This the fifth of a series of letters from early
Kinzer settlers in the mid 1800s.The persons identified have their ID
numbers in parenthesis and italicized. Kinzers are in bold print.
LETTER FROM JOHN KINZER, BEAVER DAM, TO SAMUEL LINN DECEMBER 29, 1845
Dear Brother & Sister.
I am verey happy that we are all in
the injoyment of health. We are rather to fleshey for comfort. Each waying
about two hundred waight. The rest of the family are all well . we have two
grandaughter that is living with us and a litle black child of 7 years of age
who is free. At 35 years of age if we should live, she wood be of service to us
in old age.
In your last letter you wished me to let you know how the friends
is in Lancaster County. That is the reason of my not writing sooner. We
expected some of them out here this faul but failed in coming. About two weeks
ago Alexander Bufington was to see us from Harrisburg Pennsylvania. He is
principal in keeping the Depo for the railway and ____ to pissburg. He makes
about one thousand dollars a year. He gets almost dayley hawes from friends in
the londonland. He toald us that his uncle John and family ware all well.
Your
sister Peggy Free and her son ___ and daughter has purchased James Kenneys farm
on the Strasburg road and left the ______ mill and moved to the farm and rented
the old lott a way. Your nephfew George Slaymaker has been verey unfortunate
in his marriage . She is a woman that has bean in a deranged state of mind from
a child. He new nothing of it til after he was married to her. He has had her
in Lancaster in the hospital likewise in Philadelphia in the hospital and got
same what benefited for a short time but is bad as ever she is a dangerous woman
when she gets in her crazes spells. She is a stant strong woman. At times it
taken two men to hold her in them spells. She would kill her own children her
husband or aneybodey that wood come in her way. I think she has five children.
I must quitt that subject.
Our soninlaw John Stoner intermarried with our
daughter Elizabeth. He has bean much afflicted by a shake of the palsey. Last
February he was deprived of speech and the use of his right side. He now has a
little use of his right leg with a cruch. He can move a little through the
house. He use of his right arm.
If we all live til July or August we intend to
visit the hott springs in Virginie. Two years ago I was at the springs for the
rheumatism. I remaind one week bathing onste every day. I have not had any
return of the comfort since.
I also seen a gentleman from the cittey of mobeal
State of Alabama who come there on two crouches. He was quite as ill off with
the palsey affliction as John Stoner and by bathing onste every day for twenty
days he left without the use of a cain. He had bean fatter man four years from
his afflection til he tended to the Springs. There was an old ladey from
Richmond who was five years that she had not walked one step with the rheumatic
affliction. Could not turn herself in bead, haubled up with her nees and head
together and by bathing every day for two week could walk through the house
quite erect and free
I will gave you some home news from Lancaster county. Last
spring was a year Henry Slaymaker son of old cousin John Slaymaker departed this
life leaving a widow and family of children. Polley his sister is still living
and his(her) sister Susan is stil head of her family. Daniel Slaymaker is no
more Captain Bill and his sister Elizabeth Free are still in the land of the
living. There is many changes in that countrey so few of the old stock.
Now to
the ___ brother Alexnder Slaymaker is in the State of Ohio in the Hillsborough
of tiffon Senasa County living with his son William. He has all his family
there but son Henry is in Lancaster county a Sadler by trade. Mary Ann
Slaymaker and her sister Catherine are boath living in the state of illonise in
a town cald Albany. They live __ miles on this side of the led mines boath
married. There is but one daughter at hoam by name Lavenia.
Dear friends I hop
that these few lines may find you all injoying good health. There is many
acumnace(?) if we were present with others. That wood help the time away very
plesant but I suppose that is not to bee expected. At this late day with either
of us the time here is two far advanced. I will close.
From your – ever
wellwishing friend
John Kinzer
Anney ____ me in our best
wishes to you here and here and here after including all the family. J.K.
The envelope was addressed to: Mr Samuel Linn,
Hillsbor, Ohio
Date of the letter was December 29, 1845
This letter was transcribed by Larry Kinzer on Feb. 6, 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.
|
