This page contains copies of letters to and from the Earnshaw Family between the years 1839 and 1852.

The letters are generally written to William Earnshaw (1803 - 1852) by his brother John Earnshaw, who emigrated with his wife and children to America in 1842.

The original letters are currently in my possession (John S Earnshaw). If you have any connection with the people mentioned in them, or more information about the lifestyle of the settlers at that time please E-Mail me at john.s.earnshaw@btinternet.com

The letters have been arranged in chronological order so as to provide time continuity between any events mentioned in them.

John to William, Ship Meteor, 22/5/1842
John to John Kaye, Ship Meteor. 22/5/1842
John to William, America, 5/9/1842
John to William, America, 1/1843
John to William, Rochester, 3/6/1843
John to William, America, 10/6/1843
John to Thomas Haigh, Rochester, 16/06/1843
John to William, Rochester, 12/7/1843
John to William, Rochester, 6/12/1843
John to William, Rochester, 12/2/1845
John to William, Eagle Creek, 5/1/1846
William to John, West Bretton, 22/10/1849 - Unposted
John to William, Burlington, 20/12/1849
John to William, Dover, 13/1/1852

To William Earnshaw, Woodman, Kirkburton, near Huddersfield

Ship Meteor, Hull May 22nd 1842

Dear Brother We arrived hear on Wednesday at ½ past 4 and went on Board immediately. We also got our luggage on board the same evening. Since then we have been all on the move in the ship making preparations for our voyage but now we are more settled. We are to sail at 4 o'clock in the morning. We are about 70 Passengers and are rather throng when we are all below and moving. Our room is about 12 yards by 6 Independent of our berths which are very comfortable. Our company on the whole seems good being chiefly farmers. We are all in good health and spirits. Excuse this short letter as I am writing in a thronged room. We wish you all well at Burton and we give you intelligence of our passage as soon as possible. Your Affectionate Brother J Earnshaw

To Mr John Kaye Lockwood near Huddersfield

Ship Meteor, Hull May 22th 1842

Dear Brother We arrived here on Wednesday abut 4.00 and went immediately on board the Meteor. Since then we have been principally Occupied in preparing our provisions and arranging maters on board. We are now pretty well settled and expect to sail tomorrow morning at 4 O'clock. We think we shall have pretty good company being nearly all farmers from the country. Our birth roomy and good. There are about 70 passengers on board. Our room about 12 yards by 6 Independent of our berth. We are all in good health and Spirits. I have not much opportunity of writing being in a Crowded room. Your affectionate Brother J Earnshaw [List on the back of letter]

Money unpaid

James Carter Ben France James Holms Daliy Birdit Josuah Shaw George Beardsell Wm Crossland Joseph Bedford John Holmes Thomas Scolefield Charles Rusby Mesurs Frank and Daley Birdet John Ellis M Turton Ben Mickeltwate 16 - 1½ John Lockwood 8 - 5 - 4 John Mickeltwate - 8 - Dobson Robinson John Brownhill John Milns Joseph Whitly Thomas Lee

To William Earnshaw Kirkburton near Huddersfield Yorkshire England

Sep 5th 1842

Dear Brother You and the rest of our Family will be anxious to here from us before you receive this. I should have wrote sooner if I had had more time and opportunity and now I can only write a Short letter and must cut things of very Short. We came from Quebec By the following places Montreal, Kingston, Toronto, Niagara, Buffalo, Detroit and Landed at Milwaukee 26th of July.

We had as good a journey as we could expect though we had sometimes to sleep out of doors but in this Country and at this Season it is no particular hardship. I will give you some particulars of our journey at some future time. We stopped at Milwaukee in a unfinished house 13 days during which time I and Joseph Schofield was looking round in Country. Some of the country is heavy Timbered as we passed along the roads. We so trees as tall thick and straight as the large tree in Mires Wood principally Oak. There are ten miles together of wood as good as any I ever saw in England. We bought 80 acres each of land near Rochester 30 miles from Milwaukee and 20 from Receen two seaports and it is remarkable that 12 families have come here this summer at different times all from the neighbour hood of Huddersfield and have settled here there lands joining one to the other. Their names are as follows James Tinker from Berybrow Edwin Bottomly Do Crosland F Crowther " Lockwood Joseph Cockroft ) Charles Do ) Birkby Mitchel Lockwood Scot Berybro Woodhead Do Nobles Shepridg Starkey do Henry Hellewill Huddersfield A Kaye new L hill Joseph Schofield and myself

The land in this part of the Country in appearance is like a Gentleman's park. In some places 20 Acres of Land without trees or shrubs and then a number of trees spreading over from 4 to 20 Standing at a considerable distance from each other without brush or underwood but knee deep in herbage which as a very luxuriant appearance. Here grows Mint penny, Rile Balm and hyssop and other garden Herbs and a great many tall plants some of which bear beautiful flowers. Taking this part of the Country altogether it as a fine the Timber in this part is not very good now nor very Strong being more like good hedge trees then what grows on what they call timber land principle bur Oak which is the worst kind. For there are three kinds but they say that Bur Oak will grow on no other than good land. There is some hickory trees the timber of which is equal to English ash and superior for some purposes. The country I believe is more healthy than England the atmosphere is remarkable clear and the are fresh and pure. Every one that I have talked with on the subject considers it healthy. When we arrived at Milwaukee I was much the same as regards the Asthmatic as I was in England. The journey airing made little alteration but now I have almost lost all symptoms of it for I can work at any kind of work without being short of breath and I think better than every I could in England and Sarah and all the rest of our Family are all improved in health. I think Caroline is very much improving. We are all in good health and well satisfied that we have come. The 80 Acres of land that I have bought is 2 miles from Rochester where there his a saw-mill and a corn mill near it. I think 50 Acres may be ploughed without any hindrance. From 12 to 20 Acres may be low land which in winter is covered with water but in summer is dry and a heavy crop of hey grows on most of it. Some is wet in summer and Grows tall grass and bulrushes. One place would be easily converted into a fishpond and the rest by cutting a dike would be cleared it need be, but at present it is needed for Hay land. We have got props from 12 to 20 tuns of Hey in a Stack and intend getting more as it is very little trouble besides mowing and leading. We have got 3 Cows and 2 Calves the cost of them all is £6.13.6 English. We could keep 50 head of Cattle in some with no other cost than looking after, the pasture being plentiful and all the cattle looks well and there is as fine cattle here as any in England. We expect Charles Kay at our house every week or two as Sarah washes for him. I am building a frame house 24 foot by 12 within and we expect to get into it in a week or so. We get our timber from the saw mill at Rochester at 7½ dollars a thousand foot of surface for ½3 + Inch Boards. Thicker timber is more in proportion to its thickness. The cost of all the materials for the House may be £10 English. We are at present living with a scotch family in a log house and paying about 3/0 per week. Our land which is ½ a mile long and ¼ of a mile broad as just as much timber on it as makes it look well but we shall be obliged to fell a good deal for fencing and fuel, but if the firs be kept of from any part of it would soon become a thick wood as it is burning the herbage in the fall and Spring that keeps it from being all wood. Please let all our Relatives know we are well and satisfied with our undertaking, especially my Mother and Sarah Mother and Brothers & Sisters which we hope are all in Health. Give our love to all our Friends. Sarah wishes me to state that she likes the country very well.

