VARLEY FAMILY LETTERS: 1835 - 1854
1835 letter
This letter is written on a single, folded sheet; there are traces of a red seal
The letter is addressed to:
Mr Thomas Varley
Gardener Tadcaster
Yorkshire
EnglandPaid 25 (handwritten)
The postmarks are
LIVERPOOL SHIP LETTER
CINCINATTI
Vine Hill
Columbia
Near Cincinnati,
Ohio
Dear Tom,
I received your letter which was only 6 weeks and 3 days in coming to Columbia, and very glad we was to hear from you and to hear that you were all well, But this is to inform you that we have had a very sickly time of it. I had the colrera very ill for 1 2 Hours it has been raging round a long time in this part and a great many Died, and it is never clear of one illness or another a great many people has the small pox twice over, and died of it. We are something better than we were and if our health do not improve you will see us at Tadcaster soon if all happens well and I expect Mary Ann has got to England by this time but as not hear anything from her since she went off and wether she be lost or not I cannot tell. for we are such a great distance from New York. I cannot hear anything about her for it is near a thousand miles too Cincinnati by the stage and more by water. the steam boats very often take fire and all are lost my fences took fire and part of them was burnt the fire ran on the grass like has if it were scattered all over with gun powder and I expected nothing but our House and Barn and all our corn to be burnt up for the season is so hot and dry that all is scortched up and destroyed, this country is like a brick oven when it is heated untill you cannot stand on the bottom with your feet it is has hot as that from sun rise untill sun sets and if you stand with your bare feet upon a flat stone heated by the sun it blisters them. The thunder and lightning is tremendious here close by us there was two large barns ful of corn burnt down with the lightning and the wind drove large pieces of fire right upon our hill which his as high a gain has York Minster from the levil of the water in the river Ohio, and as high has we
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are we cannot see above 6 miles distant from us for the country is nothing but large hills and dales and very bad to cultivate and troublesome Oats and Barley is very little worth Wheat is very small it is a very great crop indeed to have 6 load upon one acre of ground but it makes good Flour Hay is very bad Potatoes Peas Beans Cabbage Turnips Beet and scarlet Beans is very bad no Cauliflowers at all. Melons Pumkins and Carrots very fine, Cucumbers not fine but plenty of them, there is plenty of Walnuts but good for nothing Heazle nuts bad. no Plums Peaches and Cherries very bad, no Apricots, Currants and Gooseberries bad Rasps and strawberies very small plenty of Apples and Pears fine but will not keep. A gardener very seldom gets two crops of one piece of ground for if he miss the first crop of peas he never can get another that year, then w(h)ere is all their cheap land. I have 50 acres of grass land and ill set to keep 4 head of cattle. One acre of land in England is Worth 5 in America the best they can produce. I (k)now of many families from the south of England that brought a great deal of money with them and bought large farms and built good houses and every thing to them when all their life money was done they broke and were forc’d to leave them and ramble up and down the country in distress like Vagabonds, there is hundreds that would give skin of their backs to be back again and I may say thousands for a man cannot work here as he did in England in summer he is burnt nearly to death in winter froze to death. A Man that depends on common labour has no chance unless he be as hard has flint for most of them Die and if it was not for the English coming over to cultivate the ground America would become a total forest a gain very few of the Yankeys will do any thing but go a hunting they eat all sorts of animals and all sorts of birds but the Turkey bustard.
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Cows gives very little milk here and mostly ill tasted in summer and goes a long time dry I have never killed a pig yet but what has had 6 or 7 live snakes in their kidneys and sometimes more and the inside of a pig cannot be used at all We are tormented all summer with misquittoes bugs fleas rats snakes and grass hoppers and many toads. I have had Atkinson and is wife daughter and Bennington at our House last week they are coming back again Miclewood is too and many more I have not seen Clapham lately, Mother has been very sick they was obliged to cut her (indecipheral) and bowels and sow them up again and now is doing well, John Snowden and another young man with him came to our house on horse back they stayed a little while and went back again when they got on the road I suppose they rode very hard John’s horse took fright and the saddle turned round with him and drag’d him a long way I heard tell of it ran down to the road and found him dead too all appearances I went for a doctor and got him bled but still there was no hopes of life I sent for my horse and wagon and took him home he never spoke untill 7 o’clock on the next morning he was deranged for 2 or 3 days but as got better again. we had a very severe frost last spring which kill’d all my grass it was a loss of 400 dollars to me and it has been a very severe winter for it has destroy’d a great many things I could tell you a great deal more but have not room and I wish you to write too my sister at London for I think my letter as mist’d off going so write to her immediately and send this letter if you can to her and write to me directly do not send any thing to me yet. your brothers and sisters send their love to you and we wish to be remember’d to all inquiring friends and tell them never to leave Old England for it is the Garden of the World so no more at present from your affectionate Father and Mother.
