Reproduced with permission.
Dear Friends,
I’m happy to say we are safe-landed in the land of liberty and good living after a long wearisome and expensive voyage and thank God with but little sickness, hoping you are all well as when I left. I shall first give you a short account of our voyage. Set sail from London the 18th of May. Had a beautiful view of the shipping down to Gravesend in view of Ramsgate, Margate, Deal, Dover, Castle and Downs, Fokstone, Langate, Hither, Romby, Lid and then Portsmouth. Our ship lay too at Spit Head for six hours and nine of us hired a small boat and went to ports, about 5 miles. A fine view of the shipping. Saw the ship that Nelson was killed in. View of the Isle of White and Devonshire and Cornwall Banks, about 15 miles of Plymouth. Could just discern Edystone lighthouse. Saw the Hands, but at a great distance. That was the last sight of land until we reached American Shore. We had a great many passengers aboard; 142 in the steerage. Amongst them were 68 children. One child died and one was born. 25 Cabin passengers, 23 sailors, Captain and two mates. A great part of our voyage was very rough and cold, almost a head wind half the time. I recollect the 13th, 14th and 15th of June was very wet and cold, colder than you often feel it at Christmas in England. The waves flowed over the bow spit and buwalks so that few were able to be upon deck. The women and children were obliged to lay abed almost all the time. I think there were seven out of 10 sick these three days. The sailors said it is always cold when crossing the banks of Newfoundland as we were there then.
/*/--The 23rd, I believe, was Milton’s feast - a fine summer morn, quite calm. A great many of us dined up on deck that day. I had a great desire for a drop of my Father’s beer that Mr. Hawkins and I had when I left. I never knew the want of a drop of beer nor sweet water before but I had neither of them. The water was very bad that day. We had our water served out every day. Six quarts was our allowance. The Mate sold us brandy at 2 s. per quart. Suppose I was talked of a deal by my relations. You thought I was landed, no doubt, but I was 6 hundred miles from New York. Was then fast approaching the Gulf Stream. Saw a great many fish of different kinds. A great number of Porpoise and Black Fish larger that a horse and 9 or 10 Whales but 3 came near the vessel. Came in sight of a lighthouse the last day of June on Saturday night on Jersey Hand about 40 miles distant. All hearts were glad. I assure you we landed at New York the 2nd of July - a warmer day I think than I ever witnessed. Mr. Hawkins and us went to the Mug Pie Tavern, Gold Street to board on Thursday the 4th of July, being the day they gained the Victory of the English in the last War. There was a grand review and every tradesman of every description was dressed in regimentals bearing Arms, some on horseback, some on foot, bands of music marching with them, the streets decorated with ribbons and flags and most elegant display of fire works in the evening. It was a beautiful sight. This done every year in commemoration of gaining their Liberty and Freedom.
We went on board a tow boat the
6th of July that was towed by a steamer up the North River to Albany, a
distance of 165 miles in 26 hours for
2 s. each. We did not stay above an
hour; shifted our luggage on board another boat that was drawn by
horses to Rochester up the Canal a distance of 275 miles in 4 days and
½, traveling night and day. At that low charge of a cent a mile
we landed at Rochester the 12th of July and thankful we were to get in
a house to ourselves once more. Stayed in Rochester about a month.
There is not much baking done here for most people bake their own. I see I could do better at Farmer's Work. I went to haymaking and so did Mr. Hawkins. Had 3 s. a day and board. I did not stay there a fortnight. I left Rochester and 7 miles up the country West to harvest work. I had 5 s. a day and board English money. Some hands had 3 s. a day to cradle wheat. I cannot give you much account of the country at present. I have not seen nor heard a great deal about it yet, but I will give you a true and correct statement of what I have the price of things. I will state in English coin you will better understand it. Here there is plenty of everything except Beer and Bacon. They don't use that. Pork 2 to 2 ½ pence per lb., Beef 2 to 3 pence, Mutton 1 ½ to 2 ½ pense, Veal 1 ½ to 2 ½ . Many buy fat hogs at 2 s. 6 p. per score. A good Turkey 3 s., Goose 1 s., Buck 6 s. I have bought young fowl myself to eat at 3 pence each; butter 6 p. per lb. Tea from 1 s. to 4 s. and sugar 6 p. Brandy 7 s. per gallon, rum 5 s. and gin 3 s., whiskey 1 s. 3 ½ p. Apples and peaches will not pay to take to market. They let the pigs eat them. We can have as many as we want to use for fetching of our neighbors. Wheat is 3 s. 9 p. per bushel, Barley 3 s. 3 p., Oats 1 s. 6 p, Beans and Peas but few grow. Malt 4 s. per bushel, hops plenty grow wild. Some clothing is dearer here such as broadcloth, linen and stockings. Other things are about the same. Farmers are onsidered the best business in this part of the country. The land is very cheap. The first rate cleaned land from 5 to 6 pounds per acre. It gets worth more every year. There are a great many people going to Michigan this fall to a new settlement 400 miles West of us. They buy land there from 2 s. 6 p. to 10 s. per acre. Mechanics get good wages, tailors, carpenters, shoemakers and blacksmiths do excellent. There are a great many journeyman millers at Rochester from England. I saw 4 myself last week at one mill. They told me they received wages from 5 to 6 lb. per month. The mills are extensive; some 8 to 12 pair of stones. It is calculated they can grind 4,000 bushels of wheat in a day. They sell 13 s. and 2 p. per bushel
The weather has been about the same as in England; the storms rather heavier. They sat it is as we are so near the Lake Ontario, 9 miles distant, and the Genesee River Falls at Rochester which is 100 ft. fall and 1 furlong across. There are the falls of Niagara which are calculated to be 190 feet fall and 15 ft. sheet of water and upwards of 8 miles across, continually running, about 80 miles from us. Here there are a great number of saw-mills all driven by water, so if we want any boards, go in the woods and chop trees and take them to the mill and they will charge one half to saw the other, so we are at no expense but labour. They grind corn in the same way. They take the 10th part for grinding. The coin is very different here. It is Dollars which is 100 cents value; half dollars, 50 cents; 1/4 dollar, 25 cents, and schilling 12 cents; 6 pence, 6 cents. These cents are the size of a half penny.. There is no smaller nor larger. Paper money is the 1 dollar to 100. These dollars are 4 s. 2 p. English value each. There is a deal of bartering done, for the Americans will part with anything rather than money.
