A Letter from Josiah N. Beatie, husband of Kizziah Ford (daughter of Zachariah Ford and Kizziah Frances) and father-in law of Robert M. Gilmore.
Cover shows letter posted at 7 Mile Ford, VA., March 27, 1826. Postage paid, "25". Addressed to Mr. Samuel Beattie, Esqr, Lexington [erased, then] Columbia, Boon County, Missouri, Via Mail
Transcribed by Pam Johnson
Seven Mile Ford [VA]
March 27th, 1826
Esteemed Brother,
It has been a long time since any communications have passed between us and I hope neither of us will be so neglectful for the future. We have had more sickness in this country this winter than usual. Several deaths, principally old people. I presume you have heard of the death of old Uncle John Stewart. A dreadful accident happened on the North Fork about a month since at the time a fresh. There were several boats starting down the river. Cousin William Hayter happened to be in one. The boatmen all got very much alarmed and jumped out into the river and William Hayter and a young Mr. Linder got drowned. They could not swim. All the rest of the crew made their escape. It was a very badly managed piece of business. If they had all stuck to their boat, they would have all been saved. The boat did not sink, but when they left it, it ran against another boat and stove that, and the owner lost a considerable quantity of salt.
Brother William has settled himself on the road near Mr. Robinson's. Father has given him an excellent tract of land there, 265 acres, but he has a good deal of hard work to do as it is all in the woods. He has also given Absalom a choice tract where John Thomas lived. Sister Nancy and Robert B. Edmiston are to be married on the 11th [of] April, and I believe it is very agreeable to both parties and in fact I am of opinion Nancy is doing very well, for I think Buchannan is a very worthy young man.
This leaves our family in good health, Father's family and all your friends and relatives, as far as I know, with the exception of Sister Byars, and she has been rather worse this winter than common notwithstanding she has a young child. My second son is about seven months old. He is a very fine child of his age. We call him James Clabourn. Robert's second daughter is about two months old. She is also a very fine child and her name [is] Julian.
Times are dull, yes very dull, in this country. Money is remarkably scarce and merchandising is rather dull business unless you credit out all your goods and then it is very difficult matter to make your collections. I do not think money was ever so scarce in this country as it is at this time. Grain is very low. Corn is only worth 25 cents per bushel and oats 1 shilling. We had very fine crops last year. I had a tough time of it this winter hog driving. We drove two drove [of] hogs and some fat cattle, but I found the times very tough, so much so that I cannot brag much about our profits. They all went over the left shoulder like all the rest of the drovers' profits. I was gone from home about nine weeks. We have had a very severe winter and a very wet spring. I have no news of a political nature to inform you of, of much importance. I will name our candidates to you for the House of Delegates: Capt. John Keller, Robert E. Cummings, our former representatives, Capt. John Clark, Maj. Henry B. Thompson and Maj. Joseph C. Trigg. There will be cutting times among them. Capt. White has been in very bad health for a considerable time.
Samuel, I wish you to explain the subject which I state to you in a letter to me so that I can show Father. Him and myself have had a conversation on the subject, and I believe I nearly convinced him that my claim is just, but I have been entirely to neglectful about it. The subject is this. When Father was portioning us off or giving us some money when you and David started to Missouri, he gave each of you $1000 and I got $500. He told me he intended to give me $1000 also and when I started to Missouri he gave me $250 more which made $750. I think this would I swear is all that I ever received out of my $1000. I told the old man there was about $250 coming to me. I do not think the old man has any intention of wronging me and I am convinced if he understood the matter fairly, he would allow it to me and I hope you will reflect on it and do me the favor of making a statement in a letter to me respecting it to me shortly, and I have no doubt but he will allow it to me and I wish the thing to be so arranged so I will be sure of it some day, for the way it stands in case of his or my death there would be nothing to show for it. I hope you will not fail in attending to this matter for me for as you attended to the land business, therefore you will be the proper person to explain the matter. It has been so long and so many transfers about land that the old man has forgotten a good deal about it.
I would be very glad to receive a letter from you to hear how you and your family are coming on. Give us the number and names of children. I would be very glad indeed to see you and your wife in this country, but as the distance is so great, we cannot expect to see each other often, therefore we ought to write oftener. I have not received a line from you since last summer. I hope your business was done to your satisfaction with Col. Byars last summer I was not able to attend to your business. I had a very severe spell of the billious fever at the time Mc Daniel started. From all the accounts. I presume you are doing a better business than any of us in the way of speculations. Thomas W. Overby told me you were talking about going to Sta. Fee [Santa Fe?] in the Spanish dominions trading. Mother seems to be somewhat uneasy about it and does not wish you to go. If you do go, be very careful of your health. Write to me as soon as it convenient. Present my love to your wife and all enquiring friends. Robert, Paulina, and Eleanor join us in sending their love to you and your wife.
I remain your affectionate Brother,
Josiah N. Beatie
[The above letter was in possession of Jane E. (Mrs. W.H. Clem) Genoa, NE, daughter of J.B. Bobbitt and his wife, Nannie, nee Gilmore. Nannie Gilmore was the daughter of Mary Virginia Beatie and Robert M. Gilmore. Mary Virginia Beatie Gilmore was the daughter of the writer of the above letter by his second marriage, that to the widow Kizziah Ford Evans. Other children of this second marriage, to wit C.C. Beatie and Josiah Donald Beatie both died unmarried and without issue, in Pulaski County, KY, and are buried on Farris Farm (now 1939) owned by Pointer ten miles northeast of Sumerset, overlooking Buck Creek, and bordering the Mount Vernon Road, near what was anciently known as the Hopper Ford. Josiah N. Beatie died and was buried in the old part of the Savannah, Mo Cemetery where his headstone still stands (1939). C.R. Gilmore]
2/2003: copy of letter given to Pam Johnson by Freda Wolf Strampe of Omaha, NE (now deceased).