A chronicling of letters starting from 1877 and ending in the 1950s tell the stories of William Cotton's ancestors - stories ranging from great tragedy to great love.
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#162. Hamilton Ontario
Sept. 5/1907
My darling little wife
Your last letter was such a dandy one that I suppose you will have to be forgiven for pets neglect. I was very glad to get it yesterday Andrew hear that you were still making out.The raspberries seem to be doing noble Tell me in your next if they are bearing pretty well at the far end this year. This was payday and I had to do a good deal of running around tonight so you will have to be satisfied with a mere line tonight and I will try and make up for it on Tuesday. I got $22.89. If I had worked the first two days of this pay it wouldn’t be in the record. I am getting into a good steady run of work and after next payday in which there will only be 11 days two of which are Saturdays or 10 whole days in all I think I should be good for 26 or $27 every pay. It takes from 9 to 10 to get me through each two weeks so there should be 16 or 17 left for you. That is of course if everything goes OK I enclose this time an express order for Thirteen and hope it will be a bit of a help.I have been intending to read to may but wanted to leave it till nearly the dutiful day I think I will take tomorrow night for it.I had a little trouble with Mrs. D about the oil stove project but she ————-to thrive all right. I will tell May about it and any other news on Sunday. I know you will excuse this. It is late and I need a good deal of sleep—————-. Love to your mother Lillie and all of the other houses. Bye bye darling do get some help at those raspberries. ———— ———— you might to be careful if only for your poor lonesome hub. Ever your own true lover and devoted husband
Frank C Cotton
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161. Hamilton Ontario
July 14th, 1907
My own darling wife
It is Sunday morning. I have taken mostly all the morning up to to now having a bath, shave and clean up generally and after a banana, a bite of bread and a cup of first class tea provided by my dear old landlady. I feel pretty fit and cannot do a better thing than commence a letter to you. I will be off to my dinner at 12 so probably will will finish up this afternoon or evening. It is a lovely day though promising to be too hot to stir around very much so i expect to put in a pretty restful day. My holidays are not wildly disappointing which perhaps account for my good health. I think that the heat is taking a little super—- Flash from me though I am none the worse for that. The worst trouble I have is to keep my inside machinery working properly but with the help of plenty of cold water and bananas (at ten cents a dozen) I do pretty well. I am looking forward to the apple time. I expect though that I am built so that I need the opinion and my little woman’s eating to be just right. At times I miss the farm work very much indeed and so far my own darling wifie I am homesick for her the whole time. It doesn’t seem just right that we should be separated for so long and I have————- enough to believe that if we were together you would get better faster and after all that is the most important matter of all. We will see how things turn out in the next month. You are getting the notes etc. so consolidated that I do not see any reason on that score why you should not leave this fall and we could handle things all right from wherever we might be. In Hamilton or anywhere else. Of course I think that if I could get anything half decent at home for the winter that perhaps I might go back and it would nullify matters but I do not see that there is at present at least any prospect of anything there. Then on the other hand there is your mother to be considered and there is no doubt that that if you were with her for the winter you would have more comfort and better care than you would take for yourself anywhere you might be with me. If you did stay in Charlottetown all winter I would figure on getting home about the 25th April so as to be already for the spring break. I wish those hairdo would get all right. As for the hair it is no wonder it is coming out and on the forehead too for you have had your full share of————- anxiety lately. But I hope the worst is over. Perhaps we shall have all the happiness together if that could be possible at least from my side of the case after we do get together again after all our trials and tribulations. I think we have had our share though I am quite willing to admit that many are due to my foolishness. Bob I think was quite impressed with Hamilton. It is certainly one of the prettiest places I have ever seen. But the fresh lake water is dirty stuff and not at all to be compared with the salt. A stranger cannot help but notice that it is very rare to see a really robust looking person here in ———-. Everybody looks sallow and colourless, even the young girls haven’t at all the same fresh look that they have in the maritime country. Of course there is no doubt at all that people for the most part work much harder than they do at home but I do not think that the difference is altogether due to that. I just now went to dinner and had a very comfortable one and took plenty of time at it. Menu——dressed heart boiled potatoes corn (cured) cottage pudding and bread and soda biscuits. My Sunday dinner is generally the best I get all week as the evening meal is not so substantial as the noon dinners. You can always get just as much as you want though. I am getting my breakfast and lunch down pretty fine about 10 or 12 cents a day for both.I have good hopes of getting like the Irshman’s horse though not I hope of reaching the same need of that poor beast. I saw in the paper the other day where two men had received legacies of $40.000, and $100.000 (that is a fact) one dropped dead when he heard the news and the other cut his throat. I really believe that I would do my best to stan
