December 18th, 1911

I can picture Amy pressuring Matthew, begging him to write to her sister and Jack. I can imagine her going on about how she misses them, and maybe said something along the lines of being sure they'd listen to him if he asked them to move to Marshall. And it wouldn't be that Matthew didn't want them to move there. He was just tired from working so much. But, just to please Amy, he wrote another letter to Annie and Jack. This one is also full of "land of opportunity" speak, which I'm sure it was, at the time.

December 18th 1911

Dear Annie & Jack

I have no doubt you will think I am very long winded not writing you before this but to tell you the truth I don't like writing very much. Besides, I have been so busy lately that when I got home at nights I did not feel like writing.

My Garage is now closed up for the winter as there is no motors run here. There is too much snow and the roads are too rough so I am working at the shops of the Electiric Railway till the spring. I work 11 hours a day and I have been there five weeks and have only got one Sunday off and the manager was round today and asked me if I would work Christmas day and I said no. It is a nice easy place to work and if you were to come over here I can get Jack a job there. He would get a dollar and three quarters a day* at the least to start and if he went helping a blcksmith he would get 2 Dollars* and you could live right here with us and go in the train morning & night and it don't cost him a cent. I can travel all over the company's line for nothing. I have a book of blank passes and all I have to do is write where I want to go and hand it to the Guard of the train.

You must make up your mind to come over here this spring as Amy has started to get some things for you already. We went to a sale last week and bought quite a lot of stuff, such as beds and cairs, etc. When you do come don't bring a lot of stuff with you as it is no use. Bring all the bed clothes and things like that and plenty (of) clothing for yourselves and the Kiddies as that is about the only things that are dear here. Well Jack, you need not worry about getting work here as there is plenty of it and you are not obliged to stick to one job all the time. If you don't like (it, then) move to something else.

We have just got in our winter stock of meat, a quarter of a beast, which weighed 20 pounds and I am expecting the same farmer to bring me half a pig this week and we have all the potatoes we will eat and canned fruit & pickles, beets & tomatoes. Our own growing and plenty cabbage and we can kill a good fat chicken now and then for a change and I am having a chunk of deer given to me tomorrow. A friend of mine went deer hunting and brought home a fine big deer and if I get an odd Sunday off, I can go hunting for rabbits and partrige, myself. Don't you wish you were here, where you can take your gun and go and shoot anywhere you like and go fishing? People don't have to work so hard in this country to earn a living, so make up your mind now and come this spring, bag and baggage.

I will conclude with love from Amy and myself. I remain your ever loving Brother Matthew Nelson (write soon)

So it sounds like the "stock" they were investing in really was livestock. It sounds like a good business plan for the farmer: put your livestock on layaway. That way, your customers are guaranteed food for the winter and you get a steady stream of income to take care of your farm.

*$1.75 in 1911 would be about $40, today.
*$2 in 1911 would be about $46, today.

November 14th, 1911

This letter is from Amy to Annie. It seems that her and Matt's mission is to get Annie and Jack to the U.S. as quickly as possible. It's funny, because Amy talks about what an easy decision it was for their family to pack up and leave in the beginning of her letter. How quickly she forgets that she didn't want to leave England, originally.
We learn a few things in this letter. Jack, it turns out, is deaf. We don't know how deaf, or if it only affects one or both of his ears. We also find out that he's a big guy. Bigger than "the tall men". Amy suggests the reason her sister and brother in law might not want to leave England is due to Jack's insecurities. Whether that was the case or not, I don't have the proof.
We also learn that Amy is a very spiritual woman. My dad had told me before that Amy used to read tea leaves. I'm not sure if that's what she's referring to when she tells her sister that she hopes her "fortune comes true", or if she just hoping Annie and Jack make more money. In a very sad part of the letter where she mentions that John died a year ago, she tells Annie that he used to see him every night after he died until Margaret was born (who she calls "baby").
Finally, I originally thought the "stock" that Amy writes about in the letter was money stocks, but I think she's writing about live stock. But in a way, buying local cows can be considered an investment.

 

Dear Sister

Just a few lines in answer to your letter. We expected a letter from you last week but of course it takes time to think thinks out. Not like us, we made our minds up all at once, but we have got on all right. So far we landed on the Monday and Matt got work the end of the week and now in business for himself. Of course it takes a lot to make a stock. Most of what they have made has had to go out on the place and buying stock but we shall feel more of the benefit next year. Of course they don't run the car here in the winter as there is too much snow. It has been snowing here since Saturday night. Of course we have not got much of a home together yet but you can't get everything all at once. 

Dear, I do hope you will come. I could hardly wait till I got in the house & open your letter. It was too cold outside & read it so I had to wait. But I was disappointed when Jack had not made up his mind. It won't matter about his deafness as long as he is a good worker. I think Jack thinks he is deafer than what he is. No, (at) his size, Matt says he can do twice the work a some of the tall men. Matt says he would not have to plough but if he did any time, you just sit on the seat and the horse does the ploughing. You only have to drive. We had our ground ploughed and it seemed quite easy but this was only a small plough. The horse pulled it and the man just guided it straight. Jack would not have to hire for twelve months unless he ... of course if he does not care to take it, Matt could try and get him something else in the meantime. Matt says Mr. Lewis is a very nice man. He does not rush them. Tom work(ed) for him for a few days. He said he is very nice. I don't know how many men he keeps, I forgot to ask Matt before he went to the Lodge, but I will ask him when he come back.

