is broken in other words proved to be insolvent and the
Richmond bank of
believed that many other banks in this state will soon break. This bank
breaking has very much injured this county and the adjoining one which has
caused money to be very scarce and times hard, for this one reason I have
concluded not to visit that part of the continent until times take a change
for the better which I hope will be by next fall then I may venture with
safety but to start now with this money it may prove of no avail before I
would reach my journeys end.
Bro. Zirkle started on a visit to Shenandoah and Rockingham Counties last
April a year and just returned the other day and he says he lost thirty-five
dollars by the Maryland breaking, he says that he is going to Rockingham
County the last of this month to catch him a companion for life or in plain
words a wife her name is Malinda Rosinbarger. They
live over the mountain
from New Market on the
men during his absence and made all their wedding clothes.
Cousin Eleanor Rosinbarger is married and Zirk was in attendance she married
about the first of last March. She married a man by the name of Price. He is
very rich and lives near the
March. Cousin Jno {Jonathan} Zirkle also married a Miss March,
wife's sister. John Z. had the misfortune to lose her after being married
one year and one month. Uncle Z. {Zirkle?} daughter Melinda is married and
moved to
perhaps you have not heard that Benjamin Zirkle of Shenandoah has sold his
possessions and moved to
settled in Rockingham Co.
I now commence again in our own
place he bought of J. Britts for $500.00 to a Lutheran Preacher by the name
of Miller. He may be a fine man, but we would much rather have had the good
old friend Britts there still for he is very much missing
(where you find one thats just and true don't change
the old for the new). A
few words concerning religion some time previous there was a great revival
in the neighborhood at the Green Ridge Meeting House amongst the Baptists.
A few words concerning marriages and deaths. Catherina
Brown to John Brown
of Amsterdam, Polly Peffley to Mr. Hypes of Franklin
County. Polly Evans to
William Pettet a widower, Peggy Gowns to Mr. Lowery
of Mason's Cove, L. C.
Young Frederick Garsts wife is very sick and has been
sick for some time.
Eliza Baldwin is very low with consumption it is feared she will soon go as
her sister Louise went sometime previous. Old Granny Carvin
is thought to be
on the point of death, the rest of our neighbors are generally well, as far
as I know. We have had a very disagreeable cold winter here, but are blest
with a very early spring although usually wet the grain looks very promising
throughout the County. William Wrowland has bought
the Lick place for Three
thousand dollars and there is going to be a town laid off before long, the
lots will sell very high there has been many offers made already there is
now storehouses building there four merchants from Salem are there making
preparations there and some from the north are expected shortly.
Since I have commenced writing to you Thomas Evans has departed this life.
On the 25th of April there was a family of people moving Westward they
camped all night near Mr. Stoners in this county, and on the 26th, they
started on their journey as usual this family consisted of one old man and
lady and three daughters, the man was driving a carryall stopped. The rest
of the family was then out of sight some persons went to the caryall and
found the man sitting with the lines in his hand - dead. The family was sent
for Mr. Joel Croompecker (sic- Crumpacker, a Reverend
in the Church of the
Brethren, who solemnized 8 Peffley couples in Botetourt
Co. Virginia - Jeff
Scism) was eye witness of the scene he said he never
saw people apparently
so much distressed in all his life to find their parent dead who a few
minutes before was in good health, it is thought he was struck with the dead
palsey, this happened the day before Thos. Evans died.
Brother John Robinson's companion (Elizabeth) was entered in the grave yard
where her Father lies and several of her relation between C. Gish and A.
Stover's plantation. She was entered the 20th of May at ten o'clock A. M.
The Rev. Joel Croompecker and Mr. Sperry preached the
funeral. I commenced
writing to you on the latter end of April please read this letter to all
your surrounding neighbors and friends.
------------------------------
Zachariah Robinson and Hannah Robinson's letter to John Peffley
and Polly
Peffley.
Address: John Peffley,
Michael Etter.
July 10th, 1840, Big Lick, Roanoke Ct. Va. Most affectionate son and
daughter it is with the tears of gratitude and joy that I am writing to you
to answer the favor which I just received by the hands of your brother Zach
Peffley which is written by your tender hand and
directed to me. It appears
from your letter dated May the 16th that you didn't get the letter which I
sent you last winter which stated that Dr. Franklin died on the 17th of last
October. He had been at your uncle's and was laying very low when Trainor
got there, with a fever and the Dr. stayed with him three weeks and cured
him then he started for home and got as far as Abingdon in Virginia.
