Samuel P. Davidson Letter

S335

1840

1folder

Manuscripts & Rare Books Division

Indiana State Library

Finding Aid by: Nikki Stoddard Schofield, October 2013

Biographical Note:

Samuel P. Harrison was born about 1810 in Maryland. He lived in Harrison County, Indiana, when the federal censuses were taken in 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880. On May 27, 1830, he married Lydia Raitt, who was born in 1810.

Source:

Information Found within Collection and accessed Oct. 10, 2013.

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Scope and Content:

This hand-written letter is dated July 30, 1840, from Printer’s Resort, Harrison Co., Ind., and addressed to “My Dear Brother.” The envelope is addressed to Isaac Smalley, Bloomington, McLean County, Illinois. The letter is three pages long and written in ink.

Samuel explains why he is happy to live at Printer’s Resort. First, his family is satisfied; second, it is healthy and they have good neighbors. They have erected a meeting house, Wesley Chapel, which is part of the Corydon Circuit, and have two preachers. In reference to politics, he wrote: “The spirit of the world is not getting into the church, but the church is gone out after the spirit of the world.” Concerning his wife, he wrote: “Lydia’s health is very bad.” He says that “I am still farming and making my bread by the sweat of my brow. Our crops have failed entirely with us. Many have plowed up their grain fields and planted corn. We have not had, on an average, in our section more than two bushels per acre of wheat. Our corn crop looks promising, although we want rain bad.”

In his P.S., Samuel wrote: “What has become of your brother David? I cannot learn anything of him. I have some idea of making another trip down the river this fall with potatoes, apples, [sime?] and oats.”

The letter is signed: I ever remain your sincere friend and brother in Christ, Samuel P. Davidson.”

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Photocopy Policy:

Manuscript material CANNOT be photocopied or digitized in its entirety. Photocopies and/or digital reproductions (i.e. scans, digital photographs) cannot exceed 25% of a

COLLECTION or FOLDER within a collection. In some cases, photocopying may not be permitted due to the condition of the item. Please check with the Manuscript Librarian for possible alternatives.

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Collection Inventory

Folder Listing:

Letter from Samuel P. Davidson, Printer’s Resort, Harrison County, to Isaac Smalley, Bloomington, McLean County, Illinois.

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Collection Information:

Size of Collection: / 1 folder, 1 letter
Collection Dates: / July 30, 1840
Provenance: / Putnam Bookshop, June 10, 1963
Access: / The Collection is Open for Research Use
Restrictions: / Ask Librarian permission to photocopy.
Reproduction Rights: / Permission to reproduce, exhibit, or publish material in this collection must be obtained from the Manuscript and Rare Books Division, Indiana State Library.
Language: / Materials are entirely in: English
Alternate Formats: / None.
Related Holdings: / None.
Collection Notes: / None.