Letter 24
farm economics
N. L. Look to Charles F. Lincoln Fincastle, Jan 8th, 1852.
Dear Brother Charles,
Supposing a few lines from us would not be uninteresting to you I have taken my seat to write you, while Sarah is writing to the Memorandum Society at South Hadley. [Mt. Holyoke Seminary] We have had more rain, snow and cold by far than any winter since I have been in Virginia, and winter has only just commenced. What there is in store for us I don’t know, but fear we shall think ourselves in Siberia before spring.
There were more hogs passed here than did last year and enough staid with us to eat 450 bus. corn at 75 cts. per bush., which is all I have sold. The remainder is all in the barn but not shucked. The cornhouse is nearly finished, and would have been quite, but I had not nails enough by a pound or two. Mr. Myers left for the day, there came a snow and he has not been here since. Mr. Cales commenced hewing timber for a smoke-house soon after you left, hewed nearly enough, and I have not seen him since, and so it goes.
When Mr. Breeding (the man that staid with a drove of cattle) returned I traded Coly for a four year old bay mare and gave him $25. to boot. She is about as tall as Morgan, not as heavy, and travels like a fox. Rode finely but had never been harnassed. I have harnassed her two or three times lately, she does well, but I should think has too much life for slow work. When I parted with the little horse I intended two should do my work this winter, but there came a heavy snow which made the land so soft I could not get the corn cut fast enough for the hogs. So I borrowed an old mare and colt from Mr. Hadley and after working her three or four days they were all taken down with the horse distemper. So I had to keep her three weeks for fear of spreading the disease and hire horses to work. My horses being sick is the only excuse I have for not having my corn in long ago. I think there will be quite as much as we calculated when you left. I killed the hogs a little before Christmas, the six averaged 233 lbs., the heaviest 258. The fodder is disappearing rapidly this cold weather. I am very much afraid of coming short in the spring, in which case I shall have to use more corn which will not be worth more than 50 cts. per bush.
We have none of the servants we had last year. I hired a man from Mr. Bowyer for $80., I think quite as good as Nelson and much more able. The boys 13 or 14 years old at $15 and $20. They are both real smart and know how to milk. Two women at $25. and $30., one of them we do not get until April or May. I have agreed with Mr. Camper to build a carryall for $100.
Now please let us know what you have been doing since you reached home. Have you learned to make brooms? Do you make any progress in obtaining that recipe for making cheese? I hope you will write to us soon so we can write to you again to bring some articles from N.Y. Laura talks a great deal about Damma and Tarles. I guess she will chatter when she sees you again. When she enquries for you Sarah tells her you will come next spring. She says, “No, come pretty soon”. Give my love to Mother and all the brothers and sisters, and believe I remain Yours &c. N.L. Look.
P.S. Tell me what you have learned about the price broom handles, twine or wire, making, etc.
Loomis.
Sarah A. B. Look to Mrs. Laura Lincoln and sisters - in letter from N. L. Look to Chas. F. Lincoln
Tuesday Morning.
Dear Mother and Sisters,
I could not [let] Charles’ letter go without enclosing a line to thank you for the beautiful present contained in the leaf. I think the likeness a very good one, of one of the parties at least. She must have grown since I have seen her or else the dress makes her look large. Judging from it I should think she would do to stand beside me now. I have not written to her but intend to in the course of the week. The okra [?] was delicious though I have one very serious fault to find with it - there was not half enough of it.
I commenced braiding the leaf yesterday and braided 3 hats, two men’s and one boy’s. It wore the skin off my thumb though and made my hand and wrist so lame I thought I would have holiday today and write letters. A week ago I received a letter from my Holyoke roommate, now Mrs. Jones, which I intend answering today. She was married a few months after I was, but is now a widow with one little one to take care of. She is living with her father at West Land Lake, N.Y.
We received a visit a few days ago from the Rev. Mr. Baker of the Episcopal Church. He is the only minister who has ever called on us since our residence in Va. He boards at Buchanan and preaches there and at Fincastle on alternate Sabbaths. The ladies of the Episcopal Church held a supper New Year’s to raise funds for repairing their church. They cleared about a hundred dollars, which with some six hundred subscribed before I hope will make it look better than it does now at any rate. I was glad that you succeeded so well with your Fair and realized so much from it. And I suppose by the time I go home again you will have a new church, unless it is so many years first it will have grown old again and by that time I shall have grown old too. I have not been to church for several Sabbaths. The roads are so bad and I don’t expect to go much more until they are settled in the spring. I wish I lived as near as Olivia does. It is clouding up and looks like snow. It will be really pleasant to see the sun shine again two days at a time I know.
