The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1854-09-20
Correspondence of the Ashland Uniou.l
LETTER FROM THE WEST.
GENEssEo, Henry County, Illinois, }
September 18th. 1854.

September 18th, 1854.
FRIEND SHERIDAN:-Thinking that a
few lines from this section of the country
might not come amiss to your numerous
readers, heregoes from the Prairie State,
or, as it is sometimes called, the Garden
State, of Illinois.
/ arrived at the pleasant little village
of Genesseo last Thursday, by the Rock
Island Rail Road, eight hours from the
time L left Chicago, a distance of two
hundred and sixty miles. The roads
were dusty and the weather exceedingly
warm aud dry, but not to be compared
with the parched earth and dusty roads
that we had in Ohio when / left.
Through the northeastern part of this
State you can see nothing but the broad,
rolling prairies, extending out on every
side as far as the eye can reach. These
are covered with waving fields of corn
and golden grain, and dotted here and
there with neat, tasty farm houses, sur
rounded with shrubbery of from one to
two years growth, giving the whole the
appearance of an old, well-farmed coun-
try. From the window where we now
sit, we can count ten new farm houses
which have been put up within the last
year, upon what was a short time since
the open and uncultivated prairie, sur
rounded by fields of corn, which would
make our Ohio farmers look cheerful if
they had half such a crop on their farms
in this season of scarcity. Fifty bush
els of shelled corn to the acre is consid-
cred here al average yield, and hundreds
of acres will this year yield even a
larger amount, notwithstanding the great
drouth which has materially affected the
crops here. The wheat crop is very good,
especially Spring wheat. The farmers
nave just commenced threshing u their
wheat, which is selling at the Depot in
this place at from S5 to 90 cents per
bushel, according to quality.
This Henry county is quite an inter-
esting section to Ashland men, and, con-
sequently, 1 will give you some descrip-
ton of the country, soil, &c. The soil
is about three feet deep, and consists of
a black loan or muck, which is the re-
suit of the decomposition, for centuries,
of the vegetable products of the prairies.
The strength of the soil seems almost
inexhaustable. As an illustration, we
yesterday visited field in this vicinity,
upon which has been raised seventeen
successive crops of corn without manu-
ring the ground. The crop for the pres
ent year will average fifty bushels of
shelIed corn to the acre, which is the
smallest yield during the seventeen years.
This statement may take some of our
Ashland County farmers by surprise, but
it is true !; and we feel confident that no
better farming country can be found in
the world, than this northwestern part
of Illinois. The first settler moved into
Henry County eighteen years ago this
Fall, and only three years ago at least
one third of the land was subject to Gov
eminent entry at sT,25 per acre; but
within that time it has been settling up
with an enterprising and intelligent pop
0iation, mostly from Nv York, Massa-
chusetts and Ohio. The hardy sons of
Sweden have formed two colonies in this
County. One at Andover and one at
Bishop Hill, in the south part of this
county, consisting of from three to four
hundred families. They are an indus
t%rious, honest and peaceable class of in
habitants. There are no lands of value
now subject to entry in this county.
Lands entered from two to three years
ago, are selling, without any improve
ments, at from S. to $40 per acre, and
improved lands at from $40 to $50 per
acre.
Genesseo, the principal town in the
County, though not tbs County Seat, is
improving rapidly. The Chicago and
Rock Island Rail Road is infusing new
life into all this section of country.
Genesseo has a population of about eight
hundreds now, and has been during
the Summer, very healthy. The town
stands ON a slight roll of the prairie, on
sandy, gravelly soil. There is a public
square of four acres, surrounded by To-
Gust trees, and at the west side of the
public square there are three acres set
off for Churches, &c. Locust shade
trees abound here without number.
Nearly every residence is surrounded
with them, giving to the place a quiet
and beautiful appearance. The water is
excellent, but somewhat ~impregnated
with lime. To this, and to the cool
prairie breeze, which, to us, was exceed
ingly refreshing, may be attributed the
good health of it's citizens, there having
been but five deaths during the last three
years. There are over twenty new build
ings nov being erected in the place.
We had a cool, refreshing shower this
morning, which was very refreshing, there
having been no rain here of any conse-
quence in the last three months.
Yours, truly, P.
Tom JEFFERSON ON FUsIoN.-In the
year 1923, Thomas Jefferson used the
following language, in a letter addressed
by him to the Marquis de Lafayette: