Columbus, Ohio
23d Oct 1839
Dear Mother Dickson,
You will doubtless think strange that I write you from this place so long after our departure from Penny. A brief history of our journey so far will explain -
We Started from Bethany friday after we left Penny. being detained there by the rain. Saturday came up the lake, and had rather a pleasant side, the lake was remarkably still for this Season of the year. We landed at Fairport, Ohio where we procured a span of horses for our carriage and went to Warren, Trumbull Co. where Elder Haines formerly practiced law - when we landed at Fairport, we took our course to Warren that we might go down the Canal to Beaver on the Ohio river; when we got there, the Canal was not in use - we hired another Span of horses and driver who took us to Beaver, 20 miles below Pittsburgh on the River -
By the way, when we got to Buffalo, we fell in company with a Gentleman and lady from St. Louis, and who were on their way from N.Y. home. he was obliged on his way home to go to Pittsburgh, consequently he must land at Fairport and take the same rout which we came; His earnest Solicitations was the occasion of our choosing to land at Fairport. The Gentleman's name is Smith, a Clothing merchant, his wife was a Miss Brown, probably Hicks knew him; we found them to be very companionable indeed; during the day we rode and told stories, evenings Sing and amuse ourselves in various ways. when we arrived at Beaver the river was low and no possibility of our getting passage down in some time; rather than stay there and wait a chance to go down the River, in a month or leave our carriage, and commence an endless journey in the stage & ride day and night, I purchased a good span of horses and started from Beaver last Friday, one week after I left Bethany, with a conveyance of our own and independent of the world. we have had remarkable good fortune in getting good entertainment Since we Started - we landed from the lake Sunday and since then we have put up every night in County Seats with the exception of 2. We came from Fairport here by way of Cardon, Warren, Beaver, New Lisbon, Canton, Wooster & Mt. Vernon - we arrived in town to-day about 12 o'clock, we have had every thing good to eat to day and now it is night.
I am writing and Lucy Ann is sewing, tearing up one cap and making another one. She keeps up remarkable good spirits, much better than I could have expected, she has been very well I think, so have I we were neither of us sick wile on the lake, yet nearly all others were. Today we have visited the States Prison, State House, been upon tops of houses and all about tomorrow we start our journey again; we are going to Springfield, where we shall determine whether we shall go through by land on the National Road or go down to Cincinnati and then down the River. could I be sure the weather would be as fine as it has been thus far I should deter.
mine upon going by land, but I fear that the rain will soon come and break up the road, you may think us by this time much fatigued, but not so. we are just getting used to it, we feel perfectly contented. we have a $500 carriage, a Span of horses worth 200, and plenty of money, and I think the prospect ahead as fair as ever.
Saml & Alanson probably are gone from Penny. Lucy Anne expresses great hopes that Alanson will go to school with Saml. She often speaks very warmly of her Penny friends and especially those who so particularly signalized themselves as such for the last few days of our stay in Penny. She very often expresses a wish that she might see Mary Anne. I think if anything could contribute to her happiness, it would be the company of Mary Anne. Lucy Anne sends to her, her best wishes and purest regards, she also wishes to be remembered to Mrs. Sherman, Mrs. Graves, Mrs. Bailey and Louisa Stoddard and all others of her friends in Penny.
We hope to hear from you as soon as we arrive at St. Louis, and that you are well and happily situated. I will write to you again when I get to St. Louis, perhaps before. John is along with us to make sport for us, he is as full of his nonsense as ever he goes as driver. He sends his best wishes to his friends in Penny, and of course to Mary Ann.
Well I have just been looking back to see what I have written, and find it a scrawl, without system and very hastily written and that just as it came in to my mind so excuse this and I will be more particular next time. I don't think of any thing more to write now, so I will bid you adieu.
Very Respectfully,
Your abt. friend
S.D. Barlow
P.S. I left my bosom Pin on the curtain. I want you to keep it
Give my respects to Marcus Walter and all the friends. It is now morning, the weather cloudy and smoky, but the road to Springfield fine being McAdamized and as hard as one continued rock.
