Person:William Jackson (18)

I am still working out my own typographical errors in this transcription. During my retyping of this typed copy of William Jackson's original manuscript, I found more than "one word which I could not decipher." Unfortunately, either the pages were too short, or Hugh R. Jackson tried to cram too much information on each page. The bottom line on several pages ran off the bottom of the page. In other places, the typist made type-over corrections, making the words nearly impossible to read. That's where I made my best guess based on a careful reading of the context. I really tried to avoid taking liberties by changing the author's (or possibly the typist's) seemingly erratic use of capitalized letters and punctuation, although on a few occasions I couldn't resist making small corrections to add clarity. The pages were too faint to scan into the computer using Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. So I retyped it from scratch. Wouldn't it be nice to find out what happened to the original manuscript! If anybody has access to it, won't you please scan it into the computer, save it as "JPEG" images, and email it to me? I'll post it here for download. Then anybody can take the images to a copy store or a color printer and make a high quality hard copy of it.

Richard Gordon Hollenbeck

4th great grandson of Richard Jackson and Mary Bell
3rd great grandson of William Bell Jackson
2nd great grandson of Richard Bell Jackson
great grandson of Sara "Sadie" Adeline Jackson
grandson of Richard Francis "Frank" Hollenbeck
son of, Richard LeRoy Hollenbeck

4 June 2010

The following is an unedited copy of a manuscript written with lead penncil on brown paper by William Jackson. As nearly as I can determine it was written about 1885. My uncle, Frank Q. Jackson, a son of William Jackson, told me that this account was written at the request of Benjamin F. Jackson, Nephew of William Jackson and son of William's brother James. The original is still quite legible and I found only one word which I could not decipher.

Hugh R. Jackson,
Grandson of William Jackson.
31 December 1939

WILLIAM BELL JACKSON

My Grandfather on my mother's side was named Wm. Bell and Grandmother's name was Mary English. His occupation was farmer and Cattle Dealer, in comfortable circumstances, had three sons, Thomas, John, and William, John 6 ft. tall - William 6 ft. 2 in large & muscular, had a son about the same. They were large contractors for Public Works, particularly grading and macadamizing as the roads up to near their time had been little improved. They employed a great many men as their contracts extended over at least three adjoining counties. Uncle thomas was a man of more than ordinary information and frequently assisted me in my studies and Sunday School lessons. Mother was the only daughter who growed up to woman's estate and of course was much indulged.

My grandfather on my father's side was named Anthony Jackson. My grandmother's name was Mary (supposed to be Hudson). Grandfather carried on the trade of making Buckskin (knee) Breeches, Ladies Buckskin Pockets & gloves and employed from 8 to 10 men in the business. (At that early day he would be considered a very respectable tradesman. Uncle George succeeded to grandfather's business and became wealthy - had one son, William, who died in early manhood.) He resided in Kendall Westmoreland shire (county), England. Buckskin pockets were universally worn by ladies to carry their Keys, thimble, Handkerchief, etc.

My grandfather had a large family, having fifteen children, fourteen grew up to be men and women and I have many times heard father & mother tell about their all coming together (14) at a Christmas Dinner where they enjoyed each other's society and feasted on Roast Goose, Plum pudding, and Home Brewed Ale. I cannot say much more with regard to father's Brothers and Sisters as we lived at a distance from them of over 70 miles which a that day of bad roads and no Railroads would be equal to 700 miles now, as people traveled little from home then unless business compelled them. My longest journey before I started to America was 24 miles to Carlisle in England.

My father's name was Richard Jackson and at the age of 20 to 21 he took a fancy to ramble from home and got to Lockerby, Scotland, and got employed by my uncle and became a favored member of the family and as Mother was a comely young woman with dark curly locks (natural) some years younger than himself, they fell in love with each other. He being a stranger & an Englishman, when this state of affairs was discovered it caused a great commotion and they were given to understand that this business must be stopped, but the family finally yielded their consent and were married, and proving to be a man of fine taste and apt in laying out pleasure grounds and gardening he was frequently called off by the small Aristocracy who could not afford or were not inclined to go to the expense of keeping a gardener. He could get all the employment when he could spare the time that he wanted and that not of a very laborious character & very much to his taste. He was 5'8", active and cheerful in temperment and prided himself in being a good walker. He was pleasing & kindly in his manners, truthful and honorable in all his dealings and hated vulgarity, profanity and hypocrisy, had many good maxims which he enforced by example. I have always venerated his memory and his maxims have had a lasting influence on me through life as I believe for good. He was rather fastidious in dress which I will endeavor to describe. He wore a black hat which would pass at the present time as not being singular, a blue broadcloth coat of the swallow tail order only wider skirts and it was ornamented with plain double gilt Buttons which I used to think very fine, red plush vest small black figure gouble breasted - pearl buttons, fine worsted Cord Knee breeches light drab, that came down below the knww on to the calf of the leg, open about 6 inches on the outside and buttoned with three pearl buttons with drab ribbon at lower edge tied in bow Know. Then it was Mother's care to furnish the stockings of the particular shade of blue mixed to suit - then low Shoes Silver plated Buckles. To suit this style of dress a well formed leg was necessary which he had. Now my dear niece & Nephew as we are taking a retrospect into the past I thought this rather tedious description might interest you.

