Archive Record
Images
Metadata
Catalog Number |
2016.02.0030 |
Object Name |
Letter |
Date |
1820 |
Title |
1820 Dec 6 John Brown to Samuel Brown |
Scope & Content |
Letter from John Brown (Frankfort, KY) to Samuel Brown (Lexington, KY). John discusses a hunting trip to Drennon and Clay Licks made by Mason and himself. He writes of the damage done by vandalism to an auger hole at Drennon Lick. Brown discusses banking legislation being debated in the Kentucky State Legislature. Brown also discusses influenza, and the wedding of Jo White and Miss Adair being attended by Orlando and Mason. [Transcription] Frankfort 6th Dec 1820 Dear Brother I have just returned from a long projected hunting tour to Drennons lick, Clay lick &e. On Wednesday last Mason & myself set out well equiped for the woods, in high expectation of great sport & proceeded to six mile creek. In the night a furious storm of rain & hail & snow commenced & the morning presented us a frightful prospect. However we proceeded to Drennons lick where we had intended to spend some days that Mason might drink the waters, but when we reached that dreary place we found it entirely evacuated, & we so much as a fire at which to warm our half frozen limbs. No alternatives remained but to cross the river & return by the way of Clay lick. The snow & Ice hung in such quantities upon the Bushes as to render it impractical to hunt on horse back, but from the road (& we could not travel out of it) we had three shots at Deer, this of which took effect, & four or five at Turkies, & had the weather been favorable would most probably have made it a successful & very agreeable trip. Mason finds himself much better for the exercise The experiment making at the Clay lick has failed in consequences of the diabolical tricks of some unknown Villian. In the first place a piece of Steel was droped into the auger hole which required a months labour to destroy. Afterwards when they had bored down about 200 feet with very flattering prospects, the handle of their auger was in the night bored through so often with a Gimblet that it broke off having the auger & twenty feet of the Wooden Handle at the bottom of the hole, & all their efforts to get it out have failed & to complete this defeat, their whole establishment with all their tools &e has been set on fire & wholly distroyed. The Legislature have under consideration a redemption law which will probably pass. It provides that property sold under Execution may be redeemed by repaying within a limited time the purchase money with interest. This I am told will be followed by an Installment law by a law to protect Insolvent Debtors for a given number of years after the surrender of their property, from execution- & by a supplement to the new Bk law. Nothing has been done relative to Bk of Ky.- its fate is doubtful. The Joint Comss. returned from Lexington much pleased with their reception & with much good will towards [torn page] the university. It is possible that something [torn page] handsome may be done for the Institution but the subject has not yet been brought forward as I have heard of- The Influenza has been & still is prevalent in this place Our Sister Humphrey has been ill with it, but is now convalescent. James has had a light attack bur not sufficient to detain him from school His appetite is excellent & I expect a few days will remove every complaint. His Aunt wishes you to send on his linen if it has arrived as he stands in need of it. Mason & Orlando are gone to the Palais to witness the marriage of Mr Jo White with Miss Adair --- When will you have it in your power to visit this place? Write me often-- Adieu J. Brown [Address Block] Doctor Samuel Brown Lexington Ky [Postmark] Frank.K. Dec 7 |
People |
John Brown Samuel Brown James Percy Brown Mason Brown Orlando Brown Mary Brown Humphreys |
Search Terms |
Drennon Lick Clay Lick Kentucky State Legislature Hunting Banking legislation Influenza |