They don't think so very much of Sunday here. You can go to a theatre here on a Sunday. Of course you could go out to work as well. It is about 1/2 an hour's walk from town but you can go in a few minutes in the car.

(Have you heard anything about my watch? I would like you to bring it with you if you come.

I expect Luoise will be jumping sky high when she knows you are thinking of coming.)

Matt will get to know about the fares. I don't know whether it is only through farmers you can get cheap rates. I know it is cheaper to get tickets sent from here because Tom sent a ticket to one of his pals just before we came out. You won't have to pay any duty on your bed clothes. You can bring quite a lot with you. You could get some ... like we did and you would be surprised what a lot you can pack in them. You are allowed so much for each one. Our baskets was not opened at all and we were not asked what was in them. I am so sorry you will be having such a hard time again this winter. We know what it is to have hard times so we can feel sorry for you. We brought all our bed clothes with (us), of course we had not got as much as you. 

Dear, there are no mines near here. There is about 18 milking cows. Matt says he only want a man to look after the stock. I expect Matt will write again. I don't know what other stock he has, I forgot to ask him before he went out. 

Dear, I do hope your fortune comes true for I am longing to put my arms around you and give you a good big kiss. I think it is a six-roomed house.

Dear Annie, I'm so pleased the children are getting on so well. They will be quite a help to you. It is 12 months since this coming Saturday that my boy fell down those stairs. I feel as if I can see him now with that big cut in his forehead. He would have been quite a big boy now if he had been living. I feel as if I must write about him, it seems to ease my mind. Nobody knows how I sit and think about him. I used to have him with me every night till baby came but I have not seen him since.

Dear Annie, we had quite a storm here, Saturday. Such wind I thought it was going to blow the house down. Thundered and lightened and oh it just teamed with rain. It was quite warm on Saturday and just before midnight the snow came on. It was a drop I can tell you, freezing as well. I tell you I was jolly cold in bed. I had let the stove out for it had been so warm through the day. 

Dear Annie, the church people here are very nice. There is always some of them coming to see me. I have not been since I had baby christened. I have not been able to go since baby has been so cross since she started to cut her teeth. I don't know what to do with her. She does not half cry, she squeals. Raises the dickens! You can't hear yourself talk when she starts.

I think I have told you all and will get Matt to write in a day or two. I got your letter at noon 14th. 

From your loving sister Amy Write soon XXXXX 

October 17th, 1911

This next letter is from Matthew to Jack. It sounds like he has been busy with too much work, though I imagine there had been more corrospondence between them than what I possess. Matthew finds himself to be a big fish in the little pond that is Marshall. His skills are so appreciated, according to his letter, that he is surpassing his competitors. More than this, he wants Jack, Annie and their children to move to Marshall. Perhaps Jack wrote about his interest in his last letter? Either way, Matthew paints Michigan as the land of opportunity, except during the winter. There is fruit to be grown, meat to be stored and work to be had by anyone who wants it! Bountiful America is soooo much better than depleted, expensive England!
This time, I did edit Matthew's letter a little in the transcription, but the actual letter should be large enough, if you'd like to read from it. Also, thanks for following! Please tell other relatives, if they might be interested. Or if you know of any other sites that deal with our family, let me know and I will link to them.

 

 

Dear Brother Jack

No doubt you think you think I have taken a long time to make up my mind to write you but when you consider my position you will no doubt excuse me for the delay. I need not tell you the trouble I have come through loosing my only son and fighting my way in a strange country among strange people but thank God I am no longer a stranger and my ability has made me a name in this town and also the towns near here. I now have customers from towns where their own countrymen are in the same business and myself and if my services were not appreciated I would not have them come to me. I have run two men out of the business in this town and bought one of them out, and things seem to be coming my way all right. Of course there won't be very much work to do during the winter as it is impossible to run a motor car in the snow we have, but still we will have enough to keep us going one way or another.

