Box 3, Folder 3: Typewritten Letters 1840-1844

462 [443] 1841.

Cincinnati, Feb. 1, 1841.

Dear Brother--

Your letter has been on hand now about three days. *** General Harrison took his departure last Tuesday about twelve o'clock on his way to Washington to trip "Matty" out of his seat. It certainly must have been a proud day for the old General. He gave a short speech from the deck of the steamboat laying at the very spot where he landed nearly fifty years before, a solitary simple ensign in the backwoods army. He has since then passed through a great many trying scenes. He spoke of the contrast which the city now presents to the place when he first landed here. He has certainly verified the adage that Republics are not ungrateful when the return to their sober second thoughts. There were as many people on the wharf to see him start as there were on the first of October when the city was decked out in her gala dress. But he has reached Pittsburg [Pittsburgh?] and gone beyond the limits of this state, so I will drop the subject. ***

Your lake arguments are not conclusive to my mind that the water is not at a higher level than formerly. May not channels of these rivers have been deepened by some sudden showers such as Prof. Espy can tell us of?***

Our legislature is granting divorces by law. One member was asked if it was a Democratic doctrine that the legislature could repeal their laws: he said, "Yes, it was." Well, should the next legislature repeal the divorce law would not the parties be married again?!!!***

Your affectionate brother,

Darius.

I.A. Lapham

463 [444] 1841.

Milwaukee, Feb. 28, 1841.

Dear Father,--

Your letter of the 29th of January has been on hand a week or more and should have been answered sooner. Since its arrival I have been to Madison, our seat of government or capital. I saw the governor and the other great man. The legislature has passed a new law relating to our canal under which we hope to proceed with the work more vigorously than before. They have, among many good acts, done one not so very good for me, reduced the pay of the engineer and limited the annual amount, as you will see in the law, a copy of which I sent you a week ago.

Our winter has been unusually mild and pleasant. Only occasionally a "cold snap", which appears and feels more severe on account of the mildness of the weather at other times. One of these excessively cold times came upon us while on the road to Madison. A few frozen noses was the consequence, but being all wrapped in buffalo skins we managed to keep ourselves comfortable most of the time. It would do you good to see a man dressed in the hide of a buffalo.

You may give yourself no uneasiness on account of the length of your proposed visit to Milwaukee. Instead of making us twice glad we shall be glad all the time. I hope you will make your arrangements to spend the summer with me at least. I think you will be able to find enough to amuse yourselves with for that length of time. We shall expect you upon the opening of navigation in the spring, say the middle of May. I think it is time for you to quite work, at least one season, and spend your time free from the care and toil incident to the management of the

464 [445] 1841.

farm. I think the force at home will be sufficient without you for that length of time. I shall send you some money before the time for you to start. *** Do you think mother is not strong enough to stand a journey to Sandusky? The traveling will be easy from thence. You will probably have to go to Detroit by some small steamboat and wait there for the large boat on her way up here as they do not couch at Sandusky.

The Council has confirmed my appointment as chief engineer which I have heretofore held from the governor. ***

Love to all, Farewell,

Increase.

Seneca Lapham.

Dear Mother,--

I am looking forward to the opening of navigation with much anxiety and who can wonder at it? for father writes that we may then expect to see you. *** I think you and mother Alcott [Allcott?] will pass many happy hours together, she is now and probably will be with sister Mary most of the time, but that is no near we can see her daily.

Thank you mother for the recipe. I find it similar to mine with the exception of eggs, for until the last year they have been among the luxuries so that we have been obliged to do without them when we could. I find we differ a little in name, this kind of cake we simply called fried cakes or twisters and our cookies we bake.

To all the brothers and sisters give much love accepting a large share for father and yourself. And believe me as ever your

affectionate daughter,

Ann. M. Lapham.

465 [446] 1841.

Quincy Florida, March 21st, 1841

Dear Sir,--

Your name so often occurs in the publications of Dr. Torrey, that I may almost claim you as an old acquaintance, although the first proof of recognition I received the other day in the nice little catalogue of the plants of your section.

It has long been my desire to establish a correspondence and exchange of plants with some botanist in the northwest. *** In your catalogue I observe a formidable number which I would be glad to secure for my herbarium. ***

I will be happy to send you plants which are peculiar to this climate.

Very respectfully,

yours truly,

A.W. Chapman.

I.A. Lapham.

Mil. W.T.

Milwaukee, April 2nd, 1841.

Dear Sir,--

I have received your kind letter of the 2nd mo. 20th and shall take pleasure in collecting the seeds you desire during the coming year.

In relation to the naturalized plants, to which you direct my attention I give the following list of such as appear to me to have been introduced. Some have been introduced since my arrival n this place (July 1836) and many more are expected and some dreaded,--

466 [447] 1841.

Achillea millifolum (About the lake shore and old Indian corn fields).

Ambrosia trifida (Rare as yet.)

Arctium lappa (Rare.)

Asclepias Syriaca (Rare.)

Asparagus officinalis (Introduced by early French missionaries and traders, not much spread.)

Blitum capitatum (Rather rare.)

Capsella burea pastoris (Common.)

Chenopodium Rhombifolium (Rare.)

Datura Stramonium (Introduced by Dr. Proudfit for medicine, not much spread.)

Leontodon taraxacum

Mollugo verticillata (Rare.)

Pastinaca sativa (Very abundant about old Indian fields.)

Physalis viscosa (Common.)

Plantago Major (Common, called by the Indians "White Man's Foot", for where the white man sets his foot the plant springs up!)

Poa pratensis (Common.)

Polygonum aviculare (Common.)

Polygonum persicaria (Common.)

Silene Antirrhina (Not Common.)

Sinapis nigra (Not common.)

Solanum nigrum (Not common.)

Urtica divica (Common.)

Verbena hastata (Common.)

Veronica peregrina (Common.)

Alopecurus geniculatus (Schw. enumerates this with his foreigners, but is it not a native? It appears to me to be so.)