Father provided well for the comfort & support of his family and mother done her part well in making home comfortable & happy. They had seven children three of whom died in infancy. Those who lived to be grown were Mary, James, Anthony and myself.

Brother James must have been born about 1800 and about 1819 made up his mind to come to America. Being then a small boy I cannot clearly state the reasons by which he was impelled to this determination but there was considerable emigration at that time to British America, the reward for labor in Scotland then was small, little chance to rise in the social scale, no land to be had in fee simple, all burdened with few rents - the relics of feudal barbarian - the manly implulses shut in and hemmed up by oppressive laws - again love of youth for adventure might have had its influence when hope lends a flattering gleam that the pot of gold is at the end of the Rainbow. One disappointed soul wrote back to his friends in Scotland that he was told he would find the dollars in the shore "But de'll a ane I saw." We had a neighbor farmer of the name of Turner who had a son in the then district of Maine (now the State of Maine) who wrote to his folks to send out a young man to work on his farm and offering $100 per year and found in board and washing, this is about 20 pounds while 10 to 12 pound sterling was about the best be got in Scotland and as I have understood this was thought to be a good thing and the Turner's used their influence to induce my brother to go. I know father was strongly opposed to his going and consented with reluctance. After it was decided that he might go, mother worked faithfully to fit him out with a large stock of clothing. He made the voyage all right and remained one year with John Turner who at the end of the year had no money to pay his wages & he had to take a Yoke of Oxen that he sold for $80. I don't know whether he got the balance of Turner or not.

He then engaged at higher wager to Col. Black to manage his farm. Col. Black run extensive lumbering business on the Penobscot River, had saw mills and run an extensive farm to supply feed for his ox teams. He was also Delegate in Congress for the District of Maine. Brother James raised a 12 acre field of Turnips one year to feed the oxen which was thought at that time to be a great thing. He was with Co. Black I think 2 years with the greatest satisfaction to both. He then took a notion to look around to see whether he could find anything to suit him better. He went to Boston, met with someone that induced him to go to Charleston, South Carolina.

A Scotchman named Wilson who kept a good store introduced him to a planter who wanted somewone to manage a Plantation on some sickly Island where no white person lived. He engaged him to go on a good salary, was sick nearly all the time he was on the Island, part of the time perfectly helpless and entirely dependent on the Negro Driver & wife for care. They cared for him faithfully and he got away from it as soon as he was able. He went to Charleston to look up another position and met with Capt. Wm. Seabrook and engaged to go on to his plantation on Edisto Island. Managed it three years. He then engaged to go on to a plantation on Slann's Island that Capt. Seabrook had bought to improve & repair it as it had belonged to an estate and had been miserable managed for year. He resided on this Plantation at the time I emigrated to the U. States and here I found him.

I will now look back to my first recollections of events nearly 70 yrs ago. The earliest incident that I remember was when my youngest brother was born. When sister Mary took me into the room to show me the baby who was named Richard. He died of measles taken from me when he was 3 or 4 years of age. When a small boy I went to school to Mrs. Jennie Carlston (who kept a private school) till I got too big to be managed by her and I then went to Lockerby Academy. This was a school of high grade and was principally supported by a tax on certain land owners called Heritors with a very small tuition fee charged such as could afford to pay. While all the lower grades were taught Higher Mathematics also Latin, Greek & French. Our head Teacher was always a student for the Presbyterian Ministry and had to stand the most thorough examination by the Presbytery. Father took great pride in my proficiency in my studies and it was his intention to make me a scholar fit for some Profession. But he was taken violently ill with Pneumonia and after a few days illness died at the age of 52 yrs. I was then about 12 years of age and for reasons that might be tedious to you to explain I had to abandon the idea of becoming a thorough Scholar although I still pursued such studies as I thought best fitted to help me in the business of life.

Anthony was some 5 years older than me and succeeded to the management of family affairs with Mother's advice (not always taken.) He had always been a general favorite being good looking and endowed with the finest social qualities.

Lockerby-- It may be better to try to inform you some about Lockerby as some of those I write for do not seem to know where it is located. I have never seen a good map of Scotland in America. You may take Swinton's Geography and on the map of Scotland locate Lockerby on the lower edge of back of the D in the word Scotland on the face of the map. 70 miles north is Glasgow, about 70 miles north by west Edingurgh, about 12 miles west Dunfries, about 16 miles South Gretna Green, about 24 miles South Carlisle in England, about 10 miles South & west Annan. Lockerby was a town of say 800 to 1000 inhabitants when I left and has improved since then. Has RR east, West, North & South but not being a Borough or County town is not shown on the small maps. Dunfries was our Co. town and had a market every Wed.

In Lockerby we had Horse & cattle markets frequently and on the 12th of August had a Lamb Fair where the years Lambs were brought from the hills R. W. & N. and are mostly sold wo go into England. Last year that I was there, there were 52,000 of that years Lambs brought on to the Fair stead for Sale. This was actual count as they were all counted at the different entrances and paid a penny & a plack a score for the privilege (about 2 1/2 ¢). Great Crowd of people came to the fair to enjoy the sights and meet their friends, two days Races succeeded the Fair.

