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| 1859 letter from S. I. Ferguson to his nephew
Fergusonville Sept. 1. 1859
My dear Nephew
Your very welcome letter came this morning. Yesterday was a great day here. We
had a S.S. and Temperance celebration on Mr. Isaac Pierce’s land. The speaker’s
were Rev. A. Rogers, Mr. Dunshee of your City, Rev. L.H. King. and Rev. Mr.
Watson of Seward. We had the largest crowd ever assembled in the Charlotte
valley. The entire absence of rowdyism and of intoxicated persons was an
interesting feature of the occasion. It is said, there were 530 wagons.
The procession was about two miles long, headed by a brass band, and
interspersed with five bands of marshall music. It was to me a glorious sight to
see such a tribute paid to S.S.’s and Temperance. The long procession with its
multitude of flags and banners together with the soul stirring strains of music
and the shouts of youthful voices really excited my deepest emotions of
gratitude and pleasure. Twenty tables (some of them more than 100 feet long)
literally groaned under their substantials and luxuries. Upon the whole the
demonstration was one to be proud of.
We had a pleasant visit at Plattsburgh. While there we visited the State
(Clinton) Prison at Denamora some 16 miles west of P - - There were 450
Convicts. Some in the Iron mines digging ore. Some in the furnaces, some making
shoes etc etc. It is a worse punishment than I supposed. From the prison I went
5 miles in a dense wilderness, to Chazy Lake. The lake is 6 miles long and two
wide. There is a single log house on its shore, where lives an old Canadian
Frechman who keeps 8 hounds for hunting and boats for fishing. I got there at
night by foot path. After being somewhat depleted by mosketoes, bed bugs and
fleas (“tell it not Gath”) I took breakfast at 4 A.M. (had trout venison and
pigeons) Before 5 A.M. we were in a row boat gliding over the surface of the
most beautiful sheet of water I ever saw trolling for salmon trout. After five
hours I returned with ten trout, six of which weighed 7 ˝ lbs. I then returned
to prison and met Mrs. F. and other Company. I put the trout in ice and carried
them to Plattsburgh. I did not get to Spencertown as I expected. It is not
probable I shall go to the City this fall. I thank you for your kind offer Geo.
and Sarah were here while we gone. I understand they are going soon to Hancock,
where William Oliver lives, rather expecting some opening will appear there as
William hires a good deal of help. I have heard nothing further about their
calculation.
I hear nothing of late about the re sale of the Dr Waterbury place. I hear
nothing of late from the Cooperstown Seminary. I declined their offer.
Caddie has seemed quite poorly of late, but is somewhat better. We are all
pretty well. Aunt Hannah goes to Camp-Meeting next week. My love to your father
and mother.
Yours affly.
(written on side of letter: )
Sept. 1. 1859 S.(andford) I. F.(erguson)
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 from the Davenport Historical Society
in The Ferguson-Jayne Papers, 1826 - 1938, edited by Mary Briggs.
Transcribed for this web site by Margaret Monaco. All misspellings have been
carefully preserved.
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All materials on this website are for non-profit, educational use only.