LETTER FROM AMERICA (UNDATED BUT WRITTEN ABOUT THE MIDDLE
OF THE 19TH CENTURY ) TO A BROTHER IN CAMPBELTOWN BY
ALEX PORTER WHOSE FATHER FARMED AT CROSSIBEG.
Dear Brother,
I take up pen in hand to write you a few lines letting you know that we are all well at present thanks to God for his mercies toward us hopping these few lines will find you and all our concerns in the same. We have been blest with the best of health since we left the banks of the river. Jean was save delivered of a daughter on the 20 November last and we have named her Elizabeth after my dear mother to keep her in remembrance in this distant country. She was Baptised in our own hose by our on Minister the Reverent Mr. Lowre he comes out one day in the month and Preaches in our Scotch Settlement it is not our part to forget her although I believe you all have forgot us as we have got no letters since Brother came I would have wrote you before this but I put of witting on a letter from my father and this 9 Month we were much annoyed he did not write us concerning Sister Betsey marriage. I think she was in a great hurry to joyn matrimony But Jean and I wishe them much joy in there marred state wit me and lett me know how they are liveing or what they ar dooing lett me know how all our friends and acquaintances is coming on and how times is with your self lett me know how Brother Hugh is coming on or if he has any thought of coming to this countrey and what kind of crop my father had this last season, and what they intend dowing about taking Crossibeg agin, let me know how our Mother is or if she is living. How brother David is or if he has got marred yeat.
We have had a considerable sikiness this last Summer in this countrey particularly along the Banks of the rivers that is on account of a wett spring and the watter staggnated in Summer and the will of Providence we have had as pleasant a winter so fare as I have since I came to this countrey, littel snow or frost, we have made a gud quantey of suggar in the month of January what has not been don this many years, the month of March is the general time we make the suggar when white frost at night, a bright sun through the day we bore the trees inch and half in and then the watter runes, one barrel of watter makes 6 pounds of suggar we boyle it down in larg mattel kettles. Our fruit trees bore exceedingly well last summer, we had of apples more than we culd yous. we fed our hoggs with them. We have pild and drayed then to the sun 10 bushells and as many green as serves to the month of May then we preserve them we burrie them under ground. Green apples is now half a dollar per bushell, dryed 1dollar. Peaches and plumbs and cherries we had as many as we could use in seson.
I gave the mane part of the land that had it rented before I bought for muving on of that account. I did not rese as much I wood I resed 200 Bushells of Indian Corn a littel oats and 100 bushells of putatos. Corn 25 cents per bushell Putatos 50 cents I have 6 ackers of wheat soean and looks very well. Wheat peas yeild very much in this country these 2 or 3 years I intend to putt in a quantity of crop of 11 kinds this season if God spears me my health.
Brother Robert has taking up store keping and deals in grosrey and hard goods and doing very well in a town on the banks of the river called New Richmond, which is 6 miles from us it looks to incress very fast the seat of Justice is muved to it, and it will cause a market to be set up like Cincanti, the Stina Mill in Cincanita has been burnt up by fire and New Richmond will make a flushing town. we see Robert every Saboth as we go to the church to that town as we have got a seted minister amongst us and the Congregation is incressing, he is a cever yung man and i hopp will be for a great good amongst us (his hose 300 dollars in the year).
You may lett Widdow Harvey no that he daughter Agnes was save delivered of a daughter in the month of December and is both well. The name is Susan and all the rest of the Scots people in this place is well. John Galbreath is 16 miles from us working in a distillery and has 10 dollars per month. John Campbell rents a piece of land on the bank of the river hime and his Yankee wife. I think he has made no great choyes she plesses him well in cukking vettels, the rest of the scoth people is prety content except William Langlands his going to flee hom. John Turner is dewing very well and much thought of by Mr. Fergus he is got very lesey to Preach he has not given us a preatching yeat. Give our best respects to Father and Mother and Grandmother and the family to Mother in Brasky and hise famley you may let Mrs. Marshal that Jean hopes to hear of her.. She longs to see them Writ me as son as this comes to ham all the particulars of the place. I say no more at present but the Blessing of God bi with you all.
Alex. Porter.
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