Now I have been looking round for a place for you and your family, for no doubt you are of the same disposition as myself and would not like to leave them behind. Now I have been in conversation with a farmer that I do work for, as he keeps two engines. One to pump water for the cattle and the other to grind food for them, and he wants a man just like you to take an intrest in the work on his farm and be there when he wants him. He wants to hire one by the year and he will provide him with a nice cottage & a good garden. He will also have two hundred pounds of pork, all the potatoes he needs and plenty of fruit and 2 quarts of milk a day for the home and and all the feul you need and the wages are three hundred Dollars* a year . Besides now the man he has now (Besides the farm the man has now, he?) owns a farm but it was morgaged and since he has worked for Mr. Lewis he has saved enough to pay off the morgage on his farm and he is taking possession of it in the spring and therefore the place will be vacant.
Now if you should decide to come let me know per return and I will make arrangements with the farmer and we can get reduced rates for bringing you all out here. You need not be afraid of the work as there is very little difference here. The only thing is that they don't work so hard as they do in England and the living is cheaper all round. The climate is so nice that you can grow all sorts of fruits and vegetables out of doors. Tomatos and grapes and all such stuff as that without any trouble. It will give you an idea of how grapes growwhen you can get them for 9/1 for 60 pounds. And apples this year are so plentiful that they (are) not worth the trouble picking. You can buy a barrel of them, 180 pounds for 3/- and pears the same. We buy our meat in chunks as we can keep it without salt all winter. Last year we had nearly half a cow and a whole pig and we will have more this year as my brother is boarding with us. I see by the paper tonight that beef is 4d per pound and pork is 4 1/2d. Eggs are considered very high just now, they are 10 1/2d per dozen. And butter has never been so high since the civil war, it is 1/1 per pound but it will soon come down. So you see we can live cheaper than you can in England and as the wages are higher a man has a chance to save a little for a rainy day. And any man who wants to work can get plenty, as the demand is far greater than the supply and there are opportunities for your children which you would never have in England. I have a cousin in this town (who) just left school and she has seven dollars* a week. That's £1-9-2. You would be a long time in business before she could earn it in England. So for the sake of yourself as well as your family, I hope you will give this your earnest consideration. Give my best love to Annie and the Kiddies and all the friends in Grange and accept the same, yourself.
I remain Your loving Brother,
Matthew Nelson

I still don't understand the "/-". I haven't researched it yet, but I'm guessing it's got to be cents, only in different fractions than American dollars and cents. So I'm trying to convert those until I know what I'm doing. also, I think the "d" after the fractions probably represents dimes, but I'm not certain.
*$300 in 1911 would be about $6825, today.
*$7, or £4.50 in 1911 would be about $160, or £103, today.

Undated Letter from Amy

This is a letter that I have a hard time reading. Amy's handwriting can become rather illegible to me when she gets excited. I will try and make my best guesses, but I'll keep them in parentheses or put "..." in places where I just can't make it out. Feel free to write in the comments what you think certain phrases might be.

This letter doesn't have a date on it, but I figured this was probably where it fits. It sounds like it's summer. As you can see, Matthew has his snazzy new letterhead stationary for his snazzy new auto garage. You can actually still see his garage, today, only it's no longer a garage. State Street was renamed "Main Street" sometime later, and if you went to the old building on 301 E. Main St, you would find... a tapas restaurant! So if you find yourself in Marshall one evening, stop by, have some tapas and think of all the old cars Matthew used to work on there.

Amy says that Matthew has brought his brother, Tom, to Marshall. Matthew eventually leaves the garage to Tom as he goes to work in "industry", as the Nelson Genealogy puts it. She also says they buy a car, which is a "Reo" and I'll try to find a picture of the model online. This is boasted as the first car in Marshall, nicknamed "Black Bess". Incidentally, I drive a Kia Rio. 

By the way, the second sentence in the parentheses is the best I could translate. I have no idea what she's referring to, but if anyone else has any idea what that actually says or what she means, please let me know.

 

(I could get plenty of work if I had not got baby_____

You could make 10 dollars* a week going out like that.)

My Dear Annie

Just a line. I expect you will think I have forgotten you but you are never out of my head. We are having awful hot weather, 103 and more than that some days. I have stood it so far. Dear Annie, I wish you were out here. I'm sure you would get on alright. Matt (a bit slack). They went out to the harvest on Saturday. They get ... dollars a day and food that would just suit Jack. There seems plenty of laboring here and I am sure you would get plenty to do. If you go out to work by the day you ... get 15 cents* an hour. Aunt gets that when she goes out. She has no need to go out for he has a (farmer sheds. Farmers) take their horses in for a rest and he gets 10 cents* to a dollar* according how long they are in. You get good pay for washing (clothes). Some only just have them washed and sent home as they are. Matt's cousin washed and ironed 2 dresses and a blouse and she got a dollar and a half* for them. They would not have taken you any longer than an hour to have done them.

Dear Annie, I am sending you 2 dollar bills*. Try and change themand let me know how much you lose on them. I know they change them at Lewis in Liverpool so I expect you can change them at the bank. For we lost over a dollar when we sent the last so I want to see if it is any cheaper sending it that way.

Dear Annie, thanks for paper. Had to pay 2 cent* on the last paper. I should have loved to have been over for it. They had grand doings in Canada.

We have Matt's brother staying with us. Matt's learning him Auto work. We give him his board and pocket money and he seems quite satisfied. They bought a second hand auto last week. 60 Dollars*. It will hold up 6 but they have got to repair it. Tom got it out of the bank and paid for it.

I will answer the last letter in a day or two. I have got Matt's sister Maggie staying with us for a month from Canada. We will make room for you all at our house.

Write soon, Amy XXXX

*$10 in 1911 would be about $230, today.
*$.15 in 1911 would be about $3.50, today.
*$.10 in 1911 would be about $2.30, today.
*$1 in 1911 would be about $23, today.
*$1.50 in 1911 would be about $34, today.
$2 or £1.29 in 1911 would be about $45.50, or £29.30, today.
*$.02 in 1911 would be about $.45, today.
*$60 in 1911 would be about $1365, today.