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counting at all on it. We have another pay day on Saturday. I am afraid it may be on a sliding scale down for a few weeks now but probably not much. We are down a very small crowd just at present but I have good hope that as I have stayed on so long I may be able to see it all through whether the————— job comes my way or not. I think your idea in Peter’s notes at the Union Bank is an excellent one and one that ought to be able to be managed all right. I know Harry would have no objection. Probably Peter will be able to come in time with a few dollars for that one on the 9th Aug. and that will leave just the two of his alone to look after. I enclose two of his notes (which came all right) one endorsed to the Royal Bank for that one on the 27th July and the other to the Union Bank. Then when we get those two of Pickards in Aug. put into one they will be getting to a much smaller number of notes which as you say means less interest and smaller payments. Bye this bye did Peter ever make your lattice work? It might also be a good idea to get him to fix up the little cart some time before next spring. I don’t think Connolly need be afraid to use the pump. It is of course mine and if and if Pius thought I would take it up he would probably make no trouble for Connolly. From something Bob said I imagine Jim got ahead of Vincent about getting the field and the latter is made. Both gentlemen will make the very best bargain they can but but I think both will stick to it when made. I am greatly surprised to here about those windows if true. In regards Pius and Connolly I know there is no love lost there for a long time. Each used to think the other got too much seaweed off the Brighton line. I do not know just what to think of Bob. I think he was trying to put up a big bluff to a case he out and when he knew it didn’t work tried to give in gracefully though I could tell he was disappointed. He was as nice as could be when here and most mild. I did not hear anything about doing what “ He and father said “ But his stay doesn’t altogether tally with father’s. By this time you will see how he and I stand in the shares business and you need have no confusion whatever about taking the interest if he pays it which I trust he will. He knows well enough that he is legally bound by that agreement though he probably thinks that even if it stood legally which I think it would I would for “the family honour “ make no trouble through the court’s. And he is right as regards that at least just now though there is no need to tell him so. I think he would take the property all right though I may be wrong here but after thinking the thing now from every point of view I have evolved a theory which if the truth be known might not be far wide of the mark. I know that Bob has great social and political aspirations and you know that Win has pretty big feelings along the same lines. Now with not very much conceit I think that I may claim to be more popular shall we say in Charlottetown than is Bob and you know that however quietly we have lived you have made friends everywhere among the very best people and Win has always been a bit jealous of you and while they might both basically believe that we could do better away from home they would perhaps be glad for their own sakes as well as if we pulled our weight. If we did stay in Charlottetown and left our property and managed to scrape along at all we might each in our own way and together be somewhat of stumbling blocks and if by chance we prospered a little I think we could give them aces and trumps and hold our own in a social way. So all things considered it might be advantageous if we were both young, charming and popular somewhere else. How’s that for conceit. I don’t for a moment say mind you that Bob has discussed the matter with Win but knowing as much as he does he might have looked at it that way and if I could be persuaded to temporarily give up my place and try for a good position up here somewhere and bring you along there would be excellent chances that you and I would again return to P.E.I. O
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you know I am sorry in many ways that I did not go in with MacCount and MacIsaac that time. I will buy myself a couple of ———— next payday . Give my best love to your mother and the girls. I wonder how Lillies sweet peas are doing. The beets look great. I am keeping them for Sunday meeting. You had to pay a lot for postage didn’t you? When are you going to Lizzie’s for that day or too ? How is aunt Libbie? Good by my dearest wife ever your own loving husband
Frank C Cotton.
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160 Hamilton Ont.
July 5, 1907
My Darling wife
I am the one who is doing a stretch of writing this week, this being the third day in succession. I know that you will be able to find something to do with the enclosed and I kept it until tomorrow I might be tempted to spend it foolishly. I did a little better than I expected this time $22.76 for really only eleven full working days. I am therefore able to send you thirteen dollars which I suppose is so much more. The next two weeks will be short again and then there is a pair of several pay days with thirteen days. I have been wondering if you have had any new developments and worries. With one thing and another we seem to live in strange times. I had an interview with the foreman yesterday which pleased me greatly and while it will not add to earnings at least for the present shows that good honest work is appreciated. I think I told you that I have been to a great extent a Jack of all trades but have done the best I could do whatever I was put, well yesterday when I was at one of my numerous jobs he the foreman (an out and out gentleman) came along and after a few general remarks wanted to know how I would like to take charge of the stock, said it was a nice clean job not labourious and needed a man who would be looking around all the time seeing that things were properly put in place and keeping shortages filled up. In fact a position in such a large establishment of a good deal of responsibility and ————- steady steady work the year around with no chance of getting laid off for six to eight weeks. He said the company had asked him to recommend a man and while he could not promise me the work definitely if I cared to take it he would hand my name in as his choice. Of course I was pleased after being with them such a short time but I told him cash was my object and inquired what it was worth. He said it was day work and after I got aquatinted with the stock would be worth about $2.00 per day which he said he knew was a little less than I could make in peace work. But the packing will in about a week be over for a while and during stock taking which follows who is not discharged is paid by the day at the rate of not more than $1.75. The piece work of course begins again the latter part of August. I hardly know what to do but as he said that through knowledge of the stock was one of the best ways towards promotion and appeared to want me to take the job. I said I would tackle it. I think for the next two months it should turn me in as much as I will get otherwise if not laid off. It will be a soft job physically though no——————— mentally and if I find that for the fall and winter I can’t make as much at it as at the heavy work I will go back to the peace work, of course if I figured on staying for any number of years I would not hesitate for a moment and perhaps in a big place like this it might lead to something better even in ten months. I will soon have had quite a varied experience in people, places and work. Possibly it may be of use to me in the future. It certainly is an education. Of course I may not get the charge at all and in a good many ways I will be better pleased but having got the offer I thought I had better take it. I did not intend making this nearly so long but somehow when I get started writing to you I hardly know when to stop. Love to all. I wonder how that old—————is by now.
