Graham Letter - Hannah Graham 1853

In March of the same year John Graham received a letter in answer to his earlier letter home. The letter is addresses to Dear Brother but the closing is addressed to my distent son. It is likely that Jospehs mother, Hannah Graham, dictated the letter to one of his brothers. This would account for the confusing salutation. Durham Records Office Ref : D/X 1035/6 March 2 1853 Dear Brother I return you an answer to your letter which we recived on the 15th of Febuery which inform us of being both well expect (except) thy toe, which was frost betten. We hope will be better. But you must let ous know the next letter you send. You want to know hoe we all are. Thomas is better and has got to work again and likes pastergrove well but they cousin John Peart do not like it so well. Willian has been poorley but is a vast better. It has only been a misschief of cold. And you wants to know what Pays we all had. William has a good one better than 50£ and John had 13£ and Jonathan had 8£ and Christopher had about 4£. Thy Parterns work turned out very bad and Thomas had about 5£. And that three sent peace (cent piece) we did not know wather thay Brother or cousin John it was for. You must let us know in they letter. And we do not expect that William lamey will come to Amercia. And you wanted to know how thy mother is. She has been medlin well since you left and we are all downe midlin well. Thomas Millburn and family has a thought of come to Amercia but they intend to go up to the state of Illenose (Illiniois) or Gellanea bit I think they will not come this year. But he wants to know how land is to buy whair you are and he desire you to send as much word as you can such as estates for a Family to live on or one thing you know about land. You desire to know from Joshua Stobbs and he sends his best wishes to you and so do thy Ant Betty and cousin John and so do we all and thy mother desire thee to come back again. And when you write again most let us know what a weather you have hade since you wrote last. For we have hade the greatest storm this winter we have hade for 30 years. It begun on the 21st January our pay week and has not ended yet and we have heard of many people losing thear lives. So I end my lines to my distent son HannahGraham