Augusta County: John Quincy Adams Nadenbousch to
Hester J. Nadenbousch, September 2, 1863
Summary:
Nadenbousch writes his wife to report on his efforts to purchase a house or
property in Staunton. He gives her instructions on preparing to move the family
to Staunton, including items to pack and tasks to accomplish on the farm. He
lists prices of many goods in town. He also discusses the possible purchase of a
lucrative hotel now being used as a hospital.
September 2/63
Staunton
My Dear Wife
I avail myself of another opportunity to write you I am still stationed here in this place [deleted: &] [added: as] commandant of the post I am very comfortably fixed here but can't say that I like the place. Captain James S Brown is here with me here & I [deleted: s] [illeg.] & myself keep house we have Louise, Henry & Jenny keeping house for us and do quite well & if you & the children were only here I would be fixed I am trying daily to get a house even in the country but can't as yet get one The one we have is one the Doctor had & is quite small & could not be gotten for us
I hope to succeed in getting a house soon. I heard of a house in Waynesboro 12 miles off & rode there on
Sunday but it had been sold to Smith & [unclear: Dallinger]. I
rode out 7 miles yesterday to see a property but could not get it. I have joined
a gentleman here in the purchase of a large Hotel property here at thirty
thousand Dollars $30,00000 Said to be one of the finest
stands in the Valley it is a large building & is at the Rail Road all
say it is quite cheap It is now occupied as Hospital at a rent of $360000
per year & can't be got
now. If it was furnished & conducted now as Hotel would make I think
$100,00000
per year Hotels here charge $8 per day & but little to eat There is no chance now to get a
portion of it to occupy. You pave the way to move out when I can get a place See
if you will be allowed to bring out all your things & Then put up all
the fruit you can if you have to get [unclear: packin-] to put it in
[page 2]
& make full preperations with everything needed for a long
time so that if can move out that you will be prepared Get your self &
children plenty of clothing & material
& get several pairs of shoes each some too large & get Freddy
plenty shoes & boots get some of Mr Snyders
& some at James Hills or elsewhere so that persons will not know your
preparations. if you get some coarse goods & shoes for the blacks make
these arrangements & perhaps by this time the Valley will be open
& there will be no difficulty in getting out & if should not get
out of course the preparation would not be amiss have the hogs fattened as I
directed & if [added: you] should come out
have Henry S. to Kill & put up plenty of Pork for us this fall Save all
your bacon & lard Bacon here 150c beef $1. butter 175 a $2. lard 150 a
$200 Boots $40 to $60 Shoes $20 to $4000 they are not scarce but every person seems to be
[unclear: --ing] Make every arrangement necessary to come out &
live on what you bring except bread meat & butter &c-- Teams
would have to be gotten there to come say to woodstock & there reload an
other teams Billy & James [unclear: Chennowith] &
Kneadler I think would come & John with carriage with you Moses might
have wheel fixed on our carriage perhaps he would come out
there with you. Thomas or Staub must furnish [added: you
with] funds funds I have learned that H Thomas was sent off &
imprisoned but can't learn if
correct if so I feel concerned about the mill property
Try & write me & let me know how things are and if you
[page 3]
will be allowed to move out, if come, bring Jane or Mary C. along [deleted: ] Mrs Schoppert is living here in
[unclear: --ns] & well she is exceedingly anxious for you to
come here, and if can get a house to suit will try & all get together it
would be best to bring say 2 cows & it will be necessary to put some
careful person in our house also the house Moody lives in I suppose he will not
keep house longer Aug & Peggy would move in the home property. If I can
I will get a house already furnished in that event our furniture need not be
brought except bedding if this can be done you
could buy a team & get your uncle James G.'s large wagon he said he
would sell it to me when I was there. In fact One team, One carriage &
horses might all be bought as there would be nothing
lost in such a purchase as they could be sold here readily at an advance on cost
I can't find a farm here yet for
sale
In short arrange all your matters & have them in train to move out here
so that when it suits all will be ready to move out with plenty of every thing
you [unclear: need] but don't move without communicating to me first Unless you mistreated
& have a very unpleasant time there in that event pull up stakes
& move on out & notify me as soon as can I wrote several letters
to you lately & no reply try & give me word Send a letter to
John or some one for me You need not sign your [unclear: name] for fear
it might be intercepted I will know who it is from O Some one can certainly send
me a letter
[page 4]
say how the mill is, how the children get along how you
are all provided for whether interfered with in any way or not I dont ask any information as to the troops &c remember
me kindly to the children tell them to be obedient & good also to all
enquiring friend say how you get along for help God bless you all
Yours ever
John Nadenbousch
