Minerva P. Donovan, Hull's Cross Roads, New York, to James w. Beekman, Oswego County, New York City, 29 April 1846
Description
Excellent letter, especially on the perils faced by poor squatters and on a poor farmer's economy, very close to the subsistence level. Minerva Donovan tells more about how they purchased and lost their first farm in Hannibal township. Their farm was located in one of the ''Military Lots," the ownership of which was mired in legal confusion and uncertainty; apparently, the Donovans bought their SO acres from a previous squatter. The man who claimed ownership and evicted them was Cornelius Winekoop of Saugerties, NY; he intimidated them into leaving without protest or compensation by threatening to charge them rent for the seven years they lived there. Minerva and her husband are resigned to their loss, but they have bought a new cow for $18, and express gratitude to the Beekmans and hope for the future. Their payments for the new farm will be paid to the wealthy reformer and abolitionist, Gerrit Smith of New York City.
Date
29/04/1846
Date Issued
27/03/2023
Resource Type
Text
Archival Record Id
p155/26/3
Publisher
University of Galway
Extent
3pp
Topic
Padden Donovan Letters
Geographic
Oswego (county),New York (city),New York (state),United States
Temporal
Nineteenth century,Eighteen forties
Genre
Transcript,Reproduction
Note
Title and description by Professor Kerby Miller. Citation for letter transcript from a published source: White, P.L. ed., (April 1967) "An Irish Immigrant Housewife on the New York Frontier," New York History, 48, no. 2, pp. 182-188.