Ever your own true love and husband
Frank C Cotton
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#153 Hamilton Ont.
June 26th 1907
My Darling wife
I was on the point of writing to you last night but something told me I would hear from you and sure enough there was a letter today. I think you should always write at least three times a week. You know you could if you wanted to. Well I am going to talk business first and if there is room for anything else I must write small. Your last two letters are a little more like you as regards Bob. Perhaps the mean between the two extremes is pretty nearly right. As Bob himself truly told you he would not take the thing up for love of either his brothers or his sister in law now even for the “honour of the family “ which by the way your mother may tell him from me if he speaks of it again I consider quite as safe in my keeping us in his foolish and soft I have been and admit it freely but if Bob never does anything more than I have done to lmpair the honour of the family he may rest with a fairly easy conscience. And before I say anything else your mother is pretty good to us. We will never be able to repay her for her kindness I am sure. It is a ———table leaking of coals of fire, I think the least you can do is to tell her pretty well how we stand and talk mothers over with her as freely as you like but with no one else not even Bob until we here a little more from him probably he knows as much as is good for him. But what I started not to say was this. You will have got my letter ere this and will have my views pretty fully stated. Bob knows as well as I do that the way that the West end is building up that the value of our place is increasing steadily every year. A very few more houses in the neighborhood and there is four building lots could be taken off the front with perhaps $300 each and of course the house property would be worth more nine in the same proportion to say nothing of the rest of the place if a street were opened through it. In fact the more I have thought of the thing since I got your first letter the less I like it. I think perhaps Bob figures it out about like this. I am away if I signed him the place over I will probably stay away for several years. He. Will put extensive improvements on the place. In the meantime I will settle down and after a few years not want to go back to the farm, or else I will not have made enough money to repay him for his payments in my account and he will get a most valuable property easily. Or if I should go back and am able to pay him he will have had a good investment in the meantime and he probably expects that judging from my income to date the chances are good that I will not be able to make good of course I may be way off but again I may not. Without having very much until I here from him, I should judge from the tone of his interview with your mother that he might possibly be going to try coercion but we may refuse to be coerced. While our depts are big enough goodness knows (a new pew) I think the greatest danger from our creditors is past at any rate we will deed that property to nobody until we have to (always provided we do not sell outright. ) i must make an exception though, it might be duly possible if things were looking the very worst that it would be advisable to deed it over to your mother but as long as we can pay a little something I think the danger is pretty well over. While as I said before they build up individually, they are small so small that unless I am much mistaken only one or two men could come down on our landed property even if there were no mortgage. And a word in your ear a bank will be very patient in waiting for their money before they will go into the courts. It is one thing they very much dislike to do. Right here that applies to the Barrett note if you have any trouble it is possible he has failed. I see several items in the paper which lead me to think he may have. If you pay the $6.00 you sh—- of on account you could safely let the balance wait for some time at least till you hear from the bank the second time and then we could pay a little more. And if you were in doubt you could be perfectly safe to wait until you
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forwarded their letter and heard from me. By keeping it along it would not be much harder than receiving it. But it may be all right I am sure I hope it is. But to come back to the place I have been thinking that if you could do it might be a good idea sometime to drop in and see Hansard &Gaudet. You could see Mr.Hansard or Mr.Gaudet who for our purposes is as good as lawyers as any. You could give them an idea as to our finances and explain that we are paying some all the time and want to hold the place at all costs and find out if judgement were entered up against me if any creditors could in any way cause us to be sold out so long as they hold the mortgage and we pay the interest to them regularly. I have very little doubt about it but it would perhaps be well to have legal opinion if we wanted that is. But I want you to do just as you like about this little concern. If you don’t care to don’t go. There is no hurry anyhow. I could write to them for that matter. They might possibly be able to suggest something that would bail us out. I don’t just like Bobs remark about our creditors coming down on us as soon as your back is turned. I don’t think he will make any trouble about that interest. Let me know everything you hear about that. You know whatever turns up at the office we must be responsible for that. But Bob is quite a capitalist now so whatever he does with the business the note is pretty good. He did not mention it at all in his note to me and he did say that he thought he would hang on to the newspaper. It was only a note, more looking for information than anything else-which he didn’t get. But I expect you will both have gone over my letter and I shall be hearing some more shortly. Until I do, I do not think there is any more to be said.
