Group of Five Letters written by Members of the Forster Family written from Kaskaskia, Illinois, Pittsburg, Nippinose Bottom, and Meadville, Pennsylvania and Natchez Mississippi Territory, 1806-1817

five letters, quarto and folio, 11 manuscript pages, some wear and staining, few holes at fold intersections, otherwise in very good, clean and legible condition.

These letters chronicle the Forster family's movements from frontier settlements in Pennsylvania to those further west in Illinois and Indiana and as far south as Natchez, Mississippi Territory seeking better economic conditions. Stephen Forster emigrates to the river town of Kaskaskia in Illinois in 1806 where he is engaged in trade and as a wheelwright. By 1810 he is Natchez Mississippi and Louisiana and is working as builder and wheelwright with a number of employees including African American slaves. He constructs buildings, cotton gins, sugar mills and other machinery.

Sample Quotes:

[Kaskaskia] September 28, 1806, Stepehen Forster, to his brother Chambers Forster, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania

"Dear Brother,

I recivd your letter dated the 12 of August I am glad to hear you are well but the Remarks of Mr Foulkes Leter is not just to say that all new Countrys are disadvantages as a man Has never been out of the State of Pennsyl never seen a country that is fit [for] a Planter to live in they are Eternally a Slave to themselves and Stock hear we have men that has upwards of a hundred horses that never tastes corn nor hay unless the are using them however it is not worth saying much on that subject as you have your mind seteld on Sinsinnata Thomas will meet you at Cincinnati But as for my part I have no desire to Come as I can make Eighty dolrs a month hear in trade and some mony as I am nearly first hear now and it wont answer for us to lose all our trouble and Expence hear and More than that I expect to Mary Shortly to a French girl that don't Speake a word of English Shee is not welthy She is Reasonably handsom Her Caructor is preferable to any in The place very industrious and most agreable company Palizah Fortune When you wrote to me that you was going to get married you did not even write me her name –

The Receipt you set me for painting is of no account I want you to Send me eight or ten dozin of wheel irons and I will convey the mony to you as soon as possible I would not trouble you with the task But they are Not to be got hear with out more trouble than they are worth I have to pay half a dollar a set for Forging them If James Foulke gets well I want [him] to come to this country I have made a discovery of a silver mine and many lead mines may be found there is a cowhokia Indian to go this fall and show me one that is close to the top [of the] Ground if he don't come try and het him to larn you how to extrat silver from lead write what time you will be at Cincinnati … Stephen Forster"

Nippenose Bottom Septr 26th 1806, Alexander Stewart to his cousin Chambers Forster, Pittsburgh

"Dear Cousin,

I have returned home Like many other Prodigals And I am but poor but I think I have learned at Meadville School a Nuff to make us take care of our Money here after during Our life time. Brother Charles and My Self is farming my fathers upper Place and have Raised a very fine Crops this Summer, I left Meadville Very Poor and Continue so, but I still live in hope of Being Better. Charles was married last winter to Miss Lilly Crane the Daughter of George Crane Esquire. Sister Kitty was married last winter a year to John Knox and is a dowing well the Rest of the family continues in the same way they were when you left them. The Rest of the family are doing well Joseph Foulke is a Justice of the Piece & Clerk to Commiss. Of Lycoming County & making money his sister Polly lives with him William Foulke has been a Surveying out in the Jersies this four or five Years and has made money. The times were hard when I left Meadville last Spring it will take all the Property I have to bring me and my Bail out Clear the Sued me and Wraked out all the Vengeance that Ware in ther Power against we me when I was coming out of Office Whilst in Office I thought my Lot hard but Knew but little about it at that time, I have been informed by Mr. Saml Torbett of Meadville who Arrived here a few days a gow that you are married to Miss Gouday, a Daughter of James Gouday. … let me heare Whether you intend Gowing down the Ohio or Continue in Pittsburgh, You my Dear friend, I have always thought If you couldGet a good chance would do Something … I have Confined myself to privit Conserns of a Farm and have more Pleasure looking at my horses cows hoggs & Poultry feeding a Round me Then I had when I was the Publicks Servant the Sheriff of Crawford County & from all that I can learn my Successor James Quigley will have as much trouble as I had in coming out of his Office to this I add no more but I subscribe my self your zealous friend … Alexr Stewart"

"Natchez, Mississpi Terr. Nov 14 1810, Stephen Forster to his brothers Chambers and Thomas, Lawrenceburgh, Indiana

Dear Brothers,

I write wonst more to let you know that I am alive I have wrote Respectively to you but never received an answer I have heard by chance by some boat man that you wear well and still lived in lawrenceburgh and particularly by Barnet Moore who informed me that you wear doing good business which I was very happy to hear as to Thomas I could get no information of by any. Mrs. Priestley also wrote to you and wisht to know whether her brother James was with you and whether he would not come hear if you pleas can let me know I did expect to start by the first of March to old Mexico for which place iad all my letters and pas from the Spanish consol at orlians but since this late disturbance it is unsafe to go my business hear is very extensive I have the greatest carecter in macinisim of any man on this cost I have bisness steady sufficient to employ from twenty to thirty hands but it is impossible to get sober men hear and the French people wont imploy Men of disapated caracters by which means I cant make so much as I should if the would suffer them in their familys and the furnish me with black workmen I have now on hand three large dwellings two Cotton gins and one Sugar mill and after I finish them I intend to build a saw mill for myself and when I get that completed if god spares me life and health I will come and see you the business of making wheels hear is very good I could have steady imployment for two or three hands at eight dollars a peace winsor chairs is not so good I expect to make two thousand dollars this year if I keep my health and I hope this will find you all in good health and prosperity I have no news but one thing that you will be surprsid to hear that is I have left of all kinds of debautcherys I have it in my power now to mary to great advantage I have several French ladys at my command.

I have acquired the French language … Stephen Forster

Direct your letter to the care of James godberry County of Acadia twenty leagues above orlians … Parish of St James"

Meadville January the 6 1817, Chambers Forster to his wife, Mary Forster, Lawrenceburgh, Indiana

"Dear wife I expect that you will think Long to hear from me and I hope and trust in god that these few lines will find you and the children in a better state of health than you was when I left you I have had a very disagreeable journey so far I roade before I got to Pitt one hundred miles out of my roade to see one man that had taken a list of your fathers Property and when I got thare he was dead which cept me five days Longer than I would have been gitting to Pittsburgh and when I got thare I had but one half dollar and nither Shroads nor either of the boys was at home and I could not git one cent in the place and there I was obliged to stay one hole weeak and at last met with one of my old friends from this place and I got as much from him as bore my expenses hear and I have got money hear to go on with from hear and tomorrow morning I start to harrisburgh I will right to you again I have thought the time very Long since I left home but I shall push on as fast as possible from hear until I git to my journeys end and then from that home. John and Catherine Mead sends there love and compliments to you. … Chambers Forster"