Ohio History Journal

SPECULATIVE INTEREST IN OHIO LANDS IN 1829

AS REVEALED IN A LETTER FROM HENRY FARMER TO

SAMUEL J. BROWNE

Edited by WILLIAM D. OVERMAN

The following letter from Henry Farmer to his brother-in-law,

Samuel J. Browne of Cincinnati, affords a detailed account by an

observant and well-informed Englishman of the unsettled political,

economic and social conditions in England just prior to the Era of

Reform (1832).1

The statistical data on the cost of poor relief, 1819-1828, will

interest those who have studied the administration of present day

agencies for the dispensation of relief. The cost of administration

in England during the decade alluded to was over twenty percent

while the latest available data shows that the administrative cost of

W.P.A. is about five percent.

Henry Farmer studied the possibilities of various business

ventures and showed an eagerness to engage in some speculative en-

terprise, particularly in the lands of the American Middle West. He

reports that because of the intolerable economic condition many

unfortunate Englishmen committed petty larceny so as to insure a

sentence bringing deportation to some English colony. The detail

with which the writer treats of a variety of subjects may be ex-

plained by the fact that he was writing to a newspaper publisher.

The land along the Ohio River above Cincinnati, chiefly be-

cause of cheap transportation by water to New Orleans, was the

 

1 Symmes Browne MSS (in Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society Library).

These papers, numbering over 2,000 items, consist largely of correspondence, diaries, personal

accounts, receipts, and ephemera pertaining to patriotic societies and lodges. The cor-

respondence, largely between members of the family, including early letters of Mrs.

Symmes (Fanny Bassett) Browne, covers the period from the Civil War to about 1920.

Symmes Browne commanded a gunboat during the war.

There are a few letters (1817-1840) to Symmes's father, Samuel J. Browne, and

mother, Fanny Farmer Browne, mostly from her family residing in Bath, England. The

letter here printed was written by her brother Henry Farmer and although unsigned is

easily identified by comparison with others in the same hand. Samuel J. Browne published

the Cincinnati Emporium (1824-1829?) which was combined with the National Crisis in

1825. He published the rare and important second Cincinnati Directory in the same year.

The writer of this letter used every available inch of paper and doubled the size of the

letter by adding an interlinear message in red ink. A lengthy description of the Military

Academy at West Point, about which Henry Farmer had read in a New York paper, has

been omitted.

(329)

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330    OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

 

best in the world for English agriculturists, the writer thought, and

he would have liked to have organized an agency to transport settlers

to this region. He was correct in his prediction that many English-

men then going to Canada would later emigrate to the United States,

for although the immigration movement to Canada was heavy in the

1830's, near the end of this period it collapsed for a time and a heavy

drainage of population to the United States set in.2

LONDON July 23rd 1829

My Dr S.

The Hudson of N Yk arrived here (Londⁿ D^ks) abt a fortnight

or 3 W^ks after discharged her cargo -- took on her loading & sailed

again Sunday Morng for N Yk. This is dispatch [.] She is 400

Tons [.] Capt C. H. Champlin [.] The Mate a Mr Morgan -- took

charge of a lot of Newspapers Wch I carefully packed up [.] Some

are Old Times but it is a well Edited paper [,] the best in Europe.

The advertisemts are numerous & pays admirably -- The smallest

pays 7/6. Such is the influence of this paper that with it and some

Or [other] leadg Journals [,] the Morng Herald & the Chronicle [,]

we may say the Tone is given to & almost every National object

is Effected -- to fine state of things are the affairs of our country

brought [!] -- If I may judge by perusing yr N Yk papers you

Americans deal little in politics for the "NYk Courier" is full of

advertism^ts one of Wch I got from the Mate of the Columbus now

loadg by which conveye I send this -- I read it with much Interest

& Seem to feel asurred [sic] that ere Long the Society of this Proud

and Profligate country will be reduced to seek their bread in

America or on the Continent of Europe [,] France [,] Germany or

transport themselves to New Sidney, Vandemans Land, Swan

River [,] Coburg sound [.] This latter is situated in 32 Deg.

