| Madison County Letters©
- 25Jul1847or1841 Copyright 2000 Fredi Perry In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data and images may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or for other presentation without express permission by the contributor(s) Galesburg, Knox Co., Ill. July 25th, 1847 or 1841 Dear Cousin, Although I wrote the last letter, I thought I wouldwrite to you again for I wish to know whether you are still in the land of the living. I do not know whether you know we have moved our quarters or not. I have not heard from you or your friends in Alton (?) for a long time. Does Uncle George ever write to you? We have been in Galesburg five weeks. Last fall Father and Mother made a trip up this way and after looking the country over some pitched upon this place. Father bought 80 acres of prairie, 20 acres of it fenced and brook and a 10 acre town lot adjoining uncle Norman's half a mile from the farm and about half a mile from the Academy. So you see we can live in town and work out on the countrywest. In the spring William and Charles came up and put in their crops. William and cousin George went down to Ridge Prairie after we came the latter part of June. Were about 9 days on the road. We camped out two nights and thought it was not what it was cracked up to be. The weather was generally cool and cloudy but we met with one sad misfortune. A little this side of Carrolton a fine horse worth 100 dollars one that Uncle Norman brought from New York died with the colic. We had to leave one load in consequence. William has since been down after it which took him 8 days. I think we shall not attempt moving again ever. I think it is a beautiful country. We came the right time of the year to have everything look fine. I do not think that Galesburg is as pretty a situation as some little towns a few miles before we got here. Too much of it is on low ground. The Ceder (?) Fork a little dirty branch full of yellow pond lillyruns through it but part of it is on high beautiful prairie. They have a new Academy three stories high with a cupalo covered with tin. At noon it can be seen at Louisville about 5 miles from here. Galesburg probably has as many houses as Edwardsville but there is not more than two or three that are two stories high. Did you go through Jacksonville when you moved. It is the prettiest place I ever saw but there are some bad folks there for the court was trying three men for murder. Two of them were brothers. They got to quarreling about a hankerchief in a doggery. Two of them shot him. Then they all pounded him and hooted over his dead body. The Galesburgars had a terrible Sabbath school celebration on Saturday the 3rd of July. Three schools met. There were estimates to be about 1200 people. They give a man four dollars an evening for teaching the young ones to sing. They have a meeting every morning at sunrise and some kind of meeting ar singing evry evening and Sundays they have hardly time to eat their meals. I have not been to any of them yet on account of my eyes which have been very sore and are not well yet. You will think by the many mistakes I have made but I am not writing to uncle George. Therefore hope to be forgiven. We live in a fram of an adition to uncle Norman's house. It has a good roof and that is all. No doors or windows or weather boarding. It is planked up the sides with large cracks between each plank. Cousin Emily is teaching school 16 miles from here. I have not seen her but once. She is quite large for her age. Round face and red cheeks like the rest of the children. She is an everlasting talker. Mary Victoria, the youngest, is three years old and another forthcoming. Uncle Norman thinks his children are very smart. Sister Mary goes to school with Julia and Norman. Now for Ridge Prairie. There has been many births, deaths, marriages, and removals since you left that part of the moral vinyard. I hardly know what would be news to you or what would not. I suppose you are enjoying the fat of the land up there and do not care much about it one way or the other. Are you married yet? Is there many old batchelors up there. We have a right small sprinkle of them with us and they are not all as handsome as the hills are high but they are of the Yankee race and no telling howsting they are. Indeed I intend to go back this fall. I cannot stand so much Yankeeism. Squire Scott's daughters all stay at home yet, although they think they the most beaus of any one. They went to St. Louis to see some Negroes hanged. Uncle George writes. He thinks it would have looked better for them to have stayed at home. Miss Minerva is almost on the old maid list. She has no beau now that I know of. Old Burkles (?) was down last winter and every body would have it that she was going to have him. He has gone again for two years. Cordelia is the same old "seven and six". Hannah Sybold teaches the school at Jericho. Report says that she is going to marry Dick Willoughby. Mary Ann Gillet teaches school at the Setter (?) meeting house. Julia Small is teaching in Marine again. Mother Small has a great deal of trouble. Martha is married and got a young one. Janett Gates married James Willoughby and has got a young one. Ann Henderson married Mr. Peterman and has got a young one. Polly Hay is married. Mr. (?) Big Haar married. Rebecca Owins, Tom More married. Malinda Owins, Phil More married. Caroline Mac, George Brown married. Daphne More, Ray Whiteside married. Hannah Goutreman, Sis Goutreman married a drunken somebody from Tarepin Ridge. James Whiteside married Abby G. Hall. Lucius Green brother of Dr. Green married Maria Wilder and is dead. Mr. Tallia and his wife Eveline have parted. They had a young one first. Mr. Lloyd K. Wriston's oldest child has lately die. Robert Mac has gone back to Greene County. Report said that Sam Telre (?) went to see Beckyam three times a week and every one thought they would bet married but they did not. Orson Caswell has got back and is as crazy as ever after Pharsalia. And Mr. Banks courts Jane. Uncle Levi is as whimsical as ever. Uncle George has a very excellent famiy living with by the name of Perrigo. Yankees in descent. Please to write as soon as you get this. Your affectionate cousin, H. H. Weeks PS: All send their respects to your folks. Your father was well the last we heard from him. He lives on the American Bottom. Addressed to Miss Caroline E. Churchill, Monroe, Greene Co., Wisconsin Teritory (Postage 18 ¾) |