Name/Title
Dec 29, 1846 letter to Ebenezer Bull from Phebe MooreEntry/Object ID
000230Tags
Ebenezer Bull, Phebe MooreSubject
Batavia Dec. 29th 1846
To Cousins Ebenezer & Jane
Dear & much esteemed friends I have been waiting to have something interesting to write to you, but now conclude, it is useless to wait longer & shall proceed to give you a history of "every day occurrences" here in the "Far West" & write to Mary & David so often that I expect you are acquainted, through them with our situation here & many other particulars which I shall omit. First I will premise, that it is raining today-the first we have had since the 6th - Have had three snows, neither sufficient to cover the ground entirely or to make sleighing - It has been altogether the most pleasant fall & winter I ever saw-just cold enough to prevent mud, but not sharp enough to freeze one's nose off - Christmas was a remarkably clear, warm & fine day - No snow to be seen - We were invited to dine on turkey at Mr. Oliver Bristols (the fanning-mill maker) & spent the day very agreeably in company with two other gentle- men & their wives - We returned in the evening to singing-school at the Church - A week ago last Saturday we started in a one horse wagon, or as the Hoosiers would say "hoss & buggy" for Mrs. Enayrs 8 miles west of Chicago & about 25 from this place - We staid there till Monday A.M. then went to Chicago - Staid over night- visited a little, & went to dine with Seely Ketchum & his wife formerly Mary Brown of Chester - They live one mile from Chicago on the great road west, she sells milk in the city - We then came back to Sayre's, staid all night & next day (Wed.) returned home - Mrs. & her family have been sick a good deal this fall but were quite well when we were there - Mrs. is a very agreeable woman & they have two pretty little girls - They live on a prairie farm - have a comfortable frame house, milked 19 cows last summer & 9 this winter - make cheese & butter-their fresh butter made in rolls, brings 14 cts per lb. a great price for this country-They churn altogether in a stone churn that holds about two pails full-the largest one I have seen in this state. What would Hannah & Ann think of sitting down to churn for 19 cows - The land about there is so level that they can see Chicago 8 miles distant - I don't like it so well as Fox river - When we were coming from Chicago on the turn-pike we met so many teams that I thought I would count them - We had rode 3 miles before I thought of it then there was just 8 miles between two taverns & in that distance I counted 30 loaded wagons & three one horse wagons - You have no doubt but in the first five miles we met 100 - I never saw anything in Old Orange like it-& yet the Chicago people were complaining of slack times, no business &c - Bass & Mc Cord has a fine store there- Sportsmen have a "Right Smart Chance" here now-plenty of deer & prairie chickens, with a sporadic wolf now & then- A few mornings since 5 deer were seen by the river a few hundred rods below the village - Wood choppers often take their guns with them into the "Big Woods" adjacent to this place, but see many more than they kill generally - It is no uncommon thing to see from one to three hundred prairie hens in flocks by the roadside, & so bold that they will not leave the fence as you pass - Quails will scarcely get out of the wagon track for you & rabbits are plenty. On Christmas day a large drove of cattle passed-bound for western N. York - may probably reach Hamptonburgh if they live long enough. We have an air-tight stove in our room (which is not air-tight) that takes so little wood, that although we have kept a steady fire since the middle of Oct. we have not yet burned a cord of wood, only about 3/4 of a cord-Can you beat that? Land has fallen from one half to one third since last spring about here - Mr. Moore wishes you would take Newton of it-as he is still bound eastward or has he given it up? He has not written to us yet. I hear that Martha G. has married since the expectation of coming this way, and others talking of it - Well! tell them to come on - Tell Thomas E. that Batavia is as he left it, except there is less shaking & more working - My health has been better for a month past than at any time since I left N. - Amos is quite well & begs to be remembered to you & all inquiring friends- It seems scarcely possible, that it is nearly 8 months since I left you all How fast time passes - I should like to be within visiting distance but as I have here a snug home, everything comfortable and pleasant, I am content - Amos saw a man from near Ithaca, who said you had visited him last fall-Now when you start again do not stop short of Ill. - I suppose you can soon come by railroad-They are now surveying a route from Chicago to Galena, passing near this place - They report 20 or 30 miles due west from there without any embankment or with a raise of more than 20 ft. per mile &c - They are also talking of extending the Telegraph to the Mississippi river - Do write to us - My kindest regards to your family & c?
With sincere gratitude, for the many favors bestowed & the oft repeated kindnesses shown to me and mine, for which, May God reward you - I subscribe myself with respect & esteem
Your friend & Cousin P. MooreRelationships
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Ebenezer Bull, Phebe Moore
