At the Edge of the Orchard

America: 1840-1856

Smithson Fery

Kingsvill

Canada

Janery 1, 1840

Godenufs

Blak Swamp

Portig River

Neer Pearysburg

Ohio

Deer Brothers and Sisters this is yor brother Robert. I hav lernt my letters. The captin of the bote I am working on Lake Eery taut me. Now the lake is froz I am at Kingsvill in Canada. I hope yoo ar all well and the fever did not take any one this yeer. Yoo can rite to me I wate for a letter.

Yor brother Robert

Winston Hotel

Detroit

Mishigin

Januery 1, 1841

Goodenuffs

Blak Swamp

Portedge River

Near Pearysburg

Ohio

Deer Brothers and Sisters,

It is 1 yeer since I wrote. The

boot

bote

boat I werked on

broke

broak in a storm and I am not on the lake any mor. Detroit is all rite. I am washing bottles in a Hotel.

How are everywon. How are the appl trees. Martha if you still no yor letters you can rite me at the Winston Hotel, Detroit.

Yor brother,

Robert

Terre Haute

Indiana

January 1, 1842

Goodenoughs

Blak Swamp

Portage River

Near Perrysburg

Ohio

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Greetings and happy new yeer. I have lerned my letters better from Mr. Jonah Parks who I travel with now in a wagon selling medisin. I work for him as Detroit had two many people. We are mostly on the

rode

road going town to town. I like it, it sutes me better than a

sity

city.

Maybe you have writ to me at the hotel like I sed last yeer but I had no letter. They were not good people ther so maybe I did not get it becus of them.

Do you no I saw John Chapman once. I asked him for news of the family and the farm, but he sed he did not go to the Black Swamp any more, he is mostly in Indiana. That was a shame for I wood like news of the family.

Do you remember John Chapman gave us a ride in his dubble canoe once? I still remember how they

rode

road so smooth through the water.

Mr. Parks is a good man and if you rite to almost any town in Indiana he will get the letter. Xcept Lafyett and Bloomingtown

were

where he wood be arrested, so do not write there.

Yor brother,

Robert

Gilbert Hotel

Racine

Wisconsin Territory

January 1, 1844

Goodenoughs

Black Swamp

Portage River

Near Perrysburg

Ohio

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I am sorry I did not write last yeer as I did the other new years, but the law caut up with me and Mr. Parks and I was in

jayl

jale. When I got out I went farther west and am in Wisconsin where I work in a hotel stables looking after horses. It is good becus the horses keep me warm at night as the winters are

vary

very cold in Wisconsin, colder even than the Black Swamp. I have not ben here yet in the summer but they say there are not so many skeeters.

How is the farm. Some times I recall the Golden Pippens. I miss the taste. There is a Golden Pippen tree I grafted off one of the Injun trails northwest of the farm. I wood like to no if it is alive and did it ever grow fruit. Maybe you can find it.

You can write me here at the hotel. I would like a letter.

Your brother,

Robert

Fort Leavenworth

Near the Missouri River

Missouri Territory

January 1, 1847

Goodenoughs

Black Swamp

Portage River

Near Perrysburg

Ohio

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

It has been 3 yeers since I last wrote. I have gone west since then and am now working at the army stables. The summers are hot here and the winters very cold. I do not want to be a soljer so I do not think I will be

here

heer two long.

It has been over 8 yeers since I left the swamp and you are all grown. Maybe Caleb you found a wife already. Maybe even Nathan or even Sal two. Maybe I am uncle Robert. I have been a lot of places but I still think about the farm in the Black Swamp. I would like to

hear

heer the news if you write here soon they are good at delivring letters to the fort.

Your brother,

Robert

Rancho Salazar

Texas

January 1, 1849

Goodenoughs

Black Swamp

Portage River

Near Perrysburg

Ohio

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I am writing on New

Yeers

Years Day from Texas, where I have been working on a ranch now for almost two years. I did not meen to come here but fell in with a rough bunch and it was hard to get away. We came down the Santa Fay Trail then got work on a ranch run by an old Mexican who never left even when Texas was its own country.

It is steady work but hard and I do not like cattle much. They attract two many flys. Also the land is a desert,

very

vary hot and no trees. We are far away from anyone so I can’t give an address where to rite which is a shame for I wood like a letter.

I am all

rite

right but when I make

enuff

enough money I am going to Californie. A man here has been there and told me about trees called redwoods that are 300 feet tall and it takes 20 men arms streched out to circle it. I did not beleeve him but I want to see for myself. I miss trees. Also there is gold in Californie and that is a temptashun. I

here

heer you can make 200 dolars a day gold mining where

here

heer I make 5 dollars a month.

