Hiram - Reed letter - Fountain County INGenWeb Project

‘5’  written on upper right hand side (postage?))

Miss Angeline Snyder

Halifax

Pennsylvania

(Postmark faded)

Covington February the 9th 1852

To  Miss Angeline Snyder

My dear  Niece  I was truly

glad that Some of my relations in that distant land had

condescended so much as to write a letter once more. I was glad to here (sp) that you was all well  And I hope that you all may enjoy the Blessing of Continued health and Happiness for  a long life to come.  Myself and family are all well at this time and all the rest of the Connection so far as I know at this time.

All the family Connection but myself live some 60 miles North West of here in the Grand Prairy so that I don t get to see them often.  Mother and Maria and her husband was to see us this fall.  And I am looking for them every day now.  Mother is going to live with us this summer and also Washington is going to work me this summer. Silas Shewry, that  is Marie’s husband,  talks some of selling his Prairie farm and buying  one in this neighborhood.  Tell your mother that when I told - --- Mother that it was more than likely that you all would move out to this Country yet she became so effected that she shed tears for joy to think that she should get to see you all once more in this world.  But I was sorry to learn from your letter that I received Feb, the 7th that was dated January the 18th that you did not think it likely that your father would move to this Country soon  I know that it is a good Long road to move.  But half the Journey is Performed in Getting Started.  When we moved we came round by Pittsburg which ---o=t of the way.  We was just from the 26th day of September AD1836 to the 26 day of October that is one month on the road  But we lay By Several  says on the road and always from Saturday Evening till Monday morning and from where we Landed in Ohio to where I live a team can travel the distance in six days.  I think to take the direct route from Halifax here a team could travel it in 4 weeks.  Tell your Father I should like for him to keep in the notion of moving to this Country Some day.  If ever you move to this Country don’t do like we did to load a waggon(sp) Chuck full of household plunder and haul it 7 or 8 Hundred miles   all that you Should do is Get a light running two horse wagon (s) and 2 good traveling Ponys not Big Horses and Load in your Bedding that you want to use by the way and very few other little notions so that you can haul your family and you could come right  along without any trouble you would not meet with the times we did in 1836 and 37. When we came to Ohio wheat was 1.2 per Bu (bushel) & flour 6$ Per Barrel.  Pork 8$ per hundred pounds and Everything in  Perporton(sp).  Now the times is different.  Wheat is from 40 to 45cts per bu or flour $2.80 per Barrel. Corn 20 cts.  Pork was higher this winter than it has been since 1837.  It was from $3.75 to $4.00 per hundred pounds.  But the bet of all things for a poor man is wages for Labor is high.  Any Chuk of a boy that can plow must have from 10 to 13$ per month and nobody to get at that.  And it is a matter of impossibility to get a Girl to work for here at any price.  Girls are not trained to hard labor here  you cannot find --- girl or woman that can spin a thread of flax nowhere in my neighborhood that I know of  Girls that will work for their neighbors can get 1.00 to $1.30 for week.  When I lived in that Country your mother worked many a hard week for 30 cents a week and not only worked in the house in the Harvest field at that.  I have often wished that I could just reap grain like your (mother?) could I have often told the story how the women could reap in Penns for the like of that is not done here.  I have been in Ohio and this state for 16 years and I have never saw the sight of a woman working in the Harvest field yet.  We have had the hardest winter this month that I have saw since I left Pennsylvania.  We had snow on the Ground from 6 to 8 inches deep from Christmas till the last of January and the weather intensely Cold.  But we have fine weather now and I hope we will have a fine Spring.  I am going to tap the Sugar Camp in the morning then I do wish you was here to see how we make the Sugar and molasses.  Sweet time then indeed.

You wanted me to excuse your writing and mistakes in your letter. I think your letter needs no appoligy. (sp)  I was glad to see  that you could write so we—(well). The only thing I shall regret hereafter is if you don’t wright (sp) often as I now know you that you can write in good style.  I know you had a secret wish that some of us would pay you all a visit and see you all  there  is none of us But wuld like to see you all but I don’t know how it will be.  The older ones that would like see   the country has got family now in fact the whole family is married now but Washington.  And another thing is we have always expected that you would move to this Country yet.  But if your father does not intend to move to this Country I think I shall visit you all sometime in my life yet.  Now I will tell you what to write me in your next letter.  I want you first of all to write about your fathers family then where they live and  wh—re John Rop--- family is and Henry and Jacob Rysel and all my cousins so (far) as you are posted up in there whereabouts and Whole lots of news about the old neighbors Such as who has died and who got married  ---------- about John Snyder whether he has moved West yet or not. And all the ups and downs that you know of. Don’t be afraid writing too much if you get tired writing  Re (rest) and take another new start.

I will add no more at this time but give my Best  (regards) to Father and Mother and Susannah and her husband and all the children and Babys too.  And all Enquiring friends

And I Will Ever Remain Yours With

Respt.    Hiram Reed

NB.  Dont forget to write soon if you please.  And I want you  to write me where my Poor old Grandmother died and wether she did come to want and misery before she died.  I did hear that she did die in the Poorhouse.  (God grant that it may prove not so.)