The next most important query on my mind is of the political nature. I am
sixty seven years old on the first day of August and I can say I never have
saw such lecturing and canvassing as is in operation at our last election,
It appears the time is fast approaching when the few must rule the many and
if it cannot be done by fair play it must by foul for this is the
determination of the Feds with the aid of their swindling Banks.
Polly I see in your letter a few lines on politics concerning Van Buren and
Harrison, I would have been glad if you had written a line or two more on
the political head as the few you did write are so very interesting to me at
this next election for President will, I sincerely hope, be the last effort
that our enemies will ever make to force the farmer and the mechanic to give
up their liberty to the banks and their agents that is at this moment
getting our surplus produce at their own price. I have been taking two Whig
papers and two Republican for the last twelve months and I have been
watching each party in politics, as I used to read the Scripture and watch
each party in religion and I find the two great contending parties are
composed of the laboring class on one side and Bankites
and Gentlemen on the
other, but who is it wants to get in power? Is it not the Federalists that
the Republicans have tried twice and they cannot please the majority of the
people. Was not old John ADAMS in Four years under the
name of Federalist
and the Republicans so disgusted with Federal politics that they have since
assumed the name Federal Republicans and by subterfuge the Fed.
Republicans
got John Quincy and old Clay to rule as President and how long did they
please the majority of the honest industrious people of the free and
enlightened country? But four years, well that makes eight years out of 64 -
the Torys with all their fictitious names have had
the honor to rule our
growled all the time as they do now and Jefferson served the Republicans 8
years so did Madison and so did Monroe this is
32 years the Republicans had their democrat president to rule over them then
in stepped John Quincy ADAMS with his Federal notions of a high protection
tariff and national improvement laws which did not set well with the
Republican patriot breast and they turned out the old tory
and all the new
names are not sufficient to blind the Democrat eyes. They then put in their
put in Van Buren - Jackson Vice President and he has carried out the
Republicanism so completely that the feds is next thing to crazy. Are they
not staving to and fro through the country with their humbugs of fire and
brimstone to make prosalites to their federalism much
like the Methodist
Preacher the feds preach up subtreasurey and a
standing army to scare the
Republicans into their society and they think it will have the same power
over the intellectual faculties as fire and brimstone for neither of them
are visible or perhaps never will be in existance.
Here let me drop a word
for old Harrison he has promised to serve but one term - this is as long as
any of his brother feds served the Republicans and the old preacher feels a
fearful delicacy in breaking their rule because he knows he cannot, dumb as
he is he knows by experience a few presidents cannot please a Republican
government a single four years and yet they are crying and whindling
continually to get into office what a keen apetite
the feds have for the
public pap.
Polly you state to me that the price of everything is low times hard and
money scarce, May I tell my reason, (by experience) First we chartered the
Buchanan Bank on James River for our convenience this charter gave the
stockholders liberty to lock up One hundred and fifty thousand dollars of
our specie and issue seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars of paper, this
paper filled our counties of Botetourt and Roanoke alive with money and all
that was too lazy to work and could get indorsers to
our new bank got to
speculating until every enterprising man was over head and ears in debt to
our new bank and paying $1.50 to $2.00 per bushel for wheat, $1.00 for
corn.85c for rye Bacon from 12 1/2 to 17 cents per pound and beef as high as
17c per pound in Baltimore, New York and Philadelphia, and from 6 to 7
dollars per barrel this put new life in us all. We raised large crops going
to get rich right off those that have no land will buy and borrow the money
to pay for it now the banks have us all on their hook and heavy crops coming
on at high prices to pay our debts but here comes the hard times, the specie
is already locked up in the banks and each spculator
gets notice to come and
lift his land and if he has not property to raise the money he must borrow
it of his neighbors to lift his note in the bank of perhaps Ten thousand
dollars he then burns his note and the bank locks up their notes to cause a
scarcity of money so they can get his heavy crop at their own price. We now
find this flood of money is gone and where is it? Is it burned up? No but it
is locked up and kept from circulation until the bank agent can buy our
property at their own price for we are all in debt and obliged to sell for
what we can get or the sheriff will sell it for us under a mortgage or deed
of trust, This is hard times for the Farmer, the mechanic and all the
laboring class of the community and it is a glorious time for the banks,
their agents and the hard hearted paper shavers. So by the industrious mans
loss the idle lazy speculator gets rich and they will snarl and grin in the
face of the farmer and tell him it is their sub-treasury and Van Buren's
administration is the cause of all the distress in the country this is to
blind the ignorant so that their thirteen hundred united banks may still
continue to fleece the country of its honest industry.
