Receiving letters 1840s

CARPENTER

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 1/1/2017 at 14:01:24

Indianola Weekly Herald, Indianola, Iowa, Thursday, June 30, 1892, p.
Mr. Willet Carpenter related in our hearing recently an incident relating to the receiving of letters back in the forties [1840s] which shows the difference between then and now. It occurred in Michigan, and is but a sample of the inconveniences under which our fathers and mothers labored in those days. He was in the village and was told there was a letter in the post office for his father and the postage on it was 25 cts. As the sender in those days did not prepay postage. He hurried home to tell the news. His father did not have that much money but anxious to get the letter mounted a horse and rode to five neighbors which caused a travel of ten or twelve miles to horrow enough funds to get his letter. There was not 25 cents in the community. Eggs at that time were two cents per dozen and the family were compelled to settle down and wait for the hens on the farm to lay twelve dozen of eggs which required several weeks time. This operation finally accomplished Willet, with the twelve dozen eggs and a one cent copper, went to the village, sold the eggs for 24 cents and with his copper secured the prize which was a social letter from some old friends.