Historic Letters, Buchanan County, Missouri These letters were written by my great, great, great grandfather, John R. Weller. I believe that these letters give a good idea how the writing or correspondence played a big part in their lives and what things were like in the 1800s. Just a little background to the individuals corresponding in these letters. John Richard Weller who received these letters was born 6-5-1827 in Covington, Kentucky the son of William and Nancy (Denny) Weller. He married Martha Jane Hale 3-9-1851 in Henry County, Iowa. John Richard Weller died 1-7-1866 and is buried in Henry County, Iowa. He is my great great grandfather. His son, Samuel Daniel Weller was born 8-6-1857 in New London, Henry County, Iowa Samuel Daniel married Carrie Belle Prickett 11-29-1877 in Henry County, Iowa. Samuel worked for the railroad and at the time of his daughter's birth ( Florence Belle, my grandmother, born 3-1-1898) they were living in Ogden, Utah. Carrie Belle Prickett died six weeks after giving birth to my grandmother, Florence Belle, and her body was shipped back to Henry County, Iowa for her final resting place. It is my grandmother who had several letters in her possession. At the time of her death in 1986, I was given a box of old papers which included these letters as well as many other amazing documents. J.E. Weller (James Elisha) is the son of Samuel and Martha (Shields) Weller. He was born 2-17-1821 in Nelson County, Kentucky. Samuel was an older brother to William (John Richard's father). J.E. Weller married in 1851 to Mary Ann Mark and had seven children: Sarah Margaret; Charles Edward; William Henry; Isabelle Jane; Mary M.; Jacob M; and Martha S. (I believe that I located Charles Edward and Martha S. on the new cemetery listings for Yates Cemetery, Buchanan County, Missouri) J.E. Weller married for a second time in August 1865 to Eleanor E. Hill and had the following children: Emily C.; Phoebe A.; James E. I located J.E. Weller in the Yates Cemetery listing also. I have some confusion on the listing for his wife. The information states that Emily, wife of J.E. Weller, 3/20/1834 - no date. I am not sure if this is Eleanor in my records or if there is a third wife. I enjoyed transcibing these old letters and they gave me a real feel for how things were in peace and war times. I hope that others enjoy them as well. Enjoy! ************************************************************************ Dekalb Buchanan Co Mo Nov. 5th (looks like 54 meaning 1854?) Dear cousin, yours of Oct 8 came only to hand. Sad as is its contents it now lies before me. I have no comments to make. Samuel Was almost my Brother, therefore the news of his death falls with crushing weight upon me. Especially when I come to tell you the fact that at the same time I got your letter from the office I also got one from Brother Jacob Stating the fact that Father and Sister Elizabeth Both are members among the dead. Sister Died on the 16th of Oct and Father on the 17. Both of Typhoid fever. They Both Died in their right mands (minds) and Perfectly happy. Death had no terrors to them. Father gave directions as to his Interment and Requested that Rev Wm Norris or Rev. Mr Peck should preach his funeral. He also selected the text for the occasion, Job 14 - Chap 20th verse (Man that is born of Woman he) Jacob letter further states that Sister Sarah and Matilda, Bros Charles and John are all down with the same awful disease and mother was not well. Jacob had a very hard spell of Billious fever himself this summer. He just resumed Business a few days ago. Weare all well over here. I have a letter from James Ashbaugh dated Sept. 12/54. He was well. Times are dull in California. Please give my love to all and write soon and often to your affectionate Cousin J.E. Weller John R. Weller ************************************************************************ Berming Buchanan Co, Mo Feby 11th, 1859 John R. Weller, New London, Iowa Dear cousin We have a cold snap. Just now snowed 6 inches last night. The days work is over and I am sitting by the fire trying to make myself comfortable by scribbling at an answer to your last favor the Date of which has slipped my mind. However its memory is none the less pleasant,, we are all well. A short time ago in Ky. Monez matter are somewhat tight here But not so bad as they were sometime since we weathered the storm. Met a tight squeeze and our house enjoys No 1 credit. I commenced operating on a very limited capital and have made but little as yet and Don't know that I Ever