March 20th, 1911

Here's another letter from Amy that she sent to her sister with some more money. You can tell she misses Annie, terribly. She encourages her to write her back a few times.

Amy also mentions that Matthew starts his new job as proprietor of his own garage. The next letter that will be featured here will be on his stationary!

If you notice, Amy's pen dies while she writing the second page of the letter and switches to pencil. You can see marks at the bottom of the front side of the page, where she might have tried to get the pen to work again. 

 

(This is a second. I received it last week with £5)

(Something underlined twice, looks like "omme".)

March 20th 1911

Union St

Marshall

Mich

U.S.A.

Dear Annie

Just a few lines. Hope you are keeping well. I am sending you some money as I promised you must write back as soon as you get this.  We are sending you 24 dollars. That is £5 in English money. I will send send more as soon as we get an answer from you. Don't forget to let us know how much we owe you. Tell Ethel we will send her some as soon as we can. Matt started in his new place this morning. If he gets on all right we will soon be able to pay you both. We got a letter from Scotland the other day and they told us you had not had any visitors in all winter. I was so sorry but I hope you are pulling-along all right.

Dear Annie, we have named the baby Maraget after Matthew's sister. She is dark and she is very good.

I must conclude now as Matt will be in for dinner in a few minutes. With love from all I remain your loving sister Amy

XXX

And that is our address. Write soon.

Research

So, two posts ago, I speculated that Matthew and his family went through Ellis Island. My reasoning was that the children had to had their hair cut off and I didn't have proof that they actually went through Canada. Well, I was looking through the Nelson Genealogy and found the migration history on page 14. I thought I'd read it pretty thouroghly, but I guess not, because I found this:

1910- SARAH Nelson, with brother MATTHEW Nelson, wife AMY and three (3) children came to Montreal, Canada. SARAH, being sponsored by a church, went to Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, to work as a servant.

MATTHEW and his family proceeded to Marshall, Michigan, to the home of his uncle, ROBERT RAE Nelson.

So it sounds like I was wrong about Ellis Island, Green Lane and that whole theory. I can't entirely rule it out just yet, even though that auto shop in the link to the Pennsylvania address looks like it was probably built in the 1950s. On the positive, it looks like Matthew's partner was probably from the Waterloo in Ontario, Canada.
I'm going to keep all of the mistakes I post, unless they're technical glitches, like a picture not loading. This blog is about our family, but it's also about my research, trial and error. That's how research works, anyway. Sometimes clues cause you to guess, and sometimes those guesses are wrong.

March 8th, 1911

Amy's writing to her sister after the death of her son, John, and the birth of her daughter, Margaret. I don't know if Amy was the stoic type and tried to mask her emotions in front of her family, but what seems to start out as "just a line" grows into a six-page letter. Amy pours out her her feelings of grief and guilt over her son's death, who it seems probably died from the concussion from the fall, rather than diptheria, as I had sided with the doctor, previously. But once the doctor made his diagnosis, the family was quarantined and the consequences were traumatic, to say the least. It sounds like the city tried to be as civil as they could about it, though.

It sounds as though Amy didn't even want to go to the U.S. in the first place. After her initial experience there, I can't say that I'm surprised. She tells her sister that no one wanted to let her stay with them, but then adds that Matthew's family in Scotland offered to let her stay. Whatever the reason was, she decided not to. She also becomes very pasionate about promising her sister that she will pay them back all the money they have borrowed. Not only Annie, Jack and Ethel, but also another relative, Aunt Lizzie. I don't know if Amy was aware of everyone Matthew was asking to borrow money from, or just how much. Most likely, she did, or at least had a very good idea.

Again, I am taking liberties and adding punctuation where I feel it's absolutely necessary. You can read the letter if you'd prefer to read Amy's writing. I realize that the letter in the previous post did not show up. I thought maybe it was just my own computer acting up, but I've fixed it and you should be able to read her first letter now.

March 8th 1911

Mrs. Matthew Nelson

112 North Eagle St

Marshall

Mich

U.S.A.

(I hope you are having plenty of visitors in and have not been worrying about us.) 

Dear Annie,

Just a line to let you know we are still living. I had a little daughter 21st Jan. I expect you got my postcard to tell you I had lost my Son. It was so sudden he was he was only in bed from the Thursday and he died on the Saturday morning about 1/2 past one. It was such a blow to us. The doctor said he had diptheria as well as the fall but he had no such thing. He hardly knew himself what was wrong with him. He had tonsilitus, but Matt was talking to another doctor and he said the fall killed him when he was in bed. It was all oh (on?) my head and they buried him like a dog. They would not let us go to the funeral. We all had to stay in the house for 14 days. (We) dare not go out the door for fear of being arrested. If you have anything catching in the house here they keep you all in and won't let any one come and see you till you are better. They put you a telephone in and you have to phone for everything you want and they put your things outside and hurry away as fast as they can as if you had the plague.