I would by all means get that dress and keep the balance for the interest. You poor little woman you do have a hard time sure enough. I only hope that you keep pulling up. Your health was the principal reason Bob advanced for his proposal, and if I thought this miserable business was going to keep you ill I would pitch the whole thing because we could live and comfortably too. I believe I am that much good. These two weeks are going to be a little better than I expected and I hope to send you something worthwhile on the 5th about the notes you speak of. If Mr Petbick and father were willing it might be advisable to use that one but I do not think I would use another one of Peter’s. It is also quite possible that the B of ns would not be willing to take his for 50.00 when they have one for 30 recurring while they would be willing to renew the 30 in full or take a very small payment on account. But just do what you think best I will enclose a note for Fred to sign again in case you need it also one to father and a renewal for Elwers. Send Elwers several days ahead. I have not heard from Harvey Duncan but am writing him and will send notes already endorsed and an envelope addressed to you. You should get them in lots of time as the first are ———- July 18th . I sent you the renewal for the one on the 23rd didn’t I. You did not mention it. And now dear about you coming up, I only wish it were right off. I think the cheapest and most pleasant trip where you are a good sailor and have the time would be the all water one. A good boat runs from Montreal direct to here on Tuesdays and Friday and the fare is only $7.00. Father could find out for you from Mr. Arthur what the fare is from C————- to Montreal and when she is due to arrive there. Peobes also saw a steamer to Montreal but I am not sure that she goes direct. I don’t think the rate is more than $12.00,$13.00 but you can easily find out. It should be a lovely trip and you would only have the one change.
Do you know I am getting positively fond of my work. If you were only here it would be all right. I think it a very poor day now that I do not earn $2.00 or better and so far it is keeping up five. I don’t know whether the Forman discovered I was fond of change but I have been on nearly every job in the place. It of course spoiled my earnings at first but now that the staff is thriving i can tackle nearly anything and make fair wages and as I get expert will of course do better though $250 is about all they allow. If you make much more than that for any length of time the price on that particular job is soon cut. So when you strike it extra good you have to go easy and not make more then $2.60 or$2.70 by the end of the day. It is a pity about your mothers house. I was greatly surprised to hear it but said nothing. You know she said she would go away for the winter. If Gladys was going to be with her it would be all right but after having heard her it will be particular hard for her all by herself with Lillie. She might even have come to Hamilton. Give my best love to her and the kids. How are Lillie’s sweet peas? I expect you will soon have all the green vegetables imaginable from Gladys garden and I hope some fruit from yours. I wonder what I ever did to deserve such a little wife. I have had one rare piece of good fortune in my life and if she did not have to share it should be quite content to stand all the hard times caring for me in lieu there of. Well good night sweetheart. Don’t go to the lawyers unless you feel you just want to. I could write lots more but if I did my savings would all be going for stationary. I hope that May get all her prefabricating made satisfactorily. I expect the change will be good for her even under the conditions which she————-. Remember to write three or four letters a week after this. I like it nicely. Ever your own Hub
Frank C Cotton
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#152 Hamilton Ont.
June 23rd 1907
My darling wife
Your letter and one from Bob were awaiting me when I came back from work at noon yesterday. The proposition is rather an important one and as not much time would be gained by writing yesterday afternoon I decided that the best thing I could do would be to sleep on it. One thing our troubles seem to have accomplished is to raise Bob very considerably in your opinion for which I am thankful as it is only proper that brothers and sisters in law should be as good chums as possible. Had I a few months ago came home to you with such a proposal as is contained in your letter you would have told me that I was the biggest kind of a fool and you would not entertain such an idea for a moment. But joking aside- I will write this part of my letter so that you may read it to Bob though of course I will write to him now it will save going over the same thing twice. But before I begin Bob himself pays the interest on your mothers loan as I think I told you so you need not worry about that part of it. The proposition if I gather it correctly is something like this. Bob will assure the Hatsgard & Gaudet mortgage $1000. Aunt Sarah which in all is $370.00 and the house notes of roughly speaking $400. About $1800 in all we will deed him over the property and he will give us an undertaking to deed it back at the end of say three years provided we repay him what he has paid on the dept and the cost of any improvements he puts on the property. In other words the deed and mortgages would be transferred from me to him and I suppose he proposes to pay out the notes as they come due. That is all right if we were assured that everything at the end of three years would be as it is now. But something might happen to me. Something might happen to Bob or something might happen to both of us and there would not be a scratch of a few others things an agreement which would not count for much against a deed to show that there was $700-(we will say) owe money. I spec that $700- is the difference between the liability against it and the $2500 or thereabouts which it cost us as it stands and which I think it is worth today. Then again I don’t know but I imagine that if Bob wants to make something on the deal his improvements would be bathroom, sewage and possibly furnace which would give him a property which would readily get in the locality it is for $200 . Now these would cost say $300- and it is quite possible that we might not at the end of the time have $700 to pay him for the notes and improvements. What would be our alternative? - Either get him to renew the agreement if he would or sell him the place at his own figures and once again,should we in the meantime decide to settle anywhere else and want to sell out we would be blocked there. I really think that if we were to deed the place to Bob the best plan would be an outright sale and we could take our chances of buying it again, or perhaps if he were to give us a 3 year note for the $700 - we might work it in some such way. But partly I do not just like the idea. You see we might want to go back next spring. In fact unless we definitely decide to settle somewhere else I am very anxious to do so if at all possible. So long as we have our property and pay our interest it is all right and while our creditors could sue us and get judgment all right that could stand for years and we could be paying a little all the time, and I daresay even the interest could go back a little if absolutely necessary and if it came to the worst we could sell to Bob if he wished or to anyone else. On the other hand I feel pretty sure that this very same business is what is keeping you back and I will be agreeable to pretty nearly anything that will leave you free of the worry which you make of it. I think I would even agree to the proposal but if that goes through will want a week or two at least. Once June is out the interest Aug.15th is the big item. There is another point and that is that while it would be alright for you to be here for a winter and we could have a very jolly time time together I would not
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wish you to take a position for several years in Hamilton or anywhere else as a —————— wife even though financially we might be quite comfortable. I would feel that I had to get to work in earnest to look out for permanent work as I told you in my last letter what you are no doubt pondering over in addition to your other matters I have something in which might possibly come to something. If it did it might make a very material difference in things so as far as any transfer goes think we had better let it hang for a little.
Now I have a counter proposal to which Bob may take as little as I to the other are but it is no harm to suggest it and between us I daresay we can work out something to all. 5% of $1800 is $90and Bobs scheme no doubt is for an entry of $90 a year and an investment of the capital required for improvements to help us very naturally out of our troubles and at the same time give him a rental of $175 to $200. There is no mention of taxes but we will leave that just now. Three times $90 avg. $270. Suppose he applied that $270 to pay on our house notes or he could pay half interest this year and $220.00 on notes. We could give him a three year lease of the place and a receipt in full for three years rent. As to the improvements we could give him a security on the place and an undertaking to pay for them at the expiry of the lease or failing that to continue the lease until such time as they were paid for. We could also give him first chance to buy the place at an agreed on price should we wish to sell. If we wished to go back before the three years were up we could do so as his tenants. Letters are poor things and I may have the whole idea wrong but if I have it right it seems to me that some such scheme as the above might be worked. He would of course take some cash but not so much as we carried the other way for even if we were sold out at mortgage sale which is like the other contingencies in his proposal, possibly he he would have the chance of buying in the place to protect himself. If we decided to sell he would have the chance at a price agreed on or if to any one else of course we could only sell subject to his lease. That would nearly wipe out the house notes and leave us the interest and payments on accommodation notes to look out for which we should be able to handle if I am any good at all. Now I want you to read every word of the above to Bob. It is well to know how we stand and by getting down to pork bottom I haven’t the least doubt that we can arrive at something naturally advantageous.
I fear my poor little woman that you are having a bad time of it and should we make a deal you had better try and come up as soon as possible. We have been getting beautiful weather sunshine and rain and the country looks simple beautiful, strawberries and all the early vegetables are in the market and everything is going fiercely to make up for the bad weather. I still believe though that Maggie is in the best climate of all. I will not return her letter until I write again as this will be quite enough to put in the envelope. The slack time at the factory is affecting me favourably so far. I earned $2.30 on Friday and yesterday up to 12 o’clock made $1.50 . I don’t turn that all in for a half day though so will account for $1.50 for Saturday and have a nest egg of 15 cents to commence Monday with. As I have a profitable job to start on with lunch I should make it a$2.50 day so perhaps this two weeks will not be so bad. So many have been turned off for a couple of months that the few left get a larger proportion of profitable work to do. I will soon know all about packing farm implements ready for shipment. By the time you get this your eyes will be sore so I must stop. If it were not for those foolish accountadive notes which Peter got out of me I think we could handle nearly everything in the note live from here all right. The office payments stop about July 5th instead of August 1st so we were not so far astray and I know Bob paid several little bills at the office. E.W.Taylor and W.l.Boswell for instance good bye darling. I hope you and Bob can figure out the above between you. Try and keep up your spirits and I expect the best thing for you to do will be to come up here as Soon as possible. I expect Bob and we can get to some agreement as it would be a good thing from both standpoints. Love to all. I have just about time to write to Bob before dinner. With fondest love
Ever your husband
Frank C Cotton
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#151 Charlottetown P.E.I.
