Center for Archival Collections

Alfred Searles to E. G. Searles, January 31, 1856

Chesterfield
January 31, 1856

Dear Brother,

I take this opertunyty to try to answer you leter which I recieved one weak ago today. And was glad to see the improvement you had made in writing and I hope that you will still continue to improve by writing to me every weak. I have but litle if eny news to you, it is very cold here yet, it has been good sleighing ever since I have been here and is like to bee for all that I see for a year to come.

I have had some fun a hunting rabits and pheasants which abounds here in great numbers, if you were here to go with me wee would have some tall times with them. But you can't at presant so wee must bee content with our lot it be cast where it may.

I have been looking over that piece of land that I wrote to father about this afternoon and thought as I was ranging through the woods alone that if wee had that what a short time it would bee before wee had a home of our own and a place that we could call home but I don't now [know] that I shall ever see that time or place. Adieu for this time

Adison Searls

From your afectionate brother, A. Searls [Alfred Searles], write to me again.

Well father, as I was writing a few lines to Ads. address I will say a few words to you. Wee are all well with the exception of bad colds. I had expected a leter today from you but it hant come, I would like hear from home and from you, so as to now [know] what your ententions are for the coming year and to now [know] what you think about that land. They is land upon all sides of us and at all prises and they is a variety of all kinds of lands - they is openings, they is willow prairies and they is heavy timber. If you was here I could show you within 2 miles of here as nice white wood timber as ever grew from one foot to five through and from 60 to 100 feet long. I saw one the other day that they took 7, 12 foot logs off from and the top log was over 3 feet through but their oak timber is not so nice as a general thing as it is there but more of it there are just as straight but not so large as there now for the soil of the land--there oapnings is yelow sand. The timber and foraces [forests] is precisely black sand, some clay in the timber. I should like it first rate if you could come up here and spend a weak in looking around and then you could form something of an idea for yourself if I had your teem here I could trade them and wagon for 400 hundred dollars without any trouble at all. There is an old man about 4 miles from here what has got 80 acres of land, 30 cleared, a log house on it. He wants 1,000 for it and he wants a team, hearness and wagon upon it and the rest in anuel payments and it is said to be the best farm of its improvements in the county and orchard upon it and is one mile from a steem saueml [sawmill]. Well now I must draw to a close for it is geting late, if you have not writen before you get this write as soon as you get this, don't delay.

Giving love to all enquiring friends and to the children. Except the same you send dear parents, adieu.

Tell loisa to write and I will answer it
A Searls to E G Searls, Esq
In haste I post in haste

Alfred Searles to E. G. Searles, May 18, 1856

Morenci [Michigan]
May 18, 1856

Dear Parents and children.

I sit down this eavning to tell you that I have got home after so long a journey. I got into Morenci just as the peeped over the eastern forest next morneng. Wee are all well here at the presant time. Wee are drove very heard with work, they is so much of it to do and they has been so much rain lateley. Buisness is brisk allthough money is way scearce. Wee have got 5 schoolhouses to paint this weak. Wee have one tavern and one levry store and dwellings houses, no numeration to them. Wee have done about $75 worth of work sis I was their, not with standing the rain. News I have none to write.

I wrote to Ian the next day after I got back but have not heard from him yet. If you have, I should like to now how they are. Dave and Ian Bemes left here yesterday for Iowae. Dave is a going from there to Cansas. They have sold out at Adrian or eny (?). Peter was here with them. He was up and I had a long talk with him. He has been to Misury. He has bough 1150 acers of land their. He is a going back their soon again. He insists heard on my going with him. He offers to move me their or eny other small famely. He sais he will move a half dozen fameles that will go their to live and will sell them land for all most notheng and give them eny lenght of time to pay for it in. By payeng the interests and taxes or if wants to go he will help them to find other lands. He sais that beter land never was of both wood and parie as thickley setled as it is in meny plases here.

But I will stop and tell you more about this some other time. It may be after I have seen it. I hope that these few lines may find you well and not quite so much rain as wee have had given.

Ad, sell that cow and send the money to me individualey. OK. Peace be sill. Give our love to all, except the same yourself. Write soon.

Alfred Searls to E G Searls Tyme, Ohio

Alfred Searles to E. G. Searles, June 25, 1856

Morenci
June 25, 1856

Respected Parents,

I recieved your leter a day since, was glad to hear from you, the mony came safe and sound, - news, I have none to write. I have plenty of hard work so that I make out to live after a fashion. It is very hot and dry. For 5 weeks wee have not had rain enough to lay the dust. Crops of all kinds look bad. The weavel is in the wheat very bad, grass is light. Every thing is high, money scarce. You spake of my comeng back. There is no youse of talking about that, I am agoing west as far as I can get money to carry me this fall. If it is across the mountains that is so it is no ways likeley that I shall ever retrace my steps again.

I have writen all that I have time to this noon. So good by all. Tell them all to write if they want to,

Write soon - Alfred Searls

We are all well.

Alfred Searles to E. G. Searles, August 25, 1856

[Chesterfield Township, Fulton County, Ohio]

August 25, 1856

Dear friends,

I sit down to write a few lines to let you now that wee got home safe and sound friday noon. It cost me more then so I had got strait through that day. We found the folks all well, very cold and dry, business very dull. I went last Saturday onto that land and I found it far beter than I could expected. It is as dry as your cornfield, every foot of it and all most every foot of the prairey has been mowed and the hay halled off. You can drive a teem over it everywhere. If I had a team I should buy a lot of it next weak and go to ploughing and ditching upon it. I think that if nothing hapens in the coars of a month I shall have 40 acres of it. I am bound to have it and you will never have such a chance again - do improve this father and mother by all meens I don't want to tell the thing is differant than it is and more I have not done so. Come and see for your self before you move so that you won't be disappointed. This is all that I can say for it this time. Again our eggs came safe and sound, things all safe and sound. As to news I have none to write. Remember us to Elias and all enquiring friends. Wee remain you devoted children.