Dear Annie, I will try and send you some money on the 17th if I can. We have had bad luck since we came, what with Jack dying it cost me 50 dollars* to bury him. You have to pay dear for everything here and Matt had a accident on Saturday. Knocked some of his teeth and that cost me 10 dollars*. I would have sent you some now but I have only got a dollar* to carry me through till the 17th. Matt gets his pay once a month. If I had of been able to have stayed in England we should have been able to have paid Jack all his money, but it took it all for our passage. Nobody wanted me so I had to come with Matt and I did not want to stay in Scotland, although they begged me to.

Dear Annie, you need not tell Aunt Lizzie our address. I will send hers as soon as I have paid Jack and Ethel. I shant rest till I have paid you both every penny of it back. Will you send wordhow much it is we owe you all together. Send the letter to the above address. It will find us, but you must put "Mrs. Matthew" on the envelope as Matthew('s) aunt('s) named Martha and she will think it is for her. We are in a house of our own but the postman won't bring letters to us till we have a mail box and put it at the end of the street. We have a nice house in its own grounds and we only pay six dollars* a month. Matt has to go 12 miles to work every day and 12 back. We are up at 1/2 past 4 every morning but he is leaving there about the 16th of this month. He has got a situation here in Marshall and he will get 21 dollars* a week.

I must conclude now with love from your loving sister, Amy XXXXX

Write soon!

I did not get any death cards.

I could not afford them.

I have Nellie under the doctor.

*$50 in 1911 would be about $1137, today.

*$10 in 1911 would be about $230, today.

*$1 in 1911 would be about $23, today.

*$6 in 1911 would be about $137, today.

*$21 in 1911 would be about $478, today.

January 19th, 1910

This is Amy's letter from mysterious Green Lane. Is it in Pennsylvania? Is in Canada? Is it in Narnia? I think it's probably the first choice, but I don't know. What I do know is Amy's handwriting is not as easy to read as Matthew's. Part of it is that she wrote this letter in pencil and this was the best quality I could make it.

I'm pretty sure that the family is no longer in England. Amy is writing to her sister, Annie, after voting season and mentions that Matthew didn't get to vote. That's right, it would be another eight years before Annie could have voted, and it would be a year after that before Amy would be able to.

I'm adding extra punctuation to the transcription where it needs to be so it's easier to read. I know I didn't really do that for Matthew's letters, but I think it's necessary for this one, at least. If it bothers you, just read the actual letter. Keep in mind that this is on the same stationary as Matthew's first letters, so read the first page, the read the right side of the second page, followed by the left.

Jan 19th 1910

11 Ellison St

Green Lane

(Who did you vote for? Mat did not get a vote. Hope conservatives get in.)

Dear Annie,

Just a line hoping you are keeping well and have plenty of visitors in. I expect you will think I am a long time writing, but to tell you the truth I have not had money to spare for a stamp. I have hardly had any for a month. Matt did not get a penny in for a fortnight. I don't know what I should have done if Matt's mother had not have sent us any. She sent us 3a/- at New Year and it had to last me and Matt's pocket a fortnight. But we are a lot better off this week but don't be down-hearted. I think we will be getting on better now. He has got another partner and he seems very nice. We were at his house on Sunday night at Waterloo. They live in a big house-- stands in its own grounds-- he is the manager. Matt used to be under when he was working in the crane works in Glasgow.

Dear Annie, I had a letter from Matt's mother. She says she had a card from you. She will be writing to you as soon as she is able to send you something. So don't refuse what she sends. She liked you very much.

Dear Annie, I have been cleaning for Aunt this last two Fridays from 1/2 past 6 (am?) till 11 at night. After (the) children had gone to bed she gives me a 1/-. She does not part with much. Louie is not well again. Her rupture is bothering her again. She does look bad. I would send you a ... what Matt's sending round in next letter so with love to all, I remain your loving sister Amy

Childrens' heads are getting on nicely, you had to cut all their hair off.

XXXXXXX Write soon Amy XX

This letter gives us quite a bit of information. First, any amount of money with "/-" after it can't be very much. My guess is that's Amy's way of writing the cent sign.

Next, we learn that Matthew has a new partner who lives in Waterloo. Which Waterloo, I don't know. In fact, I don't even know if there's more than one Waterloo, in the same way I don't know if there's more than one Green Lane. Expect this portion to be edited in the near future. Hooray for the internet! (EDIT: There are Waterloos in Iowa, New York, Ontario, Illinois and Wisconsin. I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest that the Waterloo mentioned in the letter is not in Iowa. New York or Ontario seem the most likely to me at the moment.)

Also, Aunt Louise had a rupture somewhere on her person. Gross! How terrible that must have been. And either it was a goof, or Amy likes to call her sister "Louie".