June 20, 1907
My own dearest
You will think I have gone letter crazy,this is the third or fourth this week and here I haven’t had one. Well to begin with I have changed my mind about Bob in fact I’m sorry I said anything about it to you to worry you. I told mother about it and she thought it would be fine at first but the more she thought the less she liked the idea only finally this morning she said she didn’t think it would look well for you, it would look as if you had to get out and Bob was taking charge of your depts out of kindness or something else. So she said she was going to give me a birthday present, which she would give me now instead of fifty dollars, and I would pay F.Hearty, Mr.Pope and get a new dress. I told her I would much rather pay my dept than get a new dress so I think I will get off with getting one dyed. Now what do you think we had better do with it. I may have to use part for Mr.Pope next month but I think outside of that I had better put it in the bank for the interest-in Aug. and try and act if it wasn’t there in making payments I mean. Or do you think I had better pay out some of the small notes Dowell and Horne for instance. I sent Dowell’s note to him and didn’t get anything at the P.O. This afternoon so judge it must be all right for the time. But I did get a notice from the Royal Bank re Barrettes note. Looks bad shifting around doesn’t it? I am showering in my shoes I’ll expire if I have to pay that out. I am only planning on paying six dollars on it. I think if all goes well our house dept ought four hundred and five dollars at the end of the month. I think Bob is frying some fish as the Frenchman puts it. Oh if only I could talk to you. !!!! Well have to hang our tongues in the middle for the occasion of meeting. I went out down town today, met Kitty just outside the door and she drove me into the p.o. And was setting on his door step taking to Walter when Mrs H and Wm drove up picked Walter and me up and drove us a drive and then home. There was a lot of people here calling but I can’t here people to sympathize with me even yet so I left and put an envelope on the door. Mrs Dechamps baby is dead. Kitty told me it was is was is was is a mercy it was taken as it would have been either an imbecile or a cripple, it’s neck was twisted in some way. Mr and Mrs MacKinnon took the body to Georgetown this afternoon to show Mrs Dover Kitty said but that’s an awful idea. Vera Hydaman is home again and had a lovely time.
Bob brought your letter to me at noon, I was so glad to get it. I was awfully disappointed yesterday as I went down to see for myself as I thought as I thought Bob hadn’t looked properly. You didn’t send me a note to go with Horns promissory one and I don’t know what I’m to say, if I only knew I could pay a little more on things but you didn’t say. I won’t have any till yours comes but then I think I could pay three dollars. You are mean to throw up to me about my miserable rub but really notes up payments and ways and means are seldom if ever out of my head, my pains are very much better indeed if my hands and arms were all right. I would be practically all right again. My aged relation is behaving splendidly. Thanks for the kind interest you show to her. You dear old hub you mustn’t get homesick, home was never like Hamilton, I’m sure I would much rather be there. Do you suppose Mrs Donald will be willing to take a lady boarder. Do you know you are starting on your forth month away and I have been ill most of that time. Do be careful of yourself, I was wondering if you had met with any accident when I didn’t get a letter yesterday, but I know very well you were reading and got lazy on it instead of home sick. It is getting very warm now here now too but I don’t seem to feel it. Did I tell you I was going to start to paint Gladys room next week. She is very anxious to have it done. I am occupying one room all by myself, it is very lonesome, but I still sleep in blankets by Doctors orders so not likely you would be very comfortable. I started to make a waist for Gladys yesterday and I think will finish it tomorrow. Mother thinks it is going to look fine. I don’t know what I will attempt next, what would you suggest. Mother is awfully sorry she took her house back again but she said it seemed such an awful undertaking to move and me sick, she said yesterday if I would only stay with her for the winter it would be free board. I really think though that if I was with you it would cost very little more than if you were alone. For I could cook lots of things and fix up things for us two if we had an oil stove. We often have a corn chowder for dinner which I could make on an oil stove for us two and it would do two meals. And other things like that. Bob told me I couldn’t get to Montreal under $20.00 and ten more to Hamilton. But Annie Mellish told me that Miss Johnson went up one year for $10.0 cheap excursion time and the regular autumn excursion is $12.00 . I wish you would begin to make enquires for it won’t be very long now here June is getting along. I thought we might give May a picture for a wedding present, it would be as. cheap as anything and as nice. I enclose a letter from Walter, your mother gave it to me to send with magazines but I thought it too heavy, you might return them when you can. Mr Power has a new horse a dark grey now. Mr.Carter’s house looks very nice also Mr Poirier’s. There is a third one across the street from Carter’s I don’t know who has it. I am glad you are pleased with my progress in the note line but also Mr Jenkins isn’t paid yet. I think I will pay his January one the first of the month, if I can possibly. I am getting on business again eh? I must stop, as this is an extra sort of letter. I am going to say goodbye.