To Mr William Earnshaw Kirkburton near Huddersfield Yorkshire England

Dear Brother I received your letter on the 21st December and both me and all the rest of our family was very glad to hear that you was all in good Health and particularly that our Dear Mother was as well as could be expected and we felt glad also that Trade was improving for we have heard shocking accounts from England which makes us glad to hear of any amendment for we feel for our Relatives and friends we have left and we many times wish you where all in this country you judge right when you say you think you could live more comfortable on a farm than in the bustle and anxiety of trade for I confident if you could come and bring 3 or 4 Hundred pounds with you you might lay the foundation for both you and your Children's prosperity and you would like a farmers life in America. You say that Brother Benjamin would like to come. I heartily wish both he and is family where hear for I have no doubt but he would do well especially if he would by 80 acres of land and work at Masonry in summer an on his land in winter for there is no masonry going on in winter, in Summer and till November Masons are much wanted in some parts of this Country and get near 2 Dollars pr day wages, there is likely to be a Quantity of Masons wanted at Milwaukee and Receen next summer for I have heard they have each a grant from government to make a harbour which is expected to commence next spring we lodged 6 weeks with a masons wife he was a scotch man and was working 40 miles from home is wife told us he made 2 & sometimes 3 Dollars a day. there is no Mason work in this neighbourhood but they are beginning build with brick considerable at Rochester and in the neighbourhood. I will now answer your Questions with respect to provisions I state the price we have given I will state the price in Cents flour we have bout at 350 C pr Barrel 196lb Beef. 3 C pr lb we bought one hog Ready for salting 183lb for 320 Cents 28 Bushels of potatoes at 14 Cents per Bushel the Pork and Potatoes are Better than ever we had in England at least we all think so sheep may be bout at 200 Cents each or under sugar 10 Cents pr lb Coffee unroasted 12 Cents pr lb Butter 10 Cents in Summer & 12 in Winter P lb Milk 3 Cents pr Quart Groceries I Expect will lower very considerable as they can be bout at about half price at Buffalo but store Keepers here makes very large profits wages appears to me to be from 30 to 100 Cents pr Day for labourers Carpenters 150 pr Day for wood Chopping from 50 to 100 Cents, but it is a winters job in harvest wages are hire. the Land that I have Bout may be considered level yet not entirely so it is half a mile from South to North & East to West Quarter of a mile in passing from North to South you pass through 2 Valleys which Divides the Land in 3 almost Equal parts and yet the highest part perhaps is not 10 yards higher than the Lowest from East to West is nearly level a Road passes through from East to West and our house stand on the South side the Road. We have dug a well and have found very good water at 14 foot deep the well stands 4 foot deep in water. We have built a very good house for the Cattle which would hold 8 or 10 head of Cattle. Our Cattle consists of 3 Milk Cows 2 fine Calves 1 Cock 2 Hens 1 fine Dog 1 Cat. Since the burning of the prairie Grass (which was a fine a sight for there was stripes of fire 2 or 3 miles in Length Running a long with great speed) we have a better opportunity of judging our land and we like ours much better for the soil is about 16 or 18 Inches Deep and of a good Quality and free from any encumbrance and a pleasant situation some of the land as a many herth fast Stones laying on the surface something like large boulders of Iron Stone and yet there is no rocks found after the soil there is Clay mixed with a little lime for 6 or 8 foot there is brick made of the Clay but they min near ½ sand the Clay will not make brick without the sand because of the lime it contains in some of the neighbouring land there are sand beds which abundantly supply it for any purpose there is lime in the neighbourhood of Rochester which they get and burn. We have plenty of water for our Cattle independent of our well and shall have all the year Round We have no stone in our land it is bounded by similar Land to ours and bout up all round us we have 9 Houses in sight some of our neighbours here bout 5 or 6 Hundred Acres there is betwixt 20 and 30 English families round hear. the Country is in general level, there is nothing made of Bark I hear of one Tan yard but the Leather apears very Badly Tanned I think Tanning would be a good business. Rochester contains 2 Taverns 4 Shopkeepers 1 Sawmill 1 Iron foundry 2 Blacksmith shops 1 Church and perhaps 20 or 30 Houses besides it is rising Rapidly Town lots of land are selling for More than a Hundred Dollars pr acre and perhaps not 4 years since was bought at 1¼ Dollars Burlington town 4½ miles from us is a very Pleasent place and very Raped in its Growth there a good water fall which turns a Corn Mill. there is no manufacture yet but they are beginning to form Companies Both at Rochester & Burlington for the purpose of building Woollen factories the farmers all round are very wishful to have Manufactory going on hear for I Believe Sheep answers very well in this Country I have seen some very good Wool which as been grown hear up to the 9th of November we ad very fine weather but out winter set in on the 10th which begun to be Could + snow fell + continued a few days till the snow was a foot deep which as continued, sometimes it is very could for a day or two and then we have pleasant and not very could for a week or two. Henry Marsden and Wife & 5 Children arrived hear the day the Storm began and as stopped with us and perhaps will do till the snow go he is intending to by land as soon as he can look it out. We have Charles Kaye with us yet his strongest desire is for his Father Mother & family should come to this country I think they could not do better if I was in their situation & knowing what I do of this Country and could rouse 400£ I would without any hesitation leave old England Religion in this Country is generally respected we have preaching in our neighbourhood almost Every Sunday I am thankful to say that we all enjoy good health both our own family and those that are with us Emma is living in Service at Rochester Caroline is at home You will see by the blunders I make it is no easy thing for me to write amidst a House full of Children. Sarah wishes you to get Thomas Haigh send word respecting all her relatives especially her sisters at Stailey Bridge. Give our love to all relatives and Brother [signature cut off]

I should have wrote to Cousin David Lockwood & several other friends before now but Cost of letters & a want of more information a want of opportunity as Kept me back yet tell David what information you have received and that I will write to him as soon as I can with any degree of satisfaction

I have heard there are fine tracts of land unsold further West but I have not the means of going to see them.

Rochester June 3rd 1843

Dear Brother I now write to you not for the purpose of giving you much information respecting the country as to show you the condition we are in. We are all in good health and have been since our arrival here except Sarah who as ad something like the jaundice for about a month in Winter but since her recovery she as been very well and well able to work at out door work which she dose almost every day. I wrote an answer to your letter and sent it off the latter end of December and as far as I know agreed to your proposals and answered your Questions except the Question what kind of roads are there which I forgot to answer but the roads are better than could be expected in a new country where very little labour is expended on them. as I have received no answer to my letter I begin to doubt weather you have received it or not but I can assure you that has been because of much uneasiness both to me and Sarah that we have received no answer and I am afraid will be a great loss too I will relate to you my transactions with Joseph Scofield so that you will see in what predicament I am in. when I first ad money of J Schofield I told him perhaps I should not want it more than 6 months as I ad full confidence in you promise, when your letter came informing me you ad not sent the money I did not feel much disappointment and I thought it was my manner of writing which caused you to think I ad forgot our agreement but I ad not. Perhaps it was my fault that I did not mention I ad bought the land and built the House for you. When I told J Schofield you ad sent a letter but no money and the reason you ad not sent it he did not seem dissatisfied about it and promised if I wanted any more money before yours came he could let me have some and I have ad 6 sovereigns more with which I partly paid for a yolk of Oxen which cost me 8£-9-0 for I could do nothing without oxen and now I am in debt to Joseph Schofield 56£ with 7 pr cent interest which is the Lawful interest in this territory and 4£ 10s to Charles Kay and 4£ to Joseph Wimpenny wages and 5 Dollars for flour for which I have left my gun as a pledge and how to raise the money to redeem it I cannot tell for almost all money in the Country goes to pay for more land. Since your money did not come in April as I expected Joseph Schofield as entirely changed his conduct towards us he as demanded the money though he new we could not pay it he as wanted us to sell our cattle and let him have the money and both him and his wife us by calling us rogues and thieves and that we ad got their money for the purpose of cheating them out of it and this they have circulated all round in the neighbourhood all the answer I have made to these slanders is I hope I shall be able sometime to prove my self honest up to time that J Schofield changed his conduct I had given him no Acknowledgement for the money for he ad never required it but since he as required one and I have given him a note that I promise to him or is order 56£ with interest on or before the first of September which if you do not send me the money I cannot fulfil. You may think that we have expended a deal of money but I can assure you that we have spend the money with as much economy as we could. We have ad a great many things to buy that we could not do without such as Cans Bowls Churn for the Milk Spades Mattock scythe Chains and etc. for farming Grind Hone 2 American Axes Broad axe Augers and Chisel to build with and among other things which we could not do without except depended on Borrowing which I see no profit in, my expenditure is something near as follows. £ s d Paid for Land 20 14 0 Expenses in Building House and Cattle House 15 0 0 Cooking Stove 6 10 0 Cattle 15 10 0 Milk and Farming Utensils 3 10 0 Paid for Hay and Hay as been as High as £2 pr tun, for 1 1 0 we ad to buy one tun for Oxen to Load Hay fire wood etc. We had to pay a dollar a day to J Schofield for Oxen before we got our own though ½ a dollar is a regular price he demanded a dollar and would take no less after I new his change I have taken care to have them no more 1 1 0 for Rent Before got a House 1 15 0 for Removing from Milwaukee 1 10 0 Spent in looking Round before I bought land 1 0 0 for Shoes Mending 3 0 Besides what we have made by selling Butter which as not been much and about 2£ we have received from Henry Marsden for Him and family stopping with us during Winter it apears we have spent in provisions 8 7 0 £ 74 10 0

