Graham Letter - John Graham 1856

There was surely a letter, now missing, which came to Joseph Graham in the early summer of 1856 bringing the sad news that his brother William, who had been so ill with the abcesses, had died on May 26, 1856. Only the second page is preserved of the following letter written by John to his brother Joseph, but John's references to William's death and to the fall crops place it in the summer or early autumn of 1856. Durham Record Office Ref: D/X 1035/14 Thomas has got his hilth well again and all his family is well to(o) and is stell worken at Pastergrove yet and had a good pay last year and will do well again this year my mother has only been middling this spring she got up som more blood about when William died but she is quite better now and your Daughter Jane Ann is in very good Hielth and is very like her Mother, and all the rest of the Famialy is very well. They* are dowing very well with farming they have their farm full stockd they have a cow they gave 15 for this spring and thair farm is growing more hay than when you left and Christopher and Jonathan and myself are all worken together yet. In the beginning of this year we got on with Adam Peart** and 4 Partns which made us 8 Partns to Draine the hard level East over in the Killhope head vain at the top of the limesone and will do very well this year but I will let you know more about the Pays the next time I write. Thair was the best Pays in Weardale the last year that ever I (k)new in my life. Thair very few mist a pay last year. But times is very hard hear now. It has been three years of the dearest liven that every I (knew). Flour is 3s and 2d per stone Mutton is 8d per lb Beef is 7d lb Veal 9d lb Butter is 10d lb and was 14d the last Winter. Bacon is 20d lb. You cannot get a store Pig 8 or 9 weeks ould under 21s or 20s and even 30s. Neumilk cheese is 7½ to 8d per lb. Coals is 5pr cwt at Stanhope and 6 per cwt at Westgate. we have got the Train what you call bars up as far as westgate with Coals and thay take the Ironstone back with them to Stanhope and all things is high. Stock of all sort is dear. You cannot get a good cow under £10 to £18 each, a good Horse Three of four years old is £25 to £30 so you may think how a man with a small family can lieve. I would think the Farmers boath hear and in America will be geten rich fast. I understand by the Newpapers fall crops is very great the harvast in the fine part of the Country has begun and the crops of hay is very great and corn to(o) is very great also and Potatoes to(o) is in great plenty I think we will have Cheaper liven soon. so I must end my lines in Good Hilth boath myself and Famiely and I hope thay will find you the same Yours sincerlly J Graham *John is referring here to his brothers Christopher and Jonathan **It is not likely that this Adam Peart is the brother of John and Hannah. There were many Pearts in Killhope including at least one Adam Peart