USA 1850 Hamilton Ohio letter about trip and local events (farm accident)

$75.00 CAD

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NIce pre-Civil War letter written in 1850, from Hamilton OH to Waynesville OH. Talks of recent arrival home after long trip (CIncinnati, Pittsburgh, Harper's Ferry...). Two part letter, first tells of trip, second part written by another relative who talks of local events (arm lost in farm accident).

Addressed to:

Jonah Sands
Waynesville
Warren County Ohio

 

20th of the 11 mo. 1850 Hamilton
Respected Nephew,
…thought I would give you an account of our journey home. We enjoyed ourselves very well in Cincinnati till 6th day the 1st of this month when the river rose to good boating  when we left about noon in the packet boat Hibernia for Pittsburgh we had a very pleasant passage up and good fare and landed at Pittsburg on first day at night about 11 o'clock and next morning at 8 took the boat for Brownsville  and reached there about about 4 in the afternoon and was put on a coach for Cumberland where we arrived just in time next morning for to take a snack of breakfast and take the cars for Harpers’ Ferry where we met our boy Albert who had been waiting for us he said about one hour with a light wagon and – we got home the same evening the—3 of the week  we stood all the travail better than jolting over the rocks from Harper’s Ferry it hurt my head so bad that I can feel something of it yet and Lolly suffered nearly as much as I did. We found our home much as we expected except the woman we left in care of the house she had a dangerous swilling in the palm of her hand and had to have it cut open nearly to the bone by the doctor it had got nearly well by the time we got home yet I think it awful doubtful whether she will ever have the use of it as she had before.
Sally had a slight bilious attack since we got home which lasted her a few hours. she took some medicine which seemed to have the desired effect otherwise we have our usual health....
Affectionally
….Jonah Sands

 -----------------------------------------

My uncle has kindly left me some space on his sheet to fill I will comply with the intention tho I do not know that I have any thing to say that will interest an Ohioan, --- not – a country where every thing has an onward course, where persons, place, and things go on in one round of steady improvements  in a land of freedoms, and the People know know (at least the majority of them) how to appreciate it, where labour is esteemed honorable , and the labourer is compensated for his toil, it must be on a land like this that the smiles of an approving Providence can rest, and things go churningly on, may this ever be your happy privilege to be worthy of the many blessings you are permitted to enjoy.

....A most unfortunate occurrence took place in our neighbourhood shortly after we reached home, the only son of Jospeh Heling, a lad of fifteen or  --- years of age was helping at the threshing machine and somehow became entangled on the works, and distressing to say tore his left arm clear off just below the shoulder. I need not say he has been , and still is, an extreme sufferer, but a hope is entertained we understand he will survive it, this I think is the third or fourth occurrence of the kind that has taken place in our settlement within a few years. ...the doctor’s health however I understand is somewhat improved and I hope he may be prepared to see his family be raised and a comfort to him yet.  Please tell 
Affectionally thy ---
--Sands


Four pages, three with text of letter, back page with address. Folded to form an envelope.

Paper darkened. Some small tears and paper damage. Toning on folds.

12 ½” x 7 ½”

 

JONAH SANDS, dmggist, Waynesville; born in Loudoun Co., Va, June 10, 1822; is a son of Abijah and Elizabeth (Grady) Sands, also natives of Virginia; he lived and died in his native State, was a soldier in the war of 1812 and a farmer by occupation; was the father of eleven children, eight daughters and three sons, and two only now survive—Susanna, now Mrs. John Whinery, residing in Clinton Co., Ohio, and Jonah. In the fall of 1832, Mrs. Sands with her family emigrated to Ohio and located in Greene County, where she raised her family and resided till her death; she departed this life in December. 1840, aged 64 years. Our subject was 10 years of age when brought to this State; was raised and grew to manhood in Greene County, receiving a good common-school education, and his physical strength well developed by manual labor on the farm, till 18 years of age; thence he learned the cabinet trade, which business he followed till 1850, in Waynesville, Warren Co.; thence entered upon mercantile business, in Spring Valley, Greene Co. , continuing there until in the spring of 1855, when he located in Waynesville in the same business, under the firm name of Sands & Klein, which thus continued till 1860.