Peter Skene Ogden, Fur Trader. 243 Taunton 9th March 1823. My Dear Son ; The thought that we were separating forever in this world was so afflicting that I found myself unequal to take leave of you in Person, and indeed to bid you adieu in this mode fills my heart with grief which I cannot express. You have my blessing and my prayers that God of his great mercy & good- ness may watch over, preserve & keep you in all your perils & dangers to which you will be exposed. And that he will give you grace to be grateful for all the benefits & favours he may vouch safe to bestow on you, that you may repose your trust & confidence in him, and that through the whole course of your life you may be vigilant & careful to keep his com- mandments, to have a lively faith in our blessed redeemer, and finally through his merits & atonement you may be eternally blessed & happy. You will as often as you have leisure think on these things, and that you may benefit & profit by those reflections, as being apointed (?) to your present & future welfare. Let me recommend to you to be careful of your health and not to expose yourself to danger unnecessarily. You will of course be exposed to many in the discharge of your duty, but let me entreat you not to court them or be a volunteer in any hazardous enterprise for which you will get little thanks & credit. I think my health daily improves. I have not yet ventured out, the weather is too cold for me to go abroad, but I hope will soon be milder. I long much to receive a letter from you. I suppose I shall receive one tomorrow. I am interrupted by a visit from Col. Plenderlist ( ?). Your mother Sister & Pering (?) are well & all join me in best wishes that God may preserve & keep you. Believe me to be most affect'ly & truly, Your Father, I. Ogden. You will be pleased to tell my friends to whom you have letters that they were written on the 5th of March, as I forgot to date them. The year following the father died and by his will Peter Skene inherited with the other children one-eighth of the estate. So our Mr. Ogden had a real taste of civilized life and that in the capital city of the kingdom. London Coffee House
