Jacob Sutton Writes His Son in 1853
Jacob Sutton, a lifetime resident of Sussex County, New Jersey penned a letter to his son, Martin. At the time Martin was living and working in Pennsylvania.
Newton Propect
June the 25th 1853
Martin I take this opportunity to inform you that we are all well at present and hope that these few (words?) may find you enjoying the same common (blgring?).We have had a hard summer so far we have been (refacing?) our house with (?) and (flood?) and painting inside and out. It looks all the better.We have a good harvest and plenty of pasture have got in (10 lashe zowing of cute?), 12 acres of corn and 1 1/2 acres of potatoes and have got about 12 ready for to sow with buck wheat. Our old horses are most worn out. Harvest will be here by the 4th of July and there is a very heavy harvest in this county and hands is very scarce. They say that they have to pay from 5 to 10 per boy at town (for money) the last wait from Stanhope to Newton makes a great call for hands. They pay a dollar a day and want 100 good hands at that harvest. I heard Mr Drake say that they thought would be 12 times per day and half (?) at that. There is a great deal of improvements going on in this county. I recieved your letter date Springville May the 8th and stamped at the post office June the 9th. I recieved it Monday June the 20th and was glad to hear from you. Our school was vacant until 3 weeks ago. I wrote to you my last letter stating that there was a good May. School is vacant. Monroe Corner School is vacant now I went (?) by to see some of the (Trud as?) but did not see any of the. I saw some of the (?) and said that they thought that you could get that school if had a come home in May. There would have been no doubt but that you could had our school. I don't think this teacher will stay away longer than the (?) and if you am a (?) to teach you had better come home right away for now is a good time to make money for hands of all sorts is (?) and wages is good. You can plan of want of employment til after haying. I would advise you come home as soon as you possibly can and if you don't get the corner school you can get work at high wages in hay or harvest or on the new road they are at work on the edge of Newton with fellow Doctor Stewarts. John was home last Monday, Randolph has now been home 2 months, Esther is well, and all the rest of our friends in this place.
Jacob Sutton