I ad about 14£ left when I ad paid for Landing etc. Milwaukee 14 0 0 Recd of JS 56 0 0 + CK 4 10 0 74 10 0

In 10 Months (Lord?) we have ad Joseph Wimpenny to keep 9 months he is gone with Henry Marsden 25 miles off West and we have Soap and Candles to buy which cost as much here as in England so you will see we have not been very extravagant in our living. We are getting very low in shoes for we have not been able to buy any nor any leather to make any with which I mean to do as soon as I can. We all like the country well and like our land better now this Spring than before. We think you have very little Land in England Equal in goodness to it and there is now a beautiful run of water which runs from East to West 2 yards wide and about 8 inches deep. How long it will continue we cannot tell for there was no run in the fall our situation begins to be noticed as been pleasant and I think it may be made a beautiful place in its present condition if it where within 5 miles of Huddersfield it would be worth more than 2 thousand pounds. This neighbourhood is very pleasant at this time of the year. I am anxious to write to David Lockwood and B L Shaw as I promised but I cannot spare money now at present to pay for Letters. Please let all our friends and relatives know we are well and tell my Mother not to trouble on our account for we are satisfied with our change of Country though we are at present in difficulties for want of money to set us a going. For want of money we can neither get plough wheat nor seed but we have put some Indian Corn into the ground and put seed in how it will answer we cannot tell but some as come up. We have 10 Bushels of Potatoes which we ad intended to set but we can get no one to plough for us and the sod is so tough we can make nothing of graving for them we have 320 yards of Cop and ditch fencing done and rails for about 600 yards more so that ad we ad your money we could have broke up and sown with wheat 20 acres. We have done more with the same means than any other in our neighbourhood but you will see the delay in not Receiving your money will be a great loss to us and if you decline sending it it may Reduce us to Extreme difficulties for some time. However let me know what you intend to do as soon as possible I should like you to send the money or come yourself. I did not buy the Land in your name for the agent at the Land Office told me the receipt he gave me was the title to the Land and if I gave it to any other person I should give him my title deeds will come out when the territory is made into a state. If you will send me the money 100£ I will either get it transferred on to your name and send it you or send it you as it is. I have no more time it being the letter day. I find my letter cannot go of to day. from your Affectionate Brother

Since I wrote the above I have sold a Cow and Calf for 13 dollars which will pay the 5 dollars for flower we have had and for one acre of ground breaking up for potatoes and find us provisions 6 weeks longer. John Earnshaw

We think providence as favoured us in all we do for every thing seems to proper with us. I am chosen a trustee for building a School here

[side note on last page] I made an error in my last letter in the Expense of House and Cattle House.

To William Earnshaw Kirkburton near Huddersfield Yorkshire England

June 10th 1843

This country is a fine country for cattle and sheep answers very well and grows good wool. Before long there will be Manufactory going on here. There is at present a scribbling mill building at Waterford and a factory at Burlington each 5 miles from us and a large factory at Milwaukee. Charles Kay is a Milwaukee making wagons. I saw him about 6 weeks since he was then in Health and good spirits I have not herd of him since Wednesday. This week I have been 13 miles west into the country to buy wheat for flour for me and 2 other of my neighbours. I paid 75 Cents per Bushel. I saw some as fine country as ever I saw which ad been settled about 4 years and was nearly all cultivated and fine crops of corn growing on them and the farmers all appear to be rapidly rising hear. When land as got broke up and the sod rotted one hors can plough more in a day than three would in England, the land being so easy to work. You must not delay sending an answer as you will see how I am situated. I believe the best way to send money would be to pay it to Swan Merchant Huddersfield and for him to direct is agent at New York to pay it in to one of the banks at New York to draw an order on the bank for it and send the order by Post to me which wood be as good as gold here. Several have received money from England that way.

[The above letter looks to have been the envelope enclosing the following. No address or date on the following page]

I wish you would send me the money without further delay for I have lost several opportunity for want of money. I had a yoke of nice and good Oxen offered for 30 Dollars and could I have taken them they would have saved more than half their prise by this time for when I Borrow I have ½ a dollar pr day to pay for them and Oxen may be bought at 2/3 the price in winter than summer and Oxen are almost indispensable for farmer. They are strong and very mild and tractable. Our William will be a good Ox driver he frequently drives Joseph Schofields. Flour and Pork may be bought cheaper 10 miles West in Winter and ad I ad money and ox I would have gone and Bought my next years supply for I could have made considerable saving. We have bought our flower potatoes and Pork at our own door of persons coming from a distance. Do not imagine the farmers are not paid because things sell low I have talked with many of them and they all say it answers well for them and some have told me that gathering in their crop is the nevest job they have it being so abundant. If we ad ages to saw to raise whicks for fences it would answer very well in this part of they country. If Brother Ben comes he wood do well to bring as many as he could get. One Pound pays for 484 Cents one English shilling 22 Cents 100 Cents in one Dollar. You may make the prises into English. The way that some have received Money from England by Swan Merchant who as an agent n New York they give the money to Swan at Huddersfield he writes to his agent to deposit the amount in a Bank at New York and take out an order for it and send the order by Post to those who have to receive the money for that Order they can any time get gold or Silver to the full amount at Rochester. that I think would be the best and safest way for you to send. My old friend John Wild Spring St Huddersfield would introduce you to Mr Swan. Government Land is 100 Dollars for 80 acres. Land cannot be let but it will rise in value that is the reason I wished you to lay out another 100£ an the best parts are taken first. With regard to the Title deed being made to you I am Quiet willing for I wish you to have no more risk than can be avoided but I do not expect to get a title deed this 2 or 3 years but I have a Receet for the money which I paid for the Land or the money Returned without Intrest, that I will send you if you wish till the title deed come out. But I should like to request that if when you come I should like to be able to repay you your money with 5 pr Cent Intrest and 20£ more for the risque you run you should give me back posesion but I leve that to do as you pleas. I intend to spend all my labour on the Land and also the Labour of my famely as much as can be made profitable I have had Joseph Wimpenny Working 4 months at one Pound pr Month and board now I have him for board only which costs us little. The Cost of the Land 20£ 14s I have expended about 20£ in matearials for the House and Cattle Shade all the Labour we have done ourselves. The House will take 5 or 6£ more to finish it to make it suficant for Winter. Some Line their houses with brick and them plaster, others lat them and Plaster and others line with boards. The cost is nearly the same brick may be a little more but I think it is the best. The Cost of a good Barn would be about 40£ but that will not be wated till summer after next, fencing in this Contry take considrable for a suficant fence is 7 Rales High and find I have very little timber proper for fencing it being to strong and of a kind that will not split I have had 5 Acors of good timber land ofered for 4 Sovrings two miles of but could not take it for want of money and I am afraid the opertunity for getting it past. The Americans generley by up the best timber land and when the other lands are taken they sell the timber land for 3, 4 or 5 times as much as they give for it. I have taken a few trees to the sawmill to get sawn in to boards 4 inches Broad and 1 Inch thick for fencing. I pay 4 Dolors for 1000 Squar foot of Bord Sawing. I shall only get one or two 1000 foot Sawn to fence by the Road side. We had 9 hours from Sun rise to sun Set on the Shortest day.

