We continue our discussion of second great grandfather James Gordon’s correspondence with his brother William and sister Jane Hawthorn. Recall that James left Northern Ireland for Newburgh, New York in 1857, while William and Jane later established themselves in New Zealand, where their branches of the family remain today.
The following letter, again courtesy of our (genealogically and geographically) distant cousin Claire, was written in the summer of 1863, two years earlier than the previously posted letter. James had been teaching in New Jersey but had not yet started his study of medicine.
A transcript of the letter follows. The original is difficult to read because it is written on both sides of the thin paper, the diagonal lettering on the back side bleeding through, crosshatching the lettering on the front side. The total letter is seven and a half handwritten pages. Pay particular attention to the section in bold type in the transcript.
Newburgh New York July 10th 1863
Dear brother and sister—After so long a silence I again take the opportunity of writing you a few lines. Your letter which is dated Nov 29th ’62 I received June 20th 1863. Such a long time for a letter to be on the road(?). I was teaching school in New Jersey when your letter came, my Uncle sent it on as soon as it arrived. I have been teaching for the past six months and am going to continue for perhaps six more. The war is still raging here and there is no telling when it will be over. I have been thinking of getting into business for some time but I think that I will let it be until the waris over. I was? very much surprised when I received your letter informing me that you were started or about starting off for New Zealand—what (?) induced you to go out there is more than I can tell. Did the English Governor offer inducements? and if so what were they? There must certainly be sone inducements or you would not transport yourselves to an island inhabited by a lot of savages or worse. If the English Government want their savage islands populated by a whole race would let them go and settle down there themselves. You are now further off then where they used to transport people to —you know that they used to transport those convicted of crimes to Botany Bay and give them a (?) for passage. I suppose they hardly gave (?). If they did it was nothing more than they should do for you are about as good as transported.
I don’t doubt at all but that the country is very fine but I am inclined to think that you will get tired of it before you live there a hundred years. Nor do I think you will make a fortune very soon working in that mineral water establishment perhaps you will get into a better business before a great while. I hope you may, however long.
Dear brother I think that I would hardly likely to go out there with the intention of remaining. If I could afford it I would not mind going out by and by, just for the sake of seeing the place and returning but I think I shall not go out this year unless I have some very good inducements. I hope that these few lines will find you all enjoying good health, as it leaves me. You must try and write to me every three months and I will do the same. I hope that you may like the place and do well. It seems to me that you will not have much trouble to get to the salt water. You can go to New Castle every day. I think you will enjoy it very much. Have you seen any of original inhabitants of the island? And if so what do you think of them (?) a fine (?) of boys and girls? I think you had better quit working at the soda water and see if you can’t convert them to Christianity or are you converted yourselves?
I came to Newburgh yesterday. I have vacation of two weeks then I shall go back to New Jersey and take my school exam.
My Uncle, Aunt and family are all in good health (the family consists of two children, boys) one named Joseph aged 4 years 8 months, the younger named William George aged 14 months, both fine children and lively as crickets. By the way I would like to see Jane’s children very much, perhaps I will come out by the by and see them. James McClughan and William Henry are both here now. They came out from the old country in the month of May. They landed on the 8th of May in Canada and came from there here. They are both at work. William Henry is working in a store and James is on a farm, or something of that sort. I have not seen James yet. It is strange that I did not get your letter sooner for my Uncle Alexander had received a letter from you before they left and they brought word here of your arrival before I received your letter. In your next letter you must give me a history of the country and tell me whether you think I had better go out and see(?) those Hottentots [crude reference usually used for African natives] or not.
I suppose you have received a letter from my Uncle Alexander before this time. I understand that they are all in good health. Joseph Burrows is out here yet he talks some of going home.
The rest of the Burrows family are in good health except Sarah and she has been unwell for some time with chronic res(?). I think you have heard that she is married. She got married some 18 months ago to a Wm Wallace, a bookkeeper. She has had a young son some time ago. The rest of the family are in good health. Samuel and Alexander are in the (?) business and the manufacture soda water and sassaparilla(?) besides and send it all over so they are doing quite a business in Newburgh. Alexander had a family of three children. Samuel is not married yet but expects to be soon. Jane Burrows is living in Newburgh and boarding with Alexander. She is not married yet. Elizabeth is living with Sarah, her husband died some time ago. Her health is not quite as good as it used to be. Helen (or Mrs. Mahood) is living about two or three miles from Newburgh.