Sth Latitude & thous^ds are desirous to Emigrate [.] if they possessed

the means to do so few Wd remain in Engd as the whole stagnation

of Trade [,] the extinction of industries & commerce [,] the want

of a circulating medium through the country has nearly anihilated

our Manufactures, our ships Interests & the use of most home

Exciseable articles as well as foreign -- Thus our revenue is annually

decreasing -- our Stock of Merchandise rendered unsaleable -- our

Bankrupt & Insolvent List daily exhibiting a Melancholy picture --

while our poor rates -- & the County rates which is a ₂nd or Supple-

mentary Poor Rate is Increasing beyd all precedent & respectable

Tradesmen who formerly maintained their families in Credit are

now obliged to narrow their expenses even to pauperism while their

dwelling Houses are now necessarily Let in different appartments [sic]

2 Carl Wittke, A History of Canada (New York, 1928), 135.

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FARMER: SPECULATIVE INTEREST IN OHIO LANDS       331

to Vs [various] Professions and Traders making 1/2 a Shop answer

the purposes of Trade -- You can form no conception to what a

state we are reduced -- nearly every other House through the prin-

ciple [sic] Streets have notices to Let parts -- & the outskirts are

Covered with 1/2 Empty Houses -- The increase of Crimes is most

alarming. Poor creatures are driven by dire necessity to petty

Larceny to insure a Prison [sentence] & many comit [sic] small

crimes to get transported at the government exp[ense] to Botenay

[sic] Bay -- formerly only 14 yrs sentence insured a voyage thither

but now 7 yrs sentence obtains for these poor creatures that object --

to what a State is this country reduced [!] To this we find our

Judges so pressed with Crimes to try -- with actions Civil -- Libel

-- Bankruptcy -- divorces Ecclisiastic [sic] Maritine [sic] -- that

we cannot proceed but with the danger of ruin let the cause be

ever so oppressive [,] Cruel -- Just or expedient -- and to help the

unfortunate who have not funds to obtain justice -- the plan now is

for the unsuccesful party to move the Courts on affidavits

which are become a Marketable Commodity for a new trial. The

Judges grant rule to those causes & if the applicant the defeated

party [,] has money he is sure to get assts [assistance,] from

Persons/totally unacquainted with facts/prepared & sworn on wch

the Counsel is sure to be supported by the presiding Judges & a

new trial is granted to the disgrace of our Judicial administration &

to the Injury of the unfortunate & thus bankrupted individuals --

Instances can be adduced where one trial cost 300?? -- & a verdict

obtained . . . and by an understandg -- disgraceful I will say I

believe they of the council so managed that the deft assts [defendant's

assistants] should leave the case open for a new trial thus getting

2 actions to defeat [,] that is Double Brief fees [.] However cruel

& excusable our present code is yet nothing is or will be effected by

the Law Judges who are so deeply interested in promoting Litigation

that they facilitate the means of feeing counsel & thus the Property

of Society is Confiscated Legally between these Land Sharks: --

Justice cannot now be obtd & every man thinks he is intitled to

plunder his neighbour if his means are Equal to defend himself

from a criminal prosecutoⁿ, for redress is quite out of the question --

The weak must be oppressed there's no justice for him -- but plenty

of Law if he can pay for it --

I informed you I have united myself to a Wine Merchants

istablishment in the City -- I now find so much difficulty in obtain-

ing orders that I do not expect even to realize my expenses [,] live

as close as I can -- and you know I never was a spendthrift -- I shall

devote my attention to acquiring a complete Knowledge of the trade

in hopes hereafter to benefit myself & my dependts but prospects are

so dark -- The best families do not hesitate to say they have

abandoned the use of both Wine & Spirits [.] Yet among my num-

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332    OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

erous friends I hope to procure at least equal to my outgoings not

for the principles [sic] to suffer -- if I do not increase my

corn [missions] I shall add other branches by degrees so as to

procure in the agregate [sic] sufficient for personal outgoings -- Had

the times continued as formerly[--]that is had governm^t provided

for the paymt of the 1/2 yrly divds on the National debt by a property

Tax -- & relieved Trade some chance wd have existed but now the

Lords & Comms are united to support the Landed Interest -- at the

ruin of every o^r class of the community -- so down we must go --

while foreignors [sic] are thriving on the producsions of our manu-

facturers. The duty on imported wheat is very great -- Bread is

2 1/4d per lb -- Salt Butter 10 to 1₄d [--] fresh 1₆d [,] Mutton [and]

