Graham Letter - John Graham 1852

Durham Records Office ref D/X 1035/3 Killhope 8 November 1852 Dear Brother, I inform you with an answer to your letter witch we received on the 30th of October Witch threatens us with disregard. We wrote to the(e) on the 30th September but it wold not have landed when you wrote last. You wishes to know how we all are. We are all well. Jane Anne* is very w(e)ll and she sometime wishes you to come back from a Amercia and my Ant Bettey and John is very well and thay sends thair greatest respects to you boath Hopeing that you will do well and I have seen many of thy acquaintance and th(e)y send thar greatest regeard to you boath and that sends thair best wishes to you. And thy Bargain witch thou left is very poor Christopher got it in March and had it with me Jonathan and Isaac 4 Partn (partners) and we have left let a goodgrove fuder east in Coalssillls and will do well and thy 3 partens have got on at pastergrove 2 Coats and a yong man 6 partn at daylevell for head a warm plase but a long waygate and my Broather Thomas got on with Thomas Millburn and them and my Brother William has a good pay and My Brother Jacob has goen to Thomas Slack at Alston to be a shoemaker and likes it well. Civeie and William Thompson at alston sends thair greatest respects for thee. For I was at Alston on the 4th of Nov and I heard from them thay are all well. We have had more births. Thomas Millburn had got a son, my Broaths Thomas has got a son and I have got a Daughter since you left hear and my mother for a servant on the 13th of May. And as for John peart frineds thay are all Well for ought I know. Hannah* is servant with Thomas Cholteart at pastergrove grinder and is well. William James often thinks about comeing over to Amercia and we have had many people goin for Austrailia to th Gold Diggend. Nicala Harrison Cowburn, Thomas Millburn Bents, Jonathan Hackmard Cornriggs, Thomas Peart Burtreefurde and a greate Deal more I should think a schore or more. And soum have come to Amercia last monthe Jacksalive Emerison Peart Wearhead, Robert Ellet Chapel, and we have had a very great deel of thunder and lighing and havy fols of rain this summer. When I wrote this letter we had a dredful thunderstorm for 2 hours. So I have leen you know all the I can say at prisent. I think it is the best way tow send the letters un payd for and pay at reciven thom for thay go very fast over. We only pay 1 shillings for them. So I close my lines to my dysten brother Ever sincerely John Graham *In a later letter Jane Anne is referred to as Joseph Graham's daughter. She lived with the Graham's at the time of the 1851 census and was listed as Jane Anne Milburn, nurse (i.e. foster) child, two years old. In parish records her birth was not recorded until 1852 when it was listed along with that of a sister. The mother's name given is Hannah Milburn. No father is mentioned. ** it is not clear whether Hannah refers to Joseph's sister Hannah who was now married and not likely to be in service, or to John Peart's sister Hannah. There is a hint in a later letter that John's sister was in service at this time.