In 1828 there were 1 Pres[byterian]. Ch[urch]. And 1 Seceeder Ch.[<sic>Seceder Church], large society also a Cameronian Organization.

Brother James left Scotland when I was about 9 years of age and from that early age I cherished the idea of going to America. This idea grew with my growth and in Sept. 1828 I started to Liverpool on my way to America. I was then 17 in my 18 year. Before starting mother supplied me liberally with linen shirts and other necessary supplies of clothing and many friends showed their kindness by useful presents an a number of my friends accompanied me as far as the town of Annan which was 10 miles from Lockerby. I had to cross Solway Firth 2 miles from Annan and took steamboat from near Carlisle to Liverpool. Brother Anthony & cousin William Bell were so loth to part with me that they continued on board wil the boat started & consequently had to go on to Liverpool and they remained with me there several days and as they had come off without being provided with funds for that trip I had to foot the Bills and supply them with the means to return home on from my slender purse. It left me among strangers with only a few pennies which I spent ferrying across the River Morsey to see a Lockerby man who was building Docks at Whitehaven as he was the last man I expected to see for a long time that I knew. So I was without any money to be robbed of. I had taken passage in the Ship Nimrod of Liverpool and had an abundant supply of provisions and there was only two other passengers. They made no objection to coming on board as we were going to sail in a few days so I got along all right. One of the passengers had been in South Carolina before & he was going to relatives. He was a nerveless little fellow about 28 yrs. Old. His mother a nice old English Lady came on board with him and requested me to take care of Jarvis (Jarvis Hindle was his name.) I soon found out that Jarvis needed care. On the day we sailed he came on board raging drunk and to keep him out of trouble I had to double him into the opening in a large coil of Rope. He kicked and sprawled & swore but could not get out and snuffled & cried in a maudlin way and went sleep. I then took him out and laid him down comfortable. The other was a large old man innocent & ignorant, had relatives he was going to. Had a fair passage of 7 weeks - but Oh, seemed tedious. I passed the time in painting in a rude way as I had paints and drafting instruments. The carpenter & some others seemed to think me quite an artist and took quite an interest in my pictures which I gave them freely. The officers & crew treated me with the greatest of Kindness & Respect. When we arrived at Charleston we anchor outside the Bar an we had to wait for the tide to get over the Bar and up to the warves. Capt. Hadgley asked me if I could trim his hair & whiskers before he went ashore which I done very much to his satisfaction. He took his Gig & went to report to his consignees and told the Mate that if Mr. Jackson wanted to go ashore to man his Gig and have him taken. After the Boat returned I told the Mate that I wished to go ashore and as it happened I was landed on Chisolm & Taylor's Wharf & the first man I met on American soil was a very decent looking Negro man. I asked for Chisolm & Taylor's Counting house. He answered that is it Massa and pointing to the first fouse in view. I entered and made it know who I was and inquired how I could get to Slanns Island. They advised me not to go there as was a great deal of sickness on the island but to write my Brother as they were going to send out a mail that day and I would hear from him in about 3 days. I did as advised. You may be sure that I felt greatly disappointed as the end of my journey was so near at hand. The Ship had got up to the wharf and I told Capt. H. how matters stood. He gave me a very cordial invitation to make myself at home on board the ship till my brother came as I would do better than to go into a strange city where everything would be strange to me. Capt. H. invited me every day to take a sail with him round the Harbor. I had a letter from Mrs. Gardner of Lockerby to her Mother Mrs. McBride in Charleston. I started & found the Lady's residence. She & her daughter lived together & appeared to be comfortable. They seemed pleased with my call & I could answer many inquiries as the Gardners were neighbors of ours in Scotland. They gave me a pressing invitation to take ten with them which I accepted. It was the first I had sat at a table waited upon by a negro. They had one of the blackest girls I ever saw and their China was white. Everytime she passed a dish I could not rest the idea that she must leave a black mark. On my return to the ship I found a Mr. McKnight had called and left word inviting me to call on him at McWhinney & Cox Counting House.

I called as requested & found him to be a youn Scotchman a clerk who was acquainted with brother James. He received me very cordially and when I was about to leave he followed into a Hall and said he would take the liberty of asking me if I was not in want of money. I told that I could get along and thank him. He insisted loaning me. I finally told him I would take $5. He said that would not go far in Charleston and wanted to press on me $25 or $50. I took $5 which I returned to him before I left the city as I had not used it I having sold a number of things to the Steward of the ship which he wanted & I thought I did not need.

