Letter from John T. Duncan, Jr. on Margaret and real estate
Rev Horace [Lyman]
Forest Grove
Oregon
Ann Arbor Mich Feb 13th 1883
Dear Brother Mich,
Your favor of 20th nlt. was rather longer on the way than some from your P.O. is it involved such an important matter that it seemed to require some consideration & time I had not any reply quite ready before I heard you had gone to Washington Co. but not what was you P.O. address there until now I hear you are expected back this week & suppose I can now make this at same time a reply to the postal from my aunt sister of 31st nlt. & enclose also John’s reply to her letter
Unfortunately for that benevolent plan of yours which might work such advantages for Francis & Mother besides relieving Margaret & yourself if I could and perform wisely & satisfactorily to all concerned the pleasant part you assigned to me I must confess my total inability to do so as I can think of no person that I know within the circle of Francis’ acquaintances these whom I should wish to recomend for that position and I am just enough acquainted then to feel that I should not wish to adorn my brother to make his choice of a life partner from such a stock & thus ally himself more closely & indisolubly to the character of that land & however many we might recomend him or elsewhere can hardly hope that he could persuade one of them to make their abode thrive for life miles unless evry completely blinked by cupid & do you not think there is much more danger that a person of his age with habits consequently more fixed if they marry in haste will surely “repent at leisure” (I fear also if I [?] in haste [?] of providing will for others care he may get some who not having the national affiction of her own child will seem if not openly with her out of the way) I think the more you become acquainted with the whole family the more you will perceive the other improbability of finding any one else either by hiring or marrying who can fill the place Margaret has filled for past doz. Years without more trouble in some direction is consequently more anxiety & discomfort to mother in her declining days & I am thankful that as I had no occasion to advise as to the feasibility of you closer union with our family so it is not my business to decide what is your duty in regard to taking her out of it but I trust your affection for Margaret is strong enough to deter you from persuading or even advising her to leave Mother or move her in such a time or manner as will be likely to marr the completions of her servitude there or cloud her future life with any feeling that Mother had suffered thereby which would doubtless be a more lasting injury to Margarets mind than any temporary separation from her chosen life partner. Even if you feel constrained to go to Oregon & leave her until you can return you case is no worse than Sea-Captains I have known who left their families in Boston which voyaging around the world.
Since you & Margaret [?] will it not require both of you to properly dispose of her interest in the real estate If all concerned are now agreed in wishing to sell & if you can arrange to leave you Oregon affairs long enough to become well acquainted with the property & its surroundings & also with those who are likely to become best customers for it can’t you get enough [men?] out of it than Francis will be likely to fo alone to compensate somewhat for the time necessary to find a good sale there for? I do not know certainly what Francis’ plans are or whether he has any definitely formed but understood he did not intend to stay long after Margaret leaves + if so I think he might miss some of best opportunities to sell if he has to consult with her as far away as Oregon & it would also be inconvenient to extents the convergence papers & then if left alone he has not much time (if he has the skill_ to look up a good customer, I have been sorry I did not say more to you about that cedar in the swamp where F. wants to get the lines run & also that I could not see them run again while there as I made many tramps there on winter to prevent lumbermen taking off off that cedar & was told by one man that we had surved them (I think) $500. Worth – but don’t know how correct was his estimate or how much of it has since been plundered now wither those lines can be established without corting principlepast of what value is left but as there seems a prophet of some demand for Cedar now that may be worth looking after this spring or next all If you find necessary to go to Oregon this spring I hope you will call on the way + give an opportunity to confer more freely on these & other matters & in the mean time let us hear as full + + others as you can afford by the post
Respectfully & Affectinately
Your Nephew Brother
John T Duncan
[?] 651 Ann Arbor Mich.