[No date or heading or signature to this sheet]

I should have given more information but my steel pens would not last now I have a good Quill but the time is almost gone and I must write to you on aother subject. When I got to Millwalkey I ad only 14 soverings left. Of corse at first I thought of working at anny thing for a living but on concideration I thought the soner we could be perminantly settled the better and Joseph Scofield profored if I would go with him to looke out for a situation he would lend me some money till I could send to you for some. I have had 40 pounds from him and I shall have to get ten more as I have bought a great many things farming utencels and a cooking stove which cost 7 Pounds and ad I ad money to spare I would have bought a wagen and plow and two or three yoke of oxen and comenced plowing for weat and I could have lead my timber, for every thing which is done by Hire is very high a wagen costs about 60 Dolors a yoake of good oxon 50 to 60 Dolors Horses about 50 Dolors each. If you will pleas send me a 100 Pounds I think I could turn it to advantage we shall have to Bye all our living for 12 months or nearley and as we shall have a good deale of Hay I think we probly might buy a stock of Cattle low in winter I have Joseph Wimpenny with me as a man to asist me and probly may keep him two or three Months to asist me to Fence etc. The land is very good and the soner it is got into cultivation and the better it grows exclent crops of potaties and all sorts Garding vegetables and Cowcumbers pumkins and watermelons without tilling. I have seen good crops of weat, Oats and Indian Corn. For want of time I did not finish my letter when I wrote the above and the week after Charles Kay arived from Iowa he stoped with us one week and has got work 5 miles off and has been one week at work I Read to him what I had written and he thinks my statements respecting the land and Cuntrey to be corect. He traveled on foot from Iowa to this place a distance of about 300 miles and he states that the more he observe and becomes acquented with the Contrey and the better he is satisfied with it. He states that many fine sections of ladn both i Iowa and Wisconsin are unocupied but will not remane so long because emigration is going on so rapidly there are persons ariving here almost every day from England Scholand Ireland Norway Germany etc. In fact this Contrey is ettling at a very raped rate. Charles exceedingly regrets that none of his family have come out this fall which he expected for he is pursuaded that four or five Hundred Pounds could be so invested in land as to be of more real servicus than as many Thousands could be in England he hopes the whole of the family will prepare to come out in Spring. Charles wished me to get you to send two Hundred pounds one to buy more land with for much better locations can be had when a person can buy 3 or 4 hundred Acors as they may then have both Timber and perarey Charles complains of the land I have bought for having too little Timber on it thoug it has as much Timber on it as would sell with you for two or three Hundred pounds. I reley think you could not doo better than send another Hundred pounds to invest in land for I beleve in many parts of the Countrey land will rise in value verey fast and I should like to lay foundation for you and the rest of our famaley to come to this Contrey. I think the bes way to send me money would be to get Mrs Shaws to send it to me by poast from New York. Please loose no time in sending me either all or part of what money you intend to send as I shall want to get oxon to lead timber for fencing and breaking up land we have got in to our own house and we are very comfortable though we have neither dore nor windows though we have window frames and Glas and putty and wood for dore but I have not time to put them in for I have been 7 or 8 days helping Joseph Schofield to build him a house when we get our house finished I think it will be as comfortable the houses on Burton dean. We have a good sellor we chirn 9 or 10lb of Butter per week we have more Milk than we can use and intend to buy a pig or two to give our spare milk too. The butter we can sell at 10 Cents per lb. Brother Benjamin might doo very well in this Countrey please write soon and let me know what you intend to doo and direct. We are sorey to here that England is in a disturbed state and that there have been riting and bloodshed. Send as much information as posable when you write Your afectionate Brother JE

John Earnshaw Rochester Recein County Wisconsin Terotory United States America

To Mr Thomas Haigh Dogley bar Kirkburton near Huddersfield Yorkshire

Rochester June 16th 1843

Dear Brother Having an opertunity of sending you a letter free of expence to Liverpool by a man who is comming to Mirfield and intend bringing his famely next Spring I will send you as much information as my time will alow. I received Brother Wm letter enclosing yours and also a letter from new york 3 days since. We are happy to hear you are in health and doing well and that Mother and all the rest of the famelys are all in health. We are all in good health and we like the country very well. Your prospects in England get worse but can hope for better days here there can be no dout of industres dooing well here after they have got things going. You wish to know what some of money would be suficiant to set a famely like yours a going here. If you wish to purches 80 Acors of land and imploy all the famely in cultivating if you ought to have 100 Pounds after you got here but some get land and settle on it we had very little to begin with by letting part of the famely work and wile the rest is working for themselves but with a Hundred pound to begin with here you might work all for yourself and get established in easey circumstances much soner for a family with 40 acors of land in cultivation need not fear want any more I have seen places where persons came into this country about 4 or 5 years since with very little money that would be worth if they were at burton in England ten Thousand Pounds and they can keep their horses and wagens and gigs and large quantites of cattle and live with very littel labour but all do not succeed a lik but very few fail getting land after being a year or two nearley all the Land that I have seen in this country is good some is I think is better than any land in England. Weat does well here. Oates grows very well. They tell of reaping 400 Bushels of Putaties pr acor and they are better than any we had in England they are not troubled by worms here. India corn does well some years though the last year it failed in some places. Carrets, Turnips Role bages etc all doo well here. Cows doo well and give Rich milk and good butter. Sheep is concidred to answer better here than in any other part of America. The flece is very fine and weighs from 7 to 9lb each. Pigs are feed at very little cost or trouble and is very good heating. Cattle altogeather do well the pastor being so good and abundant though the Number of cattle round hear is concidrable. We are no more solatary hear than we should be on burton dean for every thing look pleasent and lively though there are few singing Birds here there are some which are singing in a morning before we rise and we have a many birds very buitfull the birds generly are larger here than in England and we have wild ducks, gees Cranis and a meny Rinds of long Birds which is good eating but I am no hand at Shoting. I havt shot some few wild pidgons which in the fall are numurs here there are plenty of fishes in the lakes and rivers hear I have seen 5 or 6 Beautiful lakes some from a mile to 3 or 4 miles over some with Butiful little Ilands in them we have 3 within 4 miles of us. My Brother Wm writes as though we had stragant water in our land. Tell im we have no such thing for in the swamp I mentioned as growing bulrushes the water is always fresh and good but a months labour woud dry our land except the creek which is at preasent a pleasant and conciderable streem which runs through our land from East to West. It is caled Egal Creek it is the outlet for Egal lake which is about 2 miles of and runs into for river about 1½ miles off. Our situation is both helthey and pleasant and capable of being made a fine place the Land being of so good a soil we have got some plowed and I think you have no better in England. Any person coming here must expect to labour hard one or two years but though I was in a better situation than most in England yet I rather be here than there if my hard labour was to continue for I feel myself more my own man and though I labour hard and long yet the work being so various it becomes pleasent to me. All kinds of garding vigtables gow well here there is very little fruit grown but people are planting Apel pear plumb and peaches and a many others kind of fruit trees. Fruit trees are sold at 12 Dolors one Hundred 3 years growth from grafting some of the Dealers in fruit trees advertiz more than one hundred sorts of fruit trees for sale, Strawberyes, Rasberys Plumbs Cheris Goosberys Curnberys etc some other kinds of fruit grow wild but is not very plentiful about here except strawburys which I think will be plentifull. Clothing is dear shoes are dear and pore. Anything made of iron is about twice as much as in England. Americon hedged tools are better than those made in England I think they ahve better steel Graving Spades an mattoc etc ac arrow teeth strong chanes 2½ yards long with hook at each end for Ox Chairns would be of use. No English ax or Bil are of use hear to persons not acostomed to use them the American ax is much better many as brout throws or lathes for turning I do not se much use for them. Clothing Beding Shoes or Boots which is most wore here I think is the most profitable to bring here and a gun for thos that like to Shoot for guns are dear hear. There is wild dear here we have seen them frequently pasing at a distance. The American shave Rifles for shoting them. I heard of one man having shot 13 in a little time they large and good eating. I have not been able see a wolf yet no one dreads them more than you do a fox. I have kiled a meny Rattle Snakes and other sorts but they are pore week defencles things and we feel no dread of them at all they will try to get out of your way but are very slow and we can esely make them a pray. They grow from a yard to four foot long. We have had a cold winter we had snow laying from November to April those who have been in the country say there as been more cold winter than in three winters before altogeather however we never ad any colds though we went to fell and lead railing into the woods kneedeep in snow for days to geather. I think colds are not freequent here. I think for those who intend to come here the way by new york is better than Quebeck as there are so many places to change vesels up Canaday I beleve it to be the cheper and Quicker pasage by New York it is as well for persons when landing at any place not to be in to grate a hurey in makeing his ingagements for his next pasage for there are generly persons who wish to ingage them before they have an opertunety of making any inquiry and some after they have ingaged have found it out they could have done much better. We ad a note of our ingagement with a steamer from buflo to be landed at Milwaukie free of any further expence and when a vesel came to take us of the Seenor (which could not land) I refused to give up my note till I was asured by the mate of the steamer we should have nothing to pay for landing and yet they charged me about 10s English and retained our logage till I had paid it, which need not have don ad I kept my note till we ad landed. My time is gone the letter from New York is respecting the mony Brother William as sent for me by Swanns Agent at New York we expect to get it soon I shall write to him as soon as we get it. No more at presant from your Afectionate Brother John Earnshaw You may let my Brothers and Sisters reed this if you pleas. Person are ariving here almost every day nine arived this morning at Rochester. The best parts of this neibourhood is taken up a meny come here from York State they all say the land is better here than there yet there are Great Quantites of land unsold yet but persons are ariving from Scotland Ireland duch Norway and England in great Quantites no one need fear getting on who can arive with One Hundred Pounds and a famely that can work

the person that brings this to liverpool is name is George Sheard he as bout here Cover of Mirfield