Beef 7 1/2 [,] Lamb & Veal 8 to ₁₀d per lb -- pickle pork & bacon

6½ [to] 7d & all articles of Provisions equally dear -- but if they

were at 1/2 price there is no money to be Earned to buy. I have

attentively read Woods Travels thru the Illinois Country -- and

contrast the expense of the necessaries of Life in the English praries

with our own here -- I read that Birkbeck & Flower & Collins have

fenced in Small farms which they sell to New settlers & thus they

get on pretty well -- I cannot but contrast their New Mode of

Living to what they have been accustomed to in Engd. "Flower"

I believe is a Glostershire Man or from the neighbourhood of Bath.

I find the aborigines live by Hunting & fishing [,] that they

receive strangers courteously & those who can sacrifice Society for

the Exercise of the Field find means to exist even in a Savage

Society. How many thousands wd gladly transplant themselves had

they the means of so doing.

I have little doubt but ultimately the steps of those you have

invited will -- must be directed to the Land of plenty -- It is

certainly gratifying to find the numerous branches of the family

settled, with the necessaries of Life surrounding them -- & in a

Thriving State. How difft to this is the State of Engd Scotd &

Ireld -- Emancipation has just had the very reverse Effect on Ireland

than was declared by Peel & Welln= Bloodshed is the order of the

day in Ireland -- so it will ere long be here -- or starvation -- or

what is equal to a refined mind driven to the Work Ho [use]= to

what a State is this once Mighty Country brought [!]

My last [letter] suggested, a project for assisting Emigratⁿ

to the Western Settlemts: I think if agents were placed at Portsmouth

(for all the London ships to America touch there) Bristol=Dublin

=Cork -- Glasgow & Liverpool -- supposing similar agents were fixt

at Baltimore, N Yk [,] Phil [,] Boston -- and a Scale of Expenses

made from each port in America tow^ds Cincin [;] also the modes

of Conveyances from each -- the different stages by Land & Water=

the Exp^es of freight &c. by both -- that is if a correct & true acct

was arranged -- togr with all the facilities attendg the transmission

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FARMER: SPECULATIVE INTEREST IN OHIO LANDS       333

 

of Large families, that such a treatise wd sell well here & at the

difft points of embarcation and debarcation -- & if Lands cd be

parceled out or Maps with Various descript^ns of local information

attached [.] It w^d be highly advantageous to those who have

speculated in the purchase of Lands on the Ohio [,] Mississippi [,]

Illinois &c. &c. certain I am that if our Governmt remains indifferent

to the Crying Voice of this Nation much longer a malancholy [sic]

change will be effected -- for since the apostasy of Tories & Wigs

[sic] for loaves & fishes -- They might shake hands for consistency

-- both will milk the Cow till she is Drained -- & we as a Nation will

be so paralized [sic] (indeed are so now) that we cannot interfere

to maintain our Maratine [sic] rights -- or protect our Commercial

Interest, the little that is left to us --

The Bank of Engd has by monopoly effectually destroyed the

Credit of the Country Banker, the Governmt are [sic] so indebted

to B of E [Bank of England] it must submit to dictation & Free

trade. [It] has been in the opinion of many the rock on which we

have split.

The East India Charter while it destroys our Shiping [sic]

Interest by its Monopoly -- i e our Ships are rolling in our ports --

our WareHouses loaded with goods -- they are bribing our Great

Men by valuable appointmts & exorbitant Salaries abroad While

the plebians [sic] are shut out of employmt & ... all foreigners [sic]

Ships are now upon a footing with English -- Our rate of Wages

reduced & our freights -- while all the taxes of this Country are in

their highest ratio -- Duties on policies of Assurance -- Hemp, Sail

Cloth [,] Tar pitch & in fact every article -- It is clear we must

come to a standstill [.] So much for this dish of politics [.] I must

now quit this subject as you are tired.

