Graham Letter - Christopher Graham 1859

Joseph Graham had not written in some time to his brothers in England. He was clearing and farming a hill farm as well as building a house and barns. Today, there are still one or two people living in the hill country who remember having heard of him. They say he was never still. When he wasn't farming he was cutting wood or piling stone. The latter occupation he had probably learned in his native Killhope. Hannah was also very industrious. She is remembered for being thrifty. She saved their money and ammased some capital in the bank. In addition, she was noted throughout the area for her cookies. In the next letter Christopher scolds Joseph for being a poor correspondent. Durham Record Office Ref D/X 1035/19 Killhope England February 4 1859 Dear brother I take the pleasur to write to you Again hopeing to finde you in good health as it leves us at present for we have been thinking a bout you and wondering what was happened for Jonathan wrote A letter last Apral and we have received no anser back again. But you must recollect you have som frinds yet in weardale who are often thinking of you although dethe (death) prevales on ever hand there are maney of our frinds and neighbours going since you left us for I was called on to tend on my old ant Betty Periat (Peart) who died in last Apral and a bit after our William little lad died* so we are only 4 in family now and a servant. My Mother is frish but wearing down** and Jane Ann is going to school. Jonathan and I is working at park a place which you will know it is a dead level whi(ch) they are driven right up killhope and they are geten some our (ore) in places of her you will recollect som of the vains but they have been sadley worked we are 6 partners. James Carrick Thomas Peart and 2 Isaac Peart but pay is pleaned on in general we have only A swobone. We have not 3 pounds each and our Thomas is in good helth and hast 4 brave sons and a daughter but he hast no pay. Thomas Dalton hast a good pay I h(e)ard and I think rest is all in good health. Our John(s) widow hast had another child last Apral and leven is canny in this country now corn is low flour is one shilling and eight pence per stone. Muslin one and sixpence butter one and A penny. Beaf sixpence mutten sixpence halfpeney per pound stock is dear and especily sheep wool and skinds is dear pottats is sixpence per stone and hay is very low for we have a very open winter yet very little snow. Up to end of January only som shours (showers) but we have hade A grate deal of rain with high winds some. A good stock of sheep as I and Janathan still gaves our minds after them so we keep all weders now and we sold one score of them in the back end. Go to next leaf*** and bought a bout thirty lambs and we have sent ten of to winter and we have A poney About fourteen hands we keep two cows and a stirk and I must not forget Ant Betys John. So he is liven at the same place him and a housekeeper but he is working withFrank Peart and other four men and I belive he hast a afair pay to(o) but they often get to drink and often fites but our house is quite alter there was A grate revival last winter at lane head so I have stedy men all round me. I have to go alone on fell Among sheep on sabath day. We have a me(e)ten every fortnight at our house and ther was A revival at Alston to(o). We had my brother Jacob over this chrismas and A nice young man to(o) he stad a week with us and often went to the Alstone circuit as a local preacher him and another young man goes with him. He is out of his prenaship he was louse (loose) last october and is going on with Thomas Slack yet at so mutch for ever(y) pair of shoes he makes so I cannot tell yet what he can make for he told me he had not worked very hard since he was louse so I must conclude at this time and you must write As soune as posable and all being well I will write you Another. I remain your Obedent Brother Christopher Graham Killhope 1859 *It is not clear to whom Christopher is referring. Did William have a child who lived with the family? It is possible. If the child was born after the 1851 census and died before the 1861 cencus, he would not appear in census records and, if he had his mother's surname, he would not have been found in a search of birth records which sought out Graham family records. Or was there some other child named William living with the family. We don't know. **Hannah Graham, Joseph's mother died in 1860 ***Christopher's direction to the reader of the letter to go to the next page