John to William, Rochester, 12/7/1843

To Mr William Earnshaw Kirkburton near Huddersfield Yorkshire England

Rocheshester July 12th 1843

Dear Brother I received your letter on the 14th of June and one from New York on the same day I wrote to New York and requested Mr Steniheil to put the money into a Bank and send me the certificate of Deposit after deducting his charges he deposited 475 Dolors and 80 Cents and sent me the certificate for which I got gold to the full amount at Milwaukie. I have now paid off my Debts and have got about 14 Acors of land broke up 3½ Acors I pay for breaking up by lending our Oxon and 10½ Acors I have payd 2½ Dolors pr Acor for breaking up we have planted ¾ Acor with potaties and sawn near an Acor with Buck weat and planted a little Indian Corn the rest that broke up we intend for fall weat. Charles Kaye is still at Milwaukie he enjoys good health and likes very well he thinks he will have to go to Iaway Citty this somer to fetch his chest of Tools and clothes which he left there. Milwaukie is thriving very fast there are now a great quantaty of Shops some of them very large and well stocked with all kinds of Merchantdice there is wagens Plows and all other Kind of farming utenciels and all kinds hard ware of a very good quality exposed for sale clothing is Dear lether sells soil lether 20 Cents pr lb Top lether 5 Dolars pr Hide Calfskin 1 Dolor pr lb Cow or Ox hides sells at 3 to 4 Cents pr lb when green Calf skin at 12 Cents pr lb. We have now been nere 12 Months in this countrey the last faul we had very fine clear weather up to the 10 of November when a snow fell and the weather became cold and the ground was not all clear of snow till the latter end of March or the fore end of April snow fell several times during winter but for the most part the weather was fine and clear but the wind was very cold some times it was so cold we could not doo any kind of work out of dores and at other times we went into the woods to fell and lead timber for fencing up to the knee in snow yet we never any of us got a cold we was always in good helth and spirits. the winter was a great deal colder than winters are in England but all those that have been in the country a few years say we had more cold last winter then they had in any two winters before the Indians say they ad such another winter twenty years since this spring is considered to be a late one and yet there are very fine crops of weat which will be ready for cutting in a week or two we have ad one or two thunderstorms which far exedes any thunder and litening I ever saw in England some time the thunder was like hevy artelery a clap and then ceaced all at once and at other times there was a rowling for hours to geather now we have hot suney days but there is allways a cool refreshing brees I have not felt the heat opresif here as I used in to do in England there is no sultrey days here I have comenced mowing and can mow much better than I expected I doo not find it very hard work. the Miskittes are the most trublsome at this seson they are trublesom about 3 months their bite is atended with a strong iching they are most troublesom in the night but where the wood is cleared and the land broke up they cease to be troublesom as they arbour in the trees and tall grass. I am sorey to here that my Dear Mother was so ill when you wrote but hope she as got better I also feel sorey that you should loose so considrable from Keeping your money or to send to me praps it may be sometime in my powr to make some restitution. Praps you may have seen a letter I sent T Haigh which would give you some other information and I am now hast. I will write to you again in 6 to 8 wekes and give you all the information you require as fare as I can I think Brother Benn wife need not be afraid of Pining in this country I think they would do well here we have Preachings at our house every Sunday we are going to build a school in our nebourhood I remain Your afecinate Brother J Earnshaw

Sarah and Children like here very well the children can injoye themselves as well as ever they could in England

John to William, Rochester, 6/12/1843

To Mr William Earnshaw Kirkburton near Huddersfield Yorkshire England

Rochester Dec 6th 1843

Dear Brother I have delayed writing longer than I ad intended when I wrote to you last but my time and atention as been taken up so much with other things I hope you will forgive me. myself and Wm and Elizabeth as enjoyd uninterupted good health Caroline is as as been 8 or 10 Days sick of her teeth and goomes Sarah & Emma as had the Haigey Emma was about a month down and Sarah near two months she is not Quiet recovered though the Agey as left her she continues rather week. Several of our nebours have ad the Agey this fall though I cannot sea reason why this country should not be as helthey as any country in the world. We think Sarah & Emma got the Agey by riding in a Wagen across the preary about 4 or 5 miles after Dark as they both begun the next day I have no dout but that Sarah will soon be established in health again. When Sarah & Emma was taken sick we could get no medison for some time neither the Doctors nor Shops ad any by them ad we been able to procure medcin we might have stoped it in a few days Sarah being sick as been conciderable inderance to me I had bought a Quantaty peses & whole Bricks to line our House with & we ad nearly finished leading them with our own Oxen and a wagen that I ad made when Sarah & Emma fell sick I commenced lining our house which as taken concidrable time I had to reap our buck weat and get our potatoes when I ad got about 20 Bushels of putatoes the frost set in for a few days very sevear which frose a concidrable Quantaty of them that was left in the ground but I succeeded in getting in about 60 Bushels in good condition I have lined the house and half the chamber if Sarah ad not been sick we should ave ad all these things done in good time. We have had a cow died of the blendwaters we did not now she ailed any thing much more than half an Hour before she died she was Quite fat and would have been good beef ad we Kiled a day or two soner I have bought one, saw an 2 hogs I gave 5¼ Dolors for them I have sen 50 pr Hog asked for no better Hogs in Huddersfield one of the Hogs we are feeding We have kiled a young Bill for Beef and I have Bout 41 Bushels of weat at 50 Cents pr Bushel I think we have almost laid in all our provisions for near 12 Months. We have about 9 Acors of weat sawn and we have about 4 Acors Plowed for Indian Corn Putatoes turnips & Buck weeat. You may judg of the gooness of our land when we tell you we put a few pumkins seeds into the ground in July without any Silage & in the laterend of September we had pumkins near 4 foot round and some land we ad broke up in July and was not sawn till the first week in October ad herbs grown on it 6 foot High and Stolks at Thick as a walking stick after the Land as ben broke up and the sod roted and a few large bolders which is something like Ironstone have been gathered off the land is fine and mellow as a garding so free from Sones that you may strike your ax into the ground without fear of taking of the edg. I have ad an ofer of 200 fruit trees in exchange for one of our Oxen for another Ox the Trees are 3 yer old and sels at 4 Cents per Peice our Ox is a hevy strong Ox would wey about 16 stone pr Quarter the other Ox is a good ox but the man as one nearly like ours in size and colour and he is proud to have is oxon well matched I have not yet determened wether I shall take is ofer or no though I Believe an Orchard would pay well after 7 or 8 years growth. I still like this countrey some parts of it are very pleasant and it is becoming settled on all sides and some towns are rising very fast betwixt 30 or 40 Thousand Emegrents arived in Milwaukie in 3 month a great many come our of York state they all say the land is better here. I have no dout but this will be a Manufactring Countrey for they say sheep improves here if they be brought from any other State they get larger and grow better wool. Cattle of every kind feed well on the praris Cows here give richer and plesenter tasted Milk than we ever ad in England Milwaukie is rising very fast I should think 2 or 300 Houses have been put up this somer and the Stores begins to be numours and some of the Extencive people begin to Build concidrably with brick. Brick sels at 3½ Dolors pr Tousand and lime at 10 Cents pr Bushel if Brother Benjamin ad come here at Spring he might have had worke plenty at Rochester he might have earned 1½ Dolors pr Day one days work would have found his famiely with provisions a week the prices of various articles are conciderable reduced since we came here You may buy at Milwaukie Shuger from 6 to 10 Cents pr lb Coffee from 9 to 12 Cents Soap 7 Cents Tea 70 Cents pr lb very good and some sorts of waring aparil is Pretty resonable for a new Countrey Shoes 1 Dolor Boots from 2 to 4 Dolors good strong Calico at 10 Cents shuch as would sell at 4 in Huddersfield. there is always a market for weat which varies from 50 to 70 Cents it being lowest about this time of the year & hiest in July & August. Money is very scarse here for meny of the new comers have but little to begin with and have to work all kinds of shifts to pay for their land and go on till they have a return but most of the old setlers seem to be doing well though I believe some of the as ad to struggle hard for a year or two but now they can live with ease and plenty I should like you and Brother Benjamin to come in spring I think you would both like this countrey if you come I should advise you to bring Plenty of warm clothing for winter and good Beds and Beding the tools I should recomend to bring graving spades sholes Dung fork ax mattock English axes and Bils are very little used here you might prefer them being acustomed to them I have seen very little use for laiths here yeat anny made of Iron is sold High Cheans is 10 to 12 Cents pr lb good spades and sholes are 1 Dolor each Matac 1½ Dolors each if you could Bye one or two Ginis which was seling very low when we came away being nearly all out use they might be used or sold to great advantage the way I should recomend is by New York and by cannel to Buflo. We still continue to have preachings at our house every Sunday afternoon and we teach about 20 Children to read and spell every Sunday. When you write let me know how our Dear Mother is and how the rest of our famely and Sarah Mother & famely are geting on I should be oblidged to you if you could send me a newspaper now and then I still have delay to write to David Lockwood & B L Shaw I have wated for a more favourable opertunety but it does not come. I am determined not to delay much longer but I have always somthing wating for me to doo I should like to hear that you and Brother Benjamin was coming in Spring I would send oftener but I shall have very little money to pay letters with when you write send only a single sheet for I have to pay Double if there be any more I hope this will find you all in good health. from your Afectinate Brother John Earnshaw