The Democratic party found to their sorrow that one United States Bank would
sap the foundation of their liberty and ruin the country and they prayed
their president to kill it and he did so, but the states now have Thirteen
hundred in operation and doing ten times the mischief to the prosperity of
the country and price of commodities than the old United Bank did. Those
young swindlers are all united for we see when one suspends specie payment
all the rest strike to its motion in rapid succession until we cannot draw
one dollar of specie out of those thirteen hundred monsters and yet the
crafty whigs want the democrats to withdraw their
power from Van and the
present administration that is straining every nerve to save the country
from ruin and help them to put in Old Docile Harrison that will sanction any
sort of shin plasters Tariff- national improvement that Old Clay and the
Feds think will best promote the interests of their present ragged filthy
flimsy banking system. John and Polly, I do wish I could find decent words
to express the horror and disgust I feel for the present banking system for
they are going in the same channel that the Banks of England do, they sap
all surplus labor and give it to the King and his Lords to sport on.
Frederick Garst was to see me in May and says he has bought a small farm of
land he does not know how he likes the country. He has purchased in
Tennessee
Chris. Kinsey and the above information is from them.
We got a letter from
Circle in March and they were all well He states the money in that country
is fifty percent under par and times harder than ever before.
We have a splendid court and jail house in Salem and Mr. Snyder is elected
for our next Assembly he beat Mr. Payton 32 votes and the whigs
are trying
to make a contested election of it, this corresponds with the creeds for
they say, it is the minority that composes the wisdom and prudence of every
country and that Minority should always rule over the majority which is
composed of the ignorant and the illiterate and common class of the
community in every country.
Here I must say a few words to my old friend John, - you state that he still
works at his trade - I am glad to hear of his health and would be extremely
glad to see him, and converse on politics, as we used to do on religion, for
they run parralel with each other, the one to promote
the happiness of the
body and the other is to promote the consolation of the soul. My old soldier
of the cross, my old Democrat and patriot of liberty do we not see the
scripture fulfilling every day where it says "The wisdom of the wise is
foolishness to God." Look at the wisdom of the wise. They are paying
thousands of dollars for the conveyance of old log cabins through towns and
cities for fools to laugh at, they try every strategim
to get the simple and
ignorant into the tory ranks. Friend John how often
have these wise men
changed their names since you knew them, Five times I think, well that is
about every twelve years now sir I think when a man or woman changes their
name so often there is too much white in their eye, no matter what they say
they are.
When I first knew their wise party they were called Tory then Federalist
then Federalist Republican then Whig then Whig Republican and now
conservative Whig Republican and with all their fictitous
names they are the
same Tory party that was always bafling and squalling
and calling General
Washington and his men new rebels. About every 24 years another generation
rises that knew not the Lord and this is why many an honest man joins that
party not understanding their craft. The origin of the tory
clan were
distant relatives of Old King George the third and near relation of Lord
Fairfox, Lord Delaware and Lord Botetourt, look at
their high blood that is
qualification enough to cause the ignorant republicans to drop their low
blooded Jacksons and Dutch Van Burens,
and take Harrison, he is one of the
remnants and bagends of old Lord Botetourt that made
such a lucky escape to
old England which saved his bacon, without salt, at the commencement of the
Revolution, after he had sanctioned the death of several rebels as he called
them.
I must tell you of the last race we had in
run one of their high blooded Candidates. All the Watse
and the McClanahans
with many of their friends lectioneered by making
speeches and rubbing down
their candidates for months previous to the election and the Republicans run
one of their common old wagon and Farmer candidates and beat their high
flier about 32 votes there was some heavy bets on the race and the wise high
bloods have lost their money they now are trying to contest the election to
save their money if they can. I never saw a set of men so down in the mouth
and chop fallen as these poor lawyers, sheriffs, squires and doctors are
since the race. They took the pains to go to every house in the country
where they thought was the least chance to gull the ignorant, by preaching
up the Subtreasurey and standing army and Van Buren's
big Treasureers that
has run off with the public money and a number of voters said if this is
true I will not vote for Snyder or Van Buren so they set them down on the
Whig list. By this strategim they had a large
majority before the day of the
election and then they came out 32 behind as above stated after they were
beat when they were met by our spouty democrats the
following conversation
ensued, "how are you sir? what have you done with
your race hag? are you
going to send him to
and rub him down for the
John Garst is one of our smartest Politicians in our little county at
present Some of you that was formerly acquainted with
John may think I
overreached the medium mark but he would surprise you to hear him. I would
actually choose him to represent the county as soon as any man in it at this
time.
