Canada West letter farmer to brother in Union Army (Ohio) c.1862_63

Canada West letter farmer to brother in Union Army (Ohio) c.1862/63

$225.00 CAD

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Letter from James Whittemore, living near Orwell Canada West (Ontario). Orwell is about 25 Km SE of London Ontario. Sent to his brother Moses in Canal Lewisville in Keene township, Coshocton county, Ohio. At this time Moses was serving in the 51st Ohio Infantry.

Nice snapshot of life in Canada, opinions on the Civil War, troubles in NYC, Canadian politics, agriculture/crops,etc.

See other letter from this family I have on sale.

Elgin County

Orwell Canada West

Dear Brother Sister & Family

I received your letter concerning the War in due time & was glad as always am to hear any good for the North. But since that time I have seen some bad aspects especially in NY City. I hope their Government will prove itself able to rule & that rebellion will soon come to nought and that the slaveholders and sympathisers will stand in their proper lot at the end of the War and the Negro will be as his quoddam master.

There are 2 political parties in Canada one is called the Ministerial or Reformers & the other is called the Cor----tionists as opposition. The Cor----tionists are in favour of the South and correspond to your dough faced co pperhed Democrat. I see in the newspaper the the Czar to give the Poles a national constitution I hope it may prove true. The crops in Canada are very good in general. Hay in this neighbourhood is a great crop. I have 1 1/3 acres of soil seeded in or nearly this proportion 1/3 & very good ½ potatoes & are good 1/3 carrots and are very poor not more than 1/10 ---. I sowed the vacancies with Rutabag and the fly ate ¾ of them, I sowed again with summer turnips and the grasshoppers has a giants share. The next I sowed onions cabbage cucumbers squash &c. All growing & well that the grasshoppers don’t disturb.

My health is better than the former part of the season I have not been sick much but --- in my back & shoulders &c //

Health prevails in this place & as far as I know in the whole of Canada but August & September have not passed. It is generally more sickly in Aug & Sept than any other season but not always so. The moral state of society nearly as good as usual but --- at home and was over the river makes some difference.

I had a letter from Sister Lydia not long ago but said nothing of any except her family & neighbours & Joseph Richards who she said had rented his farm & gone out to work. She has been sick ever since I left ----. I will send part or all her letter – I can without having any postage. Brother Joseph was in West Charleston Vermont last that I heard from. I think he will answer you write to him…..

I think of coming or going to Ohio nearly or quite every day…from your every loving & long absent brother in hope of the salvation by Jesus the Messiah,

James Whittemore

One double-side page.

Folded in six. Writing sometimes hard to read. Some tonig on folds.

25 x 20 cm // 9 ⅞" x 7 ⅞ "

Moses Langley Whittemore (1840-1865) was the son of Daniel B. Whittemore (1802-1888) and Lovina Goodhue (1808-1857). In 1860, the Whittemore family resided in Canal Lewisville in Keene townsh county, Ohio, where Daniel worked at his trade as a cooper. By then, Daniel was married to his second wife. Moses enlisted at the age of 22 in September 1861 as a private in Co. C, 51st Ohio Volunteer Infantry (OVI). He was promoted to corporal in December 1862 and mustered out as a veteran with his regiment at Victoria, Texas, in October 1865. He died of broken health just weeks after his discharge.

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Canada West letter farmer to brother in Union Army (Ohio) c.1862/63

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