Graham Letter - Watson Peart 1853

John Peart's family was anxious to have the emigres return home as well. Watson Peart, John's and Margaret Wilkinson's brother, so wrote to Margaret and Robert in August. The signature on this letter has not survived, but internal evidence indicates it is from Watson. Durham Record Office Ref: D/X 1035/8 August 30 1853 Deare brothers and sisters I take the time to write you a few lines to let you know that we are all well as this leaves us at persent and we gladley hope those few lines will find you the same and we rescived your letter August 12 and we wure glad to hear from you that you are all well and verey content and Jacob is landed to you. And you said in your letter that John and Joseph is intenden to come home Against the Next shring. So we would like to see you all come And you know what was said About money and how to dou you lannd tell but you must not put your self About with it. You must please your self you said in your letter that you wanted to know wether Watson is making aney money or Not. We has 22 pounds for my pay last year and I espect that we will have as much to year Again but I shal let you know wat I have aften. And you mus let my brother John know that Richard Hard is Married Just lateley she belongs to alstone the wife. And you will want to know how things is loing with us now I think things is much about the same as they have been this last 4 years thair is a grate maney allendale men working both in Derwent and Rukehopee and your uncel Willian and fameley is working in Derwent. We have had old Thomad Natterpress here and he sends his love to Jacob and all of you and Margret said in the last letter that she was a blige to Mary and Hannah** for senden thair kind love to her they are both well. For aney thing that I know we have not seen Hannah since your letter came*** and elizabeth** is at John Wilkinson and I have ben Mowing this harvest I mew 8 days. So I must Conculide with giving our kind love to you all Neither the Pearts not the Grahams in England nor Robert Wilkinson in Blossburg were to get their wish to see John and Joseph. On May 23, 1853 Jonathan Brown sold 50 acres to Joseph Graham and John peart for $460 ¿reserving the rights to the sawing timber with the privilege of taking it withing 10 years¿ Joseph and John chose hill country for their farm, Joseph's granddaughter recalled being told that there was bottom land available, but he had chosen the hills because they reminded him of home. The implication was that he had made a poor choice, since by the 1930's hill farms were nearly worthless. But during Joseph's lifetime, his farm prospered. ¿ *Watson Peart used periods in his letter ¿ **Mary, Hannah and Elizabeth are Margaret's and Watson's sisters ¿ ***Hannah nay have been in service earning funds to pay for her passage to America.