Taken from Naperville
Centennial, 1831-1931, Copyright
1931, Fort Payne Chapter - Daughters of the American Revolution,
Naperville,
Illinois. Transcribed with permission by Diane Bauer.
Through the kindness of Mrs. Wm. P. Wright, nee
Ida Sleight, we are able to reproduce letters written in
1834-'36 by the founder of the Sleight family, Morris
Sleight,
to his wife back in Hyde Park, New York, while he was
out
in the wilds of Chicago and Du Page County, prospecting for a new
home and selling goods to the merchants through the middle
west.
My Dear H.
Chicago, Ill. July 9th, 1834
To give you a minute description of
all
passing events as they occur only for the space of one week,
would
make a small volume. In a letter I can only mention a
few.
I have a thousand ideas and at the time I am determined to
communicate
them to you, but when I sit down to write, I forget them --
however
I do have one that I do remember. Mr. Douglas and myself
started
a week ago tomorrow for Fox River with the stage with the idea
of
being about three days. We left our baggage at the Hotel at Chicago
and I remember of having a very dirty shirt when I returned today. I
am very much pleased with the land about Capt. Naper's
settlement,
28 miles west of Chicago and with the whole country, after
going
twelve miles west of the place. I am highly pleased with
Michigan,
but I am delighted with Illinois. Mr. Steven's account I think
is
not exaggerated. The first view of a Michigan Prairie is
delightful
after passing the oak openings and thick forest, but the first
view
of a Illinois prairie is sublime. I may almost say
awfully
grand, as a person needs a compass to keep their course, but
the
more I travel over them the more I like them. There is a great
variety of flowers now on the prairies, but they tell me in a
month
from this time they will be prettier. I have sent
you
a few of them with Mr. Douglas which will be all faded by the
time
you get them, but they will be interesting to you as you will
be
sure they were picked from the prairies of Illinois.
There
is a number of other kinds on the dry prairies, some
resemble sweet williams, some pinks, sunflowers and almost
every
variety that grow in our gardens. In crossing the prairie
about two miles out of Chicago this morning we started a dear
little
gazelle, but the little thing hid itself in the long grass, and
we could not find it.
I wrote Mr. Russel yesterday by
mail from
Capt. Naper's settlement on the River Du Page. That
letter
and the accounts Mr. Douglas will give you -- will show you how
we spent out last week. Mr. Douglas has made a purchase
on
the Du Page River joining Capt. Naper's, and I have the refusal of
the place adjoining. Should I conclude to take it before I leave
this country. It is a beautiful place, well timbered and
watered,
it has one of the best springs close to a beautiful building
spot
imaginable, and the Du Page River is a small but pretty stream,
runs near the door. It has now on it a double log house
and
fifty or sixty acres of wheat, corn and oats. It looks
like
an old farm as does the whole country around it. It likewise has
on it the fort and block houses used in the late Indian
war.
They are
now used for a barn yard. I suppose on this place there
is
from 150 to 200 acres inclosed and a chance to inclose 500
acres
more of as good land as ever laid out doors. This
pre-emption
I can get for $1,000. I suppose the improvements have
cost
six or seven hundred. None of the land has come in market
yet nor will it under two or three years. It is not surveyed, but
the pre-emption law has passed, which gives the person that
occupied
the
land, up to the 13th day of June last, the right to take 160
acres
of land at $1.25 per acre. This they take where there is
timber,
and a good building spot, and good springs and plenty of stock
water.
This place has all those advantages spot, and good springs and
plenty
of stock water. This place has all those advantages. The
prairie
adjoining such places
they suppose can be got yet for some time after the land comes
in
market for $1.25 per acre. This is the best country I
have
ever seen for a poor man or a rich one, an industrious man or a
lazy one. I see no kind of business but looks promising,
and
I believe the country is perfectly healthy. I do not know
nor see what can make it otherwise. The place I
mentioned above has but one disadvantage -- it is 28 miles to
Chicago
and 40 miles to Ottawa. The proposed canal will run from
Chicago
to Ottawa, the head water of Illinois, and the place lays eight
or nine miles from the west of the canal. It has the
advantage
of grist mills and saw mills, within half a mile, also a store
and
tavern and a thick settled
neighborhood. As people build in the groves you cannot
see
many of your neighbors -- I will not say houses yet, but
cabins.