There is a general complaint of bad colds all about now, Laura and myself among the rest. Laura is very fond of being out of doors and let it be ever so cold she cares no more for it than a little polar bear. She was very much pleased with Aunt Ellen’s letter and talks a great deal about going to see her little cousins. She says Cousin Ann will beat her learning her letters. She knows a good many of them and would soon learn them all if we took more pains to teach her. She wants I should tell Ann she is a good girl when she isn’t sick. Is Mrs. Blanchard in Petersham yet? If you ever see her give her my best love and tell her I think of her as often as I do of any of my far distant friends and hope I shall some time have the pleasure of meeting her again. Also remember me particularly to Emeline Fales, Ellen and Susan Gower and tell them I wish they would all write to me. Tell Mother Mrs. Bowyer always inquires for her whenever she sees me. One of her daughters is to be married before long. Write soon and tell me particularly about all the friends. Kiss the dear little ones for me. I am very sorry you could not get their likenesses to send us. I hope you can get them against I want some more leaf or when Charles goes home, though when that will be is more than I know.
With much love to you all I remain as ever your affn. sister, Sarah.
Letter 26
broomcorn & Making hats
Sarah A. B. Look to Mrs. Laura Lincoln
Summer Hill April 13, 1852
Dear Mother, Brothers and Sisters
Another rainy Sabbath keeps us all at home, which has become so much a matter of course that we have got quite used to it. I have not been to church since Charles came - he has been three times, I believe, but caught in the rain twice. So much rainy, unpleasant weather as we have had is not often seen in one spring. Farmers have hardly had a chance to plow more than a day or a day and a half at a time throughout the season. You will recollect, Mother, Loomis had just commenced planting when you came a year ago. His ground is not plowed yet this year for corn or broomcorn, and when it will be warm enough to plant goodness knows. We have done a little gardening though and the onions, beets, peas, lettuce are looking quite grown. Our garden is a stumpy, rooty affair. We have a fine view of it from the dining room window, can’t you see it, Mother? It looks some different from what it did last year, for besides the space cleared for the garden for some distance beyond the corn house and horse stable clear down to the road the trees have mostly been cut down. We have a meat house and well house now in addition to the other building on the hill. The meat house is but a few steps from the kitchen door. The well house is not finished as the Captain has not yet got a pump. Isn’t it too bad? He wants Loomis should get one now - which he will do as soon as he has the money to pay for it - and charge it to the Captain. You wanted I should tell you all about things here, Mother, so I have written this and now wouldn’t you be glad to know that I have two barrels of elegant scap, so I hope to have none to buy this year, though if Sally and Rose were here to do the washing I should have some fears of it. The other girl that we hired has not come yet, but her master told Mr. Look yesterday that he would send her Saturday. We needed her very much last week for Caroline was nearly laid up with the rheumatism. She kept about through all but one day, when I did the work and at night you could have hardly told which was the lamest she or myself. I have done so little housework this spring, about half a day’s work nearly lays me up with lameness. I should have had the work to have done though lame or no lame if it had been Rose or Sally for neither of them would have stirred from their cabin if they had been as lame and nearly sick as Caroline was. Her master did not speak too highly of her when he said she was a good disposed girl and willing to do what she could.
Charles commenced making cheese the last day of March. The first weighed eight pounds. They are now milking 14 cows and make about 30 pounds. They turned the cows out yesterday for the first time but are still feeding them a little meal. Loomis would have been glad to have kept them up longer, if he had had food, so the grass could have got a better start. They expect to get 18 more in May when we shall have 40. Did we tell you, Mother, in our last letter that Loomis had traded away my buggy for a horse? It was the day after Charles came. They valued the buggy and harness at $75. and Charles sold them 50 hats besides in the way of boot. He has since bought the horse from Loomis and now considers himself the owner of a horse, saddle and bridle, like any other Virginia Gentleman. Loomis carried our hats to Fincastle last week so you may consider that silk dress paid for. I have braided all the No. 4 leaf even to that brittle one that you laid away last summer, it made three boy’s hats with the help of some pieces. I believe all of the leaf made about 1509 hats, boy’s and men’s 98 went to Fincastle. He met some Newcastle merchants and showed them the hats and they said they should like two or three dozen and Loomis thinks he will go up tomorrow with some if it is too wet to plow. I shan’t have more than a dozen and a half left and Charles between 20 and 30, all of which I presume we shall dispose of in the course of the summer. Loomis will get Mr. Breckenridge’s buggy and carry me to Fincastle some day this week, I should have gone last but the merchant who took the most hats besides Hannah & Patton had not received his new goods. I would have liked to have gone before sending you this letter so that I could have told you what fine things I bought. But if I get anything very beautiful I will send you specimens the next time I write.