I have lately read the Printed acct of Tourists thro' the

Western settleme^{ts -}- particularly an Excursion through the U. S. &

Canada in the yrs 1822/23 -- by an English Gent. published by Bald-

win of London 1824. It speaks flattering [sic] of Albion and of the

hospitable mansion of Birkbecks -- & Flower -- but while some accts

call it (Albion) an Earthly paradise [,] ano[the]r calls it an un-

healthy swamp [.]   The medium is no doubt the fact -- It is

evident from a Book published by one Jn?? Woods [,] a neighbour

of Birkbeck & Flowers [,] residing at Wanborrough [sic] Eng. . . .

that he considers the climate good. He states, he bought his Lands

of a M^r Collins [,] 160 acres for 940$ [,] & pd. 700$ down & 240$

for arrears of Taxes, and his Title registarred [sic] -- It cost him

& family [,] 9 in N[umber,] ?? 300 [,] or 33?? each [,] from quitg

Eng. till he was settled, includg 6000 lb of luggage -- By his acct

Bacon Beef Eggs corn Butter & Wiskey [sic] is cheap -- (by com-

parison it is 2/3rds or 1/2 cheaper than in Engd) it is Evident a man

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334    OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

with a family that can raise the money to Emigrate commits suicide to

remain in Engd with out an ample fortune -- for 50 [% ] on every

article of consumptⁿ goes for duty -- to a man who has no fortune

but one to make he cannot do it in Engd now -- for 1/2 pay officers

for army, navy, noblemens younger Brothers or B^r Laws, Cousins

&c. &c. are forced into all the best appointmts under the Crown [.]

they are made commissioners of the Board of Trade, Commissaries,

-- Counsuls [,] & in fact -- every creves [sic] is filled 2 & 3 deep

-- thence the Junior branches are obliged to go to Australia, New

So: Wales, Swan River &c. & thus New Offices are created with

Salaries from 200£ to 500 annexed, which Salaries are drained out

of the Pockets of those less fortunate. I have satisfied my mind,

that a man with a few Hundreds might do well by purchasg Land

in the N. W. T. [Northwest Territory] & I suppose Lands will be

on the increase in Value, Situated Contiguous to the Ohio, or on the

Wabash, Illinois or Mississippi -- that above Cincinatti[sic] must

improve in Value from the advantage of Water carriage down

(Witht Labor) & which advantage will progressively increase [.]

Where [sic] I possessed of means & intended to Emig[rate] I wd

chose [sic] America to any British Colony. and I w^d chose[sic] the

Banks of the Ohio above Cin. to any o^r pt more particularly for

Speculation, for all that Land will be caught at by English Capi-

talist[s] ere long owing to its proximity to Canada. Thousands

who go to the Canadas will quit it for the American States. In the

Course of anor yr or two you will find all the accessible Lands to

canada in demand for the Mischief of our present System is work-

ing in a Double & Trible [sic] ratio. Families are now daily ruined

in London & in Every pt of the country -- none but great Capi-

talist[s] can live -- or persons of large Landed property -- for the

Taxes must be paid by the public & the poor must be Supported,

That is [,] drag out their existence in a WorkHouse 1/2 Starved [.]

Our Lds & Comns are the Legislatures [sic] & they are the Land-

owners [.] They will grind commerce -- & all concerned in it [.]

hence the Enormous List of Insolvents which exceed annually 10,000

as is proved by the official reports to Governmt. I have made up

the Expenses of a Parish (St Pancras in London) for the yr 1826....

The result shows an Expense of £ 30697[,] e. g. to support of

2708 Souls, which is annually levied & the 2 last years it has in-

creased as appears by documents put into my hands yesterday....