TheyJames bought a farm. They are getting along as well as possible. I think I have given you a pretty good account of the Burrows family.James Harrison’s family have left Harrisons Close and gone out to Pittsburgh in the state of Pennsylvania. I live in the state of New Jersey where I have been teaching school. In this same state there has been great battle fought last week the North were victorious. The Northern Army thin that they have not enough of men and they are going to draft. The draft will be made soon. I will probably be drafted and if I am I shall have to go and fight or else play three hundred dollars. I think however from the present aspect that we will be able to conquer them inside of six months. [it took 21 months]
This last battle lasted for three days and there were some forty or forty five thousand killed and wounded on both sides. I thought of going to visit the battle field but I thought I would not have sufficient time. It is only about 100 miles from where I have been teaching. I could go in about 4 hours ride on the railroad. I think from your accounts that Saboners(?) are pretty well paid for their work. What was your intention before your went there? Did you intend to go at storekeeping or at farming or what? Will it pay to keep a store there? If it does why don’t you go at storekeeping? Or if you don’t like it will you come back to Ireland or America? Give me all the particulars in your next. As I have said before, I would like to have you write every three months at least, and if I am on the land of the living I will reply. If not, you won’t expect me to. If you had come out to America and commenced business, I don’t see why you should not have done well. Dear brother you have never said anything in your letters to me about your money, whether you took it with you or left it, nor anything about it. I presume however that it is all in the old country yet and I think you should be very careful and not squander any of it, for you are not strong enough to make a living by hand work and you will want it all to start you in business by and by. I would like to have you answer me one question in your next letter—it is this. What made John Thornton, Jane and you leave and go to New Zealand? Was John not making a living in Belfast? That he left there and if he was doing well as I suppose he was, if he attended to his business, what made him leave? These are things I would like to understand.
I do not want to know these things from mere curiosity. The reason I want to know is because I take an interest in the welfare of you all.
Sunday July 12th 1863. James McClughan is in from the country. He and William Henry are both here. James says that he promised you to go with him to New Zealand if you sent him good word. He says that he did not then think of coming out to America. James McClughan the widow’s son intended going out to [too?] but when he was at Belfast he had his pocket picked of all his money, returned back and would not start again. I suppose you are aware that Joseph Burrows came out here some time ago. Since he came out his father died. He thought of going home but has not gone yet and will not go before the fall of the year. He is working out in the country now in haying and harvest. Joseph Burrows had a letter from his mother last night. They are all in good health. They state that the English Government are giving a free passage to all who choose to go to New Zealand. James McClughan, William Henry, My Uncle and Aunt and all the folks send their kind regards to you all. I do not think of anything more that I can write you at present. If there is anything that you wish to know regarding anyone or anything, just let me know in your next letter and I will try and give you the desired information. Hoping to hear from you soon and often. I remain as ever your affectionate brother James Gordon, New Hampton N.J.
To William Gordon, John and Jane Hawthorn, Auckland, New Zealand
P.S. Address
James Gordon
Care William McClughan, Esq.
Newburgh, Orange County, New York, U.S.A. (for United States America)
You might send me a newspaper and I will send you one once in a while.
James Gordon
Letter from James Gordon of Newburgh to brother William Gordon and sister Jane Hawthorn of New Zealand, July 10, 1863
Interspersed with family talk, the bolded section refers, of course, to the Civil War Battle of Gettysburg which had ended a week earlier on July 3, 1863. (I wish I could shake James by the shoulders and say “yes, please spend the $20 to take the train and visit the town, you will never get closer to the main flow of history!”)
Aside from the flow of history, I imagine that William and Jane got a little tired of James going on and on about how they could possibly want to settle in New Zealand and wouldn’t they be better off somewhere/anywhere else? James’ 100 years prediction was incorrect, the family is still there, happily, after 157 years. (Had history shifted just a little, we could all be New Zealanders now!) After 157 years we can probably forgive James’ derogatory remarks about the natives–it might be difficult to find any ancestors who didn’t say similar things during their lives.
Bridging the Silences 