October 28th 1828 on the evening of the fourth day of my in Charleston while at supper I heard some one come on deck and inquire for Mr. Jackson. I at once recognized the voice as being my brother's and immediately went up. We were both greatly rejoiced to meet. I went with him to the Planters Hotel where he put up. We slept little that night. We talked of home & the dear friends there. When he received my letter he had just got able to sit up after a sever attack of fever but he immediately set about arrangement to come to Charleston next day. The excitement of the occasion seemed to have rallied all his native energies and he fully regained his health in a few days. We remeined in Charleston 2 days. Spent a very pleasant time by invitation with capt. H. when he took occation to pass many flattering complements on me to Bro. James which seemed to give him great pleasure. And after buying such supplies as he wanted among which was a liberal supply of Books. He notified the hands that we would start out at 10 AM. He had crew & Henry (a boy about 12 yrs brother to John Farren) to steer. One eve of starting the negroes had all kinds of errand up into the city and they had finally to be forced on board with two still missing. We took a Lady Passenger aboard that was going up to Edisto as Governess to a Planter's family. Henry was told to steer out & after rounding the Battery to keep up the middle of the stream. In short time we descried the two truant negroes in view hallooing at the top their voice waving their old hats and the most energetic and grotesque appeals to be taken on board and the Negros in the boat were begging for them. Henry was told to steer to shore. They were glad to escape from Charleston as they could not remain long without being put in the Work House. They then pulled away with a will to try to make Island cut off while the tide was up which wouldsave us many miles & with the tide in our favor. But when we got there the out was we found nearly dry and the negroes carried James and I ashore as also a cold roast turkey and other supplies that Mrs. Street of P. Hotel had sent along for a cold Dinner on the trip and was the usual custom J. had a case of the best Liquors. He invited the Lady ashore to dine with us but she decllined. In the meantime the hands waded into the mud and dragged the boat along the ditch at least half a mile and after they had hurriedly finished up the fragments of our dinner again carried us on board the boat & we proceeded on our voyage. We landed our Lady passenger on Edisto after dark & put across towards Slann's Island & we were hailed by the gright light of a towering fire on Slann's Point more than two miles away that cast its cheering gleam over the face of the water. And on nearing the landing the scene that presented to my wondering gaze that beggared all my former imaginings - I had seen the witches in Macbeth & other weird scenes represented with all the accessories of Art & Genius but imagine a dark night the glare of a great fire surrounded by about fifty negroes black themselves as the surrounding darkness rushing eagerly forward. They halped me from the Boad and all had to shake hands with Massa William. It was over a mile to the residence & the had made the fire to guide & welcome us. They had brought horses for us to ride. We soon got there & another reception awaited me and I suppose all the darkies on the plantation had to see & shake hands with Massa W. but the novelty of the scene seemed tame after the ordeal at the point. I had only got seated when a bright little fellow presented himself with warm water & towel to wash my feet which I submitted to. And there were so many anxious to do me some kindness that it relly became annoying to me who had been mostly accustomed to wait on myself. I have went into the details of this trip rather minutely as everything was so new so strange so different from anything in my former experience I never having seen a falf dozen negroes in all my life before I arrived in Charleston.

Next morning after my arrival James told me he was going to go out to see how the musiness was going on and invited me to take a walk with him. The negroes were digging sweet potatoes in a field of 30 a near by. The land was all staked off in 105 feet squares called tasks and the tasks that each had dug were known all over the field. J. kicked up the popatoes where they had not been dug out clean and called the attention of Eleck the head Driver to the bad work. He called the delinquent hands back and gave them a few cuts with his long heavy whip and made them go over the patch. Eleck was a large black negro with a mild benevolent countenance, thoroughly reliable but a shade too easy to rush business without being rushed himself. When that whip came down it shocked my feelings badly and that was an experience that I never could be reconciled to. They were getting a great quantity of potatoes which was necessary as they constituted the principle food of the negroes for about half the year.

After a few days we went on a hog hunt. Some of the Hogs had strayed from the plantation on to a small Island in the swamp and had become quite wild. We started out on horseback armed with guns with 3 or 4 negroes on foot and all the dogs we could muster. We had a successful hunt having captured the leader of the drove, a formidable anomale that would have rejoiced the heart of a German Baron in days of old. On our return from the hunt we met in with a neighbor Planter, a Major Logan to whom I was introduced and it was made known that I was a great checker player. James and him had amused themselves with that game frequently. He invited us to make him a visit but finally got so interested in checkers that he insisted on our going hime with him which we did. He lived about 3 miles away. We went up and had tea with him & family. He had a very interesting family of Mrs. L., two daughters young ladies, & some younger children. The young Ladies played on the Piano and sung Scotch Songs. James insisted on my singing which I had to consent to in my uncultivated way & whether it was my quaint Scotch idiom that pleased them or rude music they seemed much pleased or amused. Major Logan prided himself on his Scottish descent. He was a full embodiment of Southern Chivalry, a punctilious polished Gentleman and firm believer in the "Code of honor." Among our visiting friends we counted him as a special friend, then John Farren & his father-in-law Mr. Martin & his sons who lived on the Islands. After the ladies retired the Major called for checkers as he had promised to beat me on his own board but the result was the same and he plied his old Madera wine which only muddlem him worse. James was getting out of patience & made signs to me. I blundered thru a game & gave it to him which he suspected and his Chivalry got aroused and it took all of James' address to ward off a serious difficulty as at that time I was rather foolhardy and hot blooded. We went up on the Main to spend Christmas Holidays and a good time at old Mr. Martin's, Ferrens & Doctors Curtis. White & black broke loose for enjoyment, hunting, dancing & feasting.