Lucius, how are you coming on farming, for I believe you have the farm on your hands again? Judging from the weather we have here I expect your corn is not up yet. Charles told me that you were so frozen up last winter that you did not get much sawing done, so I suppose your mill is keeping you pretty busy yet. Why don’t you write to us? You are the most unsocial brother I ever saw, you never write to us or send us one word about anything. Better write to us than Sally Tickle, you will be a great deal more apt to get an answer. But see here, if you have any idea who she is, just write to her in her right name as a gentleman should - that is the way to do things in my opinion.
And so, Janette, you have got a beau visiting you and writing letters? Well I don’t care any more than I should if it wasn’t any of my business, if he is only a good one, and so you have my consent to be married as soon as he asks you. Though if you don’t set the day for nine or ten years I shall be more apt to come home for the wedding, if I live. How is Aunt Prudy? What kind of hats are you braiding, Mother? Are you going to make any cheese this summer?
Wednesday Morning in: After raining most of the time since Sunday it has partially cleared off, or the sun is trying right hard to get out, but it is almost as cold as winter. Loomis went to Newcastle with two dozen hats Monday and Charles and I have but three dozen left between us. Aren’t you glad? Laura is well and would have answered Grandma’s letter in this but she has not time this morning. She is busy from one end of the day to the other. Charles and Loomis send love to you all. Write soon. Your afftn. daughter and sister, Sarah.
Letter 27
Making cheese
Charles F. Lincoln to Mrs. Laura Lincoln.
Fincastle, Aug. 22, 1852
Dear Mother, Brothers and Sisters,
We received your letter last week and were right glad to hear that you were all well. Sarah says I must write this time but I dread it for you know how I hate to write letters. I suppose you want to know how we are getting along with the dairy. We have been milking 37 cows until lately we turned out five of them to fatten. About two months of the best of the season we made some 60 lbs. per day. We are making only 40 lbs. now. We have sold between 3 and 4,000, Loomis has carried two loads to Salem and Christiansburg and one to the Springs and Lewisburg. He will go one way or the other again in a week or two. He has gotten 10 cts. a pound for it besides his expenses. We are not making near as much as we expected in the spring on account of the summer being so dry and the spring so cold and backward. Loomis missed it that he didn’t settle farther west into Monroe or Greenbrier. I believe it is the best grazing country in the U.S. I went over there the first of May and bought 12 cows, which made me right sick of our land here. I think we could make twice as much cheese as we do here from the same number of cows. I saw some of the finest cattle there I ever saw in my life. Now what you all think if you had 8,000 acres of such land, well fenced and well stocked with fine cattle and nothing to do but take care of them? There are several there that do own as much. One by the name of Andrew Burns who sold a few weeks since 400 fat cattle with the privilege of putting in 100 more if he wanted to.
We planted 14 acres of broomcorn. Some of it looks very well. I bought a half a bushel of seed in N.Y. but it did not come up, so we had to pick up seed about here and plant it over again. It is very late but I hope it will make a good crop yet, and I think it will if the frost holds off long enough. The wheat crop was very good, much better than was expected in the spring. Corn is going to be rather light unless the cars fill out much better than is expected now.
The Springs are very well patronized this season. There are 600 people at the White Sulphur and as many as they can accommodate at all the others. They have to pay $12. a week at the W.S. and $10. at the others for board, besides a good many other small bills to pay, such as paying servants to wait upon them at table and their liquor bills etc. There was a man robbed of $2,900 at the Sweet Springs last week. I don’t know whether he has found out who did it or not.
I am sorry to hear that they are troubling you about that tax yet. Perhaps I had ought to have gotten it abated before I came here, but I supposed their word was good enough so I did not trouble myself about it. Lucius, I am going to authorize you to settle it and you had better see Mr. Willard and see what he says about it now: he may have altered his mind about it, but he told me in the winter that I was not taxable there and should not have it to pay. I will write it down on a separate piece of paper so if it should be necessary you can show it. Don’t pay it unless it is a legal tax, if it costs the whole amount of the tax to get rid of it. I told Mr. Bike he must pay the taxes on land if he had it for $8. a year. I wish you would tell him about it and if he doesn’t pay it I wish you would and make an account of it and other charges you may have against me and I will settle with you.
Janette, when is that wedding coming off? How I wish I was going to be there, but it is vain to think of it for it seems but a little while since I was there. Do you play on that instrument every day now or is your time all taken up getting ready to be married? Now don’t get married and settle down and not come south to see us, but start and come at once, it is just a pretty ride and it will not take you long either. Please remember it. With much love to all,
Charles F. Lincoln
From Sarah A. B. Look
Dear Mother and Sisters,
I thank you very much for your kind sympathizing letter, which we received in due season, and was glad to hear that you were all well. Mother, I conclude you and Janette must be very busy sewing, but I don’t believe you can be much more so than I am, and I don’t know when I shall ever get done. I was obliged to hire all the servants summer clothes made and a couple of shirts for Loomis and now I have half a dozen to make for him and Charles, besides various little jobs, and by that time it will be time to make their winter clothes.