Finally, I think it's very possible the Nelson family came to the U.S. through Ellis Island. The remark about having to cut off all of the childrens' hair is what makes me suspect this. Ellis Island had strict sanitation and immunization procedures when it was open and I believe cutting hair off was one of them. It would also explain why they might have gone to Pennsylvania before Michigan (I hope. Again, expect an edit). My dad always told me that they arrived in Canada first to visit family, then made their way into Michigan. That is still possible if Canada had strict entry procedures as well. (EDIT: Apparently, you went to Ellis Island through Canada, as well. The site below has records of people who passed through Ellis Island, but it doesn't look like they have records on my family. Any information would be appreciated.)
The Statue of Liberty - Ellis Island Foundation

And just for fun, here's 11 Main Street in Green Lane, PA. I got the idea to type in Main Street after my dad said the name of the street Matthew's shop in Marshall was on was changed to "Main Street". Go to street view and there's a house that looks like it could have been standing in 1910. And look, right across the street is an auto shop!
11 Main Street, Green Lane, PA

Moving to the United States

In 1910, Matthew and his family moved to the United States. From what my dad has told me, they stopped in Canada first, because they had family there. Then they settled in Marshall, Michigan. I don't know the exact date they left England, but I can tell you it was in the early part of the year. The next letter I will be posting is the first letter I have written by Amy Nelson. Her hand writing is very difficult for me to read, so my transcription will probably have a lot of "..." in it.

I'm going to spoil her letters (the second one is also by Amy) and tell you what I have figured out happens in a short amount of time.

• 
  
  Amy writes the address that she's writing from on her letters, whereas Matthew puts the address he's writing to.
• 
  
  On January 19th, 1910, the family was some place called Green Lane.
• 
  
  Shortly after the family arrived in Marshall, their oldest son John fell down some stairs and hit his head. He died two days later from complications from his head wound.
• 
  
  The doctor who examined John said he had diptheria. It is my belief that he probably fell from the stairs because his illness made him faint or dizzy, but it's possible horseplay was involved.
• 
  
  Once the doctor made his assessment, the family was quarantined. They were not allowed to leave their house to hold a funeral for John.
• 
  
  On January 21st, 1911, Amy gives birth to a daughter, Maraget.

Diptheria - Google Health

Update: I Googled Green Lane, and the only location that came up was Green Lane, PA. Although, it is possible that there was another Green Lane in Canada or somewhere else that has since been renamed. This could mean that the family actually left England in 1909. Maybe they spent Christmas in Canada? I'm not sure how safe it would have been to travel the Atlantic from November to January. Either way, I don't have any letters (as far as I know) that explain what happened. If anyone has any information (again), please feel free to put the information in the comments.

October 18th, 1909

This is the last letter I have (as far as I know) of Matthew Nelson's when he and his family still lived in England. It looks like maybe he is now the sole owner of The Pembroke Engineering and Motor Company, or maybe his partner just took a less demanding role? If his family was well off and in the same business, maybe F.J. Edwards joined his father in business? I don't know, and perhaps might never know, so we won't worry about that in this post.

A new family member is introduced in this letter: Herbert. I know he is not one of their children, but I have know idea who he is. From the sound of the letter, I would guess he is a child, but he could be an older gentleman. Whoever he is, he doesn't see very well.

 

October 18th 1909

To Mrs. John Wilson

Briardale

Grange Over Sands

From

The Pembroke Engineering and Motor Co.,

Mechanical and Electrical Engineers,

12 & 12a Hart Street, Liverpool

Principal, M. Nelson

Dear Annie,

I am sending you Six pounds* and I am sorry I can't afford you more. I have been trying to sell my motor bike but I can't get anything like a price for it and I don't want to let it go for nothing. I am expecting some money shortly for a patent I am bringing out and if it proves a success I won't forget yourself and Jack as you have been a good friend to me. Amy has taken Herbert to the hospital today again to have his eyes tested - they say his sight is very weak and I expect he will have to wear glasses but we will know this afternoon.

I hope this little assistance will tide you over for a few weeks till I can scrape up something more.

With love from Amy & Self I remain your loving brother M. Nelson

* £6 in 1909 would be about £141, or $220 today.

April 6th, 1909

Here is Matthew's fancy new business stationary! So it's about six months after his last letter and it looks like he's finally paying Annie back. Times are tough, still, but Matthew is ever the optimist.

I just noticed this, but right there in the "To" box, Annie is listed as Mrs. John Wilson. So I guess that clears that up. If you're curious where "Aunt Louise" fits into all of this, she marries Annie's son, Harry. Now that I think about it, the Louise that Harry marries is most definitely not the Louise I have a letter from. The letter I have from that Louise was written in 1912, I think, and little boys didn't get married in the western world by then, either.

April 6th, 1909

To: Mrs. John Wilson

Briardale

Grange Over Sands

From:

The Pembroke Engineering and Motor Co.

Mechanical and Electrical Engineers

12 and 12a, Hart Street, Liverpool

Partners: M. Nelson

                F.J. Edwards

Dear Annie,

Sorry I could not let you have the money yesterday but you have no idea how hard it is to get money in at present. The people seem to be hanging on to it very tight and to make matters worse the cheque I was expecting on Monday was not made payable till the end of the month. But I am sending you four postal orders amounting to 16/6 and I will send you more when the post office opens in the morning as I got this money too late to get it tonight. I hope this will get you a few things till the other arrives. All I can manage to scrape up this week is three pounds* so I hope that will help you along till I get some more for you. I am going on very nicely now. I have three men & a boy working for me now so if I can hold out for a little while I think I will be all right. But it is a bit hard to find three mens wages every week when you have to lay out of your money for one two & three months but the time will come all right.

