60012: A letter home from Canada

A letter to home from Donald B Macrae, Habost, who had emigrated to Scotstown, Compton, Quebec in 1882

"Scottstown, November 20 1882.

Mr John MacKenzie,
Dear Brother-in-law,
I received your kind and welcome letter some time ago for which I was glad to hear that all friends are in health as this leaves me and the family all the same, in the first place I am sorry that James your son is a widower, in the second place you were asking about my crops. I had a very good crop, I am well pleased with everything. I don’t know how many bushels I have of crops as it is not thrashed. I have sowed potatoes and oats and barley and wheat. I am well pleased with the yield of everything. About my stock I have sold a pair of oxen for which I got eighty-five dollars, I am raising a pair of yearling oxen and I have two cows, and two horses and thirteen heads of sheep that is all my stock. I am getting up to the ways of this country every day. I never repented for coming to this country, suppose I would get land for nothing in the old country I would not go back for to live, but I would like to visit the friends once before I die. Kenneth was at home for the last three months and he went away again to the States and Donald is away last week after him to the same place. Kenneth is getting twenty-eight dollars a month and board that is about five pounds twelve shillings a month and Donald will get about twenty-two dollars a month and board.

Annabel was at home for a month and a half, she went to the States to a place called Lowell in the state of Massachusetts, she is getting 12 dollars a month, we expect the two boys home in spring. I had a letter from Allan McLean since two weeks, she has got 5 of a family also Flora she is in good health and her family, she has three of a family, and Mary she is well, she has got three of a family. I was sorry to hear about Murdo, your brother’s daughter. We did not understand the man you said from Arivruaich. We had no snow this winter yet we have splendid good weather. Provision is getting cheaper than it was through the year, flour is 6 dollars and fourth cent a barrel, that is 1, 5 and 8d, botatoes (sic) 50 cent a bushel, butter 20 cent or 10d a pound, beef from 4 to 8 cent, Pork 12 cent lb, Eggs 20 cents doz.

Now you will be so good as to give me the news of the friends at Habost and at Leumra and in all districts you know them yourself, you will give me the news of the finshing and of the markets. Tell me about Kenneth Macmillan and all the friends there and have you the church finished and what minister you have got and what teacher you have got. let me know did Kenneth Nicolson D’son Leumra get married and who she is. All the friends that came her from Lochs here are well in health. There is a nasty disease here called diptheria (sic) and is taking away many lives not near us, no more this time.

from your affectionately

Donald B Macrae

Scottstown, County Compton, P Que, N America

Annabella, Flora, Mary and presumably "the two boys" are his children.