ABSTRACT
Thomas Sheppard’s letter of 1854 entreats relatives to follow him to Platteville, Wisconsin. It is especially valuable because it gives precise details on how money was sent to assist family members to join him, as well as details on what to pack and take to cope with the long journey, including living plants for Sheppard. It also includes amazing details on how he rose as a penniless immigrant to a landowner in only three years. Sheppard records how people went to California for the Gold Rush but are now returning to their farms, and how this affected land prices. Sheppard remarks how the land is so good that local people have raised good crops for twenty years without the use of manure. He also provides details on how an English immigrant helped him to get settled, how God led him to where he is, and how he prospered through his hard work and by purchasing animals and farm equipment. The misspellings make this letter a challenge to read, but it captures the charm and enthusiasm of an English immigrant who has succeeded in Wisconsin and has no regrets.
