Two Detailed 18th Century Hand-Written Letters From James Reid, Who Is Homesteading In Kentucky, To His Wife, Betsy, Who Presently Resides In New York

REID, JAMES [LETTER WRITER]

Publication: Two inked holograph letters from James Reid, 1790, Washington, Mason County

Two interesting inked letters from James Reid, homesteading in Kentucky, to his wife living in New York. In Letter One is dated February 3rd, 1790, and he writes that he started from Philadelphia on October 17th about 2 p. m. in the afternoon with a traveling companion named Bingham and traveled to Lancaster, crossed the Susquehanna River and arrived at York. The two left their travel trunks with a wagoner to be forwarded to their destination as they could travel much faster without the burden of the trunks. Arriving at Fort Pitt, Bingham found work and decided to remain there for awhile and come down with the trunks when they arrived. Reid proceeded towards his destination of getting to Kentucky. and traveled with new companions via river boat with concerns about hostile Indians shooting at them from the shore and due to low water levels having to get into the water and push the boat off the shoals. A Doctor Goforth advised him to stay at his home until his trunk arrived. His trunk did not arrive and he has not heard from Bingham about the fate of his trunk and he says, ...without my trunk I have been ever since out of cloth with only one shirt and a pair of stockings without it is what I have on my back and then all regret which rendered me very uncomfortable." Reid also comments that he has no tools which are also in his trunk. He advises regarding replacement costs for new tools as we learn he is a leather worker and also makes shoes. He advises the prices of food there and also asks that when she comes to be with him that she would pay for and ship him one dozen calf hides, "as shoes will be scarce here." He ends the letter by asking his wife to check with some people at home to resolve a few outstanding issues. In Letter Two, dated May 23rd, 1790 and written from Lexington he advises his wife that he has written her four times with no answers and reminds her that he asked her to send him one dozen calf skins, and asks that she send him the calf skins as leather is very scarce in Kentucky and he has a good prospect to fulfill orders for shoes that are in short supply there. He is completing a house that will be ready for her upon arrival in the Fall. He has entered into a partnership with another man and needs the calf skins to satisfy is part of the partnership. In a post script he also says that he received his trunk by Joseph Bingham and it had been opened with many articles removed including a silk jacket, a pair of ankle breeches, all his best shirts, along with sundry other articles. He did not have an opportunity to see Bingham who left for New Orleans. He further says, "I have great reason to believe that he opened it and used my cloak during the winter." Letters have some fold line separations along with scattered light soiling and the first letter has some fold line repairs with archival tape. Overall letter one is very good and letter two is in good condition. Both contain much information regarding the hazards of travel, friendships, food prices, business opportunity, etc. in the 18th century.

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