Delaware County NY Genealogy and History Site

McFarlane Letter:
This letter was addressed to William McFarlane on the envelope, but based on the greeting of the letter itself ("My Dear Nice") I am certain it was intended for William's daughter Jane McFarlane, my great-great-great-grandmother. Jane was the daughter of William's first marriage, to Isabella [Ferguson], born prior to the family's arrival in the United States. I believe the person who wrote this letter was Isabella's brother based on the text of the letter. I am transcribing it exactly as written. - Barbara Teter Foelsch, May 5, 1999

Outside of Envelope:
Mr William McFarlane
Farmer
Meredith, N.Y.
Delware County
State of New York

Text of Letter:

Leith 2nd March 1850

My Dear Nice

I received yours of date March last year and was happy to see by it you was well also your Father and the rest of his Family, and also to let you know this leaves us all well. You must forgive me in not writing you long before this, I was not very well when your letter came and I wanted to see the Writter[?] in Stirling so as I might know something about my Fathers affairs to let you know. I have been several times at Stirling since then seeing them, but owing to the Death of Mr. Hill the Writter[?] they have [unreadable] from time to time, I was seeing them last week and told them I would be put of no longer; and they have promised to have a Steatment mead out for me by Whitensday first, I showed them your letter and they are going to make out a paper for me then to you for your signature, which when I receive I will send it to you and you can return it to me again, and Mrs. Landele[?] is to send one to me also, so as I will endeavour to get some settelment mead with them, as there is been nothing got nor done since my Fathers Death, whatever small sum that is been over after, paying the Interest of the Bonds, is been to go in the Bank, but I will send you a full steatment when I write you next after I get it from them, and as you say you will trust to me for any that will come to your Share so you may Dear Nice for it would be far wrong of me if I should not look to your Intrest the same as my own, and you may rely I will do so-I give you afew particulars anent my Family. Jane, about 9 years ago went to Caul [?] to keep her Auncals house at the Death of his Wife and is still there, Robert, is in Dundee he is been about 6 years he is a Ship Chandlers Shope, John served his time at Sea and we have a Brig that belongs to ourselves, and he is Captain of her, he and Thomas went away with her to Cadiz and as they are going after that to Memel [?], we do not expect them home for 5 or 6 Months, She is a fine Brig they call her the Competitor, she is register 166 Tons Carryes 260 Tons, they have 8 Men in her, they had a Schooner the two or three years past, but she was two Small and we sold her, Christina, keeps the shope with me, Susanna, Isabella, Patrick William, and Janet, are at the School, your three Aunts ar in Glasgow and Cousan William, Robert went to America about 2 years ago. Anent my Busness I am still in the same place since I came to Leith and dealing in the same way. I have both mead a good deal and loosed a good deal, but I have still keeped out of debt, and brought up my Faemly hitherto in a respectable way. I am happy to sea by yours your Father is doing well it is a pleasure for us to hear of his wealfare, and tell him to write us, and to write often, and also yourself, as we shall always be must happy to hear from you and I will always endeavour to write you often as it is the only consolation we have now being seaperated so far from each other to hear often from one and other; write when you receive this, we all join in kind love to your Father and Family, and believe me to be my Dear Nice, your ever Loving and affectionate Auncale
Thomas Ferguson