Letter from Hiram Capron to his Parents

Dear Parents,

It is with pleasure that I address you after having gone through so many series of difficulties, and having at last arrived at the station which I have long wanted, and which I am well Pleased with I have long labored in various kinds of Employments. And I have weighed almost all kinds business in my mind, and thought of pursuing many but at last I undertook this haserdous enterprize of Building a Furnace in [illegible] Charlotteville, District of London Upper Canada it is on the Bank of Lake Erie about 100 Miles West of Buffalo The Furnace is built on a good plan and is now in Blast Making about 30 hundred of iron of Excellent quality pr day. our Ware is as good as any made in the states, I think the Furnace makes about two hundred dollars worth of Ware per day and the Expenses out necessary to carry on the said Furnace is sixty or seventy (inserted "more than") seventy dollars per day - of which I own one quarter and have the [illegible] and management of the whole- one half of the Furance belongs to three partners Geo. Tillson. Joseph van Norman + Josiah White the other half is in my name with Mr. Short has a claim under [illegible]

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nearly one quarter leaving no more than a quarter - Mr. Short is now here and is well pleased with my work and says Capron if you want six or eight hundred Dollars any time, call on me
The Furnace cast. as near as my account show [superscript] is about six thousand dolalrs of which I have paid by Mr. Shorts help [above line] about Paid 2000 dollars +my three partners have paid 1000 dollars and we are [superscript: were] owing about 2000 dollars on the commencement of the Blast of which we are paying off verry fast and we receive some cash, but cash is very scarce - we have every prospect before us of doign well - unless some unforeseen accident should befall us the Furnace will make itself rich with good + prudent Management my work is hard - and fatiguing
I do all the business alone without a clerk. We have more than twenty men constantly employed, and we are doing more business than all odl Leicester together. The Furnace is a curiosity to the inhabitants and is crowded full of spectators everyday.

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Let Horace come and live with us one yearsand it will be a benefit to him-

Erie Furnace March 2 1823 - Charlotteville District of London Upper Canada

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If you will write to me - direct to the Place that I date mine at - by way of Leicester and pay the Postage to Lewiston-

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I cannot tell you when I shall be to Leicester Perhaps I shall never see you more
But you must not give yourselves any uneasiness about me - I find that I can get a living among men - and I dont think that there has any Young man that have been raised in Leicester ever stepped into a handsome property quicker than I have If I new that I should not meet with any misfortune in business for ten Years. I would not exchange property with you Notwithstanding a Furnace is like a ship at sea - constantly exposed and liable to accident - perhaps the next you hear from me I shall be as flat as the cotton Factory establishment
I am verry sorry Br. David had the agrr which made him homesick - for his help would have been of great consequence as I should [aroned?] a larger share [illegible] but he was entirely discouraged and thought I would loose all I did [illegible] but he was young and I hope he will do well hereafter, you must not forget me because I am a British subject. Remind me to Brothers + sister. Mr. Johnson Swinington to me Your long lost son H. Capron

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Mr. Joseph Capron

Leicester

Addison County Vermont