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1832, Alexander Kennedy writes to his sons
Letter from Alexander Kennedy to his sons, Alexander and Philip, 1 February 1832.
A of M, MG1/D1 #4 Kennedy, Alexander, pp. 20-21.
St. Margaret’s Hope
1st February 1832
Dear Alexander & Philip,
As the time is now drawing near that the despatches will be leaving England for North America, I sit down with pleasure to avail myself of the opportunity to write you and am happy in being able to communicate that I am well, and all your friends here. I had a very pleasant passage from York Factory – arrived in England about the 1st of November – passed a month in London from thence to Edinburgh where I passed another month watching for a vessel to convey me hither.
I left Edinburgh about the 7th January and arrived here the following day when I met all the boys jumping with joy to see me. Billy and George are getting very stout and are anxious to get away from school. They want to get out to Hudson’s Bay in the Company’s service, but there is little encouragement for young men as clerks in the Indian country. Billy has got his name enrolled on the list at the Hudson’s Bay House as a candidate for a vacancy – but few or none seem to be wanted the ensuing year. I am half inclined to send them both out to Red River where they might do something in a mercantile way. George in particular wishes very much to try his fortune in that way – he has a turn for it – is very steady and if there was any inducement for him to try I have no doubt but that he would do very well. Billy is a wild tearing fellow – can go through thick and thin, right or left, and if he gets up into the plains of Red River there will be no fear of him fighting his way through. He understands French, writes well – and there is not a pigeon or plover that comes near him when he has a gun in his hand that can escape with life.
George is learning Latin and when he lays down his book can make a good shot too, though he does not practice it much. Roderick and Alex Isbister are also doing very well, though they do not practice the gun. They can read and write and the latter is a good arithmetician. They have not grown much these two years past.
With regard to myself I am not sure or have not determined what I shall do yet. I have only been a short time here & have not had time to look around me. If I do not come out by the ship I will write you by her and let you know my determination. I should like to pass one summer in this country in order to settle my affairs here, when it is probable I shall come out again and join you in Red River. In the meantime I hope you will both be active about the farm and attentive to your mother and sisters and all your friends about the Swiss Cottage.
I hope Thomas Isbister will soon be able to join you – where he may be happier and better off than he can be in the service and it will be a great source of satisfaction to you all to be together. I wish that Thomas Isbister would secure the next lot of ground below that we have taken possession of, it would be very convenient all to be together. I wrote the Governor to keep it in reserve in case it was not disposed of before he got my letter.
I shall write to the Governor to supply you with the means of purchasing your wants till I have the pleasure of seeing you all again. In the meantime you should not ask for anything but what is absolutely required. You will get a supply of some things out by the ship so that you will not want much from the…
Remember me very kindly to Mr Bird and say if I do not come out myself I shall write him by the ship next fall. My kind respects also to Rev Jones and family.
