Joseph Stover's Letter
The following was a letter addressed to John B. Strickler Luray,
Page Co, Va. In the upper left hand corner of the envelope was written
Sidney Ohio May 13th. And in the upper right corner was written .25
which is presumed to be the postage that was charged to mail the letter.
On the back of the envelope directly under the sealing wax was writen:
If John B. Strickler should be gone to the West the Post Master
at Luray will please deliver this letter to Daniel Strickler at Luray.
Dear Brother,
Shelby County, OH May 11th 1837
I take this opportunity of informing you that we are all well at this time. Hoping that these few lines may find you and family in the same state of health. I received your letter yesterday which informs me that you were all well and that your father intends giving me that forty acre lot of land in Illinois that you was speaking of when you was here and that if I will go there between this and the first of August next you will make me a deed for it. I feel it will be out of my power to go there by the first of August but if nothing happens I will go there between this and the middle of September. But if I can posably take time to go I will go some time in June as I am anxious to see that Country. I have rented a large farm four miles East of Sidney whare we shall all have as much to do as we can do this summer. It will be out of my power to move to that country this year but if we all keep our health and nothing happens more than common we should move thare some time next year if I can get fund enough to bear my expense thare. I intend if I should determine to move next year to go to Iacquois next spring and put out a crop so that we can move any time in the course of the year. You started in you letter that you would not know what to do with the land until you heard from me. I will take the land as soon as you make the deed and thank you so that you need not try to sell it to any other person. If you choose you may make the deed and send it on or if you should move in June you can make it when I come out thare. People are generly well in this neighbourhood and the country round. Land and every thing else rates high here where $1 rye 62 1/2 Corn 37 1/2 oats 25 cents bacon ten cents hogs are selling at four dollars per hundred gross milch cows at from twenty to twenty five dollars and scarce at that. I wish you to rite as soon as you get this letter and let me know what time you intend to start to Illinois and what rout you intend going so that if I should go before harvest I should know what time I could meat you thare. Tell you father we should like to see him out here this summer or fall if it should be convenient for him to come. Now my respects to you and family and to all inquiring friends.
Joseph Stover
J. B. Strickle
Old gray is still alive and doing well. I have been trying to sell him but can get no more than ten dollars offered for him.
The above information was typed exactly the way it was written. Came
from Genealogy Society of Page County, VA