Charles Kaye is still at Milwaukie and likes very well he was at our house seven weeks since he ad been over to Ioway City for his Tools & Clothes which he ad left there his journey cost him 40 Dolors yet he liked his journey he wonders how it is he as received no letters from home lately.

John to William, Rochester, 12/2/1845

To Mr William Earnshaw Kirkburton near Huddersfield Yorkshire England

Rochester Feb 12th 1845

Dear Brother It is more than 12 months since I wrote to you last and I have received no letter from you since June 1843 from what you said in your letter we almost expected you comming here last sumer espicesily as we received no letter from you in spring we should have been very happy to have seen both you & Brother Ben and famelies with you fro I doo think that both you and Ben might doo well in this countrey. I still hold the same opinion of the coutry that I have sent you in my letters to you and one I wrote to David Lockwood which I expect you may have seen the population is increesing very fast in this coutry from Emmigation from Englan Ireland Scotland Norway Duch & from the eastron States of America which I think is a strong argument in favour of this contry and yet there are some who come here from England who are diseatesfied and wish themselves back their resons are various for not liking some when they see the work they have to doo before they can be comfortable settled are sickened at the sight and determin to go back before they trie others find more satesfacton in their first strugle then they found no employ. Some say their heth is not as good as in England though I believe most enjoy as good or better helth here than in England I doo not know that I have herd any complain that the Land is not good yet you must see that persons coming to this country and wishing to establish themselves on their own land whose means are limited as to sufer a deal of inconveanionc which they have not whose meens are suficiant yet a great deal depends on the situation they chose and the setlers around them you know we have had about 112£ since we arived in this contrey and yet we find it only just suficant to get on with ad we ad 20£ more it would have been more than that in our way before now. When we firs came here I Bought 3 cows one I sold with her calf and she was just ready for calvin again about a week before your letter for 13 Dolers and another cow died in the fall after so we had only one Milk cow left but had we been able to buy 3 or 4 more cows it would have been a great advantage to us for we can sell Butter very and 4 or 5 cous would find us money for Suger Coffee tea & all other kinds of Groceries and a good deal of Clothing we are intending to increce our Stock of Cattle by breeding or buying as soon as we can and we intend to buy some sheep as soon as we can for we are told they are profitable we could buy 3 sheep for one Pound our crops of weat and corn was ot very good last year, our puttato crop was very good we only set a small patch but we got 70 busels, we reaped 120 bushels of weat our weat looked very promising till a bout a fortnight before Harvest wen a rust or mildew came on and stoped it for feeding and cosed the weat to be a little srunk and lite I sold 32 Bushels at Recein for 64 Cents pr Bushel we raised from 30 to 40 Dolors by our crops besides what we have for our own use and for seed with what we raised we paid of some Debt we contracted for shoes and bout every one a pare of new shoes for we where all nearley without and a few Shirts & shifts and yarn for stokings and Sarah & Caroline & Emma each a gown and some other articles of Clothing for most of our clothing was wore out though we weare our clothese here as long as we can patch them togeather yet clothing is not very dear and those who have been 4 or 5 years begin to cloth very well yet persons who cannot cloth so well are not loked on any wors for it thoughj we cannot cloth as we did in England we are not uneasy on that acount for we think after we get another crop we can get both Clothing and other things that we need but hithertoo it is nearley all outlay and very little return but when we get fited up with plows arrows and all other utencels and and a suficent stock of Cattle the outlay will be small and the income larger and you know when the prospect before us is good it makes the present more pleasent I look forwards with hope when we shall be able to return you your hundred Pounds with Intrest for we should be proud of our farm it if was our own. We did commence selling Shuger Tea Coffee & a quantaty of other things and could have made it profitable could we have continiued but we was obliedged to take the money we ad laid out in that way for other things and was obliedged to give up for want of means to go on. During Winter Butter sels at 15 Cents pr lb and we think as soon as we can get 4 or 5 cows to lay up our Butter in Somer to sell in Winter we have herd an Irishman who lives a mile and half from us made upwards of 90 Dolers from 4 cows Butter last sommer which amount would nearly keep our famaly all the year so you may see after we get round a little we can make a living and somthing to spare and yet there are meney things which will be profitable to have as soon as we can get them we have got Drags and a 1/3 share in a Breaking Plow but we shall want small cros Plow and Box fan and a nother Building to put our produce in and after a wile a wagen to take our produce to market and other purpeses. You no dought will like to here how we spend our time somer is the seson in which we are most bisely imployed as soon as spring opens we commence plowing for spring Crops and puting in our seed and any spare time we have we make Dich fencing in June we commence breaking up new land and we have our Indian cornto how and potaties and Turnips to how then comes on our hay& wheat arvest for we can get hay for two months if we like after our wheat arvest we commene turning up the land for fall weat again which should be sawn by the first of September then our thrashin which is done in the field by a macheen with 6 Horses & 9 or 10 men we had one Hundred bushels thrashed in little more than half a day we give every 10th Bushel for the macheen 2 men & 4 Horses and we find 2 Horses and the remander of the men, those who can go out with a thrashing macheen will make a good job ot it a macheen costs about 200 Dolors some have more than cleared the mechieen besides makeing good wages for themselves and Horses in less than 2 months they are now making mechines to thrash & winnow and liver the weat ready for market. We have a meney times wished our relitives could see us at work at plowing we plow with 6 Oxon the first time and 4 Oxon the second time plowing and we shall plow with 2 Oxon afterwards when we get a small plow we turn about 14 inches over each furrow I generaly hold the plow & Wm drives the Oxon he is a very good driver but it is hard for him to drive a day togeather some times he holds & I drive for he can hold very well and some time Emma or her mother drives part of the day for we can any of us drive Oxon, when we have any time to spare during Spring Somer or autom we imploying making ditch fencing in winter our principle busness is felling leading and spliting timber for sails or aney other purpos we cut down Timber any were on goverment land we sometimes fetch 3 or 4 miles we lead our timber on Slays 8 or 9 foot long which we make of 2 planks 2 or 3 inches thick and a pol to draw by and 3 barers acros to bar and hold the sides togeather the folowing is a drawing of it but we can only use the Slay to purpos when there is snow on the ground this winter we have only ad 4 or 5 Slaying days for want of snow many here are wistful for 7 or 8 inches of snow for a month or two two Oxon will draw 40 or 50 foot of wood on a day on the snow with ease we have not been able to get much timber for Rails this winter one reson is I have been troubled with shortness of breath nearly as bad as I was in England so that I could chop very little for want of breath but I think I have found out the cause which I think was a change in diat now I am much better also my foot as been sore under the thick of the foot which as been the case more or less 4 or 5 winters I think it originated by getting my foot frostbit the first winter I was at Honley in all other respects I have been in good helth I have now got some plasters which I think will soon cure my feet. All the rest of the famely as enjoyed good helth exept Caroline who is not very hard do not imagine because we cannot get everything we want that we are not comofortable we enjoy life as much as we did in England at our preachings we have a good atendance we have a Base Fiddle & sometimes a Jerman flute & 3 or 5 Singers we have also a night every week to practice music Edwin Bottomly son to Thomas Bottomly foreman at Crosland Factory Plays the Base I play Fiddle John Kay who used to play Serpent at Burton Dain Sunday School Aniverseries plays the flute he sometimes mentions Brother Ben for singers we have John Noble from Rastric James Tinker Josua Woodhead & James Scott from Bereybrow and our Caroline who is concidered a good singer we have frequently been sent for by the Yankes to Burlington & Rochester to sing at their Temprance lactors and we are concidered by them a fine set of singers we have been invited to some other places but we have not yet been our Preachers say we take the lead in singin two of Mr Noble sons and our Wm is lerning to sing counter. I cannot write meny letter for I feel reluctant to writing letters nor doo I wish all my frends to wright to us but when you write we should like to here of our mother and all our Brothers and sissters and as maney of Sarahs Brothers and sisters as you could hear from & also of John Jesop of Hudersfield brig end & John Wild & James Lawton Huddersfield we send our Best Respects to all Relitives and friends from your Afectinate Brother John Earnshaw We have not herd of Charles Kay since October when he was at our house I supose you will have herd of him since then I shud have gone to see him to Milwaukie before now ad my feet been well.

