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.
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.
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.
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