Woods’ Ferry, Dec. 15^th ’57

 Dear Friend;

            You will have good reason to exclaim “protect me from my friends” if many of them are as mindful of you as I am.

            I expected to get enough with what I had, to send home, of a person near Stocton to whom I had lent some but he had forgotten when I wanted it and had not the amt.

            I ought to have waited till this mail and sent it all at once but I was so vexed, for I had closed school a day on purpose and “mugged” all the way over on foot by moonlight, that I was bound to send what I had “just for spite” not considering that it would give you twice the trouble it ought.

            Excuse me this time and I’ll try and do better in future. And now O Frozen Dweller in the Arctic region of Gotham, as you sit muffled up before the glowing anthracite, or lie shivering and nearly smothered beneath mountains of blankets, quilts, and comforts--give ear to my words and ponder well upon my sayings: know then that we are in the enjoyment of fine spring weather; the earth clothed with fresh green grass and grain, birds singing among the green boughs and to complete the harmony, millions of geese and cranes “squalking” in every direction.

            Farmers are busily driving the plow and harrow, the flocks and herds are increasing daily and everything as the appearance of May, at home. Why will ye stay amidst almost) eternal snows while millions of acres are lying waste here!

            I can hardly realize that you are almost blocked up with snow and ice while here the children are running barefooted with neither coat nor vest

            Merrily does the rain patter down upon my little cabin roof to night, and I can fall asleep pleasedly conscious that the morning light will not reveal to me a dreary waste of drifting snows, but a landscape all green, and fresh, and smiling, as the rays of the sun fall warm upon it. Here, though a man be never so poor he can not complain that the “pitiless storm” or “howling blasts” add misery to his cup.

            Alas, I fear that too many are suffering from this cause in your “more highly favored” portion of the world.

            Can one not afford to forego some of the privileges of your country for the difference of climate? But I would not wish many to come here now of the common class of mechanics or laborers for there are more here now without means than can find employment.

            Every day I see men passing in search of employment and most have not a dime “to bless themselves with”

            Mining is carried on now by companies and requires considerable capital, for all the “surface diggings” are worked out, and much money has to be sunk before reaching the gold if indeed gold is struck at all, so that those who are without means are bad enough off as most who hold shares in the mines work themselves, and of course don’t fire many and one persons work goes so far in farming it does not require near so many men to obtain the same result as at home. So that many a poor fellow coming here with the expectation of making his “pile” gets egregrously mistaken; but anyone with some means who has been here long enough to “learn the ropes” can do well yet.

            Every day strengthens my conviction that it is much more pleasant climate than in N.Y. and of course society will soon be very much improved, and were it not for the friends at home this would be my home henceforth I believe; and I don’t know but that it will notwithstanding.

 Jan 2d

            I could not get my money to send by last Str and was obliged to wait. I sent this time $111. and by the same express viz Freeman and Co. You could get it by simply calling for it

            I sent that bill check or whatever you may call it so that you would not have to take any one alone to affirm that you were indeed the one you professed to be. If they offer you bank bills you need not take them as they are obliged to make payment in the same money they rec’d here which was gold.

            Our beautiful weather still continues If you should live here one winter you would not not wonder much at the people when they tell you that no sum of money would tempt them to return to the states and suffer the rigors of your winter The flowers are beginning to bloom now and in a few weeks there will be millions of them.

            Pleasewrite soon, give my respects any inquiring friends if any there be; the same to ourself.

                                                                                                Adios Senor,

                                                                                                G. B. Oliver

S.F. Jayne, Esq.

P.S.  the money will be delivered at your residence.

Courtesy of the Davenport Historical Association, Davenport, NY, 13750. Over 500 letters from the Ferguson and Jayne families, most dating from the mid-nineteenth century, are available in The Ferguson-Jayne Papers, 1826 - 1938, edited by Mary S. Briggs, Interlaken New York: Heart of the Lakes Publishing, 1981. Transcribed for this web site by Margaret Monaco. All misspellings have been carefully preserved..

All materials on this website are for non-profit, educational use.