Joseph and Sarah Gibbons 1805 OH Letter
I have a letter from Belmont county Ohio 1805 from Joseph and Sarah Gibbons to Nathan Sharples PA.They moved from Chester PA and it tells a great story of pioneer life but could be a great reference for family history.You could save the images from the auction for reference even if you are not interested in the letter.This is not an advertisement I just wanted to get the information from this letter out the the Gibbons family.I could not imagine life in a 17ft cabin!This is the item number 200387691047.
I transcribed most of the contents................................Dated 11mos 24th 1805 "Dear aunt the vast mountains & majestic rivers separate us yet thee often feels very near, thy motherly care & tender solicitude on my account, I hope & believe it is impossible I shall ever forget of all the friends + relations we have left behind, none wou'd be more acceptable to us than Uncle Nathan & Aunt Rachel.I often think how rejoiced I should be to see you riding up to our stump, (not horseblock) to alight with what pleasure we shou'd run out to meet & conduct you into our porr Cabin, but stay, not so poor niether, we have now got 2 windows 6 lights each, fix'd in the logs, & when our house is brush'd up things put to rights & we can sit down quietly on a first day afternoon by a good large fire, thee can't think how comfortable we feel - quite as much so as ever we did in a more spacious dwelling, we are also sometimes favour'd with the company of very agreable friends, such as Jonathan & Ann Taylor - Samuel & Mary (not sure Potts or Otto) & others which I have no doubt but thee wou'd love upon acquaintance but all this dont make us forget our Chester County friends & among other things I often remember that I ahve never receiv'd a line from one of them except sister Rachel since I left there -- dear aunt I shou'd be very glad thee wou'd write it wou'd be a great satisfaction to know how you are.With respect to the situation of our family we all have very good appetites & very good health altho I am almost daily complaining, having a great deal to do & no help it being my own choice as we seem too much crowded to have the addition of a girl & have been trying hard to get another cabin put up ajoining the one we live in this fall but after hauling logs & some stone to wall the cellar & going to some expense & a good deal of labour I believe we shale have to relinquish the plan as the weather is getting cold and frosty the mortar will not stick & the days so short that workmen cou'd do but little -- & tho our cabins would make but a despicable figure in the great valley yet I find it requires much more time & labour than I had any idea to build one _ the thoughts of ***** the winter in a room of 17 feet square situated as we are has been somewhat trying especially to my dear companion but as he has used his utmost endevours to make things more accomadating & numberless?? kindness of one kind or another has failed in the attempt I shou'd wish him to make his mind quite easy as there is no doubt but many have been as bad or worse fix'd than we shall be, and yet got through tolerably well.As i have but little time to write, may just tell thee that we are in a very plentiful country for provisions so that there is no danger of our suffering for want in that way (goes on to give numbers of wheat rye eggs ect)plenty of the finest vegitables I have seen notwithstanding the dryness of the season cabbage potatoes beets & turnips in the greatest perfection & very cheap, we had a raddish on the table a few days ago that weigh'd 2 pounds entirely solid sweet & very good, we have 4 or 5 acres of fine turnips as its quite time I was getting supper must conclude with abundance of love to you all & remain thy affectionate neice S Gibbons
Rachel Sharples
I had like to have forgot to tell thee that we have had the company of Ann Miflin & Mary Harper at several meetings lately, they are now gone on towards Redstone quarter ---- fathers family are in tolerable health."