With love from your loving Brother Matthew Nelson

P.S. Let me know when the other money arrives.

I'm not sure what 16/6 would be in English money. I'll have to do some research on that. If anyone has an idea, please feel free to say so in the comments.

* £3 in 1909 would be about £71 today, or about $110.

October 20th, 1908

This isn't the happiest of letters, and I imagine it was rather annoying for Annie to read. This was written by Matthew about a year after the last one. It sounds like maybe Matthew hasn't paid anyone back yet, and the consequence is that Annie and Ethel are not get along anymore. In the letter, Matthew is trying to assure Annie that everything will be all right... later.

It looks like Annie and her family have moved. I'm guessing their new residence is on Craven Street, but I'm not certain (it looks like a "C" but it could be a "B"). I'll have to map it on Google to see what I can find. I just discovered google maps (especially the satellite and street views) for myself, and it can be pretty exciting.

Also, I'm wondering why Matthew is even writing to Annie, given where she now lives. As far as I can tell, Matthew and Amy are still in Liverpool, so I don't know why they corrosponded by letter. I'm glad they did so we have the history, but why didn't they just speak in person? Maybe Liverpool is a very large city and they lived at opposite ends? Or maybe Matthew, Annie and Ethel had been keeping this matter private from Amy all along and if Annie and Matthew spoke in person, Amy was bound to find out? Maybe this was just how the Nelsons and Ludlams talked about difficult situations?

20/10/08
24 Craven St
Liverpool


Dear Annie

Just a few lines in answer to your letter. I was very sorry to hear of the trouble between Ethel & you. I have written to her and told her I will pay heras soon as I can. I was going to send it last month only we were negotiating for a larger place as our business is getting too large for our old place and as we have taken over a much larger place we had to buy some more machinery but we will soon make up as we are very busy at present and expect to be still busyer.

It is a bit of an uphill job to gather together a business like ours and be out of our money for 2 & 3 months and us having to pay ready cash for all the material we use but we know that it will all come back to us in time as it still keeps on increasing so that is not a bad sign.

In fact I have not had a Sunday off since I was at Grange. If we had a bit more ready cash we could employ more men but as it is we have to do it ourselves for a bit.

Amy & the Kiddies are all well
hoping your lot are the same
I remain your loving
Brother M. Nelson

October 6th, 1907

It looks like Annie and Jack were able to get the money to Matthew, quickly. His writing is quite enthusiastic, and I think if life was like a musical, he would've broken out into song and dance after writing this.

The thing that confuses me is the mention of Harry and Maggie. According to the Nelson Genealogy (by Doreene Derr, Jeanne Kipker and Linda English), Matthew and Amy didn't have a son named Harry. Yet it sounds in this letter that they very much do. Also, they had a daughter named Margaret, but she wasn't born until 1911 in Marshall, MI.

My dad suggested that Harry might be Harry Wilson, a nephew of Amy's. He would be the son of Louise ("Aunt Louise" of Laugh-In fame, who's letter I have as well). It's possible that Maggie could be Harry's sister, and the two were spending a week with them to play with their cousins John and Ellen (although Ellen wouldn't have even been two years old yet).

October 6th 1907
236 Litherland Rd
Bootle


Dear Annie & Jack

I can't express my thanks to you for your kindness in sending me the money and hope it won't put you to any inconvenience by doing it, but I hope to soon be able to repay it back. I was out today looking for more work, at a friend of my partners, and I expect to get a lot of work from him. And we are giving in an estimate for a job tomorrow and if we get it there will be about £400* worth of work in it so don't forget to pray hard for it to come our way for it would give us a good kick along. Things are beginning to look a bit brighter now of course we can't expect to get on all at once in a new business as it takes some time to get known but if any one gives us a job to do we are certain that they will come back with more as any work done by us is done in a first class way and we do it at a reasonable price we don't want to make big money all at once what we want is to get a good connection and do a class of work that recommends itself. Harry seems to be going on very nicely he seems to be taking his food very well only he varies some days. He will eat more than others but he can't keep still a minute and we do have a time in the mornings with John and Harry trying (to see) who can sing the loudest and I have to threaten them with the cane if they don't be quiet, but he is very little trouble, far less than Maggie only him and John keep telling tales on one another.

Thanking you again for your kindness and hoping you are all well as we are at present

Believe me your Loving Brother

XXXXX Matthew Nelson
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Okay, so maybe he wasn't the Nelson who was inclined to singing, but he could probably do a decent shuffle step with a cane and hat.

*£400 in 1907 would be about £9,100 or $14,180, today.

October 2nd, 1907

Well, Ethel loaned Matthew the money. This letter is to Jack, but it seems that it's also intended for Annie to hear. So even though Matthew asked her to keep the previous letter private, it was understood that Jack would know about it, too.

It's nice to see that Annie was starting her own business. Does anyone know what she did? Since Amy knew how to make lace and was able to train girls on how to sew, do you think it was something like that? Perhaps that was a Ludlam family trade?

Not how Matthew brings up that he's working on an invention. From what my dad told me, he remembered hearing that Matthew had a bunch of patents for inventions and ideas. It would be neat to find out just what he invented, and if any of them went into production.

