A View of Owego in 1835

The following letter was written by 31-year-old Joel Gould who had moved to Owego from Clifton Park, Saratoga County, New York. It appears that after a season of farming in Tioga County, Joel had decided to return to his hometown and enter into business with Col. William B. Noxon, the merchant to whom the letter was addressed. Though not particularly revealing, the letter provides a good description of typical agricultural pursuits in Tioga County. Several names of former Clifton Park friends and neighbors are mentioned.

Col. William B. Noxon [1]
Clifton Park, Saratoga Co unty, New York

Owego [New York]
June 26th 1835

Dear friend,

I expect an opportunity to send to the P.O. tomorrow and have set down to answer your last, which came to hand the 21st Inst, and time will compel me to be brief. I did not understand by your letter that we (you and I) could have so much capital &c. – nor did I mean so to be understood by you. But as you could, and probably had, as much (borrowed and otherwise) as was necessary to invest, the question in my mind was whether I might not come into the concern by, of course, paying interest for my share, in what words I expressed my mind I do not recollect. No matter.

I have come to the conclusion to come back [to Clifton Park] if nothing unexpected happens, but it will be late in the fall before I can get away if I should not sell my farm. I have had some talk of selling my farm to Mr. Arnold [2] but his wife is not in favor of the plan and therefore it is doubtful. He has offered me $600 – but that will not buy it. As I said before, if do not sell I shall come back quite naked handed for cash, and the wages you offer will barely support my family there, but we will hope for circumstances to change for the better.

I have much to do to get ready to come back. I am about $150 in debt but have a fine crop of grain and hay to gather. My neighbors say I will have at least 150 bushels of wheat and probably 60 of Rye, 20 of Oats, 5 or 6 tons of hay, at least 100 and probably 150 bushels of potatoes, some corn &c. &c. We (Daniel and I) have 3 ½ acres of corn which looks promising, some of it 3 ½ feet high, everything looks well. We have Rye 7 feet long, flax 2 feet, potatoe tops knee high, and wheat big enough. I have 2 cows to sell, 2 hogs, some furniture, some tools, &c. I have made this statement to show you what I have to do, and what I probably can do. Should all things turn out as presently indicate, I shall be able to pay off and move back very comfortable. Quite so, should providence order it otherwise, we must submit.

My object in coming back [to Clifton Park] is not altogether to make money but to enjoy life, friends, [and] society. In respect to a house to live in, we shall not be difficult. We shall move but little back and shall need but little room. It may be difficult for me to get a team, or teams, to move me back. What do you think of coming by water again? It may be that some one would come from there? A[bijah] Peck [3] said he would come and get us when we wanted to come back. John Rosekrans [4] may want to see my land so much as to come for a fair price. I expect Isaac Hubbs [5] out for a visit and it may be that he can carry a box, or my family. I wish you would keep an eye to that. There is but few horse leaving here. Tell Rosekrans that people are in the habbit of trespassing on his lot by cutting and carrying off fenceing timbers &c. He has a fine lot and it should be taken care of.

You ask about papers. I have rec’d some and some I have not. You spoke of some being long before I got any and they never come. I have got a number of them lately but there appears to be something wrong some where. I have sent to the P.O. and found none, and in a few days after rec’d 7. But I was glad to get them. Do not grudge the postage, and much obliged to you in the bargain.

I have not much more time to write and must close by requesting you to write often. And should anything happen to blow up our plans, let me know it as soon as possible. We are all well, and so are Mr. A[rnold]’s family. Give my respects to all who may enquire concerning us.

Altho my hand is somewhat cramped, I will not close without saying to you and [your brother] Alfred [6], I feel truly thankful for the interest you manifestly feel for my welfare, and you may be assured, altho I may never repay, I never shall forget.

Heaven prosper you,
Joel Gould [7]

[1] Col. William Bentley Noxon {1805-1854} of Saratoga County, New York, the son of Clark Noxon {1781-1846} and Laetitia McLees (or McLease) {1787-1832}. Col. Noxon married Phoebe Arnold {1808-??} a daughter of Joseph Arnold {1780-1851} and Mary Althouse {1784-??}. Phoebe Arnold was the niece of William P. Arnold {see footnote 2 below}. Malta town records indicate that William B. Noxon was elected Justice of the Peace in 1840.

[2] Probably William P. Arnold {1790-??}, an uncle of Phoebe Arnold, Col. Noxon's wife.

[3] Abijah Peck {1798-??} was a farmer in Clifton Park, Saratoga County, New York. He was the son of Rev. Abijah Peck {1758-1848}, a native of Greenwich, CT, a Baptist Minister, and a veteran of the Revolutionary War.

[4] John Rosekrans {1785-??} was a farmer in Clifton Park, Saratoga County, New York. Though he apparently owned property in Tioga County, the 1840, 1850, and 1860 census records seem to suggest that he never left Clifton Park.

[5] Isaac Hubbs {1790-??} was a farmer in Clifton Park, Saratoga County, New York.

[6] Alfred Noxon of Halfmoon, Saratoga County, New York. According to the history of Saratoga County, "Crescent village grew up almost wholly under the capital expended there by Alfred Noxon, now of Ballston. His enterprise set everything in motion. Before his undertaking, in 1840 to '44, there was little besides a canal-grocery, and one or two dwellings. He established a foundry, paint-works, a block of stores, and a hotel, employing at times from seventy to one hundred men."

[7] Joel Gould {1804-1870's} lived in Clifton Park, Saratoga County, New York until relocating briefly to Tioga County, New York. When he returned to Saratoga County, his 1840 census location is given as Malta, New York. In 1850, Joel's occupation is given as "wheelwright." By 1860, Joel and his son Roscius ran a Livery Stable in Rochester, New York. According to Saratoga County Military Records, Joel was commissioned captain of 1st Artillery, 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division of NY Militia, Clifton Park on 30 October 1830. Egbert C. Noxon, believed to be a brother of William and Alfred Noxon, served as First Lieutenant of this same unit.

According to Jim Baker, a descendant, Joel Gould "was born in 1804 in Saratoga County and died presumably between the 1870 and 1880 census; in 1870 he was living with some of his family (including his grandson, my ancestor) in Rochester, Monroe County, New York. His first wife was named Meliva, and died in 1852; she is buried with him in the Jonesville Cemetery at Clifton Park. His second wife, Esther Amanda Kellogg, was the widow of Lewis Benedict, by whom she had 3 children. Joel and Meliva had 4 children, including Roscius K. Gould who married but had no children. It is very possible that he was named after Roscius Kennedy, a prominent man in Saratoga County at the time. Of Joel's three daughters, Mary T. Gould was unmarried in 1877 (when Roscius died), Delia C. Gould married Isaac N. Wright and had only one child who died young; and Jane married Daniel D. Post. Jane and Daniel had two children, William Joel Post and Anna (Mrs. Ferdinand Covert), who had no children. William had only one child, my great-grandmother, Gladys Florence Post. This makes my immediate family the only living descendants of Joel Gould."

Digital images of the 2-page letter follow. Double-click on each image to enlarge it.