The following letter was written by John R. Amsbaugh (1807-1879), the son of Henry John Amsbaugh (1785-1861) and Elizabeth Hansby (1780-1830) of Pennsylvania. John was married twice, first to Nancy Slick (1816-Bef. 1850) and second to Jane A. Hamilton (1821-18xx). In the 1850 US Census, John was residing in Johnstown, Cambria county, Pennsylvania. He had no occupation at the time. We know that he lived in a two-story frame house with an attached stable on Locust Street in Johnstown because he was required to see the house and lot at auction for unpaid debts in July 1854. Only a year earlier he had purchased the Bennett Hotel in Johnstown and tried to make a go of it, advertising that his bar would serve “a choice selection of wines and liquors of all kinds.”

In the 1860 US Census, 52 year-old John Amsbaugh was enumerated in Hampton (upriver from Moline), Rock Island county, Illinois, earning his living as a hotel keeper. By 1870, he was boarding with relatives in Keokuk, Iowa. He died in Shelbyville, Tennessee in 1879.

We learn from John’s letter that he had arrived in Moline, Illinois, in mid-November 1854 seeking to open up a hotel in that city. A newspaper article appearing in a Moline paper claimed that he became the proprietor of the Buffalo House. Traveling with him to Illinois was his brother-in-law, Andrew Allison Hamilton (1823-aft1915). In 1850, Dr. Hamilton was residing in Indiana, Pennsylvania (where his parents were from) and studying medicine. Ten years later, in 1860, he was residing in Hampton, Rock Island county, Illinois, working as a day laborer rather than as a doctor. In 1870, he was farming in Henry county, Illinois.

Few details are revealed about the journey to Illinois but we learn that the party traveled by train from Pittsburgh to Chicago and from there to Moline on the Chicago & Rock Island railroad which passed through Moline. That stretch of the railroad was completed in February 1854.

John wrote the letter to his brother-in-law John Bolar or Bouler (1798-1888) of Armagh, Indiana county, Pennsylvania. John was married to Elizabeth Amsbaugh (1809-1855).

T R A N S C R I P T I O N

Moline, Rock Island County, Illinois
November 22, 1854

Mr. John Bouler [also spelled Bolar],

Dear brother, I hasten to fill my promise of writing to you. I can say we arrived here safe and sound on last Friday morning at 8 o’clock, all well and in fine spirits. I got a cook stove the same day, put it up, cooked our dinner on Saturday, and eat it off a store box. We missed making the connection in Chicago [and] lost 12 hours by it. Our baggage and trunks all came right but Dr. A[ndrew] Hamilton’s. It was mislaid or lost between Pittsburgh & Chicago. He has not got it yet but thinks it will come. We will wait this week yet for it. If it don’t come, they will get Illinois law for it. I got them agents in Chicago to give their check for it so we have them and intend to hold them.

The house we got is a good one and in a beautiful location. Business is brisk and if our boxes of flitter was here that we could set up right, we can get as many boarders as we want at $3 per week. There is several waiting on us before we come. Marketing is high but not so high as with you. I bought a wagon load of excellent wheat yesterday. Got it delivered in the mill in this place at 100—that is the highest it will fetch. Corn is 35, oats 25. I bought 4 hogs, 200 lbs. each, at 4 cents [per lb.], vegetables and butter is high. Turnips is 35, potatoes from 60 cents to $1 according to quality. Furniture is about the same [as] it is in Armagh [Indiana county, Pa.]. I bought 5 pair bedsteads $4.25 apiece, well made of maple wood. Also a dining table at $950 of walnut. Queensware is a little higher than with you. Also hardware but excellent articles.

I was just trying my rifle gun I bought in Pittsburgh for $10. It is a splendid gun. I would not give it for one Brother Henry got made a few days before I started [which] he gave $15 for.

The health of the prairie is good at present with the exception of some few cases of Ague. We all appear to be well satisfied here as yet and think if we have not bettered our situation, are sure we hant worsted it. I cannot give you the ful amount yet. Will just say give our love to all the friends and acquaintances. Let them hear from us as I can’t write to each separately. Don’t neglect writing. We will be pleased to get letters from all.

Believe me respectfully yours, — John Amsbaugh