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Nathen Sharpless 5th mo 16th 1806 Dear Sister Sarrah Gibbons I think it quite probable, that ere, now our relativ's in Ohio consider us as destitute of generou[?] & natural feelings in consiquence of our being so inatentive to giving them any information respecting our wellfare &c, But if you have came to this conclusio[?] it is a very unjust one, at least as far as it relate[?] to myselfe, for I can assure thee I do & trust I ever shall feel the sincearest love & esteem for those who by the ties of nature claim the warmest sensations of affection.. I shall be canded in giving my reasons for not writing. more frequenly, the first of which was, my not having any oppertunity of conveyance except by Post, & after comparing the small value of a letter writen by my pen, to that of reducing still lower a nearly exausted purse I concluded it would be best to decline writing till I could procure a cheaper carriage for my letter But a reason still more important than this, was, my never feeling more destitute & barren of any thing worth filling a letter with (or more properly speaking ) more incapable of collecting & composing my idias than since I have been in this part of the world, (I shall leave thee to compute this to what cause thee may) & I should be wery very unwilling at this period, to expose myselfe in this way, did I not consider myselfe bound by the ties of love & gratitude -- I think I have writen long enough without saying any thing, I may justly adopt thy language, that, "if I don't begin prety soon it will be all preface" Nathen Sharpless 5<sup>th</sup> mo 16<sup>th</sup> 1806
Dear Sister
Sarrah Gibbons
I think it quite probable, that ere, now
our relativ's in Ohio consider us as destitute of <unclear>generou</unclear>
& natural feelings in consiquence of our being so
inatentive to giving them any information respecting
our wellfare &c, But if you have came to this <unclear>conclusio</unclear>
it is a very unjust one, at least as far as it <unclear>relate</unclear>
to myselfe, for I can assure thee I do & trust I ever
shall feel the sincearest love & esteem for those
who by the ties of nature claim the warmest
sensations of affection.. I shall be canded in giving
my reasons for not writing. more frequenly, the
first of which was, my not having any oppertunity
of conveyance except by Post, & after comparing the
small value of a letter writen by my pen, to that
of reducing still lower a <und>nearly exausted purse</und>
I concluded it would be best to decline writing
till I could procure a cheaper carriage for my letter
But a reason still more important than this, was,
my never feeling <add>more</add> destitute & barren of any thing
worth filling a letter with (or more properly speaking )
more incapable of collecting & composing my idias
than since I have been in this part of the
world, (I shall leave thee to compute this to
what cause thee may) & I should be <del>wery</del> very
unwilling at this period, to expose myselfe in
this way, did I not consider myselfe bound by
the ties of love & gratitude -- I think I have
writen long enough without saying any thing, I may
justly adopt thy language, that, "if I don't begin prety
soon it will be all preface"

Our connection & friends, as well as ourselves, have enjoyd very good health since we have been amongst them we have spent our time as argeeably as I could have expected, meet with kind usuage wherever we we go, as for my part I have visited but very little (accept amongst my connections) as I have understood that many have made themselves very buisy in critisizing upon our family & many very erronious reports have been sirculated thro the neighbourhood respecting us, how despicable such conduct & how obvious that it origanates from a weak & contracted mind, I despise & disregard such envious dispossitions --- We have spent most of time at Jamy's[?] & Benjamins, but very little at Isaac's as he has been much from home since his return from Ohio -- I have been once of which was enough / to see our old habitation, which is so alter'd that I scarcely knew it, they have turnd the parlor into stinking duch stove lodging room, & the two back rooms into a granary, that next the road into a [?] lumber room, I was almost sufficated with that disagree smell which is so paculior to the duch, chagrin'd with its wreched appearence, I was soon willing to quit a sceane, which produc'd the most disagreeable sensations
     The place has brought very great crop's since we left it, I have been told that Kerby has offer'd to let us have it back without any advance. for the sake of getting us once more for neighbours, [?] young Conrad Kerby has it on the shares at present vegitation looks very luxurient & flurishing in this part / of the world particularly about Downingtown
