High Ercall Letters - c 1850-1870. Transcribed by Roberta's mother, contributed by Roberta Bailey : Family letters from England to a family who lived in Wood County, WI dating from the 1850's to the 1870's. Two brothers, Thomas & John Davies, came to America leaving their parents & siblings in England. Some of these letters are complete with the mispellings & some have been cleaned up. Roberta's mother started transcribing them several years ago but passed away before finishing so Roberta picked up where she left off. In all it looks like there are 16. Walton November 1859 My Dear Children, We were very glad to have a line from you we thought you had quite forgot us I am glad to hear that you have a wife that can wash your shirt since I wrote to you last I have had a severe illness the latter end of last year for some time I hardly knew how it would be with me but I am thankful to say that the Lord has restored me but still I am not so strong as I was but I think your father is looking very well I am glad to say that the harvest has been very good this year and got in very well Wheat is selling now from six to seven shillings per bushel cheese good from 6 to seven pence per pound beef seven pence to seven pence half penny and mutton the same salt butter thirteen pence per pound fresh butter fifteen pence per pound bacon eight pence to nine pence per pound the weather has been extremely rough and done a deal of damage at sea one vessel alone 155 soals went down into the deep and are lost but has not done much damage on land only the heavy rain hinders them sowing we are truly glad to hear of you doing well and that your Wife and Child are well and we trust the blessing of god will rest upon your labors and that your produce may be in abundance look to Him trust in Him pray for His blessing then all will go well with you we wish you were closer as we could come and see you nothing would give us greater pleasure we hope John and his family are all well and going on well he has not wrote for a long while we think it very unkind if he forgets us we don’t forget him but we suppose he has his hands fully employed with his little family & Henery and Joseph and Andrew and Peter give their love to you and are glad to say that they are all of them very well Henery is at home working for Mr. Webster Joseph is learning to saw he is working at the saw pitt at Ercall he is full hot (?) at coming to America as soon as he has learnt the sawing business Andrew is still at Mr. Wyles Dothil (?) you knew that meadow called the Fentry Croft just as go into Wellington Mr. Charlton has sold it in building lots and going make a new street start from by the old church and comes into the Road that leads from Springhill to Walker’s street just on this side the Railway bridge Poor Old Willm Rodgers of Walton is dead and buried about a fortnight ago we have had a misonary meeting at Wellington chapel the Weslian chapel your old master Mr. Turner was chairman at the meeting Dear Brother and sister I am happy to say that I go to school and I hope when you write again I shall be able to answer your letter. They have got an organ at the church and I go to help them to sing. Esther has sent Nancy Jane a christmus box but if you were to live nearer she would have many more little things. My mother says she is going to kill one of her pigs for we have got four and she is tired of feeding them any longer but it is too far to send you a bit of the pork. The weather at the present time is just like it was when you went on ship bord we had a very heavy thunderstorm on unday night last. I have sent you a newspaper and I have no more to tell you at the preasant but we all join with our best love to you. I remain your affectionate father and mother and loving brother. Peter Davies Transcribed by Roberta Bailey Edited by "MAK" (c) Copyright 2003 Roberta Bailey . All Rights Reserved. USGenWeb NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. Files may be printed or copied for personal use only.