Forest Grove
Oregon
Ann Arbor Mich Feb 13th 1883
Dear Brother Mich,
Your favor of 20th nlt. was rather longer on the way than some from your P.O. is it involved such an important matter that it seemed to require some consideration & time I had not any reply quite ready before I heard you had gone to Washington Co. but not what was you P.O. address there until now I hear you are expected back this week & suppose I can now make this at same time a reply to the postal from my aunt sister of 31st nlt. & enclose also John’s reply to her letter
Unfortunately for that benevolent plan of yours which might work such advantages for Francis & Mother besides relieving Margaret & yourself if I could and perform wisely & satisfactorily to all concerned the pleasant part you assigned to me I must confess my total inability to do so as I can think of no person that I know within the circle of Francis’ acquaintances these whom I should wish to recomend for that position and I am just enough acquainted then to feel that I should not wish to adorn my brother to make his choice of a life partner from such a stock & thus ally himself more closely & indisolubly to the character of that land & however many we might recomend him or elsewhere can hardly hope that he could persuade one of them to make their abode thrive for life miles unless evry completely blinked by cupid & do you not think there is much more danger that a person of his age with habits consequently more fixed if they marry in haste will surely “repent at leisure” (I fear also if I [?] in haste [?] of providing will for others care he may get some who not having the national affiction of her own child will seem if not openly with her out of the way) I think the more you become acquainted with the whole family the more you will perceive the other improbability of finding any one else either by hiring or marrying who can fill the place Margaret has filled for past doz. Years without more trouble in some direction is consequently more anxiety & discomfort to mother in her declining days & I am thankful that as I had no occasion to advise as to the feasibility of you closer union with our family so it is not my business to decide what is your duty in regard to taking her out of it but I trust your affection for Margaret is strong enough to deter you from persuading or even advising her to leave Mother or move her in such a time or manner as will be likely to marr the completions of her servitude there or cloud her future life with any feeling that Mother had suffered thereby which would doubtless be a more lasting injury to Margarets mind than any temporary separation from her chosen life partner. Even if you feel constrained to go to Oregon & leave her until you can return you case is no worse than Sea-Captains I have known who left their families in Boston which voyaging around the world.
Since you & Margaret [?] will it not require both of you to properly dispose of her interest in the real estate If all concerned are now agreed in wishing to sell & if you can arrange to leave you Oregon affairs long enough to become well acquainted with the property & its surroundings & also with those who are likely to become best customers for it can’t you get enough [men?] out of it than Francis will be likely to fo alone to compensate somewhat for the time necessary to find a good sale there for? I do not know certainly what Francis’ plans are or whether he has any definitely formed but understood he did not intend to stay long after Margaret leaves + if so I think he might miss some of best opportunities to sell if he has to consult with her as far away as Oregon & it would also be inconvenient to extents the convergence papers & then if left alone he has not much time (if he has the skill_ to look up a good customer, I have been sorry I did not say more to you about that cedar in the swamp where F. wants to get the lines run & also that I could not see them run again while there as I made many tramps there on winter to prevent lumbermen taking off off that cedar & was told by one man that we had surved them (I think) $500. Worth – but don’t know how correct was his estimate or how much of it has since been plundered now wither those lines can be established without corting principlepast of what value is left but as there seems a prophet of some demand for Cedar now that may be worth looking after this spring or next all If you find necessary to go to Oregon this spring I hope you will call on the way + give an opportunity to confer more freely on these & other matters & in the mean time let us hear as full + + others as you can afford by the post
Respectfully & Affectinately
Your Nephew Brother
John T Duncan
[?] 651 Ann Arbor Mich.
- Title
- Letter from John T. Duncan, Jr. on Margaret and real estate
- Description
- Letter from John T. Duncan, Jr. to Reverend Horace and Mary Denison Lyman. He discusses the possibility of Margaret Duncan marrying their son, Horace Sumner Lyman, and the selling of real estate.
- Creator
- Duncan, John T. Jr.
