1806 Letter - Silas Harris to Jones Harris
Introduction
The following is a footnote from the entry in the Record explaining the source of this letter:This letter is published hoping that it may furnish valued information to some members of the Harris family. The letter is at present in the possession of Mrs. W. H. Mong who is the mother of Mrs. G. M. Clark of No. 4210 M Street, Lincoln, Nebr. Mrs. Mong is a daughter of Meeker Harris, and she thinks her grandfather Harris was David Harris and that the letter was written to David Harris’ father, Jones Harris. The original letter has been preserved under glass, but is fast fading and those places where it is illegible or worn are indicated by asterisks. The copy here published was made by George T. Edson, Editor of the "Filley Spotlight", Filley, Nebr., whose interest in genealogical matters prompted him to copy the letter and send it to us for publication.
Transcript
HARRIS LETTERSTATE OF NEW JERSEY September 10, 1806: Tuesday.
Dear Son:
I take this opportunity to inform you that I received your letter dated August 3, 1806, on Saturday, September 13th following, which I found in the post-office at Bridge Town, kept by James Birch on the Deerfield side of the bridge, which gives me much satisfaction to hear that you and your family were still alive in the land of the living. The situation of my family is nearly the same as it was when I wrote December 14th, 1805: son Samuel had one son since but it died aged about 3 or 4 months. My wife has been in a very poor way ever since last December; on the 26th of last March she had two very hard convulsion fits so that it took away the use of her limbs so that she was confined to her bed for two or three months, attended by the doctor. She was bled as much as 14 or 15 times ***, but thanks be to the Lord she is at present *** house but not able to do but little of any kind of work. For my own part I have woven 3 or 4 pieces this summer but it brings the phthisic so upon me that I am obliged to quit it, as I am not able to do any kind of work scarcely nor no man nor boy to do any for me.
As you requested of me to write concerning of our relations I will begin first as far as I know of Brother Abram's family. Parmenas, his youngest son, died about the same time that son Andrew died and left a widow and six children. Sophia, his daughter, is dead, five sons living. Sister Ruth has but one here, that is, Joel Sheppard's wife, two sons. Daniel and Nathaniel Jenkins we expect is at Nova Scotia. Amy Jenkins is married to Nathan Davis and is gone beyond the Gennesee country several years ago. Thomas Jenkins moved with his family over Delaware Bay 5 or 6 years ago. Brother Jacob has but two children living, namely, Moses and Elizabeth. Elizabeth is married to Joseph Young at Alloway's Creek. Jacob Harris died February 13, 1797, and left a widow and 6 children, one named Polly is since dead. Sarah Perry died July 29, 1802, aged 53 years. Brother Benjamin has five children living, namely, Anne Perry, Phebe Ryley, Johnson Harris, Priscilla Strathom and Rachel Bacon. Moses Perry died about 19 years ago and left Anne with 4 children, namely, Phebe, Anne Mary, Hosea Harris Perry and Eunice. The girls are all married, Hosea not. Phebe is married to Noah Bowen and moved out last spring to Warren in the Ohio state. Mary is married to Mark Westcott, Eunice to John Tomkins (?). Brother Daniel has 4 children living here namely Robert, Daniel, Eunice and Joel. Robert has a son that is a Baptist preacher: he preaches up in East Jersey in Amwell by the name of Samuel Harris. Sister Hannah has two children living here, namely, Jacob Thompson and Phebe Finley. Sister Mary has one living by the name of David Walling. Jonathan, his twin, died last fall. Old Mr. John Reeves departed this life on Sunday, May 4th *** at 10 o'clock. Mr. David Elwell died the same day at 4 o'clock in the afternoon. Two good men, honest both, ascended to glory in one day. His widow, Mrs. Mabel Reeves, lives at her son's Jonathan Reeves' (sic). Mr. Reeves has five children living, namely, Johnson, Joseph, Abraham, Mabel and Eunice. Johnson lives near Sho***; has three sons married, namely, John, Stephen