Samuel M Varley
1835 April 16th
1839 letter
This letter is written on single, folded sheet: there are traces of a red seal
The letter is addressed to:
Mr Thomas Varley
Tadcaster, Yorkshire,
Old England.
The postmarks are:
LIVERPOOL SHIPLETTER
MAR 6 WALNUT HILLS
MAR 13 NEW YORK
PAID 25
Wallnut Hills March 5th, 1839
Dear Brother and sister
I now sit down to write to you at my mother’s request. The last letter we received was from my uncle Thomas dated Augst 12th 1837 in the letter my uncle said that he wrote part in a letter which you had sent before that time, but we have never received it. We have left Columbia and taken a farm of 50 Acres 3 miles from Cincinnati. The seasons are often unfavourable for Vines so that we think we can do as well and perhaps better on a farm. If we had a piece of land of our own we could do much better. Father thought of buying some land here but they ask 100 Dollars per acre for what we could buy at 6 or 7 when we first came here, so that we have some thoughts of going to Illinois. Everything is high. Potatoes are 1 Dollar per bushel. The price of a cow is now 30 dollars it was not long ago 10 Dol. Flour is 6 Dol 25 cents per barrel of 196 lbs. Beef 8 cents per pound. Sugar 10 cents per lb. Groceries have been high on account of the River being very low the steamboats could not come up. The River was froze over this winter. A very sad accident happened here last April. The steamer Moselle Bound for St Louis proceeded up the river for the purpose of taking a family on board she had scarcely started down again before the boilers burst and blowed the boat to pieces. She had on board 150 passengers about 75 were killed. Heads hands arms and legs flew about in every direction one man was blown ashore on the roof of a house and his mangled body was found in the inside. I was there a day or two after and saw part of a boiler nearly half the way up a high hill. I also saw the wreck of the boat. It is a common thing to hear of a Steamer being burst or sunk They run races and are so careless that there is no wonder. Father and me went down to Louisville soon after this happened to see Mr Atkinson he has a kitchen-garden about 2 miles from Louisville his son William is apprentice to a steam Engine maker. While I am set down writing to you Ellen is sitting at the other end of the table talking and laughing to me. Among other things she says I must tell you that Sarah cant get a husband here you must send her one. I expect you would not know Ellen she is 5 feet high She wants to know how Robert Snowden is and all her playmates. I wish you to tell me something about my old school-fellows. Tell me if they ever enquire about me Tell them If I could see them now I could tell them something. Pardon me if you think that I do not think about you and the rest of my Relations. I should like to see you all again. Mathew improves in every respect. We are all well I hope you are the same. I am almost afraid something is the matter for we have not heard from you for so long. Mother wishes to know how Aunt Henryhetta
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comes on. She would very much like to see you and Ann and little James again but is afraid she never will, she wants to know how many children you have and their names. when you write send us word about mother’s relations If you know anything about them. My Father is pretty well in health excepting he has the colic bad sometimes he would like very much to be with you all in England again. I give 19 Dollars for a Double barrel gun, one of the barrels burst soon after I bought it, fortunately without hurting me. Father has got a very handsome one which came from London we have a pointer Dog, so that we go ashooting sometimes. Rabbits, Partridges, and wild Ducks are the chief game about here. The Partridges are small. We have had very little snow this winter those that are fond of Sleigh-riding are very much disappointed. If it was to come a thick snow and you could be here you would be very much amused to see all the roads crowded with Sleighs some are beautifully made and painted some are merely two poles fastened together with a box on them such are used by the Hooshers as call they country people the horses that draw these sledges have a string of small round bells round their necks. The people scarcely use any waggons when their is Snow on the grounds. It is now the latter end of February and we do not expect to plant vegeatables before the latter end of April. They do not plant the Indian Corn before the middle of May. The gardeners make a good deal of money by growing Tomato’s or Love Apple I expect we shall grow a good many. I have not yet learnt to like them But I like pumkin pie I like the green ears of the Indian corn roasted or boiled. There is a wild fruit something like a plum about the size and shape of a goose egg which they call the Papaw I cannot endure them the Hogs will not eat them but the Americans ar fond of them Neither can I eat Bears Squirils Racoons or possums. I have seen Pumpkins 3 feet in diameter. We have got a cooking-stove we have it in the middle of the room in winter. John Clapham’s wife is dead he has married again. he drinks hard and is not doing very well. I believe I little more to say If I could see you
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I could tell you anything better. Excuse my letter if it does not answer your expectations. Plase to write soon. You must thank my mother for this letter for lately I have had no inclinations to write I hope to have the pleasure of hearing that you are doing well and shall conclude with my best wishes for your everlasting wellfare.
