| Title: | McIlrath, James L to McIlrath family, 1868 |
|---|---|
| ID | 4496 |
| Collection | The McIlrath Letters: A family history in letters from New Zealand to Ireland (1860-1915) [Bassett, McKee et al.] |
| File | mcilrath/15 |
| Year | 1868 |
| Sender | McIlrath, James L |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | farmer |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Leeston, Canterbury, New Zealand |
| Destination | Killinchy, Co. Down, Northern Ireland |
| Recipient | McIlrath family |
| Recipient Gender | male-female |
| Relationship | son-parents |
| Source | |
| Archive | |
| Doc. No. | |
| Date | |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | |
| Log | unknown |
| Word Count | 551 |
| Genre | family, gratitude, emigration, acquaintances, local economy |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Leeston January 10th 1868 Father Mother and Brothers I received yours of Sept. 15th '67 on Nov. 28th also yours of June 14th by due date. We are happy to hear you are all well which we are both at present wishing to be thankful for Blessings received and which we know we receive undeserved I very much fear that we deserve a very liberal allowance of stripes. Time passeth on we have known a new figure added to our number of years, seven it appears has already passed since we left Home and it appears to me as yesterday. But time in New Zealand must be short anyhow. James & David Lemon had a very speedy passage. We return you our sincerest thanks Mother for the parcel you sent by them but thanks is very very commonplace for kindness received, but the time may come when we can give a more convincing proof of our gratitude for a Mother's gift it wakens up to remembrance of former times and shows proof positive that though we are far distant we are not by all forgotten, seas may divide and oceans roll between but Friends is Friends whatever intervene, it has been the lot of many to fight the world's hard fight far from his native land and I myself has seen sufficient to repay for all the difficultys attendant on such a lire let Mr Frew say what he may there is worse places than New Zealand but it wants both willing heart and hands of which I rather doubt he had but scant allowance, faint heart never wins perhaps you all know what I am taking into most serious consideration soon to prove whether I am so faint hearted as my actions leads many as well as myself to believe I see no earthly reason why not, but I humbly confess I doubt my courage, still I am bound to try I am positive they say as ever so when once the idea has took to my head you may guess the rest. But I suppose I am only wasting time on such a subject as no one but those really interested cares for such like, more fit you would say that he would tell us how he is getting on or along what markets is doing how crops looks. Well as Mr Alexander told an old Lady at Tea one evening when she asked Him if he would have Butter or Cheese he simply said both please. Well as to getting on if I said not well I would be very unthankful indeed, and if I said very well that would be boasting but we are doing well. Wheat last season was down to nought per bag, now it is going steadily up 6 shillings per bushel and everybody says it will be very high we have 40 Acres looks an average crop we will have harvest in about ten days. We sold our last years Wheat at 3 shillings per bushel Robert or cousin Robert is well but like others of the name has his own way so I believe he would do a thing sooner by letting him alone than coaxing. So I must wish you all. Good Bye with best wishes I remain yours James L McIlrath |
