Joseph Doan (1759-1838)/documents

Joseph and Jennie Doan to John Vestal, 6 Nov. 1801
Reprinted in Doane, 1902, pp. 223-224:

Copy of letter of Joseph Doane of N. Carolina to his brother-in-law, John Vestal. The letter was folded, sealed in the old style and addressed to "John Vestal, Ross Co., North West Territory, Scioto River, mouth of Salt Creek."

This 6th Day of Nov. 1801

Respeccted Brother:

I take this opportunity to inform thee that we are in middling state of health at present only Jonathan and be has been sick about one week, and we are in hopes that these may find you all well. I have not much to write unto thee that is of interest. I received thy letter. It was some satisfaction to hear that you were mostly well. But thee signifies that thee is not settled, and signifies that the country is so difficult and that thee can not advise us to come or where to come to. I am still in the notion of going to those parts. If I was easily discouraged by the accounts that I have had from there I might have been entirely out of the notion, for I have heart that the bottom-land has become very droughty and hard, breaks up very cloddy and that your cows die by great numbers and I have heard that thee has a notion of coming back. I could hardly give credit to it but thee gives me such a short account in thy letter I don't know what to think of it. But Robert Carter informs me that thee likes the Miami country pretty well. But by the account thee sent we did not know whether thee liked it or not. I expected that thee would have sent me a full account of it. I have heard that thee has missed many good bargains in land waiting for me. But I want thee to suit thyself and not wait for me for I don't know when I shal come, for I have not sold as yet and I don't know whether I can sell or not, for there is a great narration of the proprietor coing in for his land which would discourage some from buying. But I am not scared yet and don't think there is any danger. I want thee to settle thyself where thee thinks it will be a good settlement so I may have a good place to come to. For let thee settle where thee will in those parts I shal come to thee before I purchas and likely we may be neighbors again. Robert Carter told me that there was a tract of land on the Little Miami of about thirteen hundred acres, good land and well watered, lies well, and that thee thinks if I would come out and join thee we could buy it, but not let us bid too high at first for $2600 is a great sum. So no more about that. Our crop of corn is very light. Our wheat is good. Flax is very short, for we have had a dry summer. Our creek mills are almost stopped, so that some of us have been obliged to go to the river mills. I have had the ague and John, William and Jesse have had it middling bad, but we have all got well. So no more at present, only we remember our love to you all and would be glad if thee would write to us by every opportunity to inform me of the account that I have signified to thee.

Joseph Doan

Jennie Doan