and Lemuel. Moved last spring to Warren in the Ohio state. Joseph Reeves has sold off his possessions here in order to go to the same place and has employed a man (Mark Westcott that married Polly Perry) to go out this fall to build him a house. Abraham Reeves lives by me where his father did. Abraham has with a number of others been out this spring to Warren, but he does not like the country. Abr'am Reeves informed me that there were none of your wife's brothers living here but Ambrose. Joel Clark and his wife were members of the Baptist church here at Cohansey but moved to Philadephia and both took the yellow fever and both died. Abr'am Clark lived near Nantuxet and had two negroes, but one of the negroes got made at the other and killed him and did intend to kill the whole family but that Abr'am was gone from home. The other negro was taken, hanged at Cohansey bridge: this was acted about six years ago, but I know nothing of Abr'm's family. Ambrose Clark had a son married a few months ago to Betsey Elmer. I had forgot Mary Fithian, brother Daniel's daughter. She has 7 or 8 children, and her sister Eunice has been married to William Davis as much as '18 or 19 years and never had any children. Abraham Miller died August 17, 1806, aged 39 years and 8 days. Old Mr. Nathan Miller died February 19, 1798. His widow Abigail died January 17, 1805. Old Mr. Thomas Reeves is yet living, being in his 79th year of his age. His fourth and last wife died February 6th, 1806. David Platt died July 2, 1805, in the 66th year of his age. Jonathan Bowen died October 12, 1804. Our meeting house is at Roadtown (or Sayres' cross-roads) a very elegant brick house well finished off. Mr. Kelsay died in the year 1789. One Mr. Henry Smalley supplies ever since the year 1790: he came from East Jersey. Thomas Reeves' fourth and last wife was once William Bigg's widow and then she married one Randolph and then Mr. Thomas Reeves. Abr'am Reeves married a young widow Stratton: her maiden name was Elizabeth Thachary; with two children, and they have six together—2 sons and 4 daughters. It has ** been very dry with us all fore part of this summer, but there has been considerable ram this latter part so that we are like to have good crops of com and buck-wheat but there seems to be scarcity of water in the millponds and deep wells. I have not got the letter you sent by the 2 young last April. I have not had a letter from son Silas this 4 years. Your uncle Peter Jones's daughter Sally dead and that she was all that was left. She was then married to a man by the name of Joseph Reeves and lived 9 or 10 miles beyond the New Mills towards Blackwater. Son Andrew's widow that married David Elwell has two children by him, a son and a daughter named David and Sally Elwell and has all 3 of Andrew's children now. living at home with them, named Peggy Jones Harris, Lydia Harris and Andrew Harris. Jeremiah was down from Philadelphia to see me last June: he is married to a widow named Rebecca Smith (maiden name Kelsh); and has two sons by her, named George and Jeremiah; daughter Sarah's sons Moses and Eli is both apprentices to the shoemaker's trade at Philadelphia: their master's name was Andrew Bush. There is an abundance of smut wheat among our crops last year and this, so that we have to wash a great part of it before it is fit for use. Some crops, it is thought, has one fourth part smut wheat I believe mine has this year. I never saw any before last year: it has as disagreeable smell almost that ever I smelt in my life.
This from your affectionate father (sgd) SILAS HARRIS
and step-mother(sgd) *** HARRIS
Your half-sister respects to you & family(sgd) MARGARET HARRIS
Your niece likewise(sgd) MARY KEEN
Son Samuel not being present: he lives in Greenwich where he did last year and follows weaving.
September 16th, 1806 (Tuesday)
Old Mrs. Mabel Reeves is desirous for you to write concerning your father Clark and family if you know anything about them. We have not heard any about them this several years.
Please to write whether you are any nearer Philadelphia than you was when at Kentucky.
To JONES HARRIS
To be left at the Postoffice in Cincinnati Town on the Ohio River.