- Source
- Pacific University Archives
- Date
- 1883
- Is Part Of
- Lyman Family Papers
- Format
- Letter
- Language
- English
- Identifier
- PUA_MS31_19_c
- Rights
- http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/CNE/1.0/
- Type
- Text
- Media
-
https://exhibits.lib.pacificu.edu/files/original/b2ffb8e4d2e8a599b3d55cfaceb48a43.pdf -
Rev Horace [Lyman]<br/>Forest Grove<br/>Oregon<br/><br/>Ann Arbor Mich Feb 13th 1883<br/><br/>Dear Brother Mich,<br/><br/>Your favor of 20th nlt. was rather longer on the way than some from your P.O. is it involved such an important matter that it seemed to require some consideration & time I had not any reply quite ready before I heard you had gone to Washington Co. but not what was you P.O. address there until now I hear you are expected back this week & suppose I can now make this at same time a reply to the postal from my aunt sister of 31st nlt. & enclose also John’s reply to her letter<br/><br/>Unfortunately for that benevolent plan of yours which might work such advantages for Francis & Mother besides relieving Margaret & yourself if I could and perform wisely & satisfactorily to all concerned the pleasant part you assigned to me I must confess my total inability to do so as I can think of no person that I know within the circle of Francis’ acquaintances these whom I should wish to recomend for that position and I am just enough acquainted then to feel that I should not wish to adorn my brother to make his choice of a life partner from such a stock & thus ally himself more closely & indisolubly to the character of that land & however many we might recomend him or elsewhere can hardly hope that he could persuade one of them to make their abode thrive for life miles unless evry completely blinked by cupid & do you not think there is much more danger that a person of his age with habits consequently more fixed if they marry in haste will surely “repent at leisure” (I fear also if I [?] in haste [?] of providing will for others care he may get some who not having the national affiction of her own child will seem if not openly with her out of the way) I think the more you become acquainted with the whole family the more you will perceive the other improbability of finding any one else either by hiring or marrying who can fill the place Margaret has filled for past doz. Years without more trouble in some direction is consequently more anxiety & discomfort to mother in her declining days & I am thankful that as I had no occasion to advise as to the feasibility of you closer union with our family so it is not my business to decide what is your duty in regard to taking her out of it but I trust your affection for Margaret is strong enough to deter you from persuading or even advising her to leave Mother or move her in such a time or manner as will be likely to marr the completions of her servitude there or cloud her future life with any feeling that Mother had suffered thereby which would doubtless be a more lasting injury to Margarets mind than any temporary separation from her chosen life partner. Even if you feel constrained to go to Oregon & leave her until you can return you case is no worse than Sea-Captains I have known who left their families in Boston which voyaging around the world. <br/><br/>Since you & Margaret [?] will it not require both of you to properly dispose of her interest in the real estate If all concerned are now agreed in wishing to sell & if you can arrange to leave you Oregon affairs long enough to become well acquainted with the property & its surroundings & also with those who are likely to become best customers for it can’t you get enough [men?] out of it than Francis will be likely to fo alone to compensate somewhat for the time necessary to find a good sale there for? I do not know certainly what Francis’ plans are or whether he has any definitely formed but understood he did not intend to stay long after Margaret leaves + if so I think he might miss some of best opportunities to sell if he has to consult with her as far away as Oregon & it would also be inconvenient to extents the convergence papers & then if left alone he has not much time (if he has the skill_ to look up a good customer, I have been sorry I did not say more to you about that cedar in the swamp where F. wants to get the lines run & also that I could not see them run again while there as I made many tramps there on winter to prevent lumbermen taking off off that cedar & was told by one man that we had surved them (I think) $500. Worth – but don’t know how correct was his estimate or how much of it has since been plundered now wither those lines can be established without corting principlepast of what value is left but as there seems a prophet of some demand for Cedar now that may be worth looking after this spring or next all If you find necessary to go to Oregon this spring I hope you will call on the way + give an opportunity to confer more freely on these & other matters & in the mean time let us hear as full + + others as you can afford by the post<br/><br/>Respectfully & Affectinately <br/>Your Nephew Brother<br/>John T Duncan<br/>[?] 651 Ann Arbor Mich.