Also note that Matthew writes in big run-on sentences in this one. I take that to mean he was really excited. My dad told me he'd only had a sixth-grade education, but I love the fact that he spells his words correctly.

(Edit - Thank you, Char, for telling me how to do the "£" sign with my keyboard!) 

Oct 2nd 1907

236 Litherland Rd

Bootle

Dear Jack

I don't know how to express my thanks to you in letting me have this money but it is a necessity at present but it won't take long to get on a proper footing and I thought you could have got Ethel to lend me it as I knew Annie wants to go into business as soon as she gets a chance.

I have now got the plans for about £200* worth of work for a new invention and expect to have a lot more for the same firm and unless we get that new Lathe we will have to refuse some of it or else take it in and let it out for some other firm to do and take the risk of them doing it right and I thought if I could have managed to get a Lathe of our own it would soon pay for itself. I was once thinking of going to a money lender but they charge so much on it that they would soon sum up an account bigger than the loan. The gentleman I am intending buying the Lathe and some other tools off is giving up business as he is getting too old to look after it and he says he will introduce us into his business if we can take the tools he has left and they are worth about three times the price he is asking for them, if you can manage to get Ethel to lend me some I will let her have some back as soon as we get a draw on this job.

Hoping to hear from you per return belive me your affectionate brother

Matthew Nelson

Love to Annie and the Kiddies

So it seems he's asking for even more money. The dude is good.
*£200 would have been $312 in US money. Today it would be closer to £4350, or $6800.

September 30th, 1907

Here is another letter from Matthew to just Annie. Times were tough, as I'm sure many of us can relate to, and he was asking to borrow money from her again. He actually asks Annie to ask Ethel, and I'm afraid I don't know who Ethel is. I'm thinking perhaps this is another one of Amy's relatives, but I could be wrong. It seems as though our family was very close and numerous. It sometimes gives me a hobbits-of-the-shire vibe. Although, there was an Ethel who was married to a cousin of Matthew's (also named Matthew) in Ireland, but again, I'm not sure. If anyone has any information, feel free to leave it in the comments section.

If you'd like to read the letter on you own, here's how you do it: the first page is first, obviously. This letter is written on greeting card-style stationary. On the open page, read the right side first, then the left. Finally, the last page is last. It may sound obvious, but it took me a while to figure it out and I kept thinking Matthew was feeling very stressed when he wrote this. His letter does evoke a sense of humility and he doesn't want to ask for the money.

Sept 30th 1907
236 Litherland Rd
Bootle

Dear Annie
You will think it strange me writing again so soon but it is a necessity, and I thought that you could help me out of the difficulty, as I don't like to ask off anyone else. I have had to refuse about three weeks today all because my Lathe was too small to do it on and I expect there was more to follow that order and I don't want my partner to think that I am short of cash we really want a bigger Lathe and also get the Telephone in as it means a lot to have the phone in a place.
So I thought you might ask Ethel to lend me 30 pounds* and I would give her more on it than she would get in the bank as the rate we are losing work now for wont of the necessary tools we would soon make them pay (for) themselves.
So I hope you will be able to persuade her to let me have the loan as my partner can get as much as he wants as his father is fairly well off, and in a good business as well and if he had to supply the money to get these tools they would be looking down on me as not being equal to them.
Hoping you will be successful
I remain your ever loving brother
M. Nelson
P.S
The Kiddies and Amy are all well
Keep this as private as you can

So, obviously I'm taking some liberties revealing this letter that he wished remained private. It reveals a lot about Matthew's insecurities at the time, but times were hard for everyone.
*£30 then would be somewhere between  £642 - £770, or $1000 - $1200 U.S. dollars, today.

Tom's inflation calculator
Universal currency converter

If you're interested...

Here's the wikipedia entry on Bootle
Bootle - Wikipedia

July 16th, 1907

The following is a letter written from Matthew to Annie and Jack. I'm guessing that Annie is Amy's sister, but I don't know for certain. Matthew had a sister named Annie, but she was born in 1899. So it wouldn't be her, because even though this letter is over 100 years old, girls didn't get married in the western world at age 8, anymore.

Matthew and his family were probably in Liverpool, I think. The two children that he and Amy have at this point were both born in Scotland, however their third child is listed in the Nelson Genealogy as being born in England in 1908 (Annie or "Nancy"). So they're either in Scotland or Liverpool by this point. But he says to give everyone his "reguards to all at Grange", and he also says the kids are doing better "now". Both sound like a big move has happened.

Matthew is struggling and has to resort to borrowing money from family members. But he is putting the money to good use. He strikes me as a very optimistic and sincere man. He was 28 when he wrote this.

If you can't read the letter, here is what it says (also, I added some punctuation):

July 16th, 1907

236 Litherland Rd

Bootle

Dear Annie & Jack

I am in receipt of your letter and order and thank you very much for the loan. I hope to be able to repay you before very long of course. My new venture won't be very much for some time but I hope for better times in the near future. Hope you are all going on nicely and hope Harry is still improving. Give our reguards to all at Grange and accept the same for yourselves.

Believe me your loving Brother, M. Nelson

P.S the Kiddies are going on all right now.