按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
This document was copied by Amos Botsford and witnessed by Wm。 Botsford and Henry Chapman； jun。； and dated Oct。 30th； 1810。
Mrs。 Keillor was buried on the old farm at Fowler's Hill beside her husband in a small burying…ground that was formerly surrounded by a stone wall； part of which is still standing。
Mrs。 Keillor's maiden name was Mary Thomson。 She and two other married sistersJane； the wife of John Carter； and Ann； the wife of William Truemancame with the Yorkshire emigration。 These sisters left one brother at least in England； as the letter following； in reply to one received from George Thomson； will show：
〃PROSPECT； March 29th； 1811。 〃DEAR UNCLE AND AUNT；Received your welcome letter of March 29th； and was glad to hear from you and of your wellfare； and hoping these lines will find you and yours enjoying the same blessings of health and happiness。 〃I have to tell you of the death of my mother…in…law。 She departed this life April 22nd。 Your sister Jane is very well at present。 〃The rest of your family are all well。 If you see fit to come out in the spring your friends will be glad to see you。 It will be best for you to get a lumber vessel if you can。 There hath been two vessels from Hull and one from Newcastle this summer。 Respecting goods and merchandise； lay in well for common clothing。 Bring some home…made linens and checks。 Ox…chains and horse…traces and bridles。 Everything in wood will be expensive。 〃You ask what bills I propose。 Good bills on Halifax answer； but nothing will answer like cash here； as it may be some trouble to get them cashed。 Mechanics of all kinds are wanted。 Carpenters； 7 shillings 6 pence per day。 We pay 4s。 and 4s。 6d。 for making a pair of shoes。 A good tailor is much wanted。 We pay 6s。 for shoeing a horse。 Bring a few scythes of the best quality。 Baie Verte is the best place to land at； if you cannot make that out； St。 John or Halifax。 There may be some difficulty in getting a passage from Halifax by water。 Shall look out for a place for you with a house on it。 〃May the Lord direct you and prosper your undertaking。 Give my best respects to George Swinburne and wife。 Let him know my wife and my ten children and myself are well。 〃I have nothing more at present to write。 May the Lord direct you in all your ways； so prays your affectionate nephew and niece； 〃WM。 AND ELIZABETH TRUEMAN。〃
Mr。 George Thompson did not emigrate to Nova Scotia as he expected when he wrote to his uncle and aunt。 The following letter； written by his son five years later； explains why：
〃DURHAM； Sept。； 1816。 〃DEAR COUSINS；You probably would think it very strange our not writing to you for so long a time； but I can assure you it was not for want of affection or respect； but merely inadvertence； and no doubt you would think it strange； after my father wrote to inform you he intended setting out for America； that he never went； but the principal reason was that on second consideration he thought himself too far advanced in years to undertake so long a voyage； and the rest of the family except myself were not very willing。 Consequently he immediately after that took a large farm； which I had principally to manage； otherwise I would have gone at that time。 However； it is my wish to set out next spring； and have not written to inform you it； in order that I may have your answer before that； stating all particulars of the country； and if there be a good prospect for me。 There is also an acquaintance of mine； a threshing machine maker and cartwright； has a desire to accompany me； therefore be so good as to say what prospect there is for such a man as he is。 〃All my brothers and sisters are married and settled； and my father and mother are very well and now live by themselves； retired from farming。 〃Hoping you and all friends are well； I shall conclude with kindest love to all； 〃And remain； dear cousin； 〃Yours affectionately； 〃GEORGE THOMPSON。 〃P。S。Have the goodness to write the first opportunity； and direct to me at 〃Harbour House； 〃Durham。〃
It is quite possible the above letter did not receive a reply。 A good deal of trouble had been taken to send full information to the father； and five years were allowed to pass before any acknowledgement was made。 At all events； there is no record of a letter being sent to the son； and it is certain he did not come to this country。
The subjoined communication helps to show the depressed condition in England at that period； and that many were looking to America in the hope of bettering their condition：
〃May 14th； 1819。 〃DEAR COUSIN；I hope these lines will find you all well； as they us at present。 We thank God for it。 〃I intend to come over to America this spring If it should please God； For the state of England are very bad； Land has got so very dear that a livelihood cannot be got in England； and the taxes that Government lays on are very heavy； till they reduce so many to a lower class that the land will hardly support the poor。 I hope you are in a better situation in America。 〃We understand in England that the States of America are very flourishing at present。 I intend to set off to America the first of June。 If it should please God that I should get over safe； I hope to get to your house as soon as I can。 All your cousins are in good health at present。 Thank God for it； and they wish to be remembered to you and all your family。 〃So I remain your most obedient cousin； 〃JAMES BOYES； 〃of Bilsdale。 〃N。B。By the wishes of one of your cousins； of the name of Harman Wedgwood； a son of Benjamin Wedgwood； a tailor； he would like to hear from you。 He thinks you will give him some information of your country。 〃He wants to come to live in your country； and if you please to give him some intelligence of tailors' wages in your country。 〃So he remains your most obedient cousin。 〃HARMAN WEDGWOOD； 〃Hawnby。〃 〃N。B。If you please to write to him you must direct as follows： 〃'HARMAN WEDGWOOD； 〃'Hawnby； 〃'Near Helmsley； Blackmoor； 〃'Yorkshire； England。'〃
There was no change in the family at Prospect after Sallie's marriage in 1808 until 1817。 On Jan。 17th of the latter year Robert married Eunice Bent； of Fort Lawrence； a sister of Harmon's wife； and in October Amos married Susanna Ripley； a sister of Willie's wife。
Robert settled on a farm adjoining the homestead。 His house was not built until the summer following his marriage。 James； his eldest child； was born 30th October； 1817； in the Brick House at Prospect Farm。 Amos settled at the head of Amherst （now called Truemanville）。 The following letter； written by his youngest daughter； Mrs。 Sarah Patterson； is very interesting； as giving some idea of the experiences of that time：
〃When my father first came to live in the place now called Truemanville it was a dense forest。 In summer the only road was a bridle path。 In winter； when the snow was on the ground； they could drive a pair of oxen and a sled along the road。 〃The winter my father was married； as soon as there was enough snow and frost； he and one of his brothers and another man set out to build a house。 〃They loaded a sled with boards； doors and windows； and provided themselves with bedding and provisions to last till the house was finished。 They then hitched the oxen to the sled and started on their twenty…mile journey and most of the way on a trackless path。 〃When they arrived at their journey's end； they erected a rude hut to live in and commenced building a house。 They did not have to go far for timberit was standing all around the site chosen for the house。 〃They built a very nice log house； 15 ft。 by 18 ft。 Their greatest trouble in building was； the stones were so frosty they could not split them。 They had to kindle a huge fire of brushwood and warm the stones through； when they split finely。 〃After they had built the house they returned home； having been absent about three weeks。 〃My father and mother then moved to their new home； and father began to build a saw mill and grist mill。 〃Their nearest neighbors were one and a half miles distant； unless we count the bears and foxes； and they were far too sociable for anything like comfort。 Sheep and cattle had to be folded every night for some years。 〃After father had built his grist mill he used to keep quite a number of hogs。 In