In the meantime I had engaged to manage Ms. Seabrook Jr. plantation on Edisto Island at a salary of $800 for a year. My age was unknow or I could not have got a situation but I had cultivated a good crop of whiskers for a boy of 18 which helped me out the young men there being generally spare and smooth faced at that age. James had engaged with the same Wm. Seabrook, Jr. by consent of Capt. W. Seabrook Sr. to manage two plantations, one of which situated on Wadinslaw is. He had just bought of heirs and J. was to move on to it & put it in a general state of good repair by building new cotton H, Houses, Negro houses, etc. Brubbing ditching & fencint. It had a large dwelling on it somewhat out of repair which he moved into and W. S. sent a force of Yankee Carpenters to put up the building before the summer set in. They professed to be rigid temperance men at home but proved to be the reverse there. They were assigned the second storey for their accomodation and soon spent their Sundays in drinking & card playing which resulted in their burning down the house by dropping the stumps of their cigars into the cracks around the hearth. James lost considerable by the fire in clothing, furniture & books - had just got into a light doze of sleep when the fire occurred and was nearly overcome with the smoke but got arroused in time to make his escape. And this accident necessitated the building of a dwelling also. He remained on this Plantation till we left south Carolina. We took a trip to Charleston to lay in suplies before we commenced the season's business.

In all our movements James treated me with the greatest of kindness & generosity. He had kept a journal of all the work done daily on the plantations and the amount dome by each hand one of which he furnished me with which proved of great advantage and enabled me to astonish both Seabrook & the negroes by knowing what work came next to be done and how much they ought to do and by using it prudently they respected my Judgment and Authority. I succeeded very well the first year and with a man who was considered very difficult to get along with as he was remarkably particular and exacting. This suited me as we had sufficient force on the plantation to keep everything in the most tide shape His father's home place on Edisto was about 8 miles distant. He had a very experienced man a Mr. Sleigh managing it who died that year and he engaged me to take charge of it with considerable advance in salary. It was a large fine plantation and had been managed several years by Bro. James.

Capt. Seabrook was a splendid man, humane, kind & pleasant, an elder in the Presbyterian Church. In the summer he (and all other Planters) retired with their family to a healthy resort called the bay and the whites who remained on the plantations had at least one attack of bilious fever to go thru annually. I went thru two severe ones.

When the tide was up we could go to Wadinalaw Island by Boat in an hour or a little over it being about ten miles and about twenty miles at low tide. Edisto Island it think is only 10 or 12 miles long and not more than 3 to 5 wide. The soil on all these islands is sandy loam part of it very light. We fertilized it with marsh mud, cowpen manure, cotton seed & Pine trash and raised the finest quality of Sea Island Cotton which at the time I write of (1830) was worth 5 times as much as upland cotton. It was cultivated entirely with the hoe and a well cultivated field of cotton when in bloom and some of the pods opening (say in August) was as beautiful a sight as any Garden. We also raised considerable quantities of Sweet Potatoes & Corn. We raised Cow Peas (a sort of Yellow Bean) to feed the Mules & Oxen. They were also good for table use, - a Bitter Orange & White & Purple Figs and Pine Apples, Pea Nuts, Pomegranates. Sweet Potatoes was the principal food of the Negroes about six months in the year, allowance 1/2 bushel pr. Week-corn for balance of the year allowance 1 peck pr. Week-and they had little else during the whole year only such as could fish after hours of labor could catch fish. Any of them could gather oysters when the tide was down. Had a few cattle got up the cows every night drew a few quarts of milk for coffee, made no attempt to make butter. All domestic fowls did well. Could raise 3 hatchings annually.

A margin of not less than 50 miles around that coast is composed of Islands March & Water. Vast bodies of the marsh is bare when the tide is down & hot sun pouring down it scorching rays upon it is no doubt a prolific.

The Agricultural Society of south Carolina offered a Premium of a Gold Medal for the best general management of a Plantation, Br. J. competed for it against seven native southerners and it was awarded to him. Col. Washington (a near relative to Gen. Geo. Washington) presented it to him in a highly complimentry speech. (This medal ought to be in the hands of James' Children) [a note, probably written by May B. Jackson, states, "Cousin Amy Pittman has the gold medal spoken of."]

In January 1831, we made a sale and sold off our Furniture books etc. and settled up our business having fully determined to leave the South & Slavery. When we got to Charleston we went to the U.S. Br. Bank to procure Drafts on Cincinnati Branch U.S. Bank. The President of the Bank in Charleston was Jos. Johnson and he seemed to be fully acquainted with our characters and intentions. He invited us into his private room as he wished to have a private conference with us. After a few preliminary inquiries with regard to our movements he said that they were anxious to have us remain there that such men were the bone & sinew of their state & they had not enough and he wished to make a proposition to us as he wanted to induce us to stay. He wanted us to buy a plantation & stock it with slaves etc., William to manage it - James to take the management of two or three Plantations as he had been by which he could make 2,000 to 3,000 per year. And he had no doubt of our ability to soon establish ourselves as planters and to enable us to carry out this he would guarantee us all the funds we might need at 6% and for any length of time required. But as we had fully made up our minds we declined the flattering offer although we did not for a moment doubt that it could be carried out successfully.

