the chignecto isthmus and its first settlers-第15章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
prosper your undertaking。 Give my best respects to George Swinburne and wife。 Let him know my wife and my ten children and myself are well。 〃I have nothing more at present to write。 May the Lord direct you in all your ways； so prays your affectionate nephew and niece； 〃WM。 AND ELIZABETH TRUEMAN。〃
Mr。 George Thompson did not emigrate to Nova Scotia as he expected when he wrote to his uncle and aunt。 The following letter； written by his son five years later； explains why：
〃DURHAM； Sept。； 1816。 〃DEAR COUSINS；You probably would think it very strange our not writing to you for so long a time； but I can assure you it was not for want of affection or respect； but merely inadvertence； and no doubt you would think it strange； after my father wrote to inform you he intended setting out for America； that he never went； but the principal reason was that on second consideration he thought himself too far advanced in years to undertake so long a voyage； and the rest of the family except myself were not very willing。 Consequently he immediately after that took a large farm； which I had principally to manage； otherwise I would have gone at that time。 However； it is my wish to set out next spring； and have not written to inform you it； in order that I may have your answer before that； stating all particulars of the country； and if there be a good prospect for me。 There is also an acquaintance of mine； a threshing machine maker and cartwright； has a desire to accompany me； therefore be so good as to say what prospect there is for such a man as he is。 〃All my brothers and sisters are married and settled； and my father and mother are very well and now live by themselves； retired from farming。 〃Hoping you and all friends are well； I shall conclude with kindest love to all； 〃And remain； dear cousin； 〃Yours affectionately； 〃GEORGE THOMPSON。 〃P。S。Have the goodness to write the first opportunity； and direct to me at 〃Harbour House； 〃Durham。〃
It is quite possible the above letter did not receive a reply。 A good deal of trouble had been taken to send full information to the father； and five years were allowed to pass before any acknowledgement was made。 At all events； there is no record of a letter being sent to the son； and it is certain he did not come to this country。
The subjoined communication helps to show the depressed condition in England at that period； and that many were looking to America in the hope of bettering their condition：
〃May 14th； 1819。 〃DEAR COUSIN；I hope these lines will find you all well； as they us at present。 We thank God for it。 〃I intend to come over to America this spring If it should please God； For the state of England are very bad； Land has got so very dear that a livelihood cannot be got in England； and the taxes that Government lays on are very heavy； till they reduce so many to a lower class that the land will hardly support the poor。 I hope you are in a better situation in America。 〃We understand in England that the States of America are very flourishing at present。 I intend to set off to America the first of June。 If it should please God that I should get over safe； I hope to get to your house as soon as I can。 All your cousins are in good health at present。 Thank God for it； and they wish to be remembered to you and all your family。 〃So I remain your most obedient cousin； 〃JAMES BOYES； 〃of Bilsdale。 〃N。B。By the wishes of one of your cousins； of the name of Harman Wedgwood； a son of Benjamin Wedgwood； a tailor； he would like to hear from you。 He thinks you will give him some information of your country。 〃He wants to come to live in your country； and if you please to give him some intelligence of tailors' wages in your country。 〃So he remains your most obedient cousin。 〃HARMAN WEDGWOOD； 〃Hawnby。〃 〃N。B。If you please to write to him you must direct as follows： 〃'HARMAN WEDGWOOD； 〃'Hawnby； 〃'Near Helmsley； Blackmoor； 〃'Yorkshire； England。'〃
There was no change in the family at Prospect after Sallie's marriage in 1808 until 1817。 On Jan。 17th of the latter year Robert married Eunice Bent； of Fort Lawrence； a sister of Harmon's wife； and in October Amos married Susanna Ripley； a sister of Willie's wife。
Robert settled on a farm adjoining the homestead。 His house was not built until the summer following his marriage。 James； his eldest child； was born 30th October； 1817； in the Brick House at Prospect Farm。 Amos settled at the head of Amherst （now called Truemanville）。 The following letter； written by his youngest daughter； Mrs。 Sarah Patterson； is very interesting； as giving some idea of the experiences of that time：
〃When my father first came to live in the place now called Truemanville it was a dense forest。 In summer the only road was a bridle path。 In winter； when the snow was on the ground； they could drive a pair of oxen and a sled along the road。 〃The winter my father was married； as soon as there was enough snow and frost； he and one of his brothers and another man set out to build a house。 〃They loaded a sled with boards； doors and windows； and provided themselves with bedding and provisions to last till the house was finished。 They then hitched the oxen to the sled and started on their twenty…mile journey and most of the way on a trackless path。 〃When they arrived at their journey's end； they erected a rude hut to live in and commenced building a house。 They did not have to go far for timberit was standing all around the site chosen for the house。 〃They built a very nice log house； 15 ft。 by 18 ft。 Their greatest trouble in building was； the stones were so frosty they could not split them。 