I will rite again from Californie when I have an address to rite to there. Do not forget me. I have not forgotten my family in the Black Swamp.

Your brother,

Robert

Miller General Store

Nevada City

California

January 1, 1850

Goodenoughs

Black Swamp

Portage River

Near Perrysburg

Ohio

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I hope you are keeping well. How is the farm. Some of you must have children there now. I try to imagine that sometimes.

Well I did make it to California like I said I wood. It was a long trip like so many have

maid

made. I picked up the overland trail in western Kansas and followed it thru the Rocky Mountens to Salt Lake City and then the Sierra Nevada mountens. There were thousands of people heading along that overland roote and many died on the way, there were graves all along it. But I am used to an outdoor life so it wasn’t too bad for me. I got to see the mountens and they were something. Also the buffalo, which I ate once and didn’t take to. I scrached my name on Independense Rock which is a big block of granitt neer the South Pass. That is what everyone does who passes by. If one of you goes overland to California you can look for me on that rock.

I am on the western side of the Sierra Nevadas, where there is gold in the rivers that flow down from the mountens. I am working in one of the mining camps. There is snow on the ground but I still pan for gold every day, sometimes alone, sometimes we work together using a

sluise

sluce or a rocker. I have found a little bit, mostly flakes. Just down the river from me a man yesterday found a chunk of gold worth $1000. That is what we are all looking for.

I get down to Nevada City pretty reglar for supplies if you want to write. I would surely like to

heer

here

hear from home.

Your brother,

Robert

Miller General Store

Nevada City

California

January 1, 1851

Goodenoughs

Black Swamp

Portage River

Near Perrysburg

Ohio

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Happy New Year to you all. I am still here in California, mining for gold, same as last year, tho I have moved up and down the river some. I have found plenty but not made much money becus it is so expensive to live here. The minute I am paid for my gold I pay it back for supplies.

Flower

Flour and bullits and oats and stabling all costs more than anywhere I have ever lived. I do not think I will be mining for much longer as the gold fever does not suit me. Sum men are taken over by it and even when they have found gold they are never satisfyed.

If you are going to write, send it quick as I will not be here too much longer.

Your brother,

Robert

Greenshaw Hotel

Sacramento

California

January 1, 1853

Goodenoughs

Black Swamp

Portage River

Near Perrysburg

Ohio

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

It is two years since I last rote. I left the mining becus it

brakes

breaks a mans spirit to chase gold. Now I am working on farms and ranches, usually neer Sacramento but I go other places too.

I saw the giant redwood trees they talk about. They are really something, very tall and strait and dark among all the smaller trees. I saw the ocean too. It is a little like Lake Erie but the waves are bigger and the water tastes salty.

The Greenshaw Hotel will hold any letters for me if you want to rite.

Your brother,

Robert

Mrs. Bienenstock’s Guest House

Montgomery & California Streets

San Francisco

California

January 1, 1854

Goodenoughs

Black Swamp

Portage River

Near Perrysburg

Ohio

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Happy New Year and I hope that everyone is helthy welthy and wise.

I have had a good year becus I met a man called William Lobb. He collects plants and trees and seeds and sends them to England where they like California pines and some plants as well. I did not no there was work like that as a plant agent. That is what I am now I am helping Mr.

Lob

Lobb.

We saw giant trees up in a place called Calaveras Grove. They are like redwoods with there red bark, but even wider. I wish you could see them you wood be amazed at how big they are. The base of the trunk wood fill the kitchen of the house in the Black Swamp. I think they must be the oldest trees on the Earth. They made me feel small, but it was the best feeling I ever had, better than church or a good meal even.

I move around a lot collecting seeds, but I always come bak to San Francisco, and Mrs. Bienenstock is good at getting letters to me wherever I am. I guess by now you have long forgotten me, but I have not forgotten you.

Your brother,

Robert

Mrs. Bienenstock’s Guest House

Montgomery & California Streets

San Francisco

California

January 1, 1856

Goodenoughs

Black Swamp

Portage River

Near Perrysburg

Ohio

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Every New Years day I think about what to

rite

write to my family back in the Black Swamp. Sometimes I do not write because it is too hard and takes so long. It has been over 17 years since I left the Swamp and I never had a letter back. I do not know if any one is still alive and so this is my last letter.

I am still collecting seeds and plants for Mr. Lobb. He has taut me a lot and I am very greatful to him. I will be alright here. I have a job working with trees and that is better than I ever expected to do.

I hope that you are all right wherever you are.

Your brother for the last time,

Robert