We took our saddle Horses to Charleston intending to drive them through to Cincinnati but found that they would not drive to suit for such a long Journey so we traded with some Kentucky horse dealer for a pair of match Bays, bought a carriage and started out on the 14th of January 1831 for the great west - by Columbia & Spartanburg, N.C. - through the corner of N. C. - Tenn. By Scroggsville, Cumberland Gap, etc. & Crab Orchard, Richmond, Lexington & Georgetown, Ky. We had a very rough trip with snow, ice, high water & bad and Mountainous roads. Four incidents worth relating occurred during our Journey.

At Spartanburg I got one lesson teaching me that prudence is the better part of valour. While James went in to the Hotel to arrange for accommodations I went to the stable to see that our horses were properly cared for. A native with long red visage, long carbuncled nose & large twisted stick in his hand came from a groggery across the street where a dozen of his boon companions still remained imbibing the juice of the corn. He evidently came to interview me & accosted me how d'ye do stranger - reckon you're from the South - yes - reckon you're going west - yes - going to buy land out thar don't know reckon you think that this is a pretty fine country. Well I don't reckon any such thing.

He opened out on me like a perfect _____?_____ & put across the street to his boon companions threatening to revenge the insult. James discovered the movement and knew there was something wrong and across the street he went shook hands with the crowd, inquired into the trouble, told him I was one of the best natured fellows alive, coult not have meant to insult him but could not expect a man would like to talk who had driven all day without his dinner. The crowd laughed - James called me over - proposed that I should treat to a quart. The bully shook hands & made friends, We slept that night in a large upper room - the sherif of the Co. & another fellow slept in the same room - they talked more than half the night about kniging, shooting & whipping niggers. About the 12th of Feb. had an eclipse of the sun & very cold between Lexington & Georgetown, had one my feet badly frozen. Arrived at Covington [KY] Feb. 14th 1831. The Ohio river was full & ice running thick. Next day crossed the river in a skiff which took active dodging to pass between the Ice cakes - left our team at Covington till the ferry boat could run.

We put up at the Dennison House & in the meantime got acquainted with McGregors Hardware Marchants who with a Mr. McCormick owned Iron Works up the Ohio above Portsmouth. They made proposition to sell James one third Interest & pay him $1200, a year to take the management of the works & proposed that I should take care of a blast Furnace & to keep a company Store to supply the hands at the works with goods - the Cincinnati partners to supply all goods ordered and I was to have $500, and half the profits of the store. James went up the river with them to see the property ( I was disabled with my frozen foot) and seemed to think well of it. The arrangement looked as favorable for me as I could ask but I thought that James had been toiling for so many years and had accumulated a handsome capital by care & industry & it was risking too much to go into a business that we were entirely ignorant of. He fell in to my view of the matter and let it pass.

We were introduced to Provy White who lived near Carthage. He invited us out to his house - had two nice daughters - & spent a few days riding around with us looking at farms. James bought the Miggins Farm at $15 per acre then bought Baxter farm at $20. Baxter went into a contract that I drew up binding both parties to fullfil or forfeit $200. He was sorry for what he had done and tried to get out of it but found he could not short of paying the forfeit & concluded to let the place go.

We then went to work fixing up for farming. It was understood that I was to have the Higgins farm & to pay for it to James at my convenience. I had enough of funds of my own to rig up in good style for farming. We each rigged up two good teams, each got two plows made by Wilmington of Reading the largest that had ever been seen in that region, bought cattle, hogs, poultry & supplies generally - and hired two Englishmen & their wives by the name of Watson to work and keep House.

We concluded that we had got to put our hand to the plow ourselves as we could not have Ceaser or Prunus to stand round and fan the flies off us in Ohio so we stripped our coats and went to work. We went to the virgin soil with our big plows deeper than it had ever been stirred by the Pale face before. The consequence was an enormous crop of huge clods & a moderate crop of grain but it told in after years. Our English help were rather fudgy folk and unpleasant to get along with and alarmingly expensive. They got so dissatisfied that we had to let them go about the middle of harvest.

James came down Sunday to my bacherlor hall to talk over our destitue situation. In the course of our talk he said that I knew that he could not leave on account of business matters else he would go to Scotland and fetch out Mother and sister Mary - asked if I could. I said I would go. When could I be ready - this was Sunday - by Wednesday if you will take care of my barley which was in shock. I worked straightening things up Monday & Tuesday had my trunk packed and James took me down to Cincinnati on the following Wednesday. Went up the Ohio (which was very low) to Pittsburg from there to Philadelphia by stage from there to New York by stage & Steamboat. After landing in NY about the first man I met had his face partly covered, he halted and looking at him more closely I recognized my Cousin Wm. Bell - he lived there with his family and was engaged in taking out the Brick fronts of stores and putting in granite open gronts - a few days previous a scaffold had fallen with him and some other men & he had got hurt about the head & face. I went home with him, his wife was quite rejoiced to see me.

I took passage to Liverpool in the Packet Ship Brittania, Capt. Marshall (no steamers crossed the Atlantic then) - were bacalmed on the Banks of Newfoundland and sent a boat to some fishing smacks and got some fresh codfish. We lost one sailor, he was at work making some repair, a sudden blow of wind tightened up the forsheet and struck him throwing him into the sea. A boat was immediately manned & put out but as there was a heavy swell they never saw him. As we were moving along pretty lively we soon left him a considerable distance. Being late in the day and getting dark we almost despaired of finding our boat & four men. One child about 2 years of age died as we entered the British Channel as the weather was warm was buried in the sea. We went into the dock in the evening of the 22nd day after leaving NY in (August.)