They had to kindle a huge fire of brushwood and warm the stones through； when they split finely。 〃After they had built the house they returned home； having been absent about three weeks。 〃My father and mother then moved to their new home； and father began to build a saw mill and grist mill。 〃Their nearest neighbors were one and a half miles distant； unless we count the bears and foxes； and they were far too sociable for anything like comfort。 Sheep and cattle had to be folded every night for some years。 〃After father had built his grist mill he used to keep quite a number of hogs。 In the fall of the year； when the beechnuts began to drop； the men used to drive them into the woods； where they would live and grow fat on the nuts。 One evening when my mother was returning from a visit to one of the neighbors she heard a terrible squealing in the woods。 She at once suspected that bruin designed to dine off one of the hogs。 She hastened home to summon the men to the rescue； but darkness coming on they had to give up the chase。 However； bruin did not get any pork that night； the music was too much for him； and piggie escaped with some bad scratches。 〃A short time after this； ominous squeaks were heard from the woods。 The men armed themselves with pitchforks and ran to the rescue。 What should they meet but one of my uncles coming with an ox…cart。 The wooden axles had got very dry on the long； rough road； and as they neared my father's the sound as the wheels turned resembled very closely that made by a hog under the paws of bruin。 〃Imagine the way of travelling in those days！ I have heard my father say there were only two carriages between Point de Bute and Truemanville。 Their principal mode of travel was on horseback。 My father and mother visited Grandfather Trueman's with their three children。 Mother took the youngest on one horse； and father took the two older ones on another horse； and yet we often hear people talk of the 'good old times。' 〃My father was a man of generous disposition。 The poor and needy always found him ready to sympathize and help them。 He often supplied grain to them when there was no prospect of payment。 He would say； 'A farmer can do without many things； but not without seed grain。' That reminds me of an incident I will tell you； of our Grandfather Trueman。 About thirty… five years ago my mother was visiting at Stephen Oxley's； at Tidnish； where she met an old lady whose name I forget； but no matter。 When she heard my mother's name she began talking about Grandfather Trueman。 She said she would never forget his kindness to her in her younger days when she and her husband first came from the Old Country and began life among strangers in very straightened circumstances。 After passing through a hard winter in which food had been very scarce they found themselves in the spring without any seed wheat or the means of buying any。 〃Her husband was almost in despair。 She tried to cheer him up by telling him that if she went to Mr。 Trueman she thought he would help them。 So her husband agreed to let her try her chance； and she mounted a horse and set out for Prospect Farm。 Just as she arrived there another woman came in and asked Mr。 Trueman to sell her some wheat； telling him she had money to pay for it。 Grandfather said he had very little wheat to sell but he could let her have a bushel or two。 The old lady said her heart almost sank within her； she thought her case was hopeless。 However； she told him she； too； had come for seed wheat； but she had no money nor the means of getting any at present； and they were entirely without seed。 Grandfather turned to the other woman and said； 'You have money' go to Mr。… （a neighbor）； you can get as much as you want； and I will give this woman the grain。' Oh； how glad she felt！ Words were too poor to express her thanks； and she went home rejoicing。 In after years； when Providence had favored her with a goodly share of this world's goods； she could not tell this experience without the tears running down her cheeks。 How true it is； 'The memory of the just is blessed。'〃
The following letter received from a son of Rev。 William Black； is of some interest：
〃HALIFAX； N。S。； 〃27th Sept。 1819。 〃MR。 WILLIAM TRUEMAN； 〃DEAR SIR；Your favor of the 20th inst。 is at hand； and in reply to it； as relates to the probable price of Butter； I would state it as my opinion that it is likely to command about 14d。 A considerable quantity of Irish Butter has already arrived and more is expected。 A number of firkins have this day been sold at public auction at 1s。 per lb。；the quality is said to be very fair。 Please say to Mrs。 Wells that I have received her letter of the 24th inst。； and shall do as she requests。 Mrs。 Black and family are well； and join me in best regards to Mrs。 Trueman； Yourself and Family。 〃Yrs。 Truly； 〃M。 G。 BLACK。〃
After Amos and Robert left Prospect for homes of their own； the family remained unchanged until 1820。 That year； Mary； the second daughter； married William Humphrey； of Sackville。 William Humphrey was a carpenter by trade but shortly after his marriage bought a farm in Upper Maccan and went quite extensively into farming and milling。
The Humphreys were from Yorkshire； and after coming to America； settled first at Falmouth； Nova Scotia。 After the death of Wm。 Humphrey； sen。； Mrs。 Humphrey； following the advice of her friend； Charles Dixon； moved to Sackville with her family of five children； three sons and two daughters。 James Dixon says of Mrs。 Humphrey； in his history of the Dixons： 〃She was evidently a capable woman；〃 and judging from the position her descendants have taken in the new country he was probably right in his estimate。
As I remember the secon
