Letter From Robert Oliver

Gazette of the United States, July 21, 1790

From the Hampshire Gazette -

Mr. Butler -  As every information from gentlemen of veracity relative to the Ohio Company is likely to be of public utility, I send you the following extract of a letter from Col. Robert Oliver, who has lived there almost two years, not doubting but it will be agreeably received by your customers in general, and in particular those interested in said Country - the public service being my only motive. I am yours, &c. William Sizer.

Wolf[creek], May 25, 1790.

Dear Sir, 

I shall endeavor to answer your letter methodically and, in the first place, do assure you the report that we were obliged to move to the city on account of the Indians, was every part thereof false and without the least foundation. The Indians have killed one man and stole some horses, which is all the mischief they have done on the purchase since my arrival. They appear to be very friendly and to bear a great regard for the Yankies, as they call us.

I lived at the city the first winter, and in the spring took up my land at this place, and undertook with three others to build mills, which we have completed and they are of the first rate.I raised last season about 100 bushels of corn, some potatoes, turnips, &c. &c. I moved my family here last September and have lived her ever since - have not been in the last disturbed. I have caught near two barrels of fish, some suckers, perch and pike; I have taken pike here of 24 lb. They appear to be of the same kind of the pickerel in New England.

I like my situation well, my land is exceeding good. You wish to know the summer season. It would not be worthwhile to give you a detail of every day. Let it suffice to say, the summer season appears to be well calculated to nourish the growth of the fruits of the earth. The weather in summer is not warmer, as I can perceive, than in New England, but of longer duration. 

The bottom land is as heavy timbered in general as the beech and maple land in Chester. The hills are oak and hickory, the most beautiful timber for building I ever saw. The face of the earth is not covered with stones as in New England, but they appear to be in quarries and are discovered upon the sides of hills and at the sides and bottom of creeks. They are almost, or entirely, either lime or free stone. The free stone makes as good grind stones as the Nova Scotia stone and are excellent for building. We have plenty of good clay. The boards the joiners use are yellow poplar, cherry and black walnut, of which there is great plenty.

The hills are about one mile from the Ohio at the mouth of the Muskingum. This is not all bottom land, part of it is what we call second bottom, and part an oak plain. The land at or near the point is flowed, I believe, once a year at least, occasioned by the water of the Ohio and Muskingum overflowing their banks, they being somewhat low. This is also the case with some part of the bottoms up the Muskingum. These bottoms will not bear wheat at present, for they are by far too rich, but the plains and hills appear to be excellent for wheat.

You request to know how many families there are at or near Marietta, but of this I am unable to inform you. There are three settlements here, one at Marietta, one down the Ohio and commences about twelve miles from Marietta and continues for near six miles. There is another at this place of about sixteen families, besides men who have not got their families and a number of single men. This settlement is about fourteen miles by land, but twenty-four by water, from Marietta. 

Provisions the last summer were very plenty. Flour sold at two dollars per hundred weight, bacon seven pence and eight pence per pound, whiskey three shillings and sixpence and four shillings per gallon, and almost every other necessary of life was sold at as low a rate. But provisions are now scarce and high. A vast quantity of flour is gone down to New Orleans (at the mouth of the Mississippi), but although provisions are scarce I believe we shall make a rub of it, and with a common blessing shall raise this year double the quantity of grain necessary for the support of the people on the ground. 

I must close my letter by giving you my real judgment (and it is founded partly on reason and partly on experience) on the difference between supporting a family here and with you. Take farms of a middling quality and equal improvements, I can raise three pounds of pork, two of beef, two of wool, two yards of common broad cloth, two pounds of butter, two and a half of bread, and two of all sorts of vegetables, as easy as you can one in New England. Believe me, Sir, I do not exaggerate.

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