Be happy for "allswell"
S.D. Barlow
23d Oct 1839
Dear Mother Dickson,
You will doubtless think strange that I write you from this place so long after our departure from Penny. A brief history of our journey so far will explain -
We Started from Bethany friday after we left Penny. being detained there by the rain. Saturday came up the lake, and had rather a pleasant side, the lake was remarkably still for this Season of the year. We landed at Fairport, Ohio where we procured a span of horses for our carriage and went to Warren, Trumbull Co. where Elder Haines formerly practiced law - when we landed at Fairport, we took our course to Warren that we might go down the Canal to Beaver on the Ohio river; when we got there, the Canal was not in use - we hired another Span of horses and driver who took us to Beaver, 20 miles below Pittsburgh on the River -
By the way, when we got to Buffalo, we fell in company with a Gentleman and lady from St. Louis, and who were on their way from N.Y. home. he was obliged on his way home to go to Pittsburgh, consequently he must land at Fairport and take the same rout which we came; His earnest Solicitations was the occasion of our choosing to land at Fairport. The Gentleman's name is Smith, a Clothing merchant, his wife was a Miss Brown, probably Hicks knew him; we found them to be very companionable indeed; during the day we rode and told stories, evenings Sing and amuse ourselves in various ways. when we arrived at Beaver the river was low and no possibility of our getting passage down in some time; rather than stay there and wait a chance to go down the River, in a month or leave our carriage, and commence an endless journey in the stage & ride day and night, I purchased a good span of horses and started from Beaver last Friday, one week after I left Bethany, with a conveyance of our own and independent of the world. we have had remarkable good fortune in getting good entertainment Since we Started - we landed from the lake Sunday and since then we have put up every night in County Seats with the exception of 2. We came from Fairport here by way of Cardon, Warren, Beaver, New Lisbon, Canton, Wooster & Mt. Vernon - we arrived in town to-day about 12 o'clock, we have had every thing good to eat to day and now it is night.
I am writing and Lucy Ann is sewing, tearing up one cap and making another one. She keeps up remarkable good spirits, much better than I could have expected, she has been very well I think, so have I we were neither of us sick wile on the lake, yet nearly all others were. Today we have visited the States Prison, State House, been upon tops of houses and all about tomorrow we start our journey again; we are going to Springfield, where we shall determine whether we shall go through by land on the National Road or go down to Cincinnati and then down the River. could I be sure the weather would be as fine as it has been thus far I should deter.
mine upon going by land, but I fear that the rain will soon come and break up the road, you may think us by this time much fatigued, but not so. we are just getting used to it, we feel perfectly contented. we have a $500 carriage, a Span of horses worth 200, and plenty of money, and I think the prospect ahead as fair as ever.
Saml & Alanson probably are gone from Penny. Lucy Anne expresses great hopes that Alanson will go to school with Saml. She often speaks very warmly of her Penny friends and especially those who so particularly signalized themselves as such for the last few days of our stay in Penny. She very often expresses a wish that she might see Mary Anne. I think if anything could contribute to her happiness, it would be the company of Mary Anne. Lucy Anne sends to her, her best wishes and purest regards, she also wishes to be remembered to Mrs. Sherman, Mrs. Graves, Mrs. Bailey and Louisa Stoddard and all others of her friends in Penny.
We hope to hear from you as soon as we arrive at St. Louis, and that you are well and happily situated. I will write to you again when I get to St. Louis, perhaps before. John is along with us to make sport for us, he is as full of his nonsense as ever he goes as driver. He sends his best wishes to his friends in Penny, and of course to Mary Ann.
Well I have just been looking back to see what I have written, and find it a scrawl, without system and very hastily written and that just as it came in to my mind so excuse this and I will be more particular next time. I don't think of any thing more to write now, so I will bid you adieu.
Very Respectfully,
Your abt. friend
S.D. Barlow
P.S. I left my bosom Pin on the curtain. I want you to keep it
Give my respects to Marcus Walter and all the friends. It is now morning, the weather cloudy and smoky, but the road to Springfield fine being McAdamized and as hard as one continued rock.
Be happy for "allswell"
S.D. Barlow
Note: this letter was in the papers of my Aunt Ethel, and I made a photocopy several years ago. I still need to do research to find where Steven Douglas Barlow and his wife Lucy Anne Dickson fit into her family.
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