JAMES & GRACE BLAKE LETTERS Submitted by Brooks Rossel. Dear Father and Brother and Friends, I hope this letter finds you all well. As this gives us. We are in good health all of us and all friends, blessed be God for all his mercies towards us. I got our letter dated 22 December 1817 and was happy of your wellfare and my father in good spirits and James and Roberts arrival at the Cape. We have been in such an unsettled state since you wrote us that I could not write with satisfaction and you not wishing me to write till settled. We left Philadelphia in June 1818 and came to Pittsburgh 320 miles in the wagons in 18 days it cost us for carriage $50.00 at -6?- Dollars per hundred -t—weight. We did so journey to Pittsburgh then we got a boat. We then came down the Ohio River about 50 miles and stayed at a town called Stubenville a handsome town on the bank of the river and the family stayed there till May 1819. I got work at the town of Wheeling at pattren making and putting up the engines in the stream boats 23 miles from Stubenville. It was not convenient at such distance from the family but is nothing thought of in America. I have now bought 100 acres of land on –Bons Creek- in Wood County state of Virginia 30 miles from Marietta at $3.00 per acre, it is about 10 miles from the Ohio River in a straight line but 18 by the state road and we are 2 miles from it. It's hilly country from the beginning of the Allegheny Mountains to –Limston- near 1000 miles and then it's plains country to the Gulf of Mexico and not healthy. We have been here since May. I built a house and working to the settlers around us to now. I am building a home on our own land and we will be in it in a few days. It is a healthy place and all Scott settlers lately come and some of them you likely may know. John Young and family, Peter Hogg's brother in law and Robert & Thomas D. --Are ing—their land is on the tract and joining us. McThorburns son and McGrandner his son in law has bought places on Middle Island about 16 miles from us but Alexander is not come from Philadelphia yet. You may let McThorburn know they were all well a few days ago and you can let me know how you are by his letters if he does not come to America as is expected. Peter Hogg is expected this summer likewise but may be gone before you get this and another friend of theirs at Bellslan. I told Peter Hoggs friend when they wrote him to let you –know—that you are all well but he neglected to do it last year and I was then in so an unsettled way that we could not get your letters conveyed nor a direction given if you have wrote. To us by the old direction I have not got any word from McRemay (McKemay?). Letters here are often miscarried. You will know by this that we have traveled many hundred of miles a single person may do well enough in this country he can travel easier than one with a family. We have had many difficulties to encounter with in traveling but I hope its now nearly at an end. For I am going to clear land for a crop this season which is the only sure living in this country for any mechanical profession in this back country is of little use as there is no money to speak of in circulation. Grace had a very dangerous billious fever past spring and in time was safely delivered of a daughter and since been healthy and all the children been healthy since they came to this country for which we have great reason to bless God for his mercy towards us. All our friends have bought on the same track of land so we will all be together but we have been sometimes many hundreds of miles separate since we have come to America. It's not such a country as is talked of. Land is easy to be got but many other disconviences –of—here which emigrants does not think of. It's all an intense forest and bad roads where I have been. We are burning better wood every day than ever I wrought in Scotland and cannot get it ---Des-8?-- Dear Brother I hope you will write directly how your all and particularly how our dear father is and hearten him and be as kind to him as in your power for I am so sorry that I have not written sooner that I can never forgive myself although I doubted the letter ever reaching you and shall be so till I hear from you to know whether you are all in life -- ---- for I doubt much but for the future if it please God to spare me I shall write regularly as long as I shall live. I will write soon to John Haig and you will know that we are -------- and if you should come to this country you are welcome to share with us. There is plenty of land for us all. A few acres can maintain a family and nothing would give us more pleasure. I expect in a short time to raise all necessaries within ourselves for the land is good and plenty of sugar trees and a great many vegetables grow here in common that could hardly be raised in hot houses with you. So I expect to have plenty in a short time which I am willing to share with you if you ever come. But I cannot say anymore about it till I hear from you and what word from James and Robert that they are doing well. I hear accounts from Peter Hogg's friend as he has a son at the Cape. I mentioned James Mutose in my last letter if he is not married nor into any settled way if he is willing to come I shall be very happy at it and I should do all that I can for him. I think he could work his passage over very easily as a seaman and he could to the very spot come with Peter Hogg or McThorburn for a very few dollars and serve him many hundred miles upon land here it seem to be his incline notion when I seen him last if he has changed his mind I would not advise him further. If he's fond of hunting there is plenty here. Bears, wolves and deer and turkeys and many other beast but none of them troublesome. We have had plenty venison this winter. This here winter has been very moderate but very cold in Philadelphia. Our first winter the weather is a great deal milder on this side of the mountains than on the eastern shore. Clothing is high provision is moderate prices but I will give you an exact statement of everything in our c------ I know how you are all be sure to write me without delay and let me know all the news and how tr------ is -----------(over now). I have no more at present to say but our kindest respects to you all and may the God of Peace and Love be with you all and us and love -------- never meet in this world yet I hope we will all in His heavenly kingdom to Praise(?) more in which the earnest of yours. Affectionately James and Grace Blake 6 March 1820 (Note: Looked up Bellsland Scotland county Ayrshire, slightly north easterly of Kilmaurs in southern Scotland. Found them in 1820 Wood Co. VA federal census nothing in later yrs. Assumed the family relocated. Will book 1 in Marshall Co. for a Grace Blake 3-26-1849 mentions sons William, John and daughter Elizabeth. This John may be our connection. The Limston mentioned in the letter is most likely Maysville Ky. James just had his milage off BGR