Description Maxwell letter dated 1835

Pictou 20 Nov 1835

Dear Brother

After giving up hopes of seeing you home this year I now write you these lines being my second letter to you since I came but no answer for fear that you did not receive my first letter I give you the same contents in this one I arrived here after six weeks passage  I had health during the time and God be thanked ever since.  My Father Mother Brothers and Sister is all in good health and I trust this will find you the same Dear Duncan I have had many as look out for you during the fast summer and many indifferent thought  I had the contemplation of going to Canada the first 4 months I was here and on that purpose I write my uncle Archi if he would give me the encouragement that I would go early in spring he wrote me back that if I was to go that he would get me as a school master and get £ 20 bed board and washing for a year or if I choose to stop on the farm with him that I would get the same  I changed my thoughts and did not go I worked at the roads here this summer and had 3/9 per day  I worked at them for 3 months  I have now hired for a year being that you did not come I have £ 22 bed board and washing  My work is very easy and I take on me to say that I am better found than many of your Mearns farmers  There is not a day but what I have my tea twice and my choice of flour bread or oat bread beef and fish accordingly Also I have the liberty of working at my own pleasure not harassed as with Mearns old farmers when living on porridge and bell booze.

Written along edge of first page –

This Country is healthy and the land good the [oat] meal sells for 12s the potatoes 1[ps] for bushel butter 6d per lb

Give my compliments to all enquirers and well wishers and tell the girls I am married

 

-2-

Dear Duncan I have bought 50 acres wood land along side my fathers on which I expect to have as many potatoes and oat meal as will serve yourself and me next winter.  The land costs me £ 30 two years delay at the rate of 5 per cent interest.  It lies handy to church road and market my father on one side and my uncle on the other.  My father is prospering fast himself and William there is little short of having as much crop the year as my uncle had who has been here nearly 20 years  he is married with a Sutherland shire woman and has got 6 or 7 of a family and I am sorry that I have to inform you that she wears the britches for he is a very fine obliging man but greatly kept under   Your father has got 2 milk cows 3 years old 4 pigs and one calf 104 acres land 20 of which is clear all which if free for William the Eir.  My uncle Archi has got 104 acres of land --- of which is clear with him with a good orchard good dwelling house and out houses they put all their crop here into barns both hay and straw their cattle needs straw for 4 months we can have our soap and sugar out of the one tree in this country woman lives a happy life here for they need not do any work without doors once they get married the husbands milk the cows and put on the fire  the wife will not go out doors without a shay to ride in.  You will be astonished to hear that none of the Lochbroom descent will not [get a] mile from home without a bonnet and a silk bag for carrying the pocket handkerchief though she could not speak ten words of proper English.  In fact the women get un useful when they come here.  There is of the Lochbroomers here that has [fine] properties worth hundreds that has been bore coming here  The case is that no man comes here and gets poorer

Written along edge of second page –

Address I --- Junior Cove of [River] John Tailor Merchant Pictou Nova Scotia

 

-3-

There is not a beggar from one side of this province to the other.  I wrote for Collin McRae and gave him a statement of this Country.  I hope you are keeping correspondence with my uncle Alexander and tat he will come along with you and if he has not got married he can get a woman here with independent fortune.  You will give him my kind compliments and let him know that I count it loss to him every day that he stops in Scotland.  Dear Brother I wish you to bring me a new watch also six yards of the best moleskin for which I will – paid in full.  You will do your endeavour to get a good watch for me £3/10 or £4/one for there is not getting of a good watch here and though you would bring two or three second hand—you would not lose by them for they sell at high prices here you can purchase the – of goods here as cheap as at home but not of as good quality.  If you have any idea of your old trade butchering you can make well by it here.   If you will write me as soon as possible if you intend [putting] a delay in your coming --- will not forget giving kind compliments to the distillery boys especially to Francy Stewart also to John Charles my old neighbour at Cape and let him tell James Smith if he wishes to come that I will get him £20 currency a year equal to £15 sterling.  I now conclude by using the words Come O Come Dear Brother and let us once more embrace each other in hopes that we need never have to part in this world of troubles I remain and will your affectionate B B to Death J Maxwell

Written along edge -

Tell J Charles if he wishes to come that he will do better than at home but I cannot give him any encouragement for fear of [reflections] for I was not satisfied at first myself.

