Letter from George Corlis to John Corlis, 23 April 1816

Farm Bourbon Cy. April 23. 1816

Dear Father

We have built our shed for making brick and the two men are to day at work throwing up the clay. they can throw up sufficient to make 8000 p. day. & Charles can mould two thousand p. day. but can not being to mould until the whole of the clay is thrown up. we calculate two months to finish the brick. the two negroes above mentioned I made out to hire one, for one month, 12$. the other for2. or 4. months as I please at 10.$. I have likewise engaged a boy to [bear?] off brick while moulding at 6$ p mo. he will be with us about 6 or 7 weeks. our man's moulding the brick will reduce the price to less than 50 cents p. 1000. & he is probably as good a moulder as we can find having work'd 7. years in a brick yard as a moulder. We have purchas'd a spade & shovel & [?] I shall have to get moulds which will cost about 6$. & two wheel barrows. The carpenter will come to day to pick out proper timber for joice & we shall send it to mill this week but I have no money to pay for it when it is done. it must be sent now on [?] of water. M. Prentiss will let me have a hand when the one engaged for a month leaves he would before but he has had 12 of his hired negro's which were own'd in Virgiinia taken home by their masters. he let me have the 30 [cents symbol] on [?] of the old cow. & offers to let me have what money I wish until you come out, but shall not get any if I can make out without, but this I can not do until some is sent soon. I have only had offers for the waggon. to barter for

for horses & gigs. which we do not want , shall exchange it for. stock which will be of use to us first opportunity price $.100. We have had of M. Prentiss since you left 87. bus. oats c 25/[Cts?] - 3100 wt. Hay c 20/[Cts?], then there is Wilson's services 2. mo. $15. these you will settle when you come our. Mr. J.P. will go to the eastward in about 6 weeks. & will probably see you. I believe he is about building a chandlery near his Factory, of which Mr. Thom. who has reliquished the idea of going to Indiana will have superintendance Mr. P. wished me to request you if convenient (in case you send out your sheep.) to obtain from Gorham Parsons of Boston. Farm in Cambridge. 4 pigs of the Byfield breed of hogs, as young as drive well. they were brot from Russia and are very superior. W. P. will pay half the cost & charges , on all should you not with two of them. he likewise wish'd me to remind you to improve their English cattle. he paying half or all as you please. from what I can learn in the country it will be quite an object.

We shall be able to buy more corn for our horses as there is work for them these three months. say 12 bbls it is quite scarce (if you are going to fat 100 hogs this fall, you will not raise a sufficiency on 15 acres to do it & feed your stock). It continues very healthy here. we had three hard frosts last week which has injured the peaches, cherries & peas considerably. the apples

being more backward. are not much hurt. we recd the letters by M. Nightingale last saturday. they were sent to Lexington. one mentions that all [Mrs. Hunt?] are coming to this country in April/ (this month) but letters recd. since say nothing more about it.

We have planted sweet potatoes in sheep pen, and plow'd up the lower part of the lane leading from barn for melons &e. have nearly finished plowing in new land and quite in [wefield?]. shall begin to plant corn, beging next week. you did not mention about the boards for flooring, but I shall have them saw'd. I wish you would let me know soon how I shall pay for them & wether I shall employ the Mason & carpenter here or not. I shall [be] oblig'd also to get 1/2 bbl Whiskey for the men making [me] the man who comes out with waggon I suppose wile work on farm. You mention making that part of new house that joins the old one of wood above, but I think that you had much better finish the wales ale round leaving the openings for communication from one to the other. One of our colts died the other day of the horsedestemper. it was the worst of the two [Johns?] is a very handsome horse; the Roan has foald, a handsome horn colt. Shall pole hops tomorrow. our vegetables are planted.