In a few years I think I can say Mansions.
My Dear H.
Naperville, July 8th, 1836
I arrived in Chicago on the first of
July
-- I only remained one day and two nights, I then, as my goods
had
not arrived, took the stage for Napers Settlement and arrived
here
in time for the celebration. There assembled between
three
and four hundred people, had a dinner, and the usual forms and
ceremonies,
at the church on Cottage Green, and ended with
a ball in the afternoon and evening. All passed off
quietly
and without any accidents. I day before yesterday started
for Juliett in company with Mr. and Mrs. Douglas and Mr. and
Mrs.
Merritt in Mr. Douglas two horse wagon. We got there
about
noon and returned here again yesterday about 12 o'clock.
It
is a very pleasant ride. The roads are excellent and the different
views of the timber, prairie, river etc. are magnificent. The
country is improving beyond account. Illinois is what I
always
thought it would be. I don't think there is or can be a
land
in the world with more sunny spots. Juliette is destined
to
be a place of much consequence. It is the brightest link
in
the chain of canals, joining the lake with the
southern rivers. The village plot is very handsome and
the
water for drinking is very fine. They have the finest of
building
stone in inestimable quantities when cut and polished they look
like marble. They have built a number of fine store
buildings
already, and more are under way. There is already in
Juliette
some 60 or 70 houses, and as many more
being built this season if they could procure lumber fast
enough.
There is so much building going on everywhere that it is
impossible
to get material.
It is astonishing with what ease
and dispatch
these prairies are converted into farms. I believe if
every
settler that has come in this country had persued the same
course
of farming that Mr. Douglas has, that a stranger passing
through
would say the country had been settled 20 years. Mr. Douglas
has
the credit, and I think deservedly, of being the best
farmer and the most industrious man in the country. I
have
heard that Mr. D. was not liked by the settlement, and I now
see
why it is so. He takes a straight forward course and
attends
to his own business and does not mix much with the first
settlers,
who spend much of their time in idleness and dissipation.
The first settlers are also very strong Jackson men. Mr. D. is
opposite. Those men cannot stand civilizatiion. They are
selling
off their claims to Eastern people, and making claims farther
north
and west. It is astounding to see what beautiful springs
of
water, of purest kind are found bursting out on the prairies on
almost every claim that is made, that before the prairie was
worked
they concealed.
I yesterday contracted with a man
to cut
and spit 5000 rails and I shall also contract to have a house
put
up on my claim, out from the village. My property here is
as in all other places of the country where I have any,
becoming
valuable. Too much so to live so far from it. With good
luck three or four more years will make me as well off for property as
I desire to be. My property in this county would not be
appraised
at this present time for less than $5,000. Which is
almost
as much again as I thought it was worth before I left
home.
I should think seriously of moving to this country yet this
fall,
if the work I have now put out could be accomplished in season
for
the undertaking, but I fear it will be too
late to do so after I return.
I am now going out in company with
Mr. Douglas
to view my claim and pick out a spot to set my farm
house.
My mansion will set near the village on Cottage Green, the name
they have given my property in the village. They think they
will
get another county and have the county seat, if so the public
square
will come on my property. Tell the little ones I shall be
home as soon as possible. I expect to find more letters
when
I return to Chicago.
My Dear H.
Chicago, July 17th, 1836, Sunday 11 o'clock
I told Mr. Russel in my last
letter, that
I should perhaps tell you something in my next that might
interest
you. I think it will interest you, for I believe you all
know
that I had given up all idea of ever moving to Illinois.
