Letter from William Case Williams

A LETTER FROM WILLIAM CASE WILLIAMS Ancestor of Charles Fraleigh, Belleville, Ontario, Canada

Mr. Fraleigh is a direct descendant of Abraham Freligh and wife Charity (Gertrude Van Vliet) of Charlotte Precinct, who operated a min in Clinton until moving to Canada in 1785.

Pattens Hotel New York Oct. 31st 1854

My Dear Rachel: I arrived here today about 1 o'clock and as today is the last day the Crystal Palace is to remain open for visitors I immediately went to it and staid till almost 10 o'clock at night. It shows better in the evening than by daylight being lit up with perhaps two or three thousand gas lights. It is certainly a splendid affair; it is worth the trouble of coming one hundred miles or more to see the building alone which covers over five acres of land. The Band was there and made the Palace ring with music-- But I am told it has been a very poor speculation. They say it cost $700,000, and does not begin to pay expenses. I haven't a doubt but there is all of two million worth of property exhibited there. I saw 1 centre table, the price was $1200. I was told by a gentleman that there had been a carpet there for one room the price of which was $30,000. The statues of marble and the pictures attracted the most attention of anything especially our Savior and his Apostles, and the picture of Daniel in the lions den large enough to cover the side of a large room. There were a great many curiosities from China and Jerusalem and almost anything you can think of made in almost any part of the world. There was a great many in this evening to see it for the last time. New York has grown beyond all conception since I saw it 19 years ago in size, but that part which was then built remains pretty near the same although very much improved. It looks very natural about the City Hall, the Park, the Astor House, the Museum, etc. Broadway is all astir as usual, sometimes almost blocked up. I stopped at Irons Hotel in Kingston the first night. Mr. Donnelly also just on his return from Montreal. Thursday came down to Albany by railroad. We came in sight of the Mohawk River for a great many miles and I couldn't but think of my mother's moving up the River in a batteau 60 years ago which took almost a month. Friday spent looking about Albany. Visited the State House from the cupolo of which a person has an excellent view of the City, there is where the State of New York holds their State Legislature or Parliment. I visited the State Agricultural rooms which was worth as much to see as a museum. They have very extensive rooms filled with specimens of almost every kind of machinery that can be used in farming, of all the different kind of grain both in the straw and in a clean state, of all fruit grown in the U.S. represented in wax, of all the different kind of animals, birds, reptiles, insects, etc., fish, etc., a hog stuffed that weighed when alive 1600/1700 pounds, plows used 80 years ago.

I went to see the place described by Downing at Kenwood near Albany, the residence of Rathbon, Esq. He was not at home; his gardener was very clever who said Rathbon was worth one & a half million of dollars so you may judge of the appearance of his place. I had as many sweet grapes as I was a mind to eat in his garden. It looks almost like a house in a large forest as you can see no fence near. It appears to be after Downing's own taste. Albany has improved very much since I saw it last, contains about 60,000 inhabitants and is as lively around the railroad stations as New York. I think probably there is 500 railroad cars moving through every day, it is surprising where all the people come from. A person told me the cholera had been very bad, from 2 to 300 deaths per day. Saturday left my trunk in Albany, bot a travelling sack and new overcoat and started for Hudson and got to Mr. Sniders in Ghent in the afternoon. They are a very fine family. They live in good style in a large two story house 38 by 48 feet and every room carpeted that I saw, even to the kitchen. He has been offered 85 dollars per acre for his farm containing 220 which if sold would amount to 18,700 besides which he says he has given his three older children 5 & 600 dollars each and his oldest son is now worth almost as much as he is himself. The old gentleman is very pious, belongs to the Dutch Reformed Church. I went to meeting with them Sunday and heard a very fine sermon. I had an excellent visit with them. They are the most friendly people I most ever saw and when I left on Monday the old man put 3 books as presents one for you, one for Louisa and one for myself. He has his father's Bible which is now 110 years old. They lost a son lately, I herein enclose a printed notice of his death. Monday the old gentleman brought me with his carriage to Hudson and came on to Hyde Park to our connexions there. It may well be called H. Park for almost every place is a park either on a large or small scale. Mrs. Mary Sheak is living here with her family. She is sister of Mrs. Snider and own cousin to me. She is quite old about 80, remembers all about the Platt family. She and my mother were playmates. She is very smart yet and gets about quite spry. They keep boarding house in the village. Her son gets 50 dollars per month running a boat to New York. I don't think they are worth much property but they live in the best style in a beautiful place. They were much pleased to see me and hear from their Canada friends. She also has another son living near her in the village. I called there also. They live in a fine place also, everything looks neat and comfortable. They pressed me to stop but as I heard the Crystal Palace was to be closed after today I hurried on. I went to see another place near this place described by Downing as being one of the prettiest places in the U. States. It is the same style of the one near Albany, very large grounds, perhaps 100 acres principally devoted to pleasure grounds. The road winds round and round among the trees in such a way you cannot see the house till you get almost to it. The man that owns it is a grandson of old John Jacob Astor of New York. He is on a tour to Europe. His gardener was very obliging and showed me through the green house and hot house where they have shrubbery and flowers in bloom the year round. They have oranges and lemons growing very fine. The gardener

gave me one fine orange to take with me. He told me they had been offered $300,000 for the place but wouldn't look at it. The view from the bank towards the Hudson River is very fine, the land being very high, perhaps 300 feet above the level of the river. You can see many miles on the North rim. In coming down the river I was shown several places also described by Downing. There was a man on the cars from Newburgh showed the place where Downing lived himself and where Washington Irving lived and the house where General Washington held his headquarters in the time of the Revolution. We passed through several tunnels through the rock coming down on the railroad and it would be so dark you couldn't see any more than though you were shut up in a cellar in the night. I find by looking in the directory there is plenty of my old friends still living in New York but I have not had time to call on them yet. Also I learned at Hyde Park that one of my father's sisters is still living in Poughkeepsie. I intend to call when I go back. If so it will be the first we have ever got any trace of any of my father's connexions. There is also some second cousins in this city, grandchildren of old Mr. Ham & Sheak. I intend to see them tomorrow. I have had excellent health since I left home. I feel very thankful when I contrast my circumstances now with what it was when I was in the city 20 years ago.

W. C. Williams

I can't say now when I will be home, but you need not look for me in much less than three weeks.