We were almost afraid to live in the house we are now in at first. It is a lonesome place. No houses nearer than 2 miles and the woods come down close to it; do not see two people all day sometimes; but they told us there was no danger of anything nor any one hurting us, and I have every reason to believe there is not. I have not seen a lock nor bolt to anyone's door since I have been out in the country. If they leave their house for a week there is no lock, nor I have not seen nor heard of a beggar in the country, nor but few wild beast. A great many squirrels and racoons and sometimes bear or two, but not near us. I've taken another house ½ mile nearer Rochester where there are neighbors close by. A good house and yard and cowhouse and as much garden as I like to dig with the spade for 12 dollars a year.
I have not a cow at present but I intend having one in the course of 2 or 3 weeks as I expect I shall be there then. They can buy the first rate cow for 20 dollars. I am in hopes I shall have some land by the time I write to you again. Please God, I have my health. It's an excellent country for young men and women. A young man as is handy at farmer's work can have 12 dollars a month, board, lodging and washing. In fact here a young woman can work and board themselves and do house work and have from 5 to 7 dollars a month and not work half so hard as they do in England. It's only one cooking for we all eat together, but still, I do not wish to persuade any of you to leave your own native country to come here if you had rather spend the remainder of your life under oppression and amidst Pride and Ambition than in the land of Liberty and Freedom where there's no distinction of persons. The labourer feels himself as independent as the Esquire. We bow our head to nothing nor nobody, excepting the Lord above and the canal bridges as we pass under. I heartily wish I had come 8 or 10 years ago. I should have had a good farm of my own before this. If anyone, two, three or more should feel inclined to come, I should advise you not to start before March or April for the canals will not be thawed before May and it would be expensive traveling by land. If you hear of anyone or more from the neighborhood that I know a coming, tell them to come and see me. I should be happy to see anyone. They cannot go to a better part of the country for Rochester is a very flourishing place. It will be a find city in a few years. It stands on a great deal more ground that Abington but not thickly inhabited. 20 years ago there were but 8 or 10 houses on the ground. There is cotton manufacturing carried on to a very large extent which causes calico to very cheap. They all use it for shirts and sheets.
The farm houses put one in mind of the old times as I heard talk of in England in our Grandfather's time. In almost every one I see a spinning wheel to spin wool. They shear their own sheep and they wear it. They make their own candles and soap of the fat of the sheep. I've heard them say there are hundreds of sheep killed and boiled up for the fat and the meat given to the hogs. Almost all the houses are built with large pieces of timber placed one upon the other for walls and plastered on the inside which makes it very comfortable. If anyone should come, I should be glad if they would bring me a few garden beans and horse beans if it was but a quart of each. Kidney beans here are plenty. Anyone need not be afraid that this country will over run with people for the State of New York contains more square miles than all England and that is not half cultivated and there are between 30 and 40 states besides; and we may go 3,000 miles up the Western territory which is not laid out in states yet.
I'll own I have neglected writing longer than I ought, but hope you will excuse. I hope you will not neglect answering this as soon as possible you can make it convenient to write. I shall be very happy to hear from you. I guess you will have this letter about the beginning of December, and I should wish you to post one by Christmas then I shall expect to have answer by the beginning of March. I intend to write to Anna. We are all quite well except Catherine. She has had the ague which is very common here but is a deal better.
I should be greatly obliged to my Uncle Buckell if he will mention it in his next letter he sends to my Cousin Rachel and Hester that we landed safe and are doing very well, and I heartily wish they had come with me for I'm certain their husbands would do well here. If any one or more comes I'd advise you to buy your provisions up in London; not trust to anyone near the dock for they will put you off with inferior goods. Be sure and have some rice, oatmeal, rush bread biscuits and good potatoes and plenty of flour for puddings, and one person may come very well with 12 lb. First he will pay 5 lb. Passage; 10 s. expenses at the dock; about 2 lb. for provisions. The remainder will defray the expenses. As soon as landed in New York, go to the Tow Boat Office and pay your fare to Rochester, luggage included and have a receipt for it, for I had to pay for luggage when we got to Rochester.
I cannot give you any more information this time. I've not much room left. I must conclude with our love to my Fathers, Sister and Brother and all my relations one and all. Hoping you are all as well and as happy as I am at present, and all inquiring friends whoever they may be.
From your affectionate
J. Webb
A. Webb
October 26, 1833
