A Letter to Scotland: 1821

Timothy Flint published two sections about the Caledonia Scottish settlement in eastern Jefferson County, following his visit in 182.. In one, he described how recent immigrants had fared. He also published this letter in which on man, who had come to the area in1819, described his own experience to a relative.

From Mr. A. M. to a Relation in Scotland.
Jefferson County, (Indiana,) Oct. 4, 1821.

"You will wish to know how we come on in this land of liberty. Tolerably well, although not altogether so well as we expected. If we have not got quit of all our grievances, we have got a change of some of them.

What improvements we now make are our own, and these are considerable. We have got forty acres of land cleared of all the timber under eighteen inches in diameter, and the remaining large trees well deadened, which, I think, average six trees to an acre. After they stand deadened two or three seasons, by felling them to the ground, they can be consumed by fire without the trouble of rolling them together. We have it all in good fence and in crop.

We have also cleared eight acres and built a neat cabin on another quarter section, half a mile distant, in which R. G. and his wife live at present. Our stocking consists of one horse, four cows and calves, three year .old queys, and thirty hogs. We do not intend to buy any more stock except a mare or two for breeding, as we think it better to raise them for ourselves, and as they do not find a quick market. Horses are not much cheaper here than with you, but cows are sold at only from twelve to twenty dollars each.

This season we have removed all our houses, in the notion of having them in a better situation. Wooden houses are easily raised here, and they are very well adapted to the purposes of farming offices, but are not the most comfortable dwellings. However, we have plenty of stones, lime, and sand, of which materials we intend to build a house soon; and we think the time is at no great distance when we shall have an elegant farm, with good houses, orchard, and well stocked with all kinds of cattle.

Our soil and climate are capable of producing a great variety of vegetables, from the tall grape-vine to the most diminutive of plants. The garden-stuffs that we raise, almost without any trouble, would be a feast for your eyes could we present them to your view. We wish that all our poor friends were here:— How easily we could supply them with the necessaries of life! * * *

Congress, in their last session, passed a bill for the relief of those who are indebted for the price of public lands, allowing eight years for the payment of arrears, at equal annual instalments, or 37£ per cent. discount on prompt payments. All public lands to be sold hereafter must be paid in ready money, at the rate of one dollar and twenty.five cents per acre, which is fixed as a minimum price.

I have just finished the building of a stonehouse, containing three rooms, a kitchen, and a cellar, for one of our neighbours. I worked by the day, and had only one dollar for each, with bed and board, and was paid in money about one third part below specie value. You must know that times have taken a very adverse turn in respect of earning money. Since we came here, (not quite three years ago,) it was easier to earn two dollars than it is to procure one now.

We keep our health well, and consider this to be a healthy place. This settlement has never suffered from any prevalent sickness. Several towns along the river and other low- lying districts are said to be sickly; but according to the best information I can get, I would not exchange this place for any other in America in "point of healthiness. Three months in spring, and three in autumn, I think, excel the climate of Scotland in pleasant weather. The summer is a little too hot and the winter a little too cold."