| Title: | McIlrath, James L to McIlrath family, 1861 |
|---|---|
| ID | 4486 |
| Collection | The McIlrath Letters: A family history in letters from New Zealand to Ireland (1860-1915) [Bassett, McKee et al.] |
| File | mcilrath/5 |
| Year | 1861 |
| Sender | McIlrath, James L |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | emigrant |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | 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 | 314 |
| Genre | description of the country, acquaintances |
| Note | |
| Transcript | …I like the country well it is very warm now but it soon changes sometimes it is as cold as you would wish, you would laugh to see the old hands going about on a cold morning with their coats buttoned, there is sometimes heavy thunder and still heavy wind and rain at the same time. The houses are all board, except the towns they are mostly stone, at first when the wind blew strong it nearly feared me as much as when we were on board the Donald only I could get running out if there had been any danger, tea for every meal here, but still plenty of new milk which I use for dinner but the older hands prefers the tea, you may have had a letter from James before this. I should not wonder if he was married. In a (letter) from the Caledonia digging to W.J. Alex, he mentioned some venus with doves eyes and a combination of all that was lovely, I am sure she must been a flower would nearly entice a bee, her father was a Yankee worth some three thousand besides land property in America, good enough but I'm sorry to think he is a worshipper of the money god. I have little more to say but will write soon again. Give my best wishes to Uncle William, and aunts and uncles Tom Logan, Joseph Logan and Mrs and Miss Irwin, Mr Jellie's people. Likewise Robert Cooper Miss Finlay and Jane Russell. Remember me to Aunt Alexander Bella, and the other one Maggy I think they call her and all the rest of the family. No more for the present. But remain, H. Mcllrath When you write direct for me to the care of Mr R. Harper Kyneton or to Kavanagh the same as before. W. J. Alexander to be remembered to all at home. |
