Graham Letter - Jonathan Graham 1861

Joseph did not improve as a correspondent. Jonathan wrote to him in 1861 complaining that there had been no word from him. If Jonathan still thought about emigrating to America, nothing is said in the surviving portion of his letter. However, he may well have written of his interest in either the lower portion of the first or last page, both of which are missing. The signature is missing as well, but the content indicates it is from Jonathan. Durham Record Office Ref: D/X 1035/21 Killhope January 30 1861 Dear brother I again find it my duty to write a few more lines unto you. We have been looking for a letter from you for more than two years but it hath all been in vain but sir I must remind you that you have a great many friends still in Weardale which have not forgotton you though it apears that you have Almost forgot them but I hope sir that these lines well find you and yours in good health as it leaves me at present the whole of our Famely Circle I expect is in good health and slowly increasing in numbers and Christopher and Jacob and I are still liven at the same place all together. Jacob came home the last may and commenced bissness for himself and is doing pretty fair he hath his shop at Copt hill and hath plenty of work. Christopher and I are still working at the mines along with other six men but we have made very little money for the last three year. Little more than 1s a week and things look dull at the present in this Country. We got a change master in our County since you left¿. A section of the letter is missing at this point ¿.pure atmosphere as god hath make it but sir I have told you the worst of my story. We are well off we have our little farm well stocked* we have 4 head of beast 2 horses near 60 sheep and my brother Thomas is still liven at Burnt hills. He hath a small farm and he hath 5 sons and 1 daughter. Thomas Dalton** still lives at high allers and he hath 4 sons and two daughters. Nicolas padon lives at grain and he hath 3 daughters. Joshua Stobbs still lives at greenfieald he hath 6 daughters and 1 son. John's widdow lives at Burnt hills she hath 3 girls and Thomas Milburn still live at the old place he hath 4 sons and 4 girls by my sister Mary. the other I have no bisness with and I dare say they all have made more money at the mines than what I have done this last three years or so and we are all in prepty (pretty?) fair circumstances as regards this world and cousin John Peart is still at burnbottom. He hath a girl keepin his house and he is in good health and much the same man as he was when you see him last. And liven is tolerable fair in this country considering the pressent state of things. Last summer was a very wet summer. We had very little fair wether all summer ¿. The remainder of the letter is missing. Joseph Graham became a naturalised citizen of the United States on April 21 1861, he continued to be a poor correspondent. *Thomas Dalton was Isabella's husband, Nicholas Peadon, Hannah's husband and Joshua Stobbs, Elizabeth's husband. **Jonathan implies that he has little to do with Thomas Milburn's second wife and her children.