File: 1831-10 Schoonover, Mary to John Deeds.wpd
Written on the Address page:
Dec 20 1826
Sept 30 1827
Commenced apprentice 1825
Addressed to John Deeds, Pennsylvania State, Butler County, Portersville Post Office. The "postmark" is Lithopolis, Ohio. Mary states that her grandfather and grandmother have been to see her and John, and in the same sentence she mentions her father. Her father is Philip Deeds. Her grandfather and grandmother are probably Philips parents. I have not identified these, but the Deeds Genealogy (Book 1) identifies a John Deeds, born about 1750. See her letter of August, 1831. (PS 1999)
October 9th
Fifth of October
Dear Mother
I embrace this opportunity to let you know how we all are at present.. We have been considerable sick but we are better. John has been sick and some of the children, but he is pretty smart at present. Me and Margaret is the poorest. At present I am so [I] can be about. We had a young son born on the nineteenth of September last, and we call his name Hiram, and Margaret was one year old the last day of August. Dear Brother, you wonder why I dont write oftener to you and more, and if you had as many children and as much [to do] you would never even send once.
We received your letter dated July 14 in a few day after the date, and we would have wrote [?] again, but I was glad to hear from you all, and I am glad to hear that you set so much store by your wife, and I hope you always will treat each other as man and wife.
Grandfather and grandmother has been to see us, and grandfather is very sorry that father wont come and see him. We receive your letter dated the eighteen of September and we receive it on the twenty eight of the same, and I understand that mother wants to come and live with me, but we cant come after her [because] we have met with a great deal of bad luck. We have lost a horse since harvest, and his mare is with foal and he has been disappointed in getting money and it is impossible for him to come all the way. But you must not be discouraged in coming, for we have plenty to eat and plenty of wool and flax, and I want you to come if you can any way at all.
We have gained a good deal since we have been married, and if you will come you must come to Fairfield and from there to Hanover and from there to [?] and from there to Waynesburg and from there to Sandyville and from there to Bolivar, and there you can get in a boat and come to Newark, which will be on the canal. Better than eighty miles you can come on the water, and then you will be about thirty-two miles from where we live in Franklin County and Madison Township on Walnut Creek, not far from a town called Middle town. And if you come afoot you had better come on the canal. The people goes from where we live to Newark for salt and if you make inquiry maybe you will get in a wagon that will come in our neighborhood, and if not we live one quarter of a mile off the canal.
Brother John, I wish you would help mother to the canal if you can. You will find brethren most all the way if you inquire. Our circumstances wont admit us coming after her but she need not be discouraged in coming for she may see more comfort then she has seen for many year if she will be contented.
Brother, I wish you would come and see me next summer. If you can, I have always plenty but [am] confined at home. We sell several hundred bushel of grain every year and we have considerable [?] of hogs and sheep, cow and mare and all. We want you to write whether mother is going to come or not. We are sorry that we cant come after her.
We remain an affect[ionate] brother and sister
John and Mary Schoonover to John Deeds.
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