1843: Charles Kingsley Robinson to Henry Ten Broeck Schuyler

Henry Ten Broeck Schuyler Gravestone

This letter was written by Charles Kingsley Robinson (1802-1873), of Newfield, Tompkins County, New York. He was the son of Reuben Robinson (1759-1841) and Urania Kingsley (1763-1830). Charles was a “Miller” in Newfield; he would later move his family to Flint, Michigan where he was a “Lumber Dealer.”

The recipient of the letter was Henry Ten Broeck Schuyler (1804-1887), son of Johannes Harmanus Schuyler (1763-1846) and Annatje Fort (1770-1851). Charles and Henry must have been good friends because Charles named one of his sons after Henry. From the contents of this letter, it appears that Henry’s older half-brother, Alexander Hamilton Schuyler, had a contract with Charles to supply him lumber for his sawmill in Newfield.

Stampless Cover

1843 Letter

TRANSCRIPTION

[Addressed to H. T. B. Schuyler, Esq., Albany, New York]

Newfield, New York
29 July 1843

My Dear Henry,

M____ read part of your letter to me which I understood that you had rec’d no letter from me. I don’t understand this. I have written you two letters & rec’d one. And one of the last things I expected to hear from you was neglect.

When I was down in the Spring, C.P. said he would ask me to go the hous to dinner but he had just commenced housekeeping & had not yet got settled. And when I returned, I supposed he would not if he had got settled!!! Want I should call on the Sabbath [?] So I stopped at a Publick Hous untill after noon & come on __________.

A.H. [Alexander Hamilton] Schuyler was here this spring [and] said he had a little over 100 M for me. I told him the agreement was 120. He said he would go home & borrow it for me. I told him the money was ready when he was ready to fill the contract. He agreed to call the next time he was out so as to stay over night & let me know & I should go home with him & estimate & settle with him. But he did not come & a few days I went out but he was gone to Owego. I did not see him. Found he had 3 piles 11. ft sqire about 100 courses which I estimate 75,000 ft & one 12 ft/12 courses high — all say 80 to 85 M. This is all there is except a little pile of 27 courses which his son says belongs to Mills ( _____ will come on soon.)

We are in health. Sarah’s name is Brown.

— C. Robinson

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