Your very loving little wife
Ethel S Cotton
You may not be good at making a million
But remember your all the world to me
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#150. Hamilton Ont.
June 20,1907
My darling Wife
Here it is Thursday and one more payday. I am enclosing a money order for fourteen dollars. I believe I could have made it the $15 had it not been for that Saturday half holiday. I might make it fifteen anyhow but I ended up yesterday with not a red cent and perhaps it is better to be a little ahead of the game. I drew $23.89 this time which beats P.E.I. I think. The next one will be small though as there are only twelve days two of which are half ones. Work is slackening off too and will be that way probably for a couple of months. On account of the bad spring the orders for 2000 nectarines were canceled. About 800 heads have been delayed for a few weeks. It is possible that I may be a little later but I hardly think so. At any rate I have work for tomorrow and next day which should pay me as well as any I have had yet. I am not worrying very much as I can go farming if necessary for a few weeks and get my work back again about Sept. 1st .but I have an idea that I will be left on. Unless I go of my own accord which is possible. I may leave in perhaps a month but if I do it will be for something very greatly better. But as nothing may come of it I will say nothing more to raise your hopes and you say nothing to anybody. Just figure that the best I could do is with the Harvester Co. you need not worry for if I can manage the change you will like it and as I said there may nothing at all come of it.
Perhaps it is as well you did not come. The summer we have had is very hot already for about a week. Not lower than 83 degrees and oftener 88 to 90 and one day 94. I must say though that I myself did not mind it very much at all. Yesterday we had heavy rain thunder and lightning for about an hour. That cleared things for a little but today is still pretty sultry. Everything is growing finely now and local grown strawberries are just coming on the nearbit. from the occasional Examiner I get I should say P.E.I. Is coming all right too. I only hope the
Shu————- has completely disappeared. Give my love to your mother,Lillie,Gladys and all at the other house. Ask Lillie for me if her sweet peas are up yet? I have not written to Bob yet. But I hope to be feeling in first class trim on Sunday when I will write you a good long epistle and try and discharge one or two of my other depts in the letter live. I hope the “dosh “ reaches you in time to be half this month. I will have some more on July 5th though not I am afraid quite so much. I wish I could just about double it. Then we would be nearly all right. It is nearly eleven o’clock and I have still a business letter to write so will say good night. You know how much love I send darling . How I would like to be with you if only for a day or two.
Ever your loving husband.
Frank
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#149. Hamilton Ont.
June 5/07
My darling wife
This will only be a line or two. I received your two letters and hardly know what to say or do. I expect we had better sell out though I cannot altogether give up the farming for all time. Of course it will be laid by the heels for a while if will sell. I certainly will not buy another farm or any other kind of property up here until I can pay for it. I am afraid I cannot go home unless for good. My passes are some time out of date and I could not hold my position here to say nothing of the expense both ways. Why could we not sell what furniture we don’t want and desire-if it must be-and rent the house if possible or perhaps it would be better to sell right out, though I would hate to sacrifice the place by rushing it. Try not to worry too much over those notes. If some of those people do get judgements that will be all there is to it. In fact I sometimes think it would be better so and let them take the notes out of the bank. Then we could make little payments to them. It is as well I expect that I am not farming this year for it promises to be a poor season everywhere. I will write Wal, Lilly when I get your letter in answer to my last ones. If we do sell or rent I expect we can get Bob to manage for us as he does for uncle Will and my signature is easily procured. Perhaps we could next spring make some such arrangements with your mother as we spoke of for this season. But more later. I began this just to enclose money order for $11.00. I got paid today $21.93 not to bad I think for the first half month, next one should be at least a dollar better if things keep as they are going. I had just 5 cents left this morning so it came in good time. I hoped to have sent $12.00 but I had to pay $4.00 to Mrs D. and I bought a meal ticket for $3.25 the reduction is about 50 cents on twenty meals so I thought it was worth saving. I also had to get a suit of overalls for my trousers are in a pretty bad shape. Also a haircut, the first since I left home. I find it hard to do on much less than $5.00 per week though from now on with a $1.50 more it will be that much less. Car fare is quite an item 50 cents a week and I have to get a little washing done. I should have that dark shirt but will let it go till the 20th. I believe as you say it would cast us two very little more than it does one alone. Whatever we decide on for next year you had better come as soon as ever you can. I think we both need each other. I will write to Bob when I next here from you. He is bearing coals of fire “ a little eh? With good health I should make $50.00 a month right where I am. We could probably save $20.00 that is if we put our heads to it and every bill is coming down a little. Bob must have paid D.Wrights bill. I never got one yet. My line has spread out. Good night my own darling. Possibly if I could strike $7 or $8 a week in overtime I might to come home but the change will do you good.
All my love ever your own true and affectionate
Husband
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#148. Hamilton Ont.
