Poe Archive

Columbia Jan’y 20th 1795

Dear Sir,

Your favor tree? Some months past, and if your brother had not assured me that he had wrote to convince you that he was still in the land of the living, I certainly would have written to give you every information.

We are much obliged to you for your attention in sending us so good a citizen as Taylor as we have experienced in Mr. Nicholas; we are much pleased with him, and would be glad to receive many such citizens. Your brother acquaints me he has written for a good Tanner, & if he is also a good Currier, it will still be better—if you should be as successful as in the choice of him, as in the Taylor, we shall think ourselves very fortunate.

If you should meet with any emigrants that you think will make good citizens & tradesman in this town, pray give us information & we will endeavor to accommodate them but as to the inhabitants in Columbia in forming a society to make provisions for the general encouragement of emigrants . I do not expect their public spirit is not so great, unless indeed, their ambition was at the same time to be gratified, or their pecuniary interests advanced—I wish I could meet with a man that understood perfectly the management of a Vineyard & making of wind suitable to this climate; the fortunes, I have some judgement in, but very little in the latter—

The last year my Vineyard of half an acre produced for the first time, (being planted in February 1792) and I made 104 gallons, although not above one half the vines had grapes on them (being one year younger) & the next summer I expect at least 200 gallons.

The season following, I shall have another acre to produce wine, and I am now planting two acres more in vines—

The wine I made appear at present, to resemble the Rhenish, and the kind of grape I have, will produce the rate of six or eight hundred gallons pr. acre when the vines are two years older,--because one good vine has made two gallons the first year it produced grapes.-

I wish I could meet with young Negroes in this country for sale at the prices you mentioned, I shou’d not hesitate to purchase, for I have not such unfavorable apprehensions respecting that kind of property provided, there was a total stop to any further importation from Africa, and Congress would let us alone with those we already possess, who I believe, are better off than those that are turned loose in the Northern states to shift for themselves—

I have nearly filled up all the blank on my paper & is therefore time to say Adieu—and to assure you I am with great regard and esteem,

D. Sir,
Your Most Obed.