| HOME » online historical archives » biographical sketch index » Andrew White Family sketch » Historical Letter » |
The following letter was written by Andrew (David) White to their
brother, George White, who had come to Canandaigua, New York, from
Scotland about 1839.
Andrew and David, together with their mother, Margaret (who was
born in 1780) came to America and took up government land in Lake
county in 1843.
Andrew White, the author of the letter, was father of Andrew J.
White of Lyons, Neb., and grandfather of the late Frank R. White,
who after the Spanish-American war, went to the Philippine Islands
as a teacher and later became general director of education of the
Islands.
George White to whom the letter was written, was the father of
Andrew T. White, supervisor of Avon, who was born while his parents
were living at Canandaigua, New York.
Mr. Douce (Dowst) spoken of as recorder, was Henry Dowst's uncle,
and the David Minto mentioned was grandfather of David, Frank, and
Ed Webb, also of Mrs. L. J. Yager.
The letter follows:
Illinois, March 31st, 1844
Dear Brother:
I take my pen to write to you a few lines as this leaves us all in
good health at present, hoping this will find you and your family
enjoying the same.
We have had a very fine winter here, more so than ever I expected
to see.
We have found the check that you sent to us on the 12th of
September.
We got it on the 18th of January at a post office about 18 miles
from us, but it had not laid there long for David was at that post
office about six weeks after you posted it, and it was not there
then and it never had been at Salem post office at all, and if it
is any service to you we can send it to you. We do not look for a
letter from you until you come unless you want the check.
We will look for you in the month of May. We think the latter end
of the month. You need not mind about bringing any farm implements
to bring with you for I think you can buy them as cheap here, at
any rate after you pay carriage on them.
But you must bring as much beechwood with you as will be some plain
blocks, for we have no wood of that kind here and it is very dear.
Say as much as will be two or three, you can cut it into lengths
and cut it info your chest.
Now, I must give you some advice about your voyage. When you come
to Buffalo you need not bring a great deal of provisions on board
with you for you will have the opportunity of going ashore and well
can get plenty of bread and milk to buy (say as much as will last
three days) but when you come to Detroit you must buy in a good sea
stock for when the boat do leave go, sometimes you cannot get
anything to buy.
Now I must advise you how to manage business. When you come up you
must take your package to Southport or to Little Fort. Little Fort
is 10 miles farther up the lake than Southport. If it is fine
weather you can come to Little Fort and when you come there you can
leave things with your wife and come up into the village and
inquire for Mr. (Douce) Dowst.
He is the recorder of the county and he will find lodging for your
family.
We are 12 miles from Little Fort. If it is in the morning when you
come, then you must leave your family there and come off on foot to
find us.
Mr. Douce will post you on the right road. You must inquire for the
Claston Tavern by the O'plain bridge, and then for the Mill Creek
settlement. Inquire for Mr. Peter Strang and he knows us very well.
He will show you up the settlement to his father's and then they
will show you on to our place. We are well known in that settlement
and the people are all very kind.
When this done we will go the next day with our cattle and bring
your wife,and your luggage, it will save expense for teaming is
very dear here.
Now, if it is rough weather and the captain or mate tell you they
can not be sure of putting you ashore at Little Fort you must go
ashore at Southport. The fare up the lake will be all one price to
either of these places. Now should you land at Southport you will
go to a Mr. Vanslak's, that is the house we stopped at when we
landed and make a bargain with him; he keeps a boarding house, but
leave your things on the pier until you have gone up and made you
bargain for in so doing you have a better chance to get cheaper.
You will have skill enough though to work them and you will find
plenty of people on the pier that will bring up your luggage for
you. Then you are 16 or 18 miles from us.
You must leave you family there and start out to find us on foot.
You must come the road into Pleasant Prairie three miles and then
inquire for the Temperance Tavern on the way to the O'plain bridge
country called Barlowe Bridge.
When you come about eight miles from that bridge along the track to
a house standing on the side of a hill inquire for a Mr. Devor and
then inquire from him for Mr. Canady's (Kennedy's) and when there
you're three or four miles from us. He will show you the way to
our house then we will start off with our cattle and bring up your
things. If any of the potatoes grew that we brought from Scotland
with us you must bring a few of them with you for I think this soil
would grow them well. You can bring a few slips of cur (currant)
and gooseberry bushes with you, can cut them short and put them in
a small pot of any kind and put earth amongst them. I think there
is nothing else that I remember of.
We have about 2,000 rails split and laid up and our wheat looks
very well and our stock is doing all very well.
We have one cow calf. I must conclude.
I remain your affectionate brothers,
A. & D. WHITE
David Minto has been rather poorly, but is better again.