My fellow passengers got the impression that I was an Irishman and when they found out on my arrival at L. that I was Scotch & was going to Scotland they could scarcely believe it. They insisted that I should take dinner with them next day at Duke of Leinster Tavern (I had put up at George Pountains where I stopped when I sailed from Liverpool to America before.) I took dinner with my Irish friends, had a pleasant time, two of the jolliest of the party were Catholic Priests. After dinner they hired cabs & took the whole party around to see the most interesting sights in Liverpool. I occupied one cab with a Mr. Fitzgerald & wife - we were driven to the Steamboat Dock and passages taken for the whole party to Dublin including me altho I protested that I was sorry I could not go - they paid all expenses and was sorry to leave such kind friends without a respectful leave taking and acknowledgement of their kindness.

Took Steam boat to Scotland and arrived at Annan, took dinner, found that there was no conveyance from there to Lockerbie ten miles off without hiring a post Chaise at 2 pounds (about $10)

I know the road to be fine so I left my Trunk at the hotel and started out on foot. When I got to Kettleholm Brig about 2 miles from L. I called to get a drink. The people knew me and there I met with an unpleasant surprise. They told me that Mother, Brother Anthony & his wife and Mary's boy Richard had passed there two days before on their way to Liverpool to sail to America. I felt sadly disappointed as I knew of no means of reaching them before they sailed.

I reached Lockerbie about 9 o'c PM, went to Uncle Thomas Bell's. Being a fine evening the doors were open & the family enjoying a social chat. I walked in and stopped on the floor. Uncle looked up with surprise he recognized me and grasped my hand saying God bless me William is this you. The news of my arrival spread like wild fire and in a short time the house was filled with old friends and neighbors. I stayed there about 8 days. It was harvest time and I had callers night and day making inquiries about their friends in America and about the country and I had a delightful time with old friends. My old proceptor at the Academy, Mr. Ferguson, had me spend a day with him. He brought out a Map N. & S. America each about as large as your spread hand & wanted information as he was called on frequently by those intending to emigrate for information. I took out a large travelling Map of the U.S. showed him the routes I had travelled, told him the population in towns. He was perfectly astonished at the extent of the country etc. I made him a present of the Map which he highly valued.

I greatly enjoyed the visit to the home of my childhood but had to make my stay very short as I had engaged and paid for 4 passages back to New York and the season be advanced I had to hurry to return to Ohio before the winter set in. Sister Mary & her daughter Nancy about 2 years old being all of our family that were left in Scotland I advised Mary to go with me. James Bell, Uncle Thomas' son, and Matthew Short a school mate of mine concluded to go with us and took the passages I had already paid for.

On return to Liverpool we took passage in the Ship Science, Capt. Isaac Stone Coffin of Newburyport, Mass. Had a very long and Stormy passage of 8 weeks and 2 days. There were 130 steerage passengers & 20 second Cabin. All found their own provisions and the steerage passengers being limited in means had very short supplies as they had been led to believe by the agents that they would reach N. York in 2 or 3 weeks at furthest. Hunger led to general discontent and threats of helping themselves to the ship's supplies. The Captain became alarmed and came to an understanding with us cabin passengers that in case of necessity he arm us to protect the ship, the safety of all on board depended on it. However by helping a little & the Captain showing considerable nerve we got thro' without an open mutiny. We got short of water also and for 2 weeks were put on allowance of 1 quart per day each of Nasty Brackish water. One woman who was coming out to her husband died and was buried in the ocean leaving a little child & a sister about 15 years of age. B. Merryweather wife and child came out at the same time.

After remaining a few days in N.Y. to recruit we started on our Journey westward. Cousin William Bell wife & little boy went with us. We went by Steamboat to Albany and there took passage on Canal boat to Buffalo. Our boat was the last to get thro. As the canal froze up that night and one of the heaviest snow storms I ever saw set in the next day. It was so dark at times that it was difficult to find the way from one house to another. The snow laid over 4 feet deep after the storm had passed. Took passage on a Steamboat for Cleveland which broke the ice to get out of the harbor. After getting out in the Lake the wind rose to a perfect hurricane, hat to put in to Dunkirk 40 m. from Buffalo. The town was full with travelers driven in by the storm. We found shelter in a private house. At the party all seemed to look for me to take the direction of affairs and our funds were going rapidly, and 4 men 2 women &2 children 8 in all among strangers to be provided for it put me on my mettle. As soon as day peeped next morning I got up and went out in the town to pick up something for all to eat. I met a large covered sleigh and hailed it - asked the driver where he was going, said he was going to Jamestown with the mail and from there to Warren, PA., had a load of stove pipe but would take out if he could get passengers. I engaged passage for the party, went and roused them out & started off. Took Breakfast at Fredonia 10 m. from Dunkirk, made Warren next day after a few upsets in the deep snow, put up at the Hotel. As my program now was to float down the Allegheny to Pittsburgh and steam from there to Cincinnati. Next day I engaged a man named parker to build us a flat boad of sufficient capacity to carry the party with Baggage & supplies, had it ready to set sail in 3 days - But next morning to our great disappointment we found that the river was gorged up with ice in two places below town - I have since thought that it was the act of kind Providence that it should be so, it was a foolhardy undertaking to attempt to float down a raging stream 200 miles in the dead of winter. As that project had to be abandoned I sold the flat to Parker at half the cost and rented a house of him, borrowed a few articles of furniture, bought a few cooking utensils - Cousin W. Bell & sister had a good supply of bedding, enough for all and we set up housekeeping for the winter. Before our Hotel bill was paid & other expenses met our funds were nearly exhausted. The question we anxiously debated then was what shall we live on. It was decided Mush & Molasses, it did not take long to change our minds and we got something more to our taste. But all the funds in possession of the whole party got concentrated in a Spanish quarter in my hands which I told them should not leave me some more could be added to it. As I had left means behind they wanted me to write to Bro. James to remit me some but I told them no we must fight it out.

