Folded Letter Sheet
Manuscript postmark:  Lewiston, Ill., Apl 27
Manuscript rate: 25 cent
Addressed to: Mrs. Mary Aten, Beverly, Washington co., Ohio
From: Aaron H. Aten

Contents:

Centreville Fulton co. Illinois April 25, 1838

My Dear Madam,
     I am at this moment here, and in reasonably good health, but not in the very finest spirits,.  You will see that I have been absent 23 days, in which time I tell you, I have traveled 1200 miles & more --  It was on Tuesday the 2nd Inst. That I left.  That day I reached Marietta, where I stayed till Sunday 7th waiting for the Fulton, a boat for the Illinois River.   The Fulton not still coming, but the Thames for St. Louis, Manson’s & I got aboard voyaged along.   The next Monday night sometime we reached Cincinnati. --  Did not go over the Falls --  they were too low --  Went through the canal & lock.  --  Thursday  P. M. hauled to at  Shawneetown --  That night stuck on a sand-bar above the mouth of the Cumberland River  --  Friday passed Mouths of Cumberland, Tennessee & Ohio Rivers & took up the Big Mississippi.  Saturday night late landed at St. Louis in  state of Missouri.  Passage price to St. Louis $6 apiece.  Sunday Morning hired the little Old steamboat to take us on up (the Illinois River)  for $15 apiece - Manson’s landed Monday noon at Meredosia 16 miles below Bairdstown,  I, (Beardstown Illinois) Monday at Grand Island, a little above Sparkes Landing by a trick of the boat, save them trouble, & give me bother.  Next night got to Argo’s  Richard and Robert had been there 2 weeks before; but had not been heard of since.  For 2 more days I followed round where they had been, & finally heard that they had gone to Quincy to enter land for Robert, & take steamboat on the Mississippi for home again - Richard was, as usual, in an awful hurry. 
     Robert wanted to go home and work for the Old man this summer.  So I suppose if nobody followed & killed them, they are home long ago.   And I not seen them at all!!
     David Snowdon & John Marshall, two of our old Virginia neighbors are now buying close by our land.  I was with them, & saw it.  It is much richer land than you have seen, but hardly any body lives near it yet.  There is water enough on it, if I got at the right lines.   Richard’s own piece I have not seen at all it is nearly 2 miles off.  If one half the land were prairie, it would be vastly easier to begin upon it.  As it is, I do not see whether I can get anything done on it very soon, or not.  I may be able perhaps to think of something before fall.  Till this time I have not found a school vacant, & worth any thing, though I traveled 100 miles of Fulton county quite from the Schuyler line on the South West, to the Peoria line on the North East.  I am now at Uncle Kuykendalls with one or two possible chances of school in prospect, but no certain ones  I would have written a week or two ago, but that I expected to settle for the season.  Still, however you can write.  For, if I go away from this, I can arrange with the postmaster to send your letters on to me.  For I want to hear from you as soon as possible.
     And I think I can tell you more in my next.  I must get at something soon as I can,  and when I act I will try to let you know.
     Perhaps it is well that Joseph did not come along; for I know he would not relish the low wages offered this season.  The last land sales took nearly all the money out of this state & there has not been any demand for any specie of produce or stock since.
     If he were here now, he could got $12 dollars per month but hardly in cash.   Money was always plenty here till last fall & believe it will be by next fall, or winter, plenty enough. William, if he were here could do better at $35 or $40 for the wood-work of a wagon.  There are but few here that understand his trade, and the timber here is as good for wagon-work as the famous New Jersey wagon timber.
     When you write tell me if William has come home and what about him - if Joe has got well --  where he is --  what doing - if Joshua Fisher has come on, or said an thing  -- Things are reasonably cheap here & plenty as they can be in new country.  Millions of bushels,  I am sure of corn, could now be had for cash at 20 cents a bushel.  Tradesmen continue to ask high prices, but are beginning to sell at credit.
     Tell me all about yourself & the children & how you get along --  What Willie says about me.  Poor fellow, he cried so hard when I started, & realize Jane cannot mind me.  If cannot do pretty well I may get back soon.  A month earlier,  I could have done better.  Many summer schools that would have suited, were taken & all the best ones.
     I am sorry I have no more to write.  But I will look with patience for an answer.  Write soon Direct to me at Cuba, Fulton co. Illinois.
                                                                                              Affectionately Aaron H. Aten.

Notes:
     This letter was re-folded and then re-mailed.  This second address below is on the opposite side of the paper from the original address to Beverly Ohio.  When a folded letter sheet or envelope is refolded and re-used, it is called a ‘turned cover.’

Second mailing:
Manuscript postmark: Sharon; May 24

Manuscript rate: 18 ¾

Addressees: Richard Aten, Fairview Brooke County, Va.

     According to the obituary of Mary Gatwood Aten, “on February 5, 1835, she was married to Aaron H. Aten, of Fairview, W. Va. (then Virginia).”  Aaron H. Aten died in McDonough County Illinois 9 Aug 1889.  Mary died in Warren County Illinois 5 June 1907.  Please visit the Schuyler County Illinois Trails webpage with Mary Aten’s obituary.

  Mary E Gatwood/Getwood Aten's obit on Genealogy Trails Schuyler County, Illinois site

Note: Richard Aten, to which the letter was forwarded, was back and forth, finally settled in Astoria Township, Fulton County, Illinois and is Aaron's brother.  Sparkes Landing is actually Sharps Landing in Hickory Township, Schuyler County, Illinois near todays Sheldon's Grove.  Uncle Kuykendall is James Decker Kuykendall married to Aaron's father's sister, Elizabeth.  They lived near Cuba City, Putnam Township, Fulton County, Illinois.  David Snowdon is related to Aaron's brother, Robert's 2nd wife.  Willie is Aaron's oldest and was 5 years old at the time this was written.  Jane is Aaron's daughter who was just born in 1838 by date given in genealogy records.  Elizabeth "Eliza" Jane Aten, the previously named "Jane", married Aaron's brother, Robert Aten's 2nd wife's brother, Thomas Milton Allison July 02, 1857 in Fulton County, Illinois.  Robert Aten's land was in Oakland Township, Schuyler County, Illinois.  "if William has come home" we take to be William "Billy" " W T" T. Aten II, another brother of Aaron's, also settled in Fulton County, near Vermont.

Donated by Sara Hemp, an Aten descendant. - email questions and comments to Sara <cryssara@merr.com>