May 24th, 1907
My Dearest Mother
I thought I would have got a letter off to you a day or two ago to wish you very many happy returns of the 23rd but I have a long day and today being a holiday possibly I can write a better letter. The good wishes are just as heartfelt though a little late. I am sending a couple of cards which you may be interested in. The view of Hamilton from the mountain is I think one of the finest I have ever seen not even excepting Niagara Falls. It is of course not so grand but quieter and exceptionally pretty. You can see the entire city at your feet and as it is full of trees squares and bits of green besides being beautifully kept the effect is most pleasing to one who I think has an eye for the quieter effects of natural scenery. And if I keep going I will have seen something after a while. Christ Church Cathedral is a fine church. Ethel and I were in it on our wedding trip. The Rector Cavon Abbot is a Nova Scotian I believe. He is no doubt a very fine preacher but when in the pulpit reminds one of a particular lmpassived actor on the stage which is not exactly my idea of a Church of England clergyman. The service is nice. They have a splendid mixed choir. Girls,boys and men. I have been near to all saints church and met Carrion Farmet last Sunday. I like the service and rector very much though I am afraid it might be a little low church for your taste. But as they have a good deal of singing and a splendid choir. New and woven it is not so bad you see. I chanced to sit in the vicinity of several St. Andreas Brotherhood men and they want me to go in the choir but weather I can rise to such heights I don’t know. I was very sorry in many ways to leave Mr Birketts for I liked him, his family and the work very much indeed. But I am making a good deal more money here with the International Harvester people which this year at least is a consideration. Tell father and Bob they should come here and start a newspaper. It is a city of well neigh 100,000 people and has just the same number of daily papers as has Charlottetown and not one of them is a morning paper. The spectator conservative appears to be the leading one though the herald independent pushes it hard for first place. No doubt things are moving about as usual in Charlottetown. I don’t expect you you have had it very much more backward than it has been here. We had a day or two of pretty warm weather but that is all. Today though fine 11 is cool enough. What a time you must have had about Bill but from what Ethel says he must be all right again. There is an old saying about good to his own etc. But for your sake and Billies I will not quote it. But joking aside it seems a wonderful escape and are to be devotedly thankful for. Ethel tells me you are going to make a banker of him. If he still has a notion to work with his hands he could earn $1.75 a day here with good chances of advancement, of course he would have to work. The Harvest Company always pays about $2.20 in all departments and is short handed all the time.
I have been greatly worried about Ethel. She has had a terrible siege of it. I believe if she could come up here at once the change would do her more good than anything. I have been putting off writing to Wal from day to day but will certainly do on Sunday if nothing happens. What is the final word about Maggie. Is she to be home for the summer? I expect you think I should write to you oftener but you probably hear any little news I have through Ethel and as I have to go 3 miles by car to work and back again I do not have a great deal of time. This epistle will be long enough though some what jumbled I dare say. I must close now so I don’t want this to miss another day. Tell father when he gets a little leisure from his garden he might drop me a line. I was going to write to Bob too but have not made that out yet either. With much love to all father and yourself and again many good wishes for many good returns of May 23rd.
Your loving son
Frank C CottonI
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#147. Niagara Falls South
April 29th, 1907
My own Darling
Your letter enclosing Harry’s notes came last night and I will take up business first. I enclosed one back and also two other notes with letters which explain themselves. You will have to forward them so that they are in time. Hope I leave you plenty of margin this time. Mr Birbett is as good as gold and very prompt so I am also able to enclose money order for $15.00. I have seven nine and one half left from my trip so I have not been too extravagant altogether. I am going to keep this for a little in case I might make a change. If I should I will have a little more coming from Mr B. Thought if I took another monthly job and had to board myself I might need a little to come and go on. If you need it at once though sing out. I only wish it were $150.00 though every little helps I suppose. I think the Cotton Charlottetown finances are going to strictly improve under the present management. Do what you think best about the place. If Irvin will take it in the shares I don’t think you can do better for you may get a little out of it and the land would probably be left pretty clean. It will be worth while to be a little good to the fruit I think. A ploughing between the raspberry rows and the cultivator two or three times through them would keep them all right. A boy with a hoe a couple of days through the summer around the trees and the currents and gooseberries would also be a big help. If they all get a good growth this year they might to do something pretty good next. As for the rest do just what you think right. Whatever arrangements you make try and manage to have a couple of loads of hay in the barn. It will be useful when we get home and if any to spare will bring a better price in the spring anyhow. But you can manage all right if you don’t give out under the strain in the meantime. Speaking of notes I think this will be the best way to manage them, you can re enclose them with the cash and will be able to keep exact track of them besides. I forgot to say that I had a note signed by Peter which I sent to the bank with interest added in time for 24th. So if you have heard nothing more it is probably all right. Pools I think is next on the 11th. Everything is going as well as could be expected so far hasn’t it dearie