Mukwanago Feb. 27th, 1844

Dear and Honoured Parents,

My love saluteth you. By the grace of our Heavenly Father, I am permitted to address this letter to you to let you know how it fares with us in the far west. I arrived here with my family on the 6th of Dec. in usual good health with the exception of the fatigue of the journey and found Franklin well. He was very glad to see me for we had been longer on the road then we expected when we wrote to him, and he feared that we were lost on the Lake.

I will here give you a brief description of our journey. We left Bath on the 24th of Oct., we weighed our load in Bath and found it to be [4???] wagon and family. We stayed with William S. Bacon in Avon overnight 25th to Patchin Ville, stayed overnight 26th to Danville and shipped a part of our load aboard of the canal directed to Milwaukee, Wisconsin Territory and went on six miles to Rock Spring house kept by Abe Narrigang and stopped for the night and stayed through snowstorm 27th. 2 o'clock went on to Mt. Morris. 28 to Sand Starr[?] 2 miles west of Pavillion. 29th to public house 2 miles west of Batavia kept by M.A. Sexton. While getting supper we discovered some strange conduct of the land lady very unfavorable to the credit of the house and more so to herself. We feared we were not safe in character, persons or property. I therefore went to a neighboring house and made inquiry and that it would be most safe to remove to the next tavern. We accordingly did so and stayed with William C. Watson and slept well. In the morning before we started, I did a duty I thought I owed to the traveling public by publicly exposing the house and left a complaint in writing, and the neighbors assured me that the sign should be taken down immediately.

30th went on to Pembroke Cty, stopped with William Cane, the innkeeper. The snowstorm detaining us till 4 o'clock pm. While here Wm. Cane got hurt by foolishly scuffling with an intoxicated man. He gave me the bill for the assistance needed him after he got hurt. Whenever I enter a rum selling mansion I can discover something of the evil of alcohol and I wonder that the friends of peace and good order do not raise their voices against the wicked practice of intemperence until the public opinion shall be corrected on this subject and peace restored to the earth. We stopped in Erie Cty., N.Y. with our friend. Found Father and Mother York well. We visited with our relation in this place longer than we intended in consequence of the badness of the roads. Left here on the 9th of Nov., stayed at Williams Ville over night. 10th arrived in Buffalo and got on board the steamer Lexington bound for Detroit in Michigan. 11th started at 10 o'clock, in the afternoon we met a high gale and was driven out of our course. Over on the Canada side we passed one dismal night on Old Lake Erie. We were all of us seasick and all the passengers on board were sick and most of the Crew. After passing two days and two nights on the Lake we arrived safe in Detroit at 9 o'clock in the evening very much worn out, for this was the hardest part of our journey made so by the storm. No one can well imagine our sufferings unless they have been at sea in a storm.

Leaving Detroit, we passed through the center of the state of Michigan by way of Wayne, Ypsilanti, Ann-Arbor, Dexter, Grass Lake, Jackson, Barry, Smithfield, Albion and Merengo to Marshall in Calhoun Cty. Ira Tillatrou[?] and Zenaz[?] live here. We visited with Cousin Ira, stayed one day and two nights and were treated with the greatest kindness. Zenas[?] was not at home, did not see him. He is said to be rich. Some estimate his property at 200,000 dollars. Ira says the estimate is by far too high. He would rather put it at 15,000, his own at 4,000. Aunt died here and Ira's oldest son is dead and left an estate of about 2,000 dollars. On parting with them Ira gave me $4 to help us on our way which was very acceptable, for our friends were nearly exhausted and we pursued our journey by way of Newton, Dry Prairie, Notaway Prairie, Centre Ville, Constantina, Mottville, Bristol, Elkhart, Mishawauki in Indiana then to south bend on the St. Joseph River. Michigan City, Chicago, Ill., Independence Grove and the Grand Prairie, then took the Territorial Road to this place called Mukwonago in Milwaukee Co.. W.T. (Wisconsin Territory)

Here I found business very dull, provision and horse feed hard to be got. My money was all expended before we got here and I had borrowed of a tavern keeper $7.00 with the things we sold on the road helped us through; the borrowed money I went back and paid and redeemed my clothes and promise. Times are hard here in consequence of so many poor people coming in here from all parts of the world thinking that if they can get here and get a little land, they can live. The inhabitants of course are a mixed multitude. There is a great many Indians here. Now they are coming back from the west where they had been sent by the whites. A fine tribe of the Ottawa came here a few days ago to stay through the season of sugar making. They say they are going to Green-Bay.