     Phebe attended yearly meeting & stay'd in town abou a week after it had concluded, there was great attention pay'd her while she was in the City, & Arthur Thom went to the trouble & expence of hiring a horse & chear to bring her up to uncles Nathens -- We received your letter, / one from Mother & thee dated 2nd mo & 25th & one from Father & Jane date 3rd mo 25th / two days after the monthly meeting at Bradford in the 4th mo Our connection & friends, as well as ourselves, have enjoyd
very good health since we have been amongst them
we have spent our time as argeeably as I could
have expected, meet with kind usuage wherever we
we go, as for my part I have visited but very
little (accept amongst my connections) as I have
understood that many have made themselves very
buisy in critisizing upon our family & many
very erronious reports have been sirculated thro the
neighbourhood respecting us, how despicable such
conduct & how obvious that it origanates from a
weak & contracted mind, I despise & disregard
such envious dispossitions --- We have spent most
of time at <unclear>Jamy's</unclear> & Benjamins, but very little at
Isaac's as he has been much from home since his return
from Ohio -- I have been once of which was enough /
to see our old habitation, which is so alter'd that
I scarcely knew it, they have turnd the parlor into
stinking duch stove lodging room, & the two back
rooms into a granary, that next the road into a <ill>
lumber room, I was almost sufficated with that disagree
smell which is so paculior to the duch, chagrin'd with
its wreched appearence, I was soon willing to quit a
sceane, which produc'd the most disagreeable sensations<p-end>
<p-bgn>The place has brought very great crop's since we left
it, I have been told that Kerby has offer'd to let us
have it back without any advance. for the sake of
getting us once more for neighbours, <del> <ill></del>
young Conrad Kerby has it on the shares at present
vegitation looks very luxurient & flurishing in this
part / of the world particularly about Downingtown<p-end>
<p-bgn>Phebe attended yearly meeting & stay'd in town abou
a week after it had concluded, there was great attention
pay'd her while <del>she was</del> in the City, & Arthur Thom
went to the trouble & expence of hiring a horse &
chear to bring her up to uncles Nathens -- We received
your letter, / one from Mother & thee dated 2<sup>nd</sup> mo & 25<sup>th</sup> & one
from Father & Jane date 3<sup>rd</sup> mo 25<sup>th</sup> / two days after the monthly
meeting at Bradford in the 4<sup>th</sup> mo

in conciquence of which we did no pass[?] till in the 5th mo & a task which I dreaded almost more than death, a task which nothing in this world but love & honour would have induced me to have undertaken, was performed with the greatest ease, I esteem this as one proof amongst many of the propriety of the union, -- We expect to have the business concluded on the 10th of next mo, & in about two weeks after set out for Ohio, we have concluded that the most eligable way of geting home will be on horseback we shall have to send a number of thing by some waggon, if you should hear of a suitable one from Which [?] or any part[?] of that country please to let us know,-- I was much disapointed at not receiving any letters by R R who pass'd this nieghbourhood not long since, but slept no where accept about two minutes at incle Nathens
     Last 4th day evening Benjamin & Hannah came to Jamy's[?] next morning them two little Merrey, Phebe & myselfe went to caln[?] quarterly meeting, where we found Richard Carter of Wheeling[?] who was mightily pleased [?]he informed us that father had fell frorom his old [?] by which accedent[?] he was a good deal hurt[?] but letters which we received at the same time[?] [?] (favour'd I think by Thomas Evans) gives us no account[?] of this unlucky sircumstance, we shall be very anxious to [?] hear how he is, after meeting road to T V's we were all pleas'd with our letters [?] B & Hannah was very anxious to write but having to go homewards early next morning they declind, but desir'd me to give you there love &c, about 10 OClock Phebe & Martha in the chare & Joshua & I on horsback road to uncle Nathen where we din'd, after dinner the rest of the company went on towards Philadelphia I remaind at uncles in order to write letters to Ohio, they expect to be this far f on their way back second day, its probabl I shall meet them at radnor[?] on 11th day evening. We found Richard Carter at uncles N's he had been at Isaac's & receiv'd some money on Fathers account, he has writen to his Brother Freeman, who will furnish. Father with the money any time after the reception of the letter in conciquence of which we did no <unclear>pass</unclear> till in the 5<sup>th</sup> mo
& a task <add>which I</add> dreaded almost more than death, a task which
nothing in this world but love & honour would have
ind<add>u</add>ced me to have undertaken, was performed with the
greatest ease, I esteem this as one proof amongst many
of the propriety of the union, -- We expect to have the
business concluded on the 10<sup>th</sup> of next mo, & in about
