Thomas Rotch Letter about Kendal, Ohio to Benjamin Rotch

              [page 1]

[corresponds to page 1 of Thomas Rotch Letter about Kendal, Ohio to Benjamin Rotch]

	 		 Kendal Stark Co  Ohio 2n Mo  5th 1817

My beloved Brother        Thy esteemed favour of 4 mo 27th 1816 was handed me

by the person whom it recomminded to my attention; with his company we were particu=

=larly pleased, since which I have received  a letter from him dated Lexington Kentucky.

while here I should have taken him round the lines of my Land had I not have been prevented

from a fear that the fatigue would have rendered the task too arduous for one unacquaint=

with with a  new Country, as it would require more than Ten miles ride.  that he at his return 

might be able to give thee more particular account of the soil and its quality, but as that medi

=um of communication has failed, and thou requests every particular respecting my Town and

settlement, I shall endeavour to do all I can to gratify thy curiossity,provided thou will

accept it as from one of the simple farmers of a new Country, and in order to account to

thee for the cause of my first coming to this interior, I must go back to the time of our leaving

N England on the account of the repeated attacks of the spotted fever that so impaired the

health of my dear Wife that her Physician considered it necessary that she should try a

change of climate, where the winters were less severe, and to escape severe weather of the then

present one, we set out in the first month of the year 1811 with an intention to pass the Alegany

Mountains, or to Alexandria, as Doctr Rush might advise on our arriving in Philadephia. but

previous to our reaching that City,we on the Journey heard such favourable accounts of the Cli=

mate  of Ohio that we determined to attempt to pass the Mountains, and such was the

Mildness of the season that we effected it with great pleasure, and passed on to the

Ohio River at Pittsburgh, and from thence through the different little Towns

untill we reached Cincinnati; and to the northard between the two Miama

Rivers to the head waters, returning by the Pickaway planes, and homeward

in the fifth month following, and from the evidence of the benefit resulting from

this Journey, settled my determination to close by business, visit my friends

at N Bedford and remove;  as might be expected every enquiry was excited to

assertain the most advantageous situation for sheep and the establishment

of Woolen Factories, this I found to be where my present situation is, in

Stark County  Ninety miles West and considerably northerly of Pittsburgh,

being in the Latitude of forty fifty.  The Town of Kendal is situated upon

a handsome plaine about one mile from the Tuskarawa(open Mouth)

branch of the Muskingum River,about one hundred & Eighty miles

above Marietta and Sixty, to Lake Erie, to the latter as well as the former

we may transport goods by water except a portage of seven miles between this

river and the Cayhauga, which is fourteen miles above us.

and Over our River we have a fine Wooden Bridge with hewed stone abut=

=ments and Piers,west from the Town, and on the east and south

sides of Kendal runs a fine little stream of pure soft water from a Lake

three miles distant nearly level untill it reaches the Town, where there

are eleven Mill sites, some of which are improved, with a Powder Mill