0430----1846 David Williams letter to Joseph Leech - Pittsburgh PA Lawrenceville

Description

0430----1846 David Williams letter to Joseph Leech - Pittsburgh PA Lawrenceville
0430----1846 David Williams letter to Joseph Leech - Pittsburgh PA Lawrenceville
Description
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Interesting stampless letter from "DSW" to a friend "Jos Leech" in New Orleans.
Dated Jan 15, 1846 -
Letter is 3 pages - Ex condition - fine Pittsburgh postmark
DSW turns out to be "David S. Williams" (d. 1876) a well known farmer turned broker who lived in the Lawrenceville section of Pittsburgh. He is buried in Allegheny Cemetery.
Mr. Leech was from a very old wealthy merchant family of Pittsburgh. He died in 1862.
He was the son of very well known merchant Malcolm Leech.
Williams' son William married Jane Leech, who I am sure is a relative of Joseph.
Williams drops the names of many local people, giving the latest scoop to Leech,
who was most likely on vacation or perhaps business in New Orleans.
He writes of wife Sarah going to a temperance meeting, and makes note they have only been married for 4 months. Also writes of cock fighting, local deaths, small pox, construction in Allegheny Cemetery, etc.
Interesting when he speaks of the Ex Pennsylvania Sec of State Charles McClure who died after falling down stairs somewhere in Pittsburgh. (There is fine information about McClure online).
Please review the complete transcription of the letter below, and also several items I found while researching.
They include 1850-1870 census records, death notice for Sec. McClure, Leech listings in the 1861 Pittsburgh directory, and the will index where Leech has named David Williams as administrator.
These items are NOT included with the sale of the letter, but the buyer is welcome to print these on their own.
"Upon the first floor of Rose castle, before a bright fire - solus Jan'y 15th 1846"
"My Ever Dear Friend,
The girls, i.e. Kiz, Cal & Sarah, have just left to attend a great temperance meeting. They are to hold a court and try King Alcohol. Cal told me just before leaving that you had charged her to tell me to write, so I have proved thus complying to your request. I have been so closely domiciled, that I cannot tell you what is the most rife news.
Eliza came out on Sat. last and staid with us all night. She has got very well. She still continues much distressed in mind. Did you go there before you left. Maud and all the family are well. Mrs. Williams, the preacher's wife, is dead. Her child lives and is in the care of Mrs. Shaw. There have been a good many deaths. I suppose you will have heard that McClure, the ex Sec'y of State, that I told you went with us over the mountain, fell down stairs at Douthit's Allegheny and broke his neck.
John Blair has become leader of our choir. Kiz was just telling me that she had received a note from him this morning, saying that he would be out this evening to practice. About the middle of the afternoon, he me made his appearance, drunk as a lord. His first words of salutation were 'I dined at the Exchange today'. He came to say that he had another engagement and could not be there to practice. Lack-a-day for poor John. I fear that even our girls can't reform him. But Cal says she has reformed, or rather
fixed
one soaper - to wit, Ned Harding - having prevailed on him to join the Temperance Soc. Cock-fighting has become quite a business with the youngsters. Thos. McKee is to leave Hatfield. He is trying, however, to get Johnson's stand. Frank Thompson still seems to be flourishing. I met him last down at Davison's. He does not come out to the new house as often as he did. Cal talks of sundry persons having their horses cut loose. One was not found for a week - and then in Janney Young's stable. A livery horse at that - some with their girths cut. Possibly Ned is jealous and has sent out these accomplices. But let this be incog.
Dr. Shriner has got over the sore throat, and declares himself ready for another attack of the enemy. He holds himself at a distance from female-ladies, and enjoys life in pouring o'er the rusty tomes that treat of small pox - and other scaby or scabby distempers. Strange tastes! Quite an alarming report came last week from Will Moore - that he had the small pox. The old lady started out in a hurry! But it turned out better than her fears. I saw her this evening and she says he is pretty well again. Young Mrs. Larmer died with them a week or so ago. You know, the one that was said to look like Mrs. Dan'l Fisk. Geo. & Perrie are both flourishing. Business seems pretty brisk. Some steamboats have been pretty well used up. A great number of barrels have been lost on one. I heard the estimated lost was 00, of molasses bbls. Another coming up was sunk below Wheeling.
The principal village gossip I hear is about Sam Ewalt and his lots - the new buildings. Dick's trying to get his farm out of the borough. Mr. Lea's well has got down forty feet without a rock or water. They are all well, I believe, at your house. I believe I have pretty nearly used up the public chronicles of the village.
The temperance meetings go on flourishingly. They have started the Lyceum again. Wallace is Pres. & Hiram Prior, Sec. The weather is very soft, it has rained all day. The rivers are open. A good deal of ice has run out of the Allegheny. Davison has undertaken to fence the cemetery in. A pretty heavy job. They are going to put up a stone wall along the Butler road. Mr. Byard told me they intended to lay out 0,000 in improving it.
I almost wish that you were a stranger for the time being to Sarah, that, might give you a homily not on domestic enjoyments along, but of the bright and shining virtues I have found in her. If the lapidary glows with enthusiastic rapture in describing and showing the favorite subject of his thoughts and labor, or the artist becomes enraptured in showing his Venus de Medici, what may I not do, who have, these virtues, embodied, personified, instinct with life - and to cap the climax, am the possessor of this precious gem - jewel - treasure. By this you will perceive that tho four months have passed, the honeymoon is only getting sweeter and sweeter - no honeycomb comparable.
But my Dear Sir, good bye. Take good care of No. 1. Write soon. Bring me something funny from the sunny South.
D.S.W."
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