Box 2, Folder 8: Typewritten Letters, 1829-1832

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1829.

Shippingsport, Sept,. 13. 1829.

Dear Brother,--

The arguments I intended to advance were not in favor of the family's settling on a farm, as you seem to suppose, but of their time settling at Yellow Bud in preference to their going to the Wabash. I supposed that father had determined to settle upon a farm and all that was lacking was to choose the best situation. My arguments were in favor of choosing that situation at Yellow Bud instead of the Wabash.

1st. There is no good situation on the Wabash which is not at the same time unhealthy. This is also an objection to Yellow Bud, but not to Dayton.***

2nd. The trouble and expense of moving the family three or four hundred miles will be saved. This, in a new and thinly settled country like that through which they will have to pass, will be considerable.

3rd. The facility of communication would be lessened. Nothing could be sent home without much expense and uncertainty, even letters could not be sent with any certainty of their arrival in season. The time, fatigue and expense of going home when any recess of employment occurred would be considerably increased.

4th. They have now formed a little circle of friends and acquaintances about them at Yellow Bud, on the Wabash they would have to commence anew among entire strangers.

5th. There is no convenient market for the surplus produce of a farm anywhere on the Wabash. It would have to be sent to the Ohio in boats at an expense only suited for large quantities. In Ohio there is Chillicothe, Circleville, Columbus

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and other cities near at hand or rendered so by the effects of the canal.

In considering the arguments you have "squeezed out of your brain" I find it difficult to determine where Dry Run is, whether it is on the Wabash or on the Scioto. I have supposed, however, that it is somewhere not far from Yellow Bud, if so, most of the above will be applicable to it, with the very important ones which you mention besides, viz., that there is a society of Friends and a meeting in the neighborhood, and that a farm can be procured, and that the situation is healthy. You have enumerated the advantages that would be gained by us chiefly, if the family were on a farm and almost wholly neglected those which would result to them.

They would accumulate many articles of furniture and other conveniences of life, which their present migratory habits* do not allow them to retain. And friends would be rendered more permanently so by long continued acquaintance.

If you succeed in getting me a situation with you on the Ohio canal I shall be very glad to accept it. The wages it is true will be $5.00 per month less and the labor harder, but as it will undoubtedly cost me considerably less to live, the wages may be considered as very nearly the same. As to the extra labor I would most willingly perform that for the sake of the pleasure of being with you and the many other advantages that would be gained. I would be learning more of the duties of my profession (for engineering is called a profession) and would be freed from the false un-mechanical notions of an inexperienced engineer.

* The father was a contractor and Engineer and moved his family where his work called him.

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1829.

I am in fact getting tired of this canal and this place. All the small and difficult jobs about the locks, devolve upon me and my business is more like an overseer than an engineer.

I was writing a letter to father when your letter came to hand and I informed him of the circumstances and that I had rather be with you, but told him at the same time I would rely entirely upon his judgment as to whether I go or stay.

Geo. Scogle, a respectable blacksmith, is going to the Welland canal by way of Chillecothe in a small two horse wagon within a month or six weeks. If I am ready by that time I presume I could go with him and at much less expense than by the ordinary mode of traveling.***

Your affectionate,

Dr. Lapham, Esq. Ink.

Sept. 16-Received a letter from Dr. Darlington.

West Chester, Pa, Sept. 2nd. 1829.

Sir,--

Your favor of the 7th ult. was received a few days since. I should be happy to exchange minerals for your fresh water shells if I thought I could furnish an equivalent in good specimens, but as I have paid more attention to plants than minerals I am in doubt whether I could safely promise such a collection as would be an acceptable return for your polite offer.********* If you or any gentleman of your acquaintance in that region should wish to exchange botanical specimens it would give me great pleasure to engage in a commerce of that kind.

I am very respectfully, sir,

Your obt. servt. Wm. Darlington.

Mr. Increase A. Lapham Shippingsport, Ky.

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1829.

Sept. 29./ Day before yesterday it commenced to rain and has continued until yesterday noon.*** Gave Dr. Fitch a collection of shells consisting of 32 varieties. Today I made up a collection for Mr. Lea consisting of upwards of 40 species, with 21 varieties of univalves, all from the Ohio river at this place.

Oct. 7. Got a letter from father stating that he had got me a situation as rodman in Ohio and requesting me to come home immediately.

Louisville, Ky. Oct. 12th, 1829.

Dear Sir,--

Your letter of the 22nd of April accompanied by a box of shells and minerals was received, for which I return my thanks.

The shells were of great importance to me in studying conchology as I had the names of each and could apply the description to them. They also tended to excite a greater interest in the study.

Mr. Taylor sent a few shells to Mr. Lea of Philadelphia, who sent him in return a copy of his "observations on the Genus Unio," He requested a complete set in return which we have sent. Mr. Lea says that the orbiculatus is a variety of the torsus and describes your shell under the new name of circulus. To convince him of his error I sent him the shell which you sent me under the name of orbiculatus.

He also says the foliatus is a variety of the cornutus and not therefore, a new species.

I have found some shells here, which are not among those you sent me, that I suppose may be new to you. These, with some minerals, &c. I have sent you.

The shell you sent me, under the name of Anodonta Variegata

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is also described by Mr. Lea under the name of Symphynota Terrisussina.*** I send you a piece of shale with depression of shells from the canal and a petrified shell from Iowa. Of the minerals there is a specimen of marble from the Frankfort Ky., and quartz invested with Chalcedony from Missouri.

I am to leave here the 14th for Chillicothe, Ohio where I intend to remain.

Yours respectfully,

Dr. S.P. Hildreth

Increase A. Lapham.

Note. Several distinguished engineers of my acquaintance have expressed a desire to have the water limestone of this place analyzed. Could you not get some chemist of your acquaintance to analyze it? By so doing you would confer a great favor upon me.

I.A.L.

Oct. 15. Left Louisville at 3 o' clock p.m. for Cincinnati where I arrived on the 15th about two o' clock on the steamboat Herald.

Oct. 16. Started at 10 a.m. in the stage for Chillicothe and arrived at Williams burgh before night.

Oct. 17. Arrived at Chillicothe at 8 p.m. "Canal letting in a few days. Many rowdy contractors in town.***

Oct. 18. Went up to Yellow Bud on foot this morning, met father on his way to the "letting."

Oct. 19. Father returned from Chillicothe in the evening.*** He got a job at Dry Run, five miles from Chillicothe. I am to go to Circleville tomorrow and do some work at the aqueduct for a few days and then go to my station at Portsmouth.

Note.

The highest hills at the Scioto Bluffs are about sixty feet above the bottom of the canal, some points back from the hills are sixty five feet. The surface of the Scioto is about fif-

*For omissions see note book.