Letter from Joseph Cahoon to J.B. and D.K. Cahoon still chastising the recipients for not responding to previous letters. He is also remarking that he had to sell all of his sheep to repay a debt that they had caused by not performing a task as Joseph had directed, possibly the construction of a new dam at the grist mill. He says he is too incapacitated to do what needs to be done by himself, and is asking them and Amos and Franklin to come home and assist.
He closes by telling the children all the other family members are well at present, and he will always remain their parent.
Dover August 20th 1836
Dear Children
I reced, yours of the 7 on the 14th, with a request to write soon which I should have done as a suplement to my other letter it had been so long on the account of having no answer from three letters I sent to you and Danls letter informed me that you was to write soon I waited as long as I dare too. Franklin said Father why do you not write to Joel how things are for you are not able to repair them. I told him I was waiting an answer from you before I knew what to write when I did write I had so many things to inform you of that it all consisted of forks? and Best few reasons given why they were so One ifneeblse? ...son is that when I build the sawmill and before I begun to fail as to bodyly strength and when I built the grist mill it laid me up so that I am again a year & a half I was not so able to doe any thing as I now am and always in want for capital that things have not been done as they ought to have been done beside both of them when partly done left me in debt so that I had to make the profit pay my debts and was so crouded on the saw mill that I had to sell all my sheep to make payment and go and take a flock to keep on shares by those measures I have got my wool and with buying a few have a flock of my own between 20 and thirty: In building our dam we built on where the old dam was built because it was shorter and part built not thinkin but it would set back farther then it did nor never realised that when the whole water in the streem in a freshet came that he could add one third to it by starting his mill and if He affect I told you of in my other letter
[p. 2]
The mills I let out in the winter to Benjamin and the man that lived in the house and as the fall water had considerably engened us keep them in repairs from the first of Janry until the first of April and give me one fourth and on the account of the breach in the dam on the first April they they occupied them until some time in May on the same conditions Benjamin took the winter to marry wife and did little with the mills his partner being a poor tool neither in the fore part of winter or spring took no pains against frosts in winter and waited for them to though out in the spring, other mills run weeks before ours meanwhile I repaired the breach in the dam which I had hardly got done until the next freshet came and married away my nephew and made the da.. ..nd bank of the race worse then before as... ...you in my other letter. On the account of men having loggs at the mill and barns to cover I got them to assist me in commanding the water and we sawed more after the first of June then was sawed all the winter and spring so that I learned that we could easyly saw one hundred thousand in a season which would giving the tender one half meet us $125 year and $25 would make all the repairs saw from wood and dirt and the grist mill would would doe the same if put in repair which might be done say $150 so that they would keep their standing stock the old place with sheep they do the best here of any place known I sheered from one land or yearling sheep: 5 lbs wool say begin with 100 which has always with their lambs paid all expence and meeted me more then one dollar per year the sheep would ??? the land for grain easy $100 more and keep stock for families use things in order with your and my attendance would would meet us $500
[p. 3]
But things so oul as repair that we cannot ??? nothing and long before your return I fear I live till that time I shall be worne out & disconafe and leave to go to vain? we could have help to put things in order I believe Franklin would take the Mills and would deo the best with them of any one that could come into them but he nor myself are able to do it and when I have a life lease my life is so uncertain that no one is willing to pay out anything upon uncertainties and I keep... ...alone and in no way of Boarding help if I have it so you must see that I am every way enrap??? to do anything without help and want your advice what to doe after all I think if I had one hund dollars dollars to start upon if it took $200 if people saw it was going an I could obtain it with some help form Amos and Franklin. If you could come home and see and have ??? for your reception it would be agreeable but if you cannot or must give directions what must be done I have give you a true statement of things and is not my interest I have but yours you must see for I am blamed by connections here that I doe not leave if for I have property enough for my short ??? in life without it our friend are all well as present and I can say no more but remain your affected and ever loving parent until death Joseph Cahoon
Mr. Joel B. Cahoon
Addressed on letter to:
Dover O. 1834
Aug 21
Mr. Joel B Cahoon Cold Spring
Washington Co.
Md