will make much. Year before last we done pretty well, But last year we only about made a living and sustained our credit. This year we design spreading out Extending or Enlarging our trade considerably. We want to make it pay a little if we can. Jim Asbaugh will be at home sometime this spring I expect. the prospect for a large proffit to our California speculation is pretty slim,, Frazer River killed it before Jim could sell our cattle. Beef is only worth 10cts in Cal. at this time. there is considerable excitement here at this time about Pikes Peak,, Cherry Creek. __________ these will be quite a number go from this part of the country. I am noways Excited myself,, Although I expect twill help our country some by bringing stock in demand such as mules, horses and oxen. Also corn and bacon. Corn now sells at from $1.50 to 2.00 per Bbl (5 Bushels), Horses and mules are held pretty high say from $90.00 to $175.00, oxen at say from $70.00 to 100.00, wheat is $1.00 per bushel, flour $3.50 in 100 lbs., oats what few these is will be worth from 75cts to a Dollar at sowing time. Hemp is worth from $70.00 to $80.00 per ton here and from $90.00 to $105.00in St Louis. We expect to buy not less than a 100 tons this season,, we made some 4 or 5 hundred dollars on hemp last year,, which was a great Relief to us,, Bacon will be scarce and high this summer I think. Where shall I direct my letters, to Canaan or New London,, We have four children Sarah Margaret, Charles Edward, William Henry and Isabel Jane All Regular Dutch. The cuss will pass from Hannibal to St Joseph by the 1st of March which will put us in two days travel of each other,, won't you come and see us before long,, it won't take you long,, Please give my love to all and write soon to your cousin. J. E. Weller ************************************************************************ Berrning, Mo Jany 22nd, 1861 Dear cousin, Your esteemed favor of 22nd dec is recd,, I shall offer this as an answer. We are all well over here. All well in Ky as I learn from Recent Letters. I am very much pleased to Learn that you all escaped with your lives from the attacks of that Horrible Disease, Typhoid Fever. I am also much pleased to Hear that you have Hopes of Sound and Permanent Health yourself,, Sam Ashbaugh Moved out here last Spring and Stayed Some 2 or 3 months and moved back to Ky. He has bot (bought) Land in Hart Co. His address is Bacon Creek Hart Co. Ky ---Jim Ashbaugh is now in Jefferson City occupying the Seat the Voters of the Buchanan County gave him Last August. Jim was Elected as an Independent Union candidate,, This county sends two representatives and there was 4 on the track. The other member is a Democrat. The People of this State are very much Excited in Regard to the political affairs of the Nation. There has in all probability, eve this time a Bill passed in our legislature calling a convention to take into consideration what is best for Missouri to do under the circumstances. My Impression is that Mo is for the Union. Decidedly if She can get Equal Rights in it. If not She will undoubtedly go with South. Great Dissatisfaction in manifested throughout the whole country on account the way the abolition States have treated citizens of the Slave States in Regard to the Return of ________ Slaves and in regard to the free States wanting to cut the Slave States out of their Interest in the Common Territory of the Union. I have no Doubt But what if the Black Republicans Stand firm on the Chicago platform and the Doctrine of Lincoln as set forth in his Stump speeches, that the Union will be wrecked and Shireered to pieces for all time to come. Who can foretell what would follow a Dissolution of the States. Let us Turn from the painful Subject for I very much fear that the mischief is already done. We had a snow here last Tuesday 18 inches Deep, followed by another on Thursday night some 6 inches and tis snowing now. The 'oldest Inhabitant, can Scarcely reccollect a paralel to it. We had almost no rain at all last year. Kansa and a good part of Mo made a Clean failure in crops. A few counties here Did not fair so Bad. Corn is worth 30cts, oats 35, wheat 1$ to $1.35, Beef $3 to 5$ hook, pork has Fluctuated very much, Ranging from $3.50 to $5.50. the most of it Brot (brought) from $4.50 to $5.40. Flour from 3$ to 3$50. I shall probably try Farming this year, Having quit the goods Business. Margaret and family Thank you for you kind recollections of them and Send their love to all of you. I have no Doubt But you are tired By this