Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 5.djvu/204

 178 THE GRANITE MONTFILY.

you wanted a fine shirt which he proposed to carry. We have no linen at present, of which to make one. We called on Robert Spear for the linen, for he is owing you, but as he had none, he offered to send his own shirt. This, however, was so much worn and patched, fit only to make baby things, it was thought not best to take it."

The following paper, dated Bedford, July 4, 1791, was drafted by Matthew Patten : —

"Whereas my son, James Patten, who was said to have been killed b_y the Indians up the Muskingum, the second of January last, of whom I have received information by Mr. Isaac Choate of Leicester in the County of Worcester : That he and my son and three others wei'e taken prisoners by the Delaware Indians, on the said second of January, who were all taken to an Indian town about one hun- dred and fifty miles distant from Detroit, where he was parted from my son the 27th of said January, the day they arrived at said town, beinsr twenty-flve days on their march, being stripped almost as naked as they were borTi, in that inclement season of the year, besides being much beat and abused. Mr. Choate further in- forms me that he supposes iny son may be purchased from the Indians for one hundred dollars. And being moved by' paternal affection as well as humanity, I have used my utmost endeavors to borrow the money, but have not been able, to procure it nor any part of it. And being advised by a number of my good neigh- bors to raise the inoney by subscription : These are therefore to pray for the assist- ance of all my friends and neighbors to advance to me such suras as they please, to enable me to redeem my son out of the hands of his cruel savage enemies, whose tender mercies are cruelties, hereby assuring every person who may advance any money to me for the redemption' of my son, that they shall be paid the sum they advance in money as soon as it is In my power to do it, with the sincere, hearty thanks of your humble suppliant,

MATTHEW PATTEN."

Here follow the names of thirty-seven "friends and neighbors " with sub- scriptions, in sums varying from one shilling two pence to six shilHngs. This not being sufficient to meet the demand, another paper was circulated, the whole amount was raised and placed in the hands of Mr. Isaac Choate, and the following receipt was given : —

" Received of Matthew Patten, Esq.. of r>e,dford. New Hampshire, ninetj'-three dollars which we promise toapprotiriatein the following manner, viz. : to take the same and cai-ry it and deliver it to Capt. Ephraim Sanford of Montreal or Samuel Choate of Detroit for to be laid out in ])urchasing James Patten, a prisoner with the Delaware Indians and take a receipt for the same, the necessary expenses to Montreal and back again to be taken out of the above sura. In case we should fail in the performance of the same, we engage to be answerable for the above sura,

accidents accepted.

ISAAC CHOATE, JR., ISAAC CHOATE.

Leicester, July 29, 1791.

Attest: DANIEL CONVERS,

JONATHAN CHOATE, ROBERT PATTEN.

Mr. Sandford succeeded in purchasing the prisoner for the sum of seventy dollars, the remainder of the amount contributed having been used to defray expenses.

After his liberation, Mr. Patten returned to his home in Ohio, but soon after made a settlement at Belpre, a few miles down the Ohio River from Marietta. There he became the owner of a farm, and was also interested in the building of a toll bridge across " Duck Creek " in which he had four shares of fifty dollars each.

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