There were a few good farms along the river where they had heavy crops of grain to thresh out and no threshing machines then. The boys had learned in scotland to thresh with the flayl. They went out and got a job & got every 10th bushel & Wm. B. and I took job of cutting 5 feet cord wood deadened white oaks, snow 4 feet deep to wallow in at 31 1/4 cts a cord. We then took courage and went to the will & laid in a supply of flour and to the store and got a supply of Groceries - as they supposed us to be rich they had been urging us to buy and pay in the Spring - and as grain was scarce they were anxious to get our grain, corn 62 1/2, oats 43 3/4, Rye 75, Wheat 112 ½ (or 9 shillings). We soon paid our debt and had money ahead.

In prospecting Wm. Bell and I discovered a fine ledge of sand stone of a superior quality for building purposes. That was right to his hand as he was a splendid mechanic. He wanted to cut out a Column suitable for a store front. We all favored the idea, he got such tools as could find & got out a fine block & dressed it and the result was that he was engaged by Faulkner & Tenner the Bankers there to build a block of Stores open front trimmed with that stone. He remained there several years & built Public Buildings in the surrounding country. There was a Company rafting a large amount of lumber 20 miles above Warren that I had arranged with to go down on their rafts to Pittsburg in the Spring. They were anxious to be ready to run out as soon as the Ice broke u and wanted more hands. Were paying 4 shillings & board but would pay 5 shillings (62 1/2) (big wages then). One of the other boys & I went up and worked about a month (had a good time). While W. B. worked at his column the other one Jobed round and made the Women & Children comfortable. We passed through the winter comfortably and before starting in the Spring left our household goods to Wm. Bell and Took the balance of cash on hand $17. with us. I had a comfortable shanty built on the raft that Mary, Nancy & I occupied and us boys got $10 & board to Pittsburg where we meant to take passage on steamboat. Mr. Leonard was very urgent for us to remain on the raft till we got to Cincinnati and offered us $12 and as it would only take us 2 or 3 days longer and we felt quite at home we accepted the offer. So when I got to Cincinnati I had over $50 on hand as the boys had paid me some. When we arrived at Cincinnati I got Mary comfortable quarters and started out. When I got to James the folks were all in bed but they were all on foot and were rejoiced to see me. Mother & the others had arrived there early in the fall. James had rented the lower farm as it was getting late in the season and I turned in and farmed with him that season.

James had been paying attentions to Miss Amey Tucker and was married to her the following year.

I moved in the Spring of 1833 on to the lower farm again and Mother & Sister Mary & Nancy with me. Anthony had rented the place across the creek from me. We got along finely & crops were remarkable fine but that dread disease, Cholera, made its appearance and overrun the whole country. One bright beautiful Sabbath morning Bro. Anthony called me to come that Peggy had been taken suddenly ill. I hurried over and found her suffering from a most violent attack of Cholera. Richard started immediately to Reading for Dr. Smith. He had done all that he could but to no avail. She died about noon the same day. Mother felt concerned about Anthony and went over after the funeral to straighten things up about the house and I suppose exerted herself too much, the weather being warm and she being a fleshy heavy woman. When she came home she complained of feeling wearied. We got her favorite cup of Tea and she seemed quite refreshed & was retired for the night. Before 5 o'c in the morning Mary called me, say Mother was sick. I struck a light and found her nearly gone with Cholera. I immediately went for the Dr. but in spite of all that we could do she kept sinking and expired about noon the same day. These being the first cases outside of Cincinnati in that direction caused a general alarm among neighbors. Few would come near us. Mrs. Mackey & Mrs. Merry were the only women that would venture to come to prepare the bodies for burial & they came voluntarily and both escaped the dreaded contagion. Mr. Merry would not come to the funerals but was taken in about 1 day after and was the only other fatal case at that time in the neighborhood.

After our sickness and trouble I felt quite unhappy and concluded to quit farming although James urged me to keep on and made me proposition liberal beyond that I could expect. I had large crop & considerable stock which I sold off and thought I would go into some kind of business & with that in view I thought it best to secure a clerkship which I did in Dayton with Oliver Smith.

END.

If anybody still has this medal spoken of in the above text, please email me a photo of it along with any stories or other information about it so I can post it within this text. If somebody has the original document, please scan it in color and email me a copy. I will be very thankful.

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