In the yr 1819 the whole Expes was ?? 14143[,] thus an increase

in 10 yrs of £ 30,000 -- The series of years [,] say 1819 up to Decr

1828 [,] have been put into my hands to analyse with a View to

bring the attention of the Ministry & Treasury to the alarming

State of the Poor Rate System -- I did last Spring give an acct to

M^r Hobhouse [,] member for Westminster [,] & he obtained a

Committee for the purpose of remodeling the Laws but the Governmt

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FARMER: SPECULATIVE INTEREST IN OHIO LANDS      335

had resolved not to touch any one thing except Catholic Emanci-

pation -- so much for their Labors. the next sessions will be a

trimmer -- what with 1/2 paupers who must be supported & 1/2 of

the Commercial men Bankrupt -- the Revenue is dreadfully falling

off. & Strong Measures must be resorted to, to get means to pay

national dividends.

While I am on the subject of St Pancras -- what think you of

£ 301,452, having been expended for poor rates in 10 successive

years [,] 1819-1828 [,] divided thus [:] for Poor £213,925. . . .

the cost of managem^t & their expenditure was £58,197. The rental

of St Pancras is 397,944£ for the yr endg 5 April 1829.

What a Contrast when I read the travels of M^r Wood who says

he saw but 2 persons beging [sic] in his Travels for 18 months in

America & that only 2 criminals were tried at the Gaol delivery for

Edward County, Illinois -- one for stealing a pig, convicted who pd

50$ & was wipped [sic] & the Or acquitted. -- Again this week I

cut out of a New yk paper a paragraph where it stated [in] the

Dr & C^r acct of the State prison of Connecticut the produce of

Labor of State Prisoners were Many Hundred Dollars above the

Expes.

I have suggested a plan to some members of parliam^t [,] Mr

Hobhouse, M^r Wilmot-Horton & Or [,] by which I propose to save

the country 25 [%] on the Poor rates throughout the Country [,]

equal to 2 milln sterling -- our expes being 8 Millions for Poor of

whom   there are 2 Millions Souls --  mine has been gratuitous

labour [.] I got not a S [hilling] pay -- It may lead to something [.]

The Expenses of the Gaols in Middlesex alone cost the County the

last year £43,359/7/2 1/2 the No. being 104 parishioners -- so much

for parish affairs= I have sent some cards of prices [,] say shop

bills -- the object being to call your attention to the difference in

price between the articles here & with you -- but bear in mind ready

money is now the order of the day & 10 [%] discot is often allowd

from the prices -- If you want a Gentⁿ to settle accts in any part

of Engd, Ireld & Scotland, I am the man. If you were to advertize

constantly (without nameing me) that [a] resident merchant &

Auditor General of Merchants acc^ts & arbitrator between foreign

Merchts disputed accts is residing in London in connection with

Persons of the Highest merchantile character & Bankers, whose

honor & fidelity may be implicitly relied on -- such an agency

might pay -- 1/2 of all accruing Emoluments shd be     [the]

Com[missio]n=So if an agency for Emigration from E. I. & S. [Eng-

land, Ireland and Scotland] cd be established & a regular line of

communication established I wd push the project this side of the

water [,] for this population must go -- & New Sidney is too far --

4 or 5 months sail -- is to [sic] much. 30 to 60 & 80£ for Emigrants

to pay is beyd their means & what are they to do when at Botenay

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336    OHIO ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

 

[sic] Bay -- or Swan River -- If the U. S. could without risk of a

breeze incourage [sic] Manufacturers, Weavers, Mechanics & aggri-

cultur[er]s [sic] to X  [cross] the Atlantic, what a fine field is

opened to speculate in Land -- . . .

I forgot to mention that very considerable improvement has

been Effect[ed] in the printing machine used for newspapers -- The

Times Newspaper can now roll of[f] 4,000 in one Hour -- they

print abt 10,000 daily [.]

If I can by any means get a drawing or plan of this wonderful

improvem^t I will send it over and also any other new inventions

at the chance of your turning them to some account. When you

next write send your letters by a London Vessel direct not by

Liverpool acct of Postage which you know is heavy -- and you

must direct for Cap: W B at A. R. Bagshaw Esqr 65 Chancery

Lane, London -- give me all the information you can as to the o^r

Branches of the family -- Their Prospects & mode of living.

I shall send you a pamphlet with some acct of a vessel formerly

a Governmt Packet which was Navigated with Steam & Sails. My

friend is materially interested Wants to sell her and all connected

therewith -- see pamphlet for Particulars.