Tell John Wild we received the newspaper he sent some time ago and we should be glad to receive another now and then.

John to William, Eagle Creek, 5/1/1846

To Mr William Earnshaw Kirkburton near Huddersfield - Yorkshire England

Eagle Creek Jany 5th 1846

Dear Brother It is now a long time since we received any intelegence from you or aney of our famely the last letter we received was from Thos Haige and we was glad to hear that things was goind on very well with you in England at that time but now we here that things are taking a turn and that pore people are likely to suffer which makes us very ancious for you to write and send as much newes respecting yourself and famely and all our Brothers and sisters and their famelies & Sarah Brothers and Sisters and their famelies as you can and do not forget our dear Mother for we are very ancious to here how she is in health and how she gets along. All last summer we were in expectation of Charles Kay returning to this countrey and we thought that you or Brother Ben might come with him and we thought that was the reason you did not write but since the seson for comming ad passed away we have been expecting a letter but no letter comes I therefore deermed to write and request you to write as soon as you can I have no need to give you any further discription of this countrey as Charles Kay would tell you all he new about it but I will tell you this that the more I see and know of this contrey and the better I like it we frequently wished that you could see our farm when our crops where ready for getining in you would have seen such a sight as you will never see in England amongst our Indian corn which grows 6 or 7 foot high we had Vinew of Pumkins Squash Citrans Water and Mush Mellons and other Veriaties all bearing abundance of fruit some of which grows more than 4 foot Round our Winter Weat Crop was partiley held off in the Spring by late frosts and hot sun following imedatly and yet we had 256 Bushels of weat which we ad threshed with a mechene in two Days we gathered in about 160 Bushels of pottaties and about 200 turnips & Rotebages or swis Turnips. We had from 50 to 100 Bushels of Indian Corn 19½ Bushels of Buck weat 3 Bushel French Beans 10 Bushel of Oniens and a menny waggon loads of Pumkins to. We have sold 3 fat hogs which altogeather weighed 700 lbs and we have 3 of the same little feeding and we have 21 pigs we are intending to keep till next fall we have our stock a little at preasent we have 2 heavy Oxen 2 hogmented Stears 2½ years old and 2 Stears 1½ years old 2 Hefers Calfs and 2 Milk Cows we have from 20 to 30 hens and we have ad more Rosters or Coks than we liked either to kill or eate I have bought 500 Rails and timber of a Acor of land which is though will make 2000 Rials which we have to fell and clear of by the first of May I give 3 Dolers for the Acor of timber its fine tall Streight Timber some of the trees are from 30 to 40 foot long without a bough and very stright it lies 3 miles North of our house so you see we have conciderable work before us this Winter to get our rails and timber home. I think Brother you may tell B Bens wife that we have now no reason to fear we shall have to clam in this Countrey to give a months provision to anny of you would not be felt by us but I will not say to anny of you come for some come into this countrey who without anny reason but being home sick wish themselves back before they get 20 Miles into the countrey but some who cannot get back begin to like verey well after they have been in the countrey a year or two and got their farms going a little. Vast numbers have come from the Eastron States last summer most of which goes further into the countrey where they say the land is exelant and it is expected cannels and Railways will soon open a way to the market for them if anny of you do itnend to come we should like to know as soon as posable and should be glad to see you here there is two improved farms to sell in our Neibourhood one joines ours on the North there is 160 Acors of Good Land 20 of it sown with weat and about 12 Acors ready to putt Spring crops in and about 40 Acros fenced there is a verey good House and new Barn 40 foot by 24 and other conveinces and a well of exelant water which might be bough for 250 Pounds it is a plesant place with a public Road close to the House the person who owns it wishes to go to some where bordring on the Pasafic Otion it may be 2000 miles west of us the other farm contains 80 Acors of good land a House and 4 or 5 Acors fenced and broke-up its owner James Bancroft came back to England last Spring and is living at Alifax Yorkshire he was one of the Homesick tribe or he might have done well here. The preaching and Sunday School is now removed from our house to our School house we had a tea party on Christmas Day at Edwin Bottoleys The trays was fornished grations upwards of 80 persons took tea we charged one shiling each the money raised was to buy Bookes for our Sunday School the provisions on the tables would have been no discredit to anny party in England when tea was over we adjurned to the School house where we ad 3 exelant Speaches on the benefits arising from Sabath Schools which was intermine with Singing Anthems and Hyms every one apeared hiley gratifyed we have a ad meeting to try to rouse a chapel as there is some opsision to us ocuping the School house by some Cathlics who reside in our district I have been conciderable troubled with Phleum and shortness of breath this winter I can do verey little for some time in a morning in other respects I injoy good helth all th rest of our famely enjoys good helth. Caroline is maried to Wm Bancroft Boot & Shoe Maker son to the above named James Bancroft they live a mile and half from us Emma is nearley as lusty as her mother Wm is a fine sout Boy and verey usefull to us Elizabeth is a fine intelegent Girl and a good reader. When you write let us know weather C Kay intends coming Back or not. from your Afecinate Brother John Earnshaw

William to John, West Bretton, 22/10/1849 - Unposted

'Sundry papers belonging Bretton'

Bretton West October 22nd 1849

Dear Brother I have the Painful inteligence to communicate to you of our Dear Mothers Death. She died on the 18th of Oct and we intered her on the 21. She appears to have gradualey sunk under the infirmities of old age. She retained her faculties pretty well to the Last though sometimes her memory rather failed her and she talked rather childish, But no dout she now enjoys a far better state of existance than that which she has Left and may we all be prepared for the like event when it shall pleas god to call us from this state of existance. The Death of our mother will cause a change in the family as the property which our Father Left will have to be Divided, as we agreed when I let you have the mony that I should take your share. I shall have to request you to write a note which you can enclose in your letter giving me that power as the the Trustees may object as the note for 30.0.0 only specifies for its own amount and the shares which I take at a ruff calculation will be about 63 pounds. But when busness gets settled I will send you a receipt for the amount be that what it may. I have had very poor health since we received your last letter in March 1848. I had the Jondus which left a Liver and stomach complaint of which I am not well at present I can walk about and look after the Busness I have but if I had my Living to earn by Bodley Labour I could not do it. I was for three months at first and did not expect getting better. I have been at Cleethorpes Below Hull and Harrowgate Last sumer and this, I have been at the Isle of Man all without receiving much Benifit. I found that paying a very strict attention to diet is the Best thing I can do. My wife and all my Famile have enjoyed very good health. We are expecting a change at Bretton hall as all the Estate is going to be sold. I am now ingaged in valuing all the wood over and Brother Richard is going to assist me. When it is sold it is possible that I shall leave my situation for which I feel some little regreat as the place suited me very well. I have had my salery all the time I have been porley and they have been very Kind to me all the time in letting me have the Horse and gig or Poney to Ride on any time when I wanted. I should have been very comfortable had I enjoyed good health. You will have heard of Brother Ben having changed his trade and turned woodman. I got him a situation under W (Mr?) Charlesworth at a salery of 70 pounds a year and Expenses. He has to value and purchase Falls of wood they buy betwixt three and four thousand pounds worth a year and he as to retail out what they do not use them selves for their colerys. He keeps a Horse to ride from place to place. The situation appears to sute him very well he enjoys very good health and is getting quite stout. He has now 8 children and his wiff is now confined but is much Better than when I wrote to you last. Brother Richard is doing very well he is doing a good deal of Busness in the wood trade. He is getting quite stout he weys near 14 stone and keeps a pony and Spring cart to ride in.