two weeks after set out for Ohio, we have concluded that
the most eligable <add>way</add> of geting home will be on horseback
we shall have <add>to send</add> a number of thing by some waggon, if
you should hear of a suitable one from Which <ill> or any <unclear>part</unclear>
of that country please to let us know,-- I was much
disapointed at not receiving any letters by R R who
pass'd this nieghbourhood not long since, but slept no
where accept about two minutes at incle Nathens<p-end>
<p-bgn>Last 4<sup>th</sup> day evening Benjamin & Hannah came
to <unclear>Jamy's</unclear> next morning them two little Merrey, Phebe
& myselfe went to <unclear>caln</unclear> quarterly meeting, where we
found Richard Carter of <unclear>Wheeling</unclear> who was mightily pleased
<ill>he informed us that father had fell frorom his old
<ill> by which <unclear>accedent</unclear> he was a good deal <unclear>hurt</unclear>
but letters which we received at the same <unclear>time</unclear> <ill>
(favour'd I think by Thomas Evans) gives us no <unclear>account</unclear>
of this unlucky sircumstance, we shall be very anxious
to <del><ill></del> hear how he is, after meeting road to T V's
we were all pleas'd with our letters <del><ill></del> B & Hannah
was very anxious to write but having to go homewards
early next morning they declind, but desir'd me to
give you there love &c, about 10 OClock Phebe & Martha
in the chare & Joshua & I on horsback road to uncle Nathen
where we din'd, after dinner the rest of the company went on
towards Philadelphia I remaind at uncles in order to
write letters to Ohio, they expect to be this far <del>f</del> on their
way back second day, its probabl I shall meet them
at <unclear>radnor</unclear> on 11<sup>th</sup> day evening. We found Richard Carter
at uncles N's he had been at Isaac's & receiv'd some
money on Fathers account, he has writen to his Brother
Freeman, who will furnish. Father with the money
any time after the reception of the letter

I am doubtful we shall no be able to furnish you with the the many if any of those articles which you have mentioned in your letters, as oure money is now too far exausted to carry us home, ( altho I have endeavour'd to be as frugal as possible) & unless we can get a suply by some means or other, we shall have to continue where we are, but even if we had plenty of money the uncertainty of there safe carriage, I should think would over ballence the difference there would be in this price & purchase them in that country -- Please to write as soon as posilbe. Josey & all the rest, & if you have any family affairs to say put them at the bottom where the may be tore of It seems thee has been a little offended at the words, "dont share this" in my other letter, I am therefore determined thee shall see enough in this & to very little purpose, Well you are going on finely in our absence going to weeding. &c &c, however, I dont envy you your pleasure, as I expect to be at one in a few week, which will afford me more satisfact[?] than I should derive by attending all the shaby weeding which will be solomoniy'd[?] in Ohio for these twelve month to come, I have writen a greadeel & said but very little, but you must consider I am not in my writing ellimints at prisant, Aunt Rachel wishes her love to be carreed in this letter please give mine to all who ask for me & take a large share to yourselvese I continue &c Wm Milhous I am doubtful we shall no be able to furnish you
with <del>the the</del> many if any of those articles which you
have mentioned in your letters, as oure money is now too
far exausted to carry us home, ( altho I have endeavour'd
to be as frugal as possible) & unless we can get a suply
by some means or other, we shall have to continue where we
are, but even if we had plenty of money the uncertainty
of there safe carriage, I should think would over ballence
the difference there would be in this price & purchase them
in that country -- Please to write as soon as posilbe. Josey
& all the rest, & if you have any family affairs to say
put them at the bottom where the may be tore of
It seems thee has <add>been</add> a little offended at the words, "dont
share this" in my other letter, I am therefore determined thee
shall see enough in this & to very little purpose, Well
you are going on finely in our absence going to weeding.
&c &c, however, I dont envy you your pleasure, as I expect
to be at one in a few week, which will afford me more <unclear>satisfact</unclear>
than I should derive by attending all the shaby weeding
which will be <unclear>solomoniy'd</unclear> in Ohio for these twelve month
to come, I have writen a greadeel & said but very little, but
you must consider I am not in my writing ellimints at
prisant, Aunt Rachel wishes her love to be carreed in this letter
please give mine to all who ask for me
& take a large share to yourselvese I continue &c Wm Milhous


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