We should be very happy to come home in Oct. but as we can not Janette, give our compliments to that young gentleman of yours and tell him we should be very happy to have him bring his lady here on a bridal tour. Mother, it is said that Miss Mary Breckenridge and Dr. Woodville are to be married in Sept. We called there day before yesterday and old Mrs. Gilmer and Mrs. B. inquired when we had heard from you and about your health.
Olivia, I do hope the Dr. will realize his anticipations with regard to his invention, so that we may hope to see you in Va., if for no other reason. And I think if you were to come you would find that the slaves are not as miserable as you seem to think. Now I think slavery is morally wrong as much as you do, but we are obliged to hire slaves for there is no dependence to be placed in free colored help or poor white men either. For they will not work more than enough to get a little corn bread to eat and the cheapest of clothes to wear and some of them will hardly do that, preferring to get a living by stealing as our hen-house bears conclusive evidence, for it was broken open not long ago (we always keep it locked) and fifteen as fine chickens as you ever saw taken out. As a general thing the slaves are better fed and clothed than the free blacks - in this neighborhood I mean. And there is no excuse for their destitution but their laziness for there is plenty of work to be had as Loomis and Charles can testify from the many hard days work they have done in the boiling sun, and which they would not have done had they not been so often disappointed by these same idle fellows who had promised time after time to come and work, and if they did come would not stay more than a day at a time and once or twice they cleared out after half a day’s work. And in a few days perhaps they would come at ten o’clock in the morning to borrow a little meal for their breakfast.
Lucius, I should like to have you get me some good leaf of Sawtell & Zolman if they have it. People here want cheaper hats, so I will have you get No. 2 and 3. 50 of each if they are not very large, if they are you need not get more than 75 of both. Send them to N. L. Look, Fincastle, Va. , care of R. C.Gwathmay and Co., Richmond. I would send you the money but we have nothing but Penn. and North Carolina notes and if you can get rid of them there I will send it the next time I write if you wish it. If not please keep an account of it and we will settle it some time. And I will say the same to you, Mother, in regard to the interest on your note. Much love to you all, including that new brother that is to be, from you afftc. Sarah.
White Sulfur Springs
..
Letter 28
janette's wedding to george holmes without them
Summer Hill near Fincastle, Sat. Oct. 16, 1852.
My dear Mother and Sisters,
I had my wish last night for once in my life for the servant brought from the P.O. your letter. But I am so sorry it didn’t come sooner for now the combined efforts of horse, railroads and steamboats could not bay any possibility land us in Petersham by 9 o’clock next Wednesday morning, so I trust you will none of you be so much disappointed at not seeing us as to mar your pleasure at the wedding. But I will assure you nothing could give each of us greater pleasure than to be with you. As we can not imagination must supply the place of reality, so I shall picture to myself the probable good looks of the bridegroom, the modest confusion of the beautiful bride, the Boston Beau and the unpretending bridesmaid, the Uncles, Aunts, Cousins, &c. O dear, the picture is too imperfect, I can’t see it a bit good, so some of you who do must write me straightway all about it. Charles says I must tell you his Lady is in Mass. and it will be your fault if she is not at the wedding. I think Janette’s dress is very pretty. What was it a yard? I am glad she is going to have so pleasant a house and so may pretty things in it, but do tell her if she is going to have her kitchen carpeted not to let her servant tip over from ten to fifteen gallons of tallow on it, for it might grease it a little.
I am writing this so badly I am afraid you can hardly read it.
Olivia, how I want to see your little ones. Does Luan have her letters yet? Loomis and Charles end much love. Loomis says as we can’t get there in time for Janette’s wedding we must wait now and go to Ellen’s. Wishing you all much happiness and pleasure, I must bid you good bye. Your affectionate sister,
Sarah
Sat. Eve 7 o’clock.
P.S.
Dear Mother,
We have been to Fincastle but Loomis, the careless boy, forgot to leave the letter, so I thought I would open it to tell you of the death of one of the daughters of your old friend Mrs. Price, who died this morning at 8 o’clock. You will recollect she was married last summer to Mr. Marcus Patton and went to Tennessee. They returned to spend the summer but were intending to go back this fall. She left a babe a few days old.
Sunday Morning,
I reckon you will think I am keeping a diary for you. I had to stop writing last night to cut labels for broom, while Loomis and Charles pasted them on. Loomis carried 4 doz. to F. yesterday. At one store where we left a dozen they were sold in less than 10 minutes. My head is aching badly this morning, but notwithstanding I think I shall go to Fincastle to attend the burial which takes place at 11 o’clock. Services are postponed in all the churches until evening on account of it.
TO: 1853