Our wheat crop are light beyond measure, the fly, the rust, the scab, Chince
bug has swept thousands of bushels in our country and the rye is thin next
to nothing. Oats corn and potatoes are bidding fair for a heavy crop. I
passed by the graves of your parents a few weeks ago and I believe it is
tolerably good yet.
Polly you say that you dreamed you was on your way to
see us all and how
glad you was. Poor little Daughter I can hardly write these lines for the
big tears are trickling down my withered cheeks to think what joy it would
give for a moment to see you and John and your dear little children and then
in a few days to bid you fairwell forever. This would
turn my joy into
sorrow and finally end in a flood of tears.
It appears in your letter that you think you are not completely satisfied
where you are living. The Iowa or the Arkansas or across the Rocky Mountains
on the great Columbia is the place where sickness pain, sorrow and death
never can reach the human family but my dear children it is too evident that
place can never be found this side of eternity.
You are now in the midst of glory if you could only be content therwith or
do you not believe the Scriptures when they say "if you have food and
rainment be you content therewith, it is not riches
and pleasure that make
the soul happy, it is the calm and serene mind that gives the stability to
the happy soul." Look at neighbor F. G. he could have stayed here if he
had
sown such seed as he had wished to reap but you know all he craved was money
and all of his plans were laid to accumulate upwards of twenty two thousand
dollars and did it make him happy? no, far from it he
is the most
dissatisfied man that ever left this country. John is out doctoring every
day for sometime Since he practised some under
Trainer he is about as good
as any of our doctors Garst had moved back within 180 miles of his old stand
to find a better place than the Green Ridge and next start he makes will be
on the Combe place for expect he will never get
anything for it John White
in Salem bought it and he is likely to burst his boiler and if so Garst will
have to take back his land.
Perry says he thinks he would hardly know the sister Polly if he was to meet
her in the road. Joseph is cradling at Jonathan Evans and I don't know what
he says, but he is a stout boy about six feet high. We have a new neighbor
come from where I was raised by the name of Anthony Rhoads. He has bought
the Widow Frances place, that used to be, he gives $1500.00 for it thats
well paid for isn't it John? John Garst's Polly is
married to Ben Brubaker
and they have bought the Bradley place for them Isaac Ren
is married to
Eliza Gish and lives where Fifer did at Ren's.
Old Keagy Old Erba and Old Gast (Garst) yet are each between eighty and
ninety years old and very feeble. Old Gast stayed all
night with me a few
weeks ago and at night he got out of bed and fell from the top of the stairs
to the bottom and nearly broke his arm he is dreadful weak and walks with
two canes.
The nice new bridge on Peppers Ferry,
dollars was swept away by the high water a few weeks ago. The river was four
feet higher than it had been for the last seventy years Young John Gish has
bought the Tanyard where Mike Sigler owned. There is
two stores in little
the lick they are upwards of 100 feet deep and solid rock the whole way I
think it is a poor prospect. Twelve months boring 100 ft and they think they
will have to go 800 ft. The man that works at it was at my house last Sunday
and said he could go but from 8 to 12 inches per day the rock is composed of
rock flint of the hardest sort it takes one third of his time to sharpen his
augers he says nearly all the old salt wells on the Canawha
are now fresh
water.
Son John and daughter Polly I am drawing to the last of my paper and I still
want to continue my discourse with you as it may probably be the last time I
may have the power of using my intellectual faculties on paper. When I see
many of our old acquaintances leaving this stage of action that are much
younger than me I think how short and uncertain this life.
A German doctor was to see us last week that was well acquainted with
Trainer he says his parents is sick and thinks that D. I. Trainers Legacy
will be about $2500.00 and presses on John to go and see to it. Leap tells
me about the same that Trainer did of what was coming to him in Germany
after the death of his mother and D. Leap says she is dead about two years
ago.
John and Polly I hope you will all understand the principals by recommending
your cousin John Garst as a qualified candidate you see I go for the talent
and not the education unless we can have both together. A man with good
learning can write down a good flurry of a speech and the whole of it
decided by some great orator and this he can get as pat as A.B.C. then he
can stand before the multitude and tell what great laws and wonders he will
do for his constituents if they will elect him and at the same time he has
not the economy or frugality to manage a little farm and by this strategim
he is elected and instead of having a talented man to represent us, we have
nothing but a learned babler with his long learned
speeches to consume time
and prolong the session to 112 days at about $9 per day which makes the
small sum of $1098.00 per session this is what we get by sending our learned
lawyers and bablers instead of sending an honest old
farmer to represent us
in our legislature.
Friend Britt (???)I am sorry to inform you of the
death of our old estemed
friend he is drowned in the river of politics --(+)(+)
--
Jeff Scism, IBSSG