John to William, Burlington, 20/12/1849

Burlington Dec 20th 1849

To all it may concern. This is to certify that I doo authorize my Brother William Earnshaw to Receive the Share of property which falls to me by my late Father William Earnshaws last Will as witness my hand John Earnshaw now Risiding in the town of Burlington Racein County Wisconsin, America

Dear Brother We received your letter two day since it as lane in the post ofic Rochester some time we did not know it was not much surprised to hear of our Dear Mothers Death for accounts we ad received of her health and her age ad prepared us to expect it we hope to meet her in a nother and better World we are verey sorey to hear of you continuing sick so long we should be glad to here of your restoration to helth.

We are all well except William as ben a little inclining Ague a week or two we wash him with could water all over every morning which dose him good and I am troubled with shortness of breath coused by phleam which I find difcult to raise I con doo very little work for want of breath if I ad breath I shuduld be as well as ever. Caroline and her husband William Bancroft is getting on very well they have 40 Acors of land a house and concidrable fencing built they have one Cow and two hefers.

there is now a plank road built from Racein to within about one mile of us then branches off to Rochester & Burlington the Burlington branch cuts through our land they are intending to carey it 40 miles further it will be a great road for Travil sumtimes this fall Wagins where passing all day long through our land I have herd they have taken 300 Dolors one day for tol the tol is 1½ Cents Pr Mile for 2 Horses and Wagen the greatest rise alowed in the Charter for the road is one for 20 loaded wagens will run at the rate of 5=6 or 7 miles an hour on this road and take 1 third more loading it makes the land more salable through wich it pases I think our land would sel for 1200 Dolors but I have no wish to sell as I am not able to indure the labour of making another farm. We have 2 large good Horses we have ad them one year they have been a great benefit to us they cost 140 Dolors and Harness 14 Dolors more. Wm can doo all our plowing sawing & harrowing without asistance. We have 3 Cows 3 hefers 2 young Oxen & 2 Calfs we have been able to lay out more in Clothing Beding & usefull things this fall then we could since we came before we can now apear well drest which we could not doo for some time before. Charles Kaye was here in November he was stout and helthey he as commenced making wagens fro himself at Delivan and intends imploying a man or two he thinks it will doo well for him. David Haigh makes our house is home when he is not working elswear he is well. When you write send a statement how you & me stands I think Sister Marey should be rewarded for her atention to our Dear Mother. Emma William and Elizabeth are going to school this winter they learn Reeding Writing geography and arithmetic the American School Books and their mode of Teaching are in my Opinien far Superior to the English. Give our Respects to our relitives and Friends I Remain your Afectinate Brother John Earnshaw

John to William, Dover, 13/1/1852

Dover Jan 13th 1852

Dear Brother I was glad to receive a letter from you after so long a tim we have frequently heard of you and the rest of the family during the last two years. I am glad to hear that most of our Family are getting on pretty well but we are sorey to here of Susey's bad health and Marey's poverty. I hope they will both yet improve. I was nort much surprised at you sending the Deeds for I had an idea that our Fathers will was not valid but I refrained from speking of it that no jelices might be kindled for I never had any idea of taking any advantage of my title to the property and know I think I have made the propery secure from me and my hairs for ever. I had to delay some for want of money to get them signed and pay Postage to Liverpool I paid for Signing 25 Cents for Postage 2 Dolars total expence is two Dolars and Twenty five cents which you will place to my act. We sent of the deeds on the 22 of Decr directed to Mr Wm Carter K'Burton Kirkburton. No doubt Charles Kaye will have told you that things have not propered so well in this country for two or three years owing in a measure to the failure of crops and the low price at wich grane has been sold And in a measure to the quantity of money which is paid out of the State in the shape of interest for borowed money which produces a scarcity of money and stops our apperations to a considerable extent as most of us can see advantages before us which we cannot lay hold of for want of means as you may better understand I will tell you how we are situated we have hitherto depended to much on wheat growing yet for several years I have seen several things which would be advantagous one thing is keeping sheep which we at last have commenced on a small scale which probably may do well after a while if we succeed in running a considerable stock for as a genaral thing sheep do well in this country. Another thing is fruit growing we have upwards of forty trees planted some of which have been planted 7 or 8 years but have not yet come to bearing fruit for want of means to go to the orchard nursary and buy trees at 25 cents each which would have born in one or two years and no doubt by this time would have raised has much fruit has would have sold for $100 per year we planted seedlings which after two years growth had to be cut of by the bottom and grafted which is the reason why we are so long before we get any fruit we now bigin to turn our attention more to the raising of stock as we think it will be surer than raising grain but in order to do this successfully we have considerable draining and fencing to do and sowing tame grasses all of which require capital and labor to accomplish so that the change will have made gradualy as we can accomplish the means our present stock consists of one pair of horses two cows one neifer in calf and 3 growing heifers and 4 young steers differant ages and 14 sheep a few hogs & a quantaty of Poultry. Our manner of fencing hitherto as been principle with rails which costs about 20 Dolors Pr 1000 one thousand will fence ¼ of a mile we have to lead them from 4 to 6 miles 40 Rails is about a load for 2 Horses with wagen & 50 or 60 with Slay. For this three or four years back there as been considerable talking and writing about Planting hedges for fencing various experiments have been tried in some parts of the country with various sucess. There is a plant the seed of wich has been brought from texes its name is Osage Orange which is now believed to make the best live fence of any thing wich has been tried. It has been planted several years further south as a kind of experement and having suceeded in the south it has been brought further noth till now it has been tried in the same latitude in which we live and has succeeded. It is stated that the plants a years growth from the seed taken up and planted in the hedge row with proper care and cultivation in three years will turn any thing from a rabbit to an ox and it is also said to be one of the most beautiful fences in existance. I have not seen any of these plants but I should like to see them and if they answer as well as I read of them I should very much like to introduce them on my farm one reason that I should like to introduce is that it would effect a considerable saving in fencing as the fence is more permanent another reason is that would beautify the farm. My object is to make our farm profitable rather to sell or keep. There are several wolen manufactories established in this county which for want of capitol to buy wool in the cliping season are now nearly all at a stand you will see by these that for want of capitol most of us are kept from making that progress which we otherwise might do. But as regards our family what prevents our progress the most is my want of health and strength to labour for under present circumstances it is nearly has much as we can do to pay our way and get things nessessary without laying anithing by for the future in the shape of improvements I do get entertain a hope that I may meet with medicine that will yet cure me I have tried a variety of patent medicines some of which have done me good but are to expensive to continue I have a receipt for one medicine which did me good but owing to the medicine being not to be had except at the lake towns and we frequently have not the means to send for it I have only tried it once and that is several months since but I intend to get it as soon as possible. As it regards the rest of the family in a general way they enjoy good health. Caroline and he husband are getting on prety well Emma was teaching school last summer but is now at home William has grown tall and stout and his able to do a great deal of work Elizabeth is going to school this winter. She is learning Reading writing spelling Arithmatic and grammer. She is a prety good Geograpist. Sarah whishes you to send our address to sister Lydia and request her to write her a letter as soon as possible. Give our best respects to your wife and family and other relations and friends.

From your Affectionate Brother John Earnshaw.

PS. We have sold wheat at 34½ Cents per bushel which will not pay according to the present price of labour.

Written at the bottom of this sheet, on outside of letter

Please send an English Newspaper no and then if you can conveinantly

The Town of Burlington is Devided and we now live in the Town of Dover.