Our children here have been going to school this winter. Amanda has had the whooping cough, she took it on the road and has spread it among the children in this place. The boys are getting the Indian tongue quite pat. Jeremiah appears to be the most tractable in learning, though Elijah and David get along with it very well and Amanda can tell the Indian names of a great many things. They are quiet and peaceful if they are treated kindly, and it is against the law to give them ardent spirits so we do not fear them. But their savage appearance is unpleasant. Armed with their guns, spears, tomahawks and knives and having their feathers and painted faces, when they have good luck in hunting or fishing they paint their faces red. And when they have bad luck, black. And for ornament a variety of colours together with their jewels and feathers. Some of them are religious and appear pious strict in the observance of rites. The Norwegians and French-Dutch are most difficult for me to understand. The principal inhabitants here are eastern people and the society as good as I expected in this little village consisting of Merchants and Mechanics the most of them having farms adjacent to the Village. It is a growing place and the cause of temperance is onward here.

The Boxes of goods we sent by water have not yet arrived. Perhaps we never shall hear from them. They were forwarded by Allen and Wood of Dansville N.Y. and contain our most valuable Bedding together with many other things; articles of value. They may come on in the Spring. I found it difficult to keep my team here for grain was so scarce they could not earn their keeping. So, I traded my horses, wagon and harness for 80 acres of land in Dane Co., about 5 miles from the Capitol of the Territory, about one third Buse[?] Oaks openings, the rest Prairie. I cannot go onto it for want of something to help myself with. I expect to stay here until we can do better. If we can get enough to eat this year, I shall be glad. It looks like hard times when I have to come to the table with nothing but Potatoes, Bread and Molasses. Yet there is any quantity of pork passing by my door almost daily coming from Ill. going to Milwaukee, or it has been so during sleighing, but I had nothing to buy with.

George has gone to a trade (chair making). He gets $40 for the first year and $50 per year for two years, board, washing and mending and 4 mo. schooling in this time. Franklin has left the Blacksmith trade; he is going to make sugar this season in company with Erastes[?] Olin. Mary Anne and Huldah work out some of the week. My health is poor. I am not able to work out but little by the day. If I could get employ, wages is low at this time. If a man would work for nothing and base himself [?] he might have enough, ado[?]. The Norwegians work for 2/6 per day the best of them and glad to get that in Cash, and so would I were I able. Charlotte's health is quite delicate. I am in hopes there will be a change when the Spring work comes on. If we have our health, we shall be able to live better. The country is pleasant and the land good beyond description (some say). I like it better than I do down in Illinois and a great many people move from there here, on account of health[?], market and timber, it is surprising how soon a farm may be made here. Oh nature, what hast though not done for the Western States and Territories. But still I would say as a dear but departed Brother said of Ohio, those that have good homes in York State had better stay there.

I am not sorry that I came here though I have many near friends in Old Stueben whose love shall remain with me while memory and thought shall endure, yes. I'll waft a sigh to you the warmest in my heart, to you my friends Eight Hundred miles apart. When I think of my aged Parents, Brothers, Sisters and numerous other connections whose faces in all probability never to see in the flesh, I pray that they may be kept by the power of God in the peaceful spirit of Christ and drink from the flowing fountain of his love, and be made heirs of an Eternal inheritance with the saints in light. Give my love to all enquiring friends for my desire for their best Interest. I expect to write to John and Olive soon. I might have given a more full description of the country for want of room, my eyes are weak and my hand trembling. Therefore you will excuse my poor writing, I have a bad cold at this time. And pardon me for Neglect of writing sooner. I have delayed writing with the hope that I should be able to write a more comforting letter. With regard to our circumstances we live in hope of seeing better days. Let brother Elijah see this, I hope in his travels he will find his way to us. Tell him to write to us at Mukwanago, W.T.

                                                                                                                                  This from your Son, N. B. Bacon