Dear Sister - A Letter from Adolphus Conaway

Here's an historical letter from our family archive. Adolphus Conaway, my second great grandfather on my mom's side grew up in Knox County, Ohio, and was 20 years old when he wrote this letter. He enlisted in the Civil War two years later, on May 14, 1864. (Note that I corrected the spelling in this letter many years ago, before I fully appreciated the value of an exact transcription.)

Ashgrove, Iroquois Co., Ill.

September 29, [18]62

Dear Sister,

I take my pen in hand to drop a line to let you know that I am well and have been ever since we started. I never felt better in my life. I have gained about fifteen pounds since I left Ohio. We reached here about the sixth of September. I got a letter from father yesterday. He said they was all well and says he is coming out to see me as soon as he gets his corn husked. I like this part of Illinois very well. They have such good water here and good land too. It is only a half mile to timber from my boarding place. I am boarding with Mr. McCray. We are going to move the sheep up to an area this week about fifteen miles from here. I have wrote to you twice since I have started I wrote to New Guilford. And to Utica. Oh Tama I was awful homesick but I have got over it. The frost killed the corn here in August. And we have had the hard frost since we got here. I have not got my clothes yet. I wrote about a week after before we got here and twice since we got here. Mr. Long got a letter from Mr. Connard. He said he had not heard from any of us since we started. And I have wrote four or five times since we started. I don't know what is the reason he does not get my letters. I do not know where to write to you but I will write to Circleville to Mr. Calhoun. You may write to Ashgrove post And I will have the letter forwarded on to wherever we go to. I have written about fifteen letters since I got here and have only got two. And you do not know how glad I was to hear from the old Buckeye state. Now Tama I want you to write as soon as you get this letter. I would like to hear from you. I want you to tell me how Grandpop Horn’s folks are. I have wrote twice to grandpop, you three times and have got no answer. I wrote to Wash Houck and to Uncle Addam and to Mr. Connards folks and have not got any answer. I have a fine time herding sheep as it is easy work. I have a very good dog to help me. I will be glad if you sent them socks. I will pay for them. Do write soon. This is wrote in a hurry and so much noise.

A. Conaway

Notes:
"Tama" was Phytama Conaway, who married John Heilman. She was three years younger than Adolphus. 

"Wash" Houck was Adolphus's first cousin, Washington Houck, the son of Margaret (Horn) Houck and William Houck.

Uncle Addam was probably Adam Scott, who married Arzina Horn, one of Adolphus's aunts on his mother's side. 

Hannah Harmon and Her Children

Early in my genealogy research, when I discovered my third great-grandmother, Hannah (Townsend) Harmon, I was struck by the number of children she had. With her first child being born in 1836, and her last born 21 years later in 1857, she had about one child every two years for twenty years. Here is the list of her 13 known children:

Mary Jane, born in 1836
James, 1837
William, 1839
Nancy, 1841 (my great great grandmother)
Richard, 1844
Martha, 1845
Charles, 1846
Hiram, 1848
David, 1850
George, 1852
Sarah, 1854
Hannah, 1855
Albert, 1857

Hannah died in 1865, at the age of 48. She is buried at the Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Spring Creek, Iowa.

William Harmon's Farm in Boone County, Indiana

My 3rd great-grandfather, William A. Harmon bought land in Indiana when a young man. I saw the paperwork at the National Archives in Washington, D.C., in December of last year. 

Land certificate #18968

Jan 14, 1834

Received from William Harmon of Boone County, Indiana, the sum fifty dollars and -- cents; being in full for the North West quarter of the North East quarter of Section Nine in Township Number Seventeen North, of Range Number Two East, containing forty acres, and -- hundredths at the rate of one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre. Abner MCorty, Receiver.

William's brother-in-law, Elisha Bishop Townsend also bought land in the same township the same year:

Land certificate #20456

Aug 14 1834

Elisha Bishop Townsend of Johnson Co., Indiana purchased NE 1/4 of the SE 1/4 of section 11, township 17 North Range 2 East; 40 acres, $1.25 per acres; $50.

The next year, William Harmon purchased another 40 acres.

Land certificate #22788

March 7, 1835

Received from William Harmon of Boone County, Indiana, the sum fifty dollars and -- cents; being in full for the North West quarter of the South East quarter of Section Three in Township Number Seventeen North, of Range Number Two East, containing forty acres, and -- hundredths at the rate of one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre. Abner MCorty, Receiver.

By 1856, William and his wife Hannah moved their family to Spring Creek, Blackhawk, Iowa, where they remained for the rest of their lives.