So
I had, so far as talking or setting time or making date, but in
my own mind no longer than I could procure the place that suited me,
and in case you all remain willing to move. I will
undertake
to tell you that I have bought the place that suits me better
than
any other I have ever seen. It is no more no less than
the
one occupied by Mr. Douglas. I suppose you know that I
owned
the front of it before. I bought that part of him last
year.
He has a frame house on it 40 feet front and 32 feet
back with a cellar 18 X 40 -- it is all enclosed and very
complete,
but nothing entirely finished inside. It is all sided and
shingled with pine and lath, lime and stone on the lot for
finishing
a part of it this Fall, which Mr. Douglas has done for
me.
He will remain on it still Spring. I sold him the claim I
bought of Captain Naper, with the exception of the
village lots. They are in front of the hotel or
Pre-Emption
House and all the claim I made myself on the big prairie.
The place I get of Mr. Douglas will make, with what I had
before,
about 400 acres all in a body and about 200 acres broke and
about
125 acres now under crop. 20 acres more in all I want
broke
and that is fenced. $200, will now fence every foot of the balance.
‘Tis then capable of raising grain and cutting hay enough to keep
2000 sheep or any quantity of cattle or raising grain to any
extent.
I think it is one of the best farms in the northern part of
Illinois.
It is believed that the crop on it now is worth $2,000.
Mr.
Douglas reserves them. I have made arrangements with Mr.
D.
to put in for me a pretty large piece of wheat, as I thought it
would not be possible for us to come on
till Spring. I suppose there is on the place 20,000
young
locust trees. I worked part of the day trimming them but
it
wants a man to work three or four days at them. They are
from
2 to 4 feet high. They stand quite thick, altho Mr. D.
has
transplanted a great many. The house which now stands in
a
beautiful place near the road and an excellent spring of water.
Will answer our purpose well for as long a time as we
may
wish. Or until we can build our palace on the spot that I
have pitched on and is now by the villagers called "Cottage
Green."
It is now under a beautiful crop of Spring wheat.
Everybody
in the neighborhood appears delighted that I am coming.
They
have had some doubts as I wrote Mr. Douglas last winter to sell
part of my claim. But those doubts are all removed. My dear
H., do
not think that because I speak so confidently about moving
here,
that I will do so, moving here whether or no, the choice for
coming,
now is and always will remain, yours. You shall not come
here
to live unless you choose it.
I have what I suppose is now
considered
a large price for it, as it is yet only a claim, or it is as
near
a pre-emption as anything, for I believe it will be considered
so
at the next sale. There is nobody here, or at Chicago,
but
is confident I will get it at government price. I am willing to
run my risk.
I find everything I have done in
the country
is doing admirably, and everything I do here is sure, and
besides
I can do more business in this country in one week than in Hyde
Park in two years. My property is a fortune already, and
only
look at the time it has making. One year and two months
since
I left home before. With the same luck, two or three years
more, I shall have as much as I desire. My goods are all
sold
with the exception of three or four barrels of oil. I
yesterday
exchanged some for 80 acres of land within four miles of the
160
acres I owned before west of the Aplain River. This is
deeded
land. They say I have made an excellent bargain. I
am
better pleased with the Western World now than ever.
Mr. Douglas and daughter all send
their
love. Mrs. D. says she thinks now you will come -- she is
now perfectly reconciled to stay and does not need to return
only
on a visit. They are all as healthy as pigs. I could not
purchase Mr. Douglas' place without her consent. She is very
partial to it, but likes the claim Mr. D. bought of me very
well. They
have timber out for another house and will put it up yet this
season.
Mr. D. has a
team and will go on with it. There is already nearly 30
acres
broke.
N. B. I will write to the
children
separately and enclose this.
Yours dear H.
M. S.
No envelopes used in these letters
25 cents postage. No stamps.
Addressed to Mrs. M. Sleight, Hyde Park, Dutchess County,
New York
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