Letter addressed from Philadelphia, and sent by the hand of Hiram Roberts. Visible watermarks of a dove and "AMIES PHILAD" indicate the paper was made by Thomas Amies [Amies, Thomas, 1762 or 1763-1839] of Dove Mill. William Gay Butler writes to his father Jonathan Butler in West Hartford about his recent excursion as an itinerant peddler. He returned to Philadelphia on June 21, and received Jonathan's letter dated June 13, enclosed in his sister Maria's letter dated June 15. He writes of his excursions that the first was best, and the second better than the third, and so on, but as he does not make large calculations on his prospects he was not disappointed. He writes he should be "verrey glad to make a fortune at one Trip, but fortunes are often hard sought for and sought in vain. If it is not my fortune to be rich, it is my duty to be content and satisfied." He sold $3300 worth of goods and made $200. In addition to the horse from Mr. Batterson that he lost to the glanders, one of his new horses "got foundered" a few days in to his last trip and he was forced to leave him behind. He retrieved him on this trip and paid $23 for his board. William calls him a first rate horse and the best he ever owned, despite increasing his expenses. He has purchased a new running part for his wagon to accommodate his three horse team. Of his bad luck on the last trip, William writes that he lost $100 "by a gentleman faling but I do not git discouraged." He promises to send a draft to cover his note in the Hartford bank by the time it is due. He owed $3000 in Philadelphia and New York, which he paid in due time before returning to the city. With Hiram Roberts' $2000 worth of goods William expects to have cash and credit to purchase $1500 or $1800 more by July 5, when he will travel to Pittsburg and be there August 5 through August 10. Then he expects to go into Ohio, and sell out as much as possible before heading home. William directs Jonathan to write to him in Pittsburg care of John Butler, innkeeper, and to indicate whether he wants the money William owes him then. William writes that he received a letter from his brother Epaphras Butler, dated May 2, from Philadelphia a couple days after William had left. Epaphras "was well and says the Spring looked verrey flourishing." Charles Hopkins Wells married Sally Gay in January and they moved to Dundaff. A peddler in town said he saw uncle Fisher Gay in Easton, and informed William of his health. William writes that "it appears Hartford is not more independent than other places by the failures." In an addition dated June 29, William writes that he will send the letter by Hiram Roberts, who can give Jonathan a fuller accounting of William's business.