time, So good night. Please give my Love to All and Write Soon and often to your cousin J.E. Weller ************************************************************************ At Home near Berming, Mo July 30th, 1861 Jno R. Weller, Dear cousin your esteemed favor of 13th nlt;; came promptly to hand and found us all well. And have so remained untill last week. I was knocked into 'pi, with a kind of Billious attack,, I am however I hope past the worst. Jim & Jo Ashbaughs families are all sound at present. Health generaly good. Crops of all kinds are splendid But I don't suppose that there is a dollar in Cash within 500 miles of here. at least I have not seen but very few for sometime. Wheat 50 cts pr bushel, oats 15, corn 20, potatoes (New) 25, Bacon 5 to 6. All Dull, Very Dull. Jim Ashbaughs folks thank for your kind rememberance. & return the compliment to all out your way. I don't suppose that I could forward anything to you in the News line but what you have already heard. And us there is nothing transpiring on any the kinfolks. I must either quit scribbling or else launch off into the Boundles Ocean of politics. I believe that nothing but politics or war nowadays has any interest whatever,, So if you will bear with me I will try and reply to some of the sharpest points in your letter,, first However let me say that yours was recd and Read without producing any of that sharp feeling that such letters are calculated to arouse,, Second if I that you could not read one from me without getting spunky over it I would quit Right here Believing however that you are as capable of Keeping cool as I am. I shall proceed. First. I agree with you where you say that the war is one of the most "Unnattural Fratricidal & Revolting to Common Sense and Honesty &C;.&C;. after you finish you abuse of the war (all of which I endorse) we part company. You charge the Southern people with Murder and Robery. I Deny and Demand your proof. You charge that the South has had control of the Federal government for a No of years past. I Deny and want to see the proof (Let me ask you what Side of Mason & Dixon Line does Fillmore, Pierce & Buchanan Live) you charge that the South has bullied and encroached upon the North for a long time,, All of which I do most Solumnly Deny and Demand your proof,, you state that Mo. Has Seceded. I Deny it. Come with your proof. You say that Slavery is a curse to Missouri. I veryly Deny it. Come with your proof,, you charge that the South will loose their sugar & cotton trade. Their respect among nations. And get punished as traitors. Now of course you was guessing at the last propositions. I will guess with you and we of course will have to Refer the matter to old Father time. 1st I guess they will establish Free Trade for Sugar & Cotton. 2nd Independence for themselves. 3rd Perfect Respect among nations. 4th that they punish whoever undertakes to punish them as traitors. In other words I will stand you a treat to be paid the first time we meet that Jeff beats old Abe on the fight on an average all the way thorough from Bangor to Pensacola. You say that Missouri has had No Right to complain of the treatment She has recd at the hands of the free States,, Lord, John, I am astonished at you. You make that statement in the Dark Let me give you a few cases. To enlighten you, for although you seem to be an endorser of old abe and his abolition Hersey's war & I will have no Idea that you ever conducted a train on the underground R.R. consequently you know but very little of the Real character of the company you seem to enjoy so well,, I am not going to speak of far fetched characters but of parties. Parties personaly known to me both Black & white within the last 12 months. I have known of 2 of my friends that had each a nigger man enticed into Iowa. But having some old acquaintances up there who saw & knew the niggers gave their owners Notice (owners paying some $500 apiece). So that they got their slave at the modest cost of about $400=apiece. Further, it leaked out among the Pious People of the locality where the slaves were taken, and the Result was that the Honest Men who gave Information to the owners had to leave Iowa to save their necks. And the owners had just as well go to the Devil at once as to go where they recovered their property. Again within about 4 weeks past 4 Negros were taken or went to Leavenworth City, Kansas, their owners Heard of them & went after them, and when they made their business known to the proper authorities they were politely Informed that they had the