Peter Lassing letter to Thomas Rotch, Norwich County of Oxford, Upper Canada, 2 mo 4th 1817

               
  B-118-1
                  Norwich County of Oxford Upper Canada
                                2 mo 4th 1817
  Dear Friends Thomas & Charity Rotch
    The occasion of my putting Pen to paper at this
  time is on account of the bearer John Woodgate
  a young Man Recommended from London to John
  Murray Jr of New York - & by I M recommended
  to my notice and oversight as one recommended to 
  him by a valuable Friend - he being a mem
  ber of our Society & therefore claims the notice of friends
  He appears qualified with Good natural Talents
  Reads well, writes a good hand and professes to be
  a good Accompetant - previous to his arrival here we
  had employed a goodly Friend from Ireland to teach in
  School under the Regulation, of Friends - and as he
  had some inclination he ways previous to his coming 
  here to go into the western & Southern States I not
  knowing of any eligible situation in Business here
  for him. I recommend him to thy care & notice as a
  youth, a wanderer in a wide World - And hope
  he may so conduct himself as to gain the esteem
  and confidence of those who may employ him.
     And now Dear Friends as I have often desired an
  opportunity of a direct communication by a line to you
  understanding you are settled in the western part of the
  State of Ohio - nearly opposite to us across Lake Erie may
  give you some account of our Settlement here in Canada
  6 years ago I came here with my family into a Wilderness
  5 miles from any Inhabitant, except wild Beasts and 13
  Miles from any Settlement of families - 80 miles from any
  Meeting of friends or even a Member of the Society - my own
                                           anticipating
  mind under great depression as it respected ^any usefulness
  in the smallest degree to the cause of Truth, my Children
  grown & growing up - apparently amalgamating with
  the people & spirit of the People of the Land - tho not
  without some secret hope as an anchor, tho truly it was like
  hoping against hoe for every visible prospect was gloomy
  in those respects - however this following year 4 adult mem
  bers moved in - & we felt most easy to retire in a silent oppo
  tunity on first Days at the usual time of meeting & felt the
  refreshing streams of consolation at times to brighten our
  prospects & strengthen Hope - since which we came un
  der the notice of Pelham Monthly meeting Our numbers in