Trenton Kentuckey June 5th. I820
Dear Father & Mother
I recvd. your last letter a fiew days ago, and am glad to find you
all well as I am at present thank God. I have written several times to
you lately I hope they have come to hand before this. I can't find
much more to say that is novel or interesting. I remain in my old
place yet. Our family on-sists of A new married man his wife and
myself who all live in as much harmony as brothers & sisters, until
of late my employer and myself Kep bachelors hall, our Summer here
at this time is much warmer than with you but our winter is not much
colder. It surprises me very much to see what a small frost will
freeze Ice IO Inches deep across large rivers so that waggons and all
Kind of machines can cross in safety. At this time the farmers here
have got there Indian corn in the ground, and is now preparing for
their Tobacco. new potatoes I have eat some of 2 Weeeks ago & is now
commin, Crops of all kind have been good this last season only prices
very low Tobaco that Last year sold for IO Dollars IOO this year
only will bring 4$, Corn sells now at Two Dollars per Barrel and outs
at 50 cents peBushel butter I7 cents for I6.27 Sugar 20c. beef 3 cents
flower
3c
wheat
75c
Bushel candles 25c. pe lb. and all the above
articles people who has them to sell can find purchasers to come to
the house for them & take them off
Whiskey sells at I Doll a gallon, you can buy a good COW for -18$
a
Sheep for 2 a good horse for 80, & chickens for 8c. aps.Land Improvd
Sells in this neighbourhood from 6 to 20 Doll. pracre English measure
but in the State of the Mésouira you can get as good Land as here for
one Doll. & 25 cents unimproved Land (that is about Six Shillings in
yr. money) for cash only. the used to sell on a credit but now the have
altered thear tearms. I recvd. a letter a few days ago from B. Workman
he was well but he stated his employer had run away about 70£ in his
debt & that he was carrying on the school himself. How you mentioned
in one of yr. letters that Mr. Carter's family moved to the British
Settlements & return again but for my part I knew nothing of them
all I know is this that I wrote several times to them and they either
would not or did not write once to me. I understand you have sent
2cl brother William to College for a Doctor, I have no doubt but he will
make a smart one and it is a business that will take well in this 80
country provided practicer be master of his business, but there are
many impostors at it in this country as well as every other. but a
Doctor coming from Ireland or England get a great name, but the former
much preferd & I hope will ever do honour to the cause, Let me know in
your next how William is coming on- let me know the news from Dublin
& how Richard Whaley is doing &his family. People desirous of coming
to America that prefers coming by the British Settlements as the
cheapest way I will give you a short sketch of the way the can proceed
into this & neighbouring States. Supposing you have Landed in Quebeck
you could proceed to Prescott in a Durham Boat for about 2 Dollars &
I Doll. per cwt. for luggage. from Frescott you could
I her[e]
Get a SteamBoat from Kensington & from thence E01 one far Nigara. here
would be about 25 miles Land carriage until you get above the falls
James Richey, Trenton, Kentucky, to his family, Ireland, 5 June 1820
Description
James Richey hopes that his several letters have arrived with his parents and relates news of the weather, crops and the price of supplies. He continues to live "harmony as brothers and sisters" with a newly married couple. He relates that improved land sells locally for $6 to $20 an acre but as low as $1.25 per acre for unimproved land in Missouri. In response to his parents mention of Mr Carter's family moving to the British Settlements [Canada] and returning again, he knows nothing as they never responded to his letters. Richey also approved of his brother William's enrollment in college to become a doctor as "there are many imposters at it in this country as well as every other , but a doctor coming from Ireland or England get a great name, but the former much preferred". He also advises that coming to America via Canada is the cheapest way and he gives details of the passage from Quebec, via the Niagra falls to Pittsburgh. Richey concludes that he "is in a strong Notion" to moving to New Orleans which is fourteen days journey south, as his wages don't justify him remaining here.
Title and transcript by Professor Kerby Miller. This transcript includes handwritten corrections to original transcript from PRONI, made with reference to original letters. Letter description by University of Galway.