whole of 30 minutes to quit Kansas in, and if they choose to occupy their time in some other way than leaving they might do so, but to be assured that if they overstaged the time one minuet they would be found Hanging by the necks. Now john I ask you to Reconsider and see if you free state folks treat the Slave State Right in these Matters. No John you know you Don't,, and you have Ruined the whole country By it. And upon you Rests the awful Responsibility of this most sinful war. Upon your guilty Heads was poured the Hearts Blood of thousands Sundy 21 last. Into your guilty ears will penetrate the Doleful cry of the widow and the fatherless,, Oh May God Save Me from such Piteous Horrible Sound,, You to force your Religion and politics. (for you know that these is No Religion nor politics North without, the Almighty Nigger) upon an unwilling people. And show to the world that you have a government. Have Deliberately set about Destroying the material Interest of the whole country. Deliberately Set out to make our once Happy wives & children, widows & orphans,, Deliberately you have Inaugurated the "Imepressible conflict,, in order that free white men & women might Be Degraded to a level with the Beastly Black African. Desperately you press the conflicts that liberty to free white men may Disappear forever from our once Happy Land,, can you Shout for the grand army. for the great anaconda. That is first to cover the Brave Sons of the South, the Defenders of their Houses. With Slime and then Swallow them at one gulp,, are you Determined to feed the carrian crow & vulture upon the flesh of your countrymen. Nag more upon your own Kinsmen, John I Don't Believe you when you tell me you favor coercian, which of course is war;; civil war, a wicked war,, a war Stinulated by the Shouts of old. Greely and other Black abolitionists, which is Dissolution & Deloation complete and for ever. You pitched in and abused Missouri a little. I can help on with the work. Just as far as you have a mind to. She deserves abuse. She has let greasy lousy Abolitionists from Iowa & Ill come and overrun her. Stick their snotty noses Into their trunks, Band Boxes, under their Beds and in fact every place where they may choose to go,, and if it Happens that they find that the parties searched Did not vote for Lincoln they make him Swear to support him or Hurry him off to their camp. I have no Doubt but you will agree with me when I say that men who will submit to such treatment are worse than Free Niggers. Missouri has However Began to Resent and has Sunned the Moccasins of a few Hundred of those very clever gentlemen and I have no Doubt but will when she gets her guives on make a many a one of them Bite the Dust, or take themselves out of the State. In conclusion I Deprecate & Deplore the Sad condition of my country,, I am opposed to the whole war policy. I am for Peace all the time,, But if nothing But a fight will satisfy old Abe and his Abolition, Black republican Fanatical friends and Supporters, I am in hopes that everytime they undertake to Forward to Richmond or Moove 'The Grand Army, the Great Anacanda South, that Jeff may light down on it and water loo it,, that if the good people of the free states have no Better Employment than to form themselves into armyes for the purpose of crushing out the Slave States, that Defeat may meet them just so long as they may persist in their Diabolical work. I am no seastionist 'per se' I am one that Believes the South has Justice on her side in this unfortunate quarrel. I am one that cannot tolerate,Sickly, Slimy, loathsome abolitionism in none of its forms. It is all wrong,, Mercy, I find that I am tired. I must quit, and no Doubt might have Done so sometime since to advantage. Give my love to Uncle & Aunt, Mary, Martha, Sarah, Charley and all the Rest. Please write soon, often, long and loud, to your cousin Truly, J. E. Weller ------------------------------------------------------------------------ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Ellen Landers, email address: eland@dmreg.infi.net 19 Aug 2000 USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free genealogical information on the Internet, data may be freely used for personal research and by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for profit or any form of presentation, must obtain the written consent of the file submitter, or their legal representative, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. --------------------------------------------------------------------------