Prisq’ Isle Augt 22d of 1797
My respectable Friend:
Since I saw you last myself & family have been subjects of the greatest misfortunes, We have passed through such trying sceans of misfortunes as never before weve experienced by us, & I believe by few Others—We had somthing of a long passage but got the Goods on in safety & in Good Order but very little damiage sustained in any thing; one or two casks of liquor however was broached & perhaps 3 or 4 Galls. taken from them— We arrived safe & all in Good health on the 20th of June; but to my great surprise & disoppointment I found nothing done to Bissells Store, not a shelf or any place prepared for the reception of the Goods, I was therefore obliged to store the Goods, some in one place & some in an other untill I could procure Boards, obtain Joiners— to make the necessary preparations to put up—pose our Goods for sale which detained the sales for more than a week which was a very great damage indeed. Neither was there the least preparations made for myself or family, I was therefore obliged to go into a storehouse of Esqr. Colt which is the most inconvenient place imaginable, being considerably filled with Bbls, &c, but I blame nobody for this— No garden or a single seed sown altho, this might have done in the Garrison with the greatest lease which should have greatly (conduced, indured, endued to the health & comfort of my family & the others concerned But there neglects or misfortunes are scarcly worthy noticing when compared with preceeding events which have taken place in my affairs & family—In about ten days after my arrival one of my children was taken with the disintary soon after my other children myself & Mrs. Elsworth were all taken with the same disorder & Henry— so that the one could not help or assist the other Henry I sent out to a neighbouring house where he was well provided for & taken care off—In this situation dear Sir you can better immagine our distress than I describe it with my pen—Two of
Daughters were not able to survive the violence of the disorder, they expired in eleven days after they ware taken sick—But thanks be to the sovereign disposer of all events that the rest of the family have recovered their healths. I have not yet recovered mine but am gaining strength daily. Henry is almost well. If you will perhaps think strange that we are not able to send you more money than we have done, but Sir if you consider that but a very few old debts have been collected. Several Hundred Dollars advanced for Whiskey now onhand & freight of Goods. If perhaps You will not think so strange of it—revolve also in your mind the necessary disadvantage of not having a more sufficient store to put our Goods for more than a week after arrival & than over being obliged to shut up the store for near 3 weeks longer—consider I say all those disadvantages & I believe you will be satisfied that we have not done bad. I have made out a Memorandom for a large supply of Goods. I think that they will sell to great amts. If they can be [damaged] forward, but how the purchace can be made [damaged]. not enough unless you will again advance your credit which I hope you will be willing to do for this one & I hope last time. I think that I shall be able to send you a considerable sum of money by some of the Connect. Land Compy. When they return which I expect will be sometime in Oct. next, or perhaps another conveyance still more eligible may take place Virz. by the return of Capt. Bissell. I think if you can attain a co. (?) for the new Goods till the latter part of the winter we can make remittances without the Ceart.least difficulty & be able to advance money for our Spring Goods But Sir you & Mr. Bissell will conduct the business as you shall think most advisable & conveniently — Mr. Bissel leaves their place in wrath — Henry & my-self have affronted him so highly that he has left my house two or three days ago & gone to a tavern where he pays for his board. Let him meal for eating this I think will not do—I will relate to you the whole story particularly that you may judge between as which is in the wrong. One evening Mr. Bissell, Henry & myself were at supper. Mr. B. speaking of taking his departures for N. England enlisted us to be exceedingly carfull & he was rather severe on Henryon account of his having left a few days before his Pocket-Book & appeared to be very jealous that he had lost compy. money in it. Henry denied it & engaged to be carful in future—Mr. Bissell soon leves us to take lodging in the store. As soon as he went out out Henry informed me that Mr. Bissell’s Pocket-Book was in his Pocket almost out of it as he sat beside him at supper & that he had taken it into his possession & asked me what he should do with it. I to [told] him to keep it it till morning & I would tell him—Soon after Mr. Bissell came back & informed us that he had lost his Book but would give no account where—I advised him to go to [damaged] & make himself early untill light in the morning—I went off & came again in the morning when Henry & myself went out with him to look his Book. Henry alas by me sent forward to put the Book at a place agreed upon—near the store & I was to come with B. afterward to that place that B. might find the Book—Bissell opened & examined the contents & found all safe except a 30 Dol. Bill which he had informed us the night before was in the Book. The Bill I ordered Henry to take out of the Book—the same day Henry by my direction wrote a billet to Bissel under a signed name —in which he informed him that his conscience would not let him keep the money as he first intended, but exhorted him to keep his money & property more secure &c. This Epistle was put through between the window shutter & the windo—The next morning B&H. went to the store. H. requested B. to fling open the window shutter which he did & beheld the billet upon opening which he to his great joy found the bill—I took occasion from these circumstances knowing that he was to be entrusted with the Compy. Money. The necessity of being carful especially in journeying with money—H—H—he thanked me & said he did not doubt but that he should be greatly benefited by this [unclear] &c. It was thot. best by Mr. Bissell & myself that it would not be best for B. to make any inquiry about the Money but let the matter rest till he should set off for home & then for me to lay in with the Tavern keeper to look out for the Bill, &c, but B. could not be easy, he made many private friends & accused one & an other of having taken his Money. Bissell accusations soon got to the ears of the accused who threatened him most severely & what will be the consequence of his stupidity & folly, I cannot tell—I am sure that I ment it to him for good & the safety of the Compy property—But his low jealousy make him believe that I intended it only for an imposition. &c. I have been very particular that you may judge whether I was to blame or not—for I know that B. will me to you & perhaps accuse me wrongfully
Mr. Bissell can inform you of many particulars concerning land…
Mr. John Wyles
Merchant
East Hartford
Daniel Ellsworth to Johns Wyles, Sr. and Aaron Buckland, 1797-1798, Box: 1, Folder: 43. Wyles Family Western Reserve Collection, MS-079. Linda Lear Center for Special Collections and Archives.