http://www.greensboro.com/gcgs/journ.html Vol. 5, No. 2, Fall 1978 (Issue Number 7) Two Vickrey Brothers Go West; Trotter History; Bethlehem U. Methodist Church Cemetery; Books Received; Charles Hardin; More Books Received; Some Early Guil. Co. Marriage Bonds. 44 TWO VICKREY BROTHERS GO WEST Copy of an old letter written by William Madison Vickrey (son of Abiathar Vickrey and his first wife, Elizaeth Swaim) to his family in Jamestown, Guilford County, N. C., after he drove a wagon train from Jamestown to Pettis County, Missouri, for Enoch Stephens and wife, Betsy Armfield (dau. of Joseph C. Armfield & Elizabeth Beeson). Note: In each of the following two letters, the original spelling and punctuarion have been retained; however, spacing has been added in places so they will be more readable. Names or words enclosed in brackets [ ] have been inserted for clarification. RFT --- Pettis County, Mo. August 1st / 59 (1859) Dear relations I seat miself this morning to write afew lines in answer to the except- able letter which I received the 30th which was a great satisfaction to hear that you were all well but sorrow to here that little Mary was troubled with boils but I hope they are better by this time. We had a considerable chance of rain on us the first week that we were on the road but after that we had but one rain on us until we landed. We com- menced Assending the blue ridge on friday evening 20th May and camped within about 3 miles of fancy gap. the wind blew so hard that night that It turned every tent over that was on the hill. I was in a wagon some 50 yards from the tents and I thought it would roll down the bend of the road and if it had it would have gone down about a quarter for the roads in the mountains are wound around and dug in the side of them. there is a precipice above on one side and below on the other which looks dangerous. we had some very hilly Country to travel through untill we crossed newridge then for awhile there was some fine country untill we began to come to the hills near the Cumberland Mountain where the country began to become poor and broken and remained so for somthing over 100 miles, We were assending the Cumberland mountain June the 3rd the day you had a storm we had no rain on us that day it was very warm untill in the evening when it turned cool enough for the women to draw on their shawls. we camped on the top of the mountain. We drove on and crossed the cumberland river in the evening there was alittle frost there and when we got two or three days drive the corn was bitten considerably and nomore appearance of it from that on. From Mt. Vernon in Ky. to Louisville there is some of as fine country as ever I beheld but it could not be purchased by a poor man as it will in places bring $100.00 per acre but when we crossed the Ohio river into the Indiana it was hilly and poor for some time but toward Vincennes there, was some very good country. We had to lay by 20th and 21st June within some 7 miles of Vincennes resting a lame horse and their wheat harvest was just coming on . Our camp was at a Widow Langtons there was some of the hoops (1) about there to count. I coped wood there the last half day that we stayed there, and Page 45 the old lady wanted me to stay and help her through with her harvest and then just to work on the plantation. I could have made $1.50 per day throug harvest and about $18.00 per month after that. When we left there we came into Illinoise there was some tolerably good country for a short distance then it was quite moderate for some time but [in] the westren part of the state there is some very fine prairie land if it was alittle more rolling but there was some of as great wheat as ever I have seen in any of the old Carolina bottoms. they do not attempt to cut it with the cradle but they take the four horse reaper and they can give six or eigh binders enough. But when we crossed the Mississippi river we came into the rough rocky hilly country and not very rich untill we got up into Pettis [County] the land began to get better and not so many rocks gainst we reached the northwest corner of the County we found the land tolerably rich. We are in the northwest corner of the County in the midst of the fertile prairies where the grass grows better in the range with great heards of cattle and horses on it than it does in the best of the Carolina meadows in the low lands the grass grows about as high as my head and as thick as it can stand but the stock does not go there much on account of the flies. upon the high ground the grass grows about knee high except where it is bumt in the spring and there it is tender and is kepte picked off. their corn looks very wellthey run their rows about three feet apart and have four and five stalks in a hill and one and two good ears to the stalk wheat made a failure this year or nearly so on ac- count of a back ward spring and the rust Oats light. There is one great objection that I have to this country and that is timber is so scarce they have no barns through hear and many of them have no stables that 15 or 20 horses, and two or three times that number of cattle. We landed at Calvin Dillons the 13th of July and stayed there two or three days then went to Mrs. Sarah Chipman's and stayed there about a week untill they could get a house to go into. then we moved out to it. Calvin Dillon took his parents into the house with him and Albert and Mr. Stevens went in [a] house together. Istill make my home with them for Mrs. Stephens seems so much like a Mother to me, but I am at work for a man by the name of Wyllis Winston doing plantation work at $15.00 per month but I cannot tell how long I may work for him but not long if I can get a school. School teachers can get from $30 to $50 per month. I must draw my scrap to a close as I am going to the election at Brownsville in Saline. thip leaves us all well except cold and I hope it will find you all. well. I did not get my like- ness taken at salem as they did not want to stop and I had to go on. I saw Lucinda Daniels and Smith Davis yesterday they were well. Please excuse all the mistakes and bad writing as it had to be done in great hast give my love to all relations and inquiring friends. I want you all to write soon and give all the news, and Direct to Dunksburg Pettis Co Mo. I remain your affection Brother and Son Wm M. Vickrey (1). hoops - young, single girls. RFT