The following letter was written by Eli Babb, Jr., a native of Anne Arundel county, Maryland, who came with his parents, Eli Babb, Sr. (1781-1851) and Mary E. Thralls (1875-1875) and several other siblings to Smithfield—an early settlement on the White River in Delaware county, Indiana prior to 1840. Eli wrote the letter to John Dorsey Gardner (1809-1851) who married Eli’s daughter, Susannah Babb (1810-1876) in 1829 before they moved to Cumberland county, Illinois. The letter was also addressed to Mary Ann Babb (1808-1882) who married James Green (1806-1846) in 1826 and also lived in Cumberland county, Illinois.

Adding greetings of their own were Eli’s mother, Mary, and his brother, Evan T. Babb (1814-1898). Eli mentions another brother named Joseph Waddell Babb (1817-1898).

Transcription

State of Indiana
Delaware county, Indiana
August 29, 1840

Respected brothers and sisters,

After a due compliment of respect to you all, I gladly embrace the present opportunity to write you a few lines to let you know how we are coming on, We are all well at present, hoping these few lines may come safe to you and find you enjoying the same blessing with us.

We received your letter that you wrote to Joseph and myself and was very much pleased to hear that you all was well. I am at home working at this time. I am building father a new house. You wrote to me that you would be very glad if I would come out and build you a new house. I should be very glad to come out and work a while for you but it will be out of the question for me to come out this fall for we have commenced the house at home and we must finish it before we quit for we want a house as bad as anybody in this world. If it was not for this house at home, I would come out and stay all the winter with you and work for you. You must excuse me for the present. I will try and come out winter and see all of you if possible but I will write to you again before I come.

It has bean about three weeks since I left Fall Creek. Joseph and wife was well and no bees yet. He talked of writing to you soon. You request me to write to you but I have neglected writing to you till now. I have nothing strange to write to you. Give my respects to Mary Ann Green and James and all the children and tell them I should be very glad to see them.

Mother and Evan will finish this letter to you. My pen is so bad I can’t write no more. Yours in much love and affection to you all, I rest. Your sympathizing brother until death, — Eli Babb, Jr.

[in a different hand]

Susan and Mary, I am going to write a few lines in Eli’s letter to you to let you know how I am getting along. We have just returned from a camp meeting home. We had a glorious time there and many souls converted to God. I have had my health better this summer than I have had since I have been in the State of Indiana. I weigh one hundred and seventy pounds this summer. It is very healthy this summer in this country. Susan, I wish you was here this fall. I could give you fifty weight of honey instead of a crock full. We rolled our bees in June and then the last of August we took out about two hundred pounds of the prettiest honey you ever seen. We have had seventeen new swarms and every one of them has filled their hives full.

Now I will tell you about my new house. I am getting a good convenient house built. It is one story high and twenty-four by thirty feet long, two room and a good porch the whole length. I have made about one hundred weight of cheese and two hundred weight of butter this summer. I expect to dry what peaches will do us for our trees is very full this summer. I have many things to write to you but for want of room, I cannot at present. Susan, I want you and Mary to write to me as soon as you receive these few lines. No more at present. — Mary Babb

[in a different hand]

Respected brothers and sisters, I thought I would drop a few lines to you all in Eli’s letter to let you know how I prosper. I thank my Creator that I enjoy good health at this time. I am very busy at this time at the house with Eli. Corn crops never was better. I had thought of coming out to see you all this fall but since things has turned out, so I don’t expect I can come this fall. Maybe I will this winter.

I am going to alter my situation in life about the first of [ ] by taking to myself a loving wife. I want you all to come and enjoy the festival with me. It is not to Miss Elizabeth Points. If none of you don’t come< I will write to you again as soon as I am married. You must excuse my bad writing. I write it on the work bench. You must write to me as soon as you get this letter. Direct to Smithfield. No more at present but remain yours until death, — E. T. Babb

Go your length for Tippecanoe!