July 22. I have seen a New York paper of 26 June [and]

by it I find near 3,000 Souls Emigrated from Europe to the Ports

of the U. S. -- that at N York a Society is formed to enable aggri-

culturists [sic] to proceed into those districts where their Labors

are wanted & thus they are prevented becoming a Burden on the

Funds of the Society -- Thus my Ideas are in part put into opera-

tion -- but I see clearly if the route to Cin: was published Stage by

Stage & the usual Expes it would operate powerfully on thousands

in this country who would raise the means to tranport themselves

& families -- I calculate the 3000 referred to could not have taken

a capital of less than 20?? P[er] Head out of the country includg

Passage Money & Many took Hundreds nay thousands so that at

the least Estimate of 20?? this is 60,000?? but this is not all [;] they

have lessened our real [not nominal] Capital -- They leave 3000

less to pay the Taxes of debt -- To this will be added all the ors

who will Emigrate this fall. However Starvation or pauperism.

By our papers this day we read a House at Manchester stopt last

week whose debt due is enormous. it is said owing to an American

failure -- from whom was due £ 65,000 -- 2 or 3 other large failures

are also published there. Then Manchester begins to squeak. The

failures in London is [sic] enormous -- all trade is at a stand still --

credit gone -- money transactions few-Specie scarce owing to

foreign remittances for corn -- togr with the withdrawal of the

Country 20/-notes -- I learn from Travellers through English

Counties that they cannot get money . . . and few orders for goods.

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FARMER: SPECULATIVE INTEREST IN OHIO LANDS      337

 

Some of our London Alderman [sic] have lately compounded --

& our nobility are raising the "wind" by Kites -- formerly the

wind used to raise the "Kites" [.] such a strange reverse [!] --

When I reflect that my family connexions are all in America I thank

God whose providence directed their steps thither -- I wish you to

inform me the views of Mrs [Messrs.] Avery & French as to their

Families [.] The Boys must be growing up [.] are they for the

Law, Physic or Army & Navy -- or Trade [?] New Orleans is so

situated I suppose it commands all the Mexican Trade [.] If they

have any friends at New Orleans in Trade I should wish to know

for whereever [sic] there is an Elegible [sic] and encourageing open-

ing I would not lose sight of it [,] for ultimately I have no doubt but

"Joseph" will not be left behind -- there is no corn in Egypt.

I see in the New York paper advertized [,] The British Life

& Fire & Marine Assurance which was Established in Engd in 1824

by Rothchild [sic] -- Baring & other great Capitalist[s] -- if you

do not Form one for Cincinatti [sic] yourself -- which I hope you

will as laying the foundation of an Establishmt in which I may

hereafter participate as well as bring advertisemt to yr paper. I

would if you Desired it apply to the Head office here to get you

appointed their agent for the Western Country. The commission is

5 [%] besides etc . . . for Printing Office, etc.

I have recd the newspapers now sent you from the Editor of

the Freepress & World [.] he is B^r to Wm Bourne & I have promised

him files of you[r] Emporium -- Therefore send the latest date By

a London Ship only for I once paid 16/- for an old almanac & Papers

which came from Liverpool through the post office.

There are not many ships for New Orleans from Liverpool. I see

none advertized. You can send there by the Steam Boats down

the Ohio -- I may send a letter with the Newspapers for Baton

Rouge perhaps -- do say if the letters & newspapers in one packet

are equally regular in transmission to you if put up & sent by vessels

direct from here [?] to New York.

 

[P. S.] If any connexion could be formed in any Seaport [,]

N. Y. [,] Phi[ladelphia] Baltimore or Boston or Norleans [sic]

with a Old respectable Firm in the Shipg & Merchantile Line -- or

if I cd settle at Liverpool, or represent any American H°[use] It

strikes me I could be of essential Service well Knowing the Trade

of this country, & the mode of obtaining goods cheap -- either for

money or on Credit --

Does English Manufactured Gloves find a ready market [?]

I am intimate with a first rate London H°[use] in that Line -- Is

not 1/2 stocking a very marketable article?

[HENRY FARMER]

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