LIFE ON THE OHIO FRONTIER

A COLLECTION OF LETTERS FROM MARY LOTT TO DEACON JOHN PHILLIPS, 1826-1846

by Jacqueline Lois Miller Bachar ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 29, 1994

Editor Bachar offers a compilation of letters from a woman living on the Ohio frontier to her brother in Pennsylvania.

Mary Phillips Lott (c.1782-1846) resided in Delaware County, Ohio, for at least the last two decades of her life. She moved there from New York state with her husband, Henry, in the 1820s. Delaware County is in the central section of the Buckeye State, not far from Columbus, the state capital. In a series of letters to her older brother John Phillips, a deacon, Lott described the tremendous hardships that she faced on the frontier in the second quarter of the 19th century. Financial struggles and frequent health problems figure prominently in these recollections. She addresses historical events, such as a cholera outbreak in nearby Columbus, as well as the pain she feels as a result of her separation from her family in Pennsylvania—a recurring theme. She expresses particular concern for the health of her mother, who would eventually die in her 80s in 1837. The siblings frequently mention plans for future reunions or trips to visit loved ones, but these apparently came to fruition only on rare occasions. Deep Christian faith appears throughout these missives as well; for example, Lott describes her desire to reunite with loved ones in heaven and looks forward to the promise of eternal life. The details of Mary’s and Henry’s wills also appear in this correspondence, along with the particulars of funeral arrangements and the repayment of debts. The letters delve deeply into the economic conditions of farmers in central Ohio during the 19th century, including the current prices for flax, corn, and wheat at several points, as well as details on the weather.

At its core, this collection is a quintessential labor of love. It’s a work of genealogical research compiled by a descendant of the family: John is Bachar’s eighth-generation grandfather, and this compilation of Mary’s letters was a product of her research. Bachar includes significant genealogical information in the front and back of the book, which will be useful to readers engaging in similar research. Some of the content will be primarily of interest to the editor’s family members, or to people with a particular interest in Delaware County, Ohio. In a broader sense, the work provides an excellent collection of primary sources on life in the American Midwest during the decades before the Civil War. Rather than a foundational work, it serves as a supplement to an already rich scholarly literature. The appeal of this work as a popular history, though, will likely be quite limited. The book relies on hand-drawn maps to depict the regions under discussion; more professional illustrations would likely have added to the scholarly heft of the text. The book’s introduction would have benefited from describing Mary and John in greater detail, thus giving general readers a greater sense of the stakes at hand.

A set of recollections by a 19th-century Ohioan that’s likely to be most useful to Midwest-focused social historians.

Pub Date: Sept. 29, 1994

ISBN: 9781886934016

Page Count: 149

Publisher: Rowhouse Press

Review Posted Online: June 11, 2026

Review Program: Kirkus Indie

Categories:

HISTORY | UNITED STATES | GENERAL HISTORY