| This the eleventh of a series of letters from early Kinzer settlers in Ohio in the mid 1800s.The persons identified have their ID numbers in parenthesis and italicized. Kinzers are in bold print.
LETTER TO SAMUEL LINN
FROM JOHN D. McILVAINE
IN GALENA, IlLINOIS
JUNE 16, 1851
Dear Friend
I am happy to acknowledge the receipt
of your kind letter of May 20th. It afforded us a great pleasure to
hear from our old and much esteem friends. Although we have never had the
pleasure of seeing you or Ann. This gratification of receiving a letter, until
the present.
My simpathyse with the family & friends in the life of Ann &
cousin Sa__ We are extremely sorry owing to the very wet & unfavourable weather
which we have had this summer. The friends were unable to get this far, (& we
suppose this letter being mailed at Oswigo) that they have perhaps turned back
__ this as it is almost imposible to get about the country.
All the streams &
sloughs are full of water. It is the most unfavourable time we have ever had to
look at our country. At the same time when folks want to examine the country
this is a favorable season to see the worst and most unfavorable situation of
inundated land. I am only sorry tho friends was unable to come and see us. It
would have afforded us a great pleasure to hear ___ them the country, or if any
of the friends should find time to pay us a visit we will do all in our power to
have them see the country. It suits us ___ & we think it ought to suit any
one.
Sister Jane (James Slaymaker widow) is head of family. They like the
country much I think. It will ___ ____. I lay by my letter & _____ sending it
until snow hoping to give you some more news.
I ___ _____ a particular friend
of sister Lavinia has been spending the past week with us, in company with a Mr.
Wo___. The(y) are ___ from Lancaster Co and are much pleased with our country.
They start this day back with the intention of having their friends arrange
matters for moving next spring. I am in hopes some of the friends will come out
they cannot help liking the county & the facilities for farming on small ____
are much better than in the east. They left the friends all well. My family
are all well. Mary Ann (Mrs _uik) & family are well.
We all join in sending
our Love to all the friends. John Linn Slaymaker lives in Galena has a fine
family his two oldest daughters are with us now on a visit, both fine girls they
__ all well a few days since. William Alexander Slaymaker is near St. Louis.
Has not been up to see us lately, was well last account.
Dear Uncle on receipt
of this give us all the news & when the young folks think of coming West. They
must try and get as far as Albany. We will try & entertain them & show them our
country. ___ & John (____ H. Slaymaakers oldest sons) are living with us. I
hope you will excuse this scrawl__. I will write you more news next time.
Yours Truly
John D. McIlvaine
The envelope was addressed to : Mr Samuel Linn
Hillsboro
Highland Co
Ohio
Date of the letter was June 16, 1851.
This letter was transcribed by Larry Kinzer on Feb. 9, 2007
in Bradenton, FL. The copy of the original letter was acquired through the
Lancaster County Historical Society. The letter is part of the Samuel Slaymaker
II, White Chimneys Collection, MG-268 Series 2, Box 7.
|