A & M Searls

I supose, father, that if I had some of them books, The outlook of freedom, I could do well upon them. And if he will send me 50 of them I will try and sell them. If I can make 25 cts upon a book so as to make days wages. If I have them I want to now soon, very soon.

Good by - Alfred Searls
to E G Searls

Alfred Searles to E. G. Searles, November 9, 1856

[Chesterfield Township, Fulton County, Ohio]
November 9, 1856

Parents and Children,

Tow weaks more has rooled around and I try to write to you again. Wee are comfortably well but you can tell Mr. Buskirk that I have got as many girls by tow or 3 as he's got. Her mane is black. Bet. and Sal. So big was she that they put my wollen shirt onto her the very first thing. Now beat that and I will tell you more. She was born the No. 7th 9 o'clock p.m. Eyes so black they like night when the moon has gone away. It is said by all that it is the smeartest one that ever was seen in Fulton Co. They is goers and comers all the while. It is a good place in sickness. Beter neighbors I don't want in such times as sickness. That is a comfort - I have a pirtey heard cold taken that night. A harder rain or wind you don't often see. And by morning things was froze harder than stones.

Well now then I believe I have told you the most of the news and I will to another subject. I hope that this will find you all well, at least that you are no worse than wee are. Father, the land trade I have not fastened yet, but am expecting the man here every day and then I should know. You spake of comeng up here. I hope that you will. Do come if it is among the possibles to, for that land wee must have. I want you to come for I want you to see which you would like best, all timber or the prairie and timber together. I want you to see it for I want not to yous no deception whatever. Now come, you can after a litle if you only think. So it won't cost but litle and if you should make up your mind to come before I write again, write and tell me when and I will meet you to Wauseon. The cars leave Toledo at 2 o'clock in the afternoon - at Wauseon at 5 o'clock in the eavning. So you see that is a quick ride. Or you can come with your teem in 2 days. I can give you the turns so that you can come like Amos. Come to Maumee then take the plank to Mount Clouva. From there to Delta, from there to Ottokee, from there through the woods to Chesterfield or Daniel Clock's.

I guess you now know don't you, ha. Write soon for I want to know how you are. Has Marilleya got back?

From your son A. Searls to the affectionate parents, brother and sisters, brothers-in-law not excepted and my regards to all enquiring friends.

Adieu
Afred Searls
To E.G. Searls

I should like to be there to help you husk but I can't.

Alfred Searles to E. G. Searles, January 25, 1857

[Chesterfield Township, Fulton County, Ohio]

Chesterfield
January 25, 1857

Dear Father,

I take up my pen this evening to write to you upon a different form from any as yet. I want you to say yes, for you have got to eny weigh. Now then, what kind of chance will you give me to work their this year with you, for I must leave here. I canot get anough here to do this year to keep me from stearving and wee have agreed upon the whole that wee can do no beter at the presant than to come back their till times and sircumstanses change. Now then, I want you to put the fare side out, but the lowest one too probably. Some time you will now why I ask this of you. And now then, another thing I ask of you because I can't help myself or I would not ask it of you and that is to come up and take a load of my things and I want you to com while this sleighing lasts, for it is much easier, cheaper and quicker done; now then, this you must do, take pity upon the poorest wretch you ever saw in your life, I have not got any money nor can't get it, for if I could get money to hire I would not ask you to come but I can't. For the last 9 weaks every stroke that I have is to cut my wood, do my chores and the probability is that for a year to come will bee the same; but I shall not risk it for I have stemed the tide to long for my own good. Now then, help me back and I will 3 times pay when I can earn it. You may think it strange that I write this weigh so soon after my last, but that I will explain when I see you.

Now then, I want you to write as soon as you have read this and don't delay fur heavens sake and mine to. The mail leaves Toledo for this place Thursday evening, gets here Friday so that you will know.

Marys health is fast improving, mine you have seen it better. They baby is well and hearty, the rest of the folks are all well. I don't expect that Mary will in a great while if ever [be] as she was before her sickness and that is another reason why I want to get where I can help myself a little beter. Now tell me the best that you can do. It is not upon my own account that I care so much, but for others. I don't know wheather you will every make out to read this fur I am so near crazy that I don't know what I am adoing, but I hope that you will make out anough to write and then to come as soon as possible, for I want to get away upon this sleighing for it will be much easier traveling for my cows and hogs. I have 6 pigs, 1 cow 9 hens, 1 cat, 1 dog, 1 dairycow and the old women - myself a shadow or a bundle of rags. Has the old women got anyone upon her other place at the present for another year.

I expect that you will laugh at me, don't care one dearn if you do, the more that you laugh the beter it will please me. Write right off and come upon this sleighing. From A. Searls to his father E.G. Searls. The ink has got scarce that I can't see the mark so I must stop - our love to all hoping to see you all soon, yours with respect to
E.G. Searls Alfred Searls
Write just as soon as you get this - Adeiu Good Night

Wright so then I will now when to look for you, fur I don't want to buy enymore hay for my cow.

MS 597: Stanton/Searles Family - Introduction | Transcript List
Manuscripts by Subject | Civil War Collections