Akron, Ohio, Feb. 24, 1854.
Dear Son John,
— Since writing you before, I have agreed to go on to the Ward place for one
year, as I found I could not dispose of my stuff in time to go to North Elba
without great sacrifice this spring. We expect to move the first of next week,
and do not wish you to come on until we get more settled and write you again.
As I am not going away immediately, there will be no particular hurry about the
settlement I wrote about before. On reckoning up our expenses for the past
year, we find we have been quite prosperous. I have sold my interest in the
increase of sheep to Mr. Perkins for about $700, in hogs for $51, in wheat on
the ground for $176. These will pay our expenses for the year past, and the
next year's rent for the Ward place, Crinlen place, and Old Portage place.
These places I get for one year in exchange for my interest in wheat on the
ground; and it leaves me half the wool of last season (which is on hand yet),
half the pork, corn, wheat, oats, hay, potatoes, and calves sixteen in number.
If I could have sold my share of the wool, I might have gone to Essex this
spring quite comfortably; but I have to pay Henry $100 before he leaves, and I
cannot do that and have sufficient to move with until I can sell my wool. We
are all middling well. Henry and Ruth intend to leave for home about the 15th
March, and to go by your place if they can. We have great reason to be thankful
that we have had so prosperous a year, and have terminated our connection with
Mr. Perkins so comfortably and on such friendly terms, to all appearance. Perry
Warren, to whom Henry Warren conveyed his property, was here a few days ago,
feeling about for a compromise; did nothing, and left, to return again soon as he
said. We think they are getting tired of the five years' war. I shall
probably write you again before a great while.
Your affectionate
father,
John Brown.
SOURCE: Franklin B. Sanborn, The Life and
Letters of John Brown, p. 156-7
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