 

Address –

William Duncan Maxwell,

To the Care of William Alexander Lighton

Drumcairn Lethnot

By Brechin

Angusshire, NB

 

Written along edge, address side of letter –

If you do not come with the first chance forget [writing] me

Pictou 20 Nov 1835

Dear Brother

After giving up hopes of seeing you home this year I now write you these lines being my second letter to you since I came but no answer for fear that you did not receive my first letter I give you the same contents in this one I arrived here after six weeks passage  I had health during the time and God be thanked ever since.  My Father Mother Brothers and Sister is all in good health and I trust this will find you the same Dear Duncan I have had many as look out for you during the fast summer and many indifferent thought  I had the contemplation of going to Canada the first 4 months I was here and on that purpose I write my uncle Archi if he would give me the encouragement that I would go early in spring he wrote me back that if I was to go that he would get me as a school master and get £ 20 bed board and washing for a year or if I choose to stop on the farm with him that I would get the same  I changed my thoughts and did not go I worked at the roads here this summer and had 3/9 per day  I worked at them for 3 months  I have now hired for a year being that you did not come I have £ 22 bed board and washing  My work is very easy and I take on me to say that I am better found than many of your Mearns farmers  There is not a day but what I have my tea twice and my choice of flour bread or oat bread beef and fish accordingly Also I have the liberty of working at my own pleasure not harassed as with Mearns old farmers when living on porridge and bell booze.

Written along edge of first page –

This Country is healthy and the land good the [oat] meal sells for 12s the potatoes 1[ps] for bushel butter 6d per lb

Give my compliments to all enquirers and well wishers and tell the girls I am married

 

-2-

Dear Duncan I have bought 50 acres wood land along side my fathers on which I expect to have as many potatoes and oat meal as will serve yourself and me next winter.  The land costs me £ 30 two years delay at the rate of 5 per cent interest.  It lies handy to church road and market my father on one side and my uncle on the other.  My father is prospering fast himself and William there is little short of having as much crop the year as my uncle had who has been here nearly 20 years  he is married with a Sutherland shire woman and has got 6 or 7 of a family and I am sorry that I have to inform you that she wears the britches for he is a very fine obliging man but greatly kept under   Your father has got 2 milk cows 3 years old 4 pigs and one calf 104 acres land 20 of which is clear all which if free for William the Eir.  My uncle Archi has got 104 acres of land --- of which is clear with him with a good orchard good dwelling house and out houses they put all their crop here into barns both hay and straw their cattle needs straw for 4 months we can have our soap and sugar out of the one tree in this country woman lives a happy life here for they need not do any work without doors once they get married the husbands milk the cows and put on the fire  the wife will not go out doors without a shay to ride in.  You will be astonished to hear that none of the Lochbroom descent will not [get a] mile from home without a bonnet and a silk bag for carrying the pocket handkerchief though she could not speak ten words of proper English.  In fact the women get un useful when they come here.  There is of the Lochbroomers here that has [fine] properties worth hundreds that has been bore coming here  The case is that no man comes here and gets poorer

Written along edge of second page –

Address I --- Junior Cove of [River] John Tailor Merchant Pictou Nova Scotia

 

-3-

There is not a beggar from one side of this province to the other.  I wrote from Collin McRae and gave him a statement of this Country.  I hope you are keeping correspondence with my uncle Alexander and tat he will come along with you and if he has not got married he can get a woman here with independent fortune.  You will give him my kind compliments and let him know that I count it loss to him every day that he stops in Scotland.  Dear Brother I wish you to bring me a new watch also six yards of the best moleskin for which I will – paid in full.  You will do your endeavour to get a good watch for me £3/10 or £4/one for there is not getting of a good watch here and though you would bring two or three second hand—you would not lose by them for they sell at high prices here you can purchase the – of goods here as cheap as at home but not of as good quality.  If you have any idea of your old trade butchering you can make well by it here.   If you will write me as soon as possible if you intend [putting] a delay in your coming --- will not forget giving kind compliments to the distillery boys especially to Francy Stewart also to John Charles my old neighbour at Cape and let him tell James Smith if he wishes to come that I will get him £20 currency a year equal to £15 sterling.  I now conclude by using the words Come O Come Dear Brother and let us once more embrace each other in hopes that we need never have to part in this world of troubles I remain and will your affectionate B B to Death J Maxwell

Written along edge -

Tell J Charles if he wishes to come that he will do better than at home but I cannot give him any encouragement for fear of [reflections] for I was not satisfied at first myself.

 

Address –

William Duncan Maxwell,

To the Care of William Alexander Lighton

Drumcairn Lethnot

By Brechin

Angusshire, NB

 

Written along edge, address side of letter –

If you do not come with the first chance forget [writing] me