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Aldborough 2nd Nov, 1857

Mr Donald McKercher

Dear Sir,

It becomes my duty to convey to you the mournful intelligence of my father’s death. He died on the 30th of August last. He was calm and reconciled to the last. He was a pious, upright, industrious and honest man. After years of toil and hardships he became free owner of a fine farm of 350 acres worth £3,000. On the 10th & 17th of Sepr. My sister Cathrine's two young boys died, They were very fine children. On the 11th of Octr. I lost a beautiful little girl aged three years and eight months. I miss her very much. On the 15th Octr. My motherinlaw died. So you can see I have had a sorrowful time of it. In the midst of life we are in death - man proposes but God disposes. It is a warning for me to prepare for my own end. I had a letter from a nephew of Mrs McCallum giving some account of you. My brother John died in Feby. 1843. He was a very promising young man. He was at the time Chief Clerk in a large Store. My brother Finlay is married and is keeping store. My sisters Elizabeth & Margaret are unmarried.

Times are very very dull in Canada this year owing to the derangement in the money markrt, and men in this country have been speculating beyond their means in Land and Rail Road Stocks etc., etc. We have had a great many failures among Mercantile men. This is a very fine Country for people with grown up families and a few hundred pounds cash in hand to purchase land with. It is not at all the wilderness it was forty years ago. The early settlers suffered great hardships and privations. Now we have our stone, plank & Rail Roads, Steamboats, etc., etc. Uncleared Lands are now worth from £1 to £3 per acre, improved land can be purchased at from £4 to £6 per acre with good houses & barns erected thereon. Prices of Lands owing to the hard times are down fully fifty percent. Sheep are worth 15/-, Cows £4, oxen per pair £20. Horses £20 to £25. Wheat 4/- per 60 lbs, Oats 1/3 per 34 lbs, peas 2/6, Barley 3/9, Rye 3/9, Beans 5/-, Indian corn 2/-, Hay £2 per ton.

My mother is still living and quite active. She is a very energetic, industrious woman, up every day at sunrise. She is very comfortabl. When you write give me all the Scotch News. I occasionally see Finlay McKercher from the moss who came out to this country some time ago. He has a large family settled about him on land of their own and are doing well. There were two other McKerchers came out some time after him. John & William. They are well off. People coming here must expect (unless they have money) hard work for a few years but in course of time by industry and perseverence they become owners of land of their own which is a privilege and advantage not easily obtained in Scotland. But at same this Country has its Disadvantages also.

Now I am going to ask you a question which you will by all means keep private. That is, can you tell me the surname of my mother and who and where her mother’s people are. She never told me, and I did not ask her.

There are a great many McKerchars in the United States. Some of them call themselves Farquarsons & others McArthurs. For instance the late General McArthur of the United States Army at one time Governor of Ohio who was a relative of ours. When I write again I will give more particulars. Hoping to hear from you on receipt -

I am Yours truly,

Duncan McDiarmid.

P.S. My address is

Duncan McDiarmid,

Aldborough,

County of Elgin,

Canada West.

If you have any clues that may help Donald solve this family mystery, please write to us at editor@tartans.com and we'll forward your messages on to him immediately.

MMJ, December, 1999
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