The following letter was written by 19 year-old H. C. Mead of Warren county, New York. Unfortunately I have not been able to establish his identity further though I suspect he was the same H. C. Mead who booked passage to California in 1855 and returned to New York City in July 1863. My hunch is that his father was Joseph E. Mead (1804-1878) but I have not yet found any record to prove it.

The letter was written in late October 1846 from the residence of Mead’s uncle, Erastus Lake (1794-1889), the husband of Erna Mead (1801-1870) in Allen, Hillsdale county, Michigan. Erastus and Erma were married in 1823 in Warren county, New York, lived for a time in Erie county, New York, and then settled in Michigan in 1837. Erastus’s father was William Lake (1759-1848) and his mother was Mary Perkins (1767-1859). Erastus’ & Erna’s oldest daughter, Laura A. Lake (1825-1857) was married to Lorenzo D. Halsted (1821-1906) and resided in Coldwater, Michigan. She is mentioned in the letter, as well as Hancie Leggett Lake (1827-1870) and their two younger boys, William Fitzgerald Lake (1829-1924) and Charles W. Lake (1832-1915).

Mead’s letter contains a good description of traveling from New York to Michigan, by way of a steamer on Lake Erie from Buffalo to Toledo, and by railroad from Toledo to Hillsdale.

Transcription

Town of Allen
Saturday 31st October 1846

Dear friends,

Here I am in Michigan at the habitation of Uncle Erastus (is it possible?). I can hardly realize that it is so. Eight hundred miles from home, yea more; it is all true. I came here on last Wednesday at about three o’clock in the afternoon. Uncle’s folks are well except Uncle himself. He has been sick with a fever, is now better so that he is about. Have not been to Coldwater to see [cousin] Laura. We expect them here tonight. I do not yet know where I shall stay this winter or what business I shall be employed about. Have heard of no schools to be taken, but the probability is that I shall stay here this winter or in this region of country somewhere for I think that there will be business of some kind that I can busy myself about until spring.

I wrote you a letter in Springville and mailed it in Buffalo one week ago last Thursday (if I recollect aright) thinking then that I should leave that day but our boat did not go out until Saturday afternoon. The wind then went down and weather was better. The boat started out about one o’clock, being anxious to get under way for they had been in port about three days behind their time on account of bad weather and the harbor being blocked up by so many boats that they could not get out even when the weather would permit.

The boat had not got out but a few miles before I felt the effects of the boats rocking in going over the waves. It made me sick. I was not alone. There were many others that were very sick. I could eat no dinner. Vomited, then felt better but did not last very long. Vomited time after time until there was nothing on my stomach to heave up. Oh! how sick I was. Took peppermint but done no good. Concluded that I would go to bed and see what effect that would have upon me. Felt a little better [and] soon got to sleep. Did not eat any supper. Got up once or twice, felt sick [and] went to bed again. Slept until morning. Got up, felt better.

It was a beautiful morning—Sabbath morning. Oh! what a fine morning it was. Perhaps it was because I felt well. The lake was smooth, the sun shone clear, and we moving gently forward on the smooth surface of the water. Had a good appetite for my breakfast, all appeared cheerful. In comparison to their looks the day before, there was a vast difference. We had dreadful sick times—some so sick that they could not stand or go without help. Others puking, others trying their best to do so. I cannot begin to tell you how we looked, acted, and felt in this place but wait until I come home and then you may ask me all about it.

We had many fine prospects on the lake—many splendid views of places and things. We stopped in going up the lake at the several ports, namely Erie, Conneaut, Ashtabula, Fairport, Cleveland, Huron, and on to Toledo. You can find these several places on your map and then you will know our route.

Cleveland is a beautiful place finely situated on a rise of land. It looks fine from the lake. We got into Toledo Monday morning early without any accident or misfortune taking place. It cost me six dollars from Buffalo to Toledo. My fare was as good as the nest. Had a great many passengers—about 100 cabin passengers and the steerage cabin was overrunning full. It was crowded beyond any degree of comfort.

I came by railroad from Toledo to Hillsdale. Cost me two dollars. My expenses here have been about nineteen dollars—much more than I expected, but I have travelled as cheap as I could and better and my health is good. It done me good in being sea sick.

I have not said anything about the country here. Will say that there is fine land here. Uncle has a good farm. It is a new country [and] roads are bad but will probably be better as settlers clear up the land. It has been very sickly here the past summer owing to the hot and dry season. Not many deaths, however, have occurred in these parts, and I think when this country becomes cleared up, it will not be so sickly and will prove a fine country for farming operations.

Uncle has two good, large boys to work. Their names are William and Charles. Aunt Erna looks young—her hair hangs in curls about her neck and she looks as young (at least) as some old maids not very old. Hansie is a pretty girl about 18 years old, teaches school, is a good scholar, and a fine young lady. I will say no more at this time as my sheet is full.

You will please write me a good long letter on receipt of this. Fill it full. I want to hear from home very much. Please give me a good long one. Write fine and fill a sheet full in every place. All of you write. Only think, I am 800 miles from home and cannot hear from you as often as if I was at Johnsburgh. Remember me to all friends and relatives. Direct your letter to me at Sylvanus Post Office, Hillsdale County, Michigan and I will get it in eight or ten days. Yours &c., — H. C. Mead

You will please write on receipt of this a good long letter. Send me some newspapers—a lot of them. I want to hear some news from New York. I do not see many New York papers here. Send me the Dispatch, 2 or 3 of them, and some Glens Falls papers so that I may know the news from near home. So goodbye for the present.

Tuesday, November 3rd. This is election day here. I shall mail this letter today. The post office is here at Allen’s Prairie six miles from Uncle’s. Come on foot here this morning with Uncle. He is on the Board of Elections. I do not yet know what I shall do this winter but think I can get into some business, teaching school, or something that will do.