Carroll County, Indiana - James R. Blanchard MD, Delphi
letter from E. C. Blanchard
Hartford Vermont
Friday, November 22, 1833
Ever Dear Brother,
Your most welcome letter was received last Sabbath Eve, and read with inexpressible satisfaction, notwithstanding it crushed our secretly cherished hopes that you would locate yourself a little nearer to your friends. We do, all of us, deeply regret that fate or fancy has led you so far so very far from us all, still we know that Vermont or New Hampshire offers nothing to satisfy the ambition of enterprising young men. I have no news of importance to write; it is a time of general health, the weather is very severely cold for this time of year. Mother's health is better than when you were here. She desires me to ask you if you think you should like that country and she hopes you will not but remove towards Vermont. Brother, if you will bear with me a little, and answer a few inquires you will highly gratify my curiosity. I want to know how far you are from Indianapolis; how far from the Wabash River; what is the populations of the towns. I wish you would describe the town, to me, very minutely in your next letter that I may have some idea of the place where you reside; for as yet I can imagine nothing of your situation, save the information that you have penetrated into the heart of an immense forest and have settled where there are a few miserable huts, with enough of the trees cut down to let the rays of the sun fall upon you three or four hours when the sun is highest, knowing the northern part of the state to be possessed by Indians. I fancy, too, that the forest is filled with these secret beings; and that the music of their "hideous yell" sounds in your ears very frequently. I hope that this is but an "ideal image", and that your next letter will introduce me to a pleasant little village, and what is still more pleasant, good society.
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What is the name of your partner,? is he a married man,? is he a native of Indiana? What day of the month and what month was it that you set sail from Buffalo; and how long was you on the lake? You said you would relate the "leading incidents" that we might have some idea of your feelings. To have the most distant idea of your feelings is impossible. Death has never stared us in the face as it seems it did you. And Death is emphatically called the king of terrors. We can realize that consternation must have filled every heart, and dismay been depicted on every countenance; but to realize the feelings, brother you know, is impossible in that all trying time (for it must have tried your very soul) when you every moment expected to find a watery grave---- did your faith remain unshaken? Was there no doubt in regard to a future state? If there was none you could look on with comparative composure. But in view of it all, we can only say "the Lord reignith let the earth rejoice". Had you all gone to the bottom was there any way by which we could have known your fate?
Do you have a Thanksgiving anniversary in Indiana? Next Thursday the 28th is Thanksgiving in New Hampshire, and the 5th of December in Vermont, how sincerely thankful we should be could you celebrate the anniversary with us, but we will think of you, and of the wonderful preservation of your life on the water, and the providence which attended you through your journey to its termination; and it will fill our hearts with gratitude and thankfulness! Do the people where you are have all the necessaries together with the luxuries of life?
Cooking is probably done differently from what it is at the east, is it as agreeable to you? You write grain is very cheap but bread high. What is the occasion of it? Is there prairie ground near Delphi. The people there, I suppose, are all equal no unhappy distinction among them which exists in the East.
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In whose family do you board, do you have to camp down on the floor with the family? If you do, I pity you for I believe you like a good bed and like to enjoy it alone. Do you have apples or any other fruit where you are? Are there any great rich folks where you are, Are there any girls there rich enough for you a wife, if you get a wife in that country I hope she will be "beautiful as the lilies, wise as Tobride" and rich as Ceasar. We want to know how long you was on your journey.
The first letter you wrote Brother John, he sent us, which is the last we have heard from that section you will probably hear from him before this reaches you- We wish you to write when you receive this that we may know how long a letter is going to you The ground is covered with snow and it is today falling fast. Notwithstanding you are so far from us I secretly cherish a strong hope that, should you remain where you are now in the course of two or three years I shall be favored with the encouragement that I can go to you and support myself by teaching.
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Have I not the grounds for such hope? We want you should write as soon as may be after you receive this, and if there is plenty of paper, they wish you would get the largest sheet you can procure and fill in everything that relates to yourself and your journey your town or your state will be interesting-will be History to us.
Dear Brother excuse all errors…Elisa
You see I am using all my paper. I shall close by earnestly soliciting you to write. As soon as this is received we shall be impatiently waiting to hear from you again. Because I answer your letter I do not wish you to feel yourself obliged to write me although there is no one here who would be more grateful for a letter than I should be. I must close by commending you, to the care of Him who watched over you through your journey and by expressing my ardent wishes for your prosperity and happiness here and hereafter. I beg of you to accept this as a token of love, Elisa
I have been out reading my letter to Mother and she wept at the thought that you are so far from us.
Mother, Mary, Mr. Newton and James send love very much love and I send not less than they.
Solon and Matilda send love-
Yours, Elisa
E. C. Blanchard
c/o
I. M. Blanchard
recd Dec. 16th 1833 | | Hartford
25 Nov
paid 2.5 cents
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| James R. Blanchard MD
Delphi
Carrol County
Indiana | |
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The notations of the envelope, being a part of the letter itself folded to form an envelope indicate that it was received December 16, 1833 and the amount of 2.5 cents postage was paid.
Submitted by: Michael L. Turner(A Direct Descendant)
James R. Blanchard Biography
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