From Your Affectionate Brother
Ingram Varley
dear Brother and Sister,
I sit down to write to you once more to tell you that we have never heard of our sister Mary Ann and we fear that she his no longer in the land of the living I wish to know how Sarah Backhouse come on and pray give me some account of my playmates and tell little James that his aunt Sarah would be so glad to see him and to give apples and peaches to him When you write please sende direction weare to write to Aunt Sarah every thing is dear for them that is in the City but it is pritty good for farmes butter sells for 50 cents per pound egg 31 cents per dosen. we are all well at present. Mother dose not enjoy very good health but she is as well at present as usul I would verey much like to see you all agian but I fear that will never be unless you Consider to come to us but let us all prepare to meet in Heven whear parting will be no more give my good wishes to all my relations. If you can, give me some account of Mrs Swift. I conclude by wishes you all well.
I am your Affectionate Sister
Sarah Varley
Direct for us at the Wallnut Hills,
near Cincinnati
Ohio, North America
1843 letter
The letter is addressed to :
Mr Thomas Varley
Tadcaster
Yorkshire
England
The postmarks are
CINCINNAT O. JAN 21PAID 20
LIVERPOOL SHIP12 MAR 43
TADCASTER MR 13 1843
Cincinnati January th 23 1843
Dear Brother and Sister. I take up my pen to writ to you but I dont know ware to being(begin) I bilive you know of Ingrams Marrige he has one son Named Thomas Sister Mary Anns husband is dead and her yongest Child two years age this next March, she has three children and they are at Fathers while Mary has gone to the State of Mississippi with a Lady to be her housekeeper and overseer of her female Slaves it is two Months since she went but we have not had a letter from her yet. Mary lived at home from the time her Husband dide to last July but father got in one of (h)is mad fits and abuesed her most shamefully for takeing Mothers part as you know too well is the case but more pictarlar (particular) on my account (I tremble so wile I write it I am afrade you cant read it) I ofended him by refuseing to go with him any longer to Market you know what he is when he gets into company leveing (leaving) me in the wagon in the Street to take care of two horses and wagon and get home at dark and then praps receve blows in saveing my Mother from them and to finish I kept company with a young man he first invited to our house and that vexed him I left home without his knowing last July and have been erening (earning) my own living by my needle part of the time to morrow I am going to do housework I have been this last week home to see them, our Dear Mother is very poorly I wonder she (h)as stood it so long here and Ellen came with me across the fields yesterday and both wept at parting with me. O God wat a triel (trial) to me leave them, though Father is better just now.
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I could not be happy nether could I get any thing at home though to look at Fathers outward apparences they might think he was well off he rents a farm of eighty acers of land pays 205 dollars a year as got horses and cows pigs geese turkes and chicken a wagon and a one horse carri(a)ge and every farming utencle (utensil) nesery (necessary) but times is hard now and produce is very low the banks as(are) mostle broke that there is no dependence on paper money and silver is very scarce.
All Father children shares alike Ingram Mary and myself as left home through his cru(e)lty ther(e) is but poor Mother and Ellen and I expect Ellen to leave next, my letter will not be very agreeable to you but I am writing things as they are, please Dear Brother writ to me and tell us how you are it is Mothers request for me to write to you though dont think I forget you. I expect James can writ(e) better than me but I have not been to a writing sc(h)ool but one Month in my life. Mother sends her love her Prayers to all she wishes me to mention Aunt Heneretty and say that she often thinks of her and would like to see her and you all, I would like to know how the folks are in Tadcaster. I wish we could come and see but I suspose (suppose) I would not like to stay, give my Love to all enquiring friends uncles Aunts and to Cousins. Mary would like to know about Sarah Backhouse. I bilive (believe) I canot tell you much about the Contry but hard times a depressen (depression) in trade, two weeks ago we felt the shock of an earthquake.