A Letter to Miss Sallyan Goodrich of Buffalo from South Nankin Township, Michigan from 1837

Dear cousin,

I now address a few lines to you to inform you where I am, how I am and what I am about. In the first place I beg to be excused for not writing to you before. Ten thousand times I have thought of you and wanted to write but my situation did not admit of it. I stayed in Detroit about ten days. I saw a man on Sunday evening he said he was a starting a store in the country and he wanted somebody to tend it for him and wished me to go out and see how I liked it out there. On Monday morning I started with him. We rode eighteen miles and come to a shanty he told me that was his store. I said to him you be damned if that is your store. You may stock it and tend it too for wont But I stopped with him two or three days and here I am now. I am very much pleased with the place. I am pleased with the man. I am pleased with the girls, particularly with the widows. I am situated eighteen miles from on the Detroit and St. Joseph Railroad. Our trade is principally with the railroad hands in provisions and clothing. Besides a good quantity of liquor I have about three hundred railroad hands to trade with. About one half of them are Irish, the other half muscalunge (muskellunge is a fish). I sleep with a loaded pistol and a Dirk knife by my side, an axe helve and a pitchfork sat across my breast and ten thousand mosquitoes. But I never enjoyed better health in my life than I do now. I live like a fighting cock. Goodrich, I have just taken a glass of brandy for myself and now I am going to drink one for you and here it goes. When you get this drink from me and three for yourself and then you will get the interest. Give my best respects to Ansel and wife. To the widows and orphans and all the pretty gals that want me. I want to write to me as soon as you receive this and let me know how you all do and what you are about and how the times are. Sallyan keep well my picture. Remember me to Miss Treadway in particular. Tell her I tended a quarterly meeting in the barn the other Sunday. We had a full house and preaching in the evening. I am so much bothered at waiting on these damned Irishmen that I can't write half what I want to do.

Yours in haste,

Write immediately.

Anson ??? ??? Goodrich

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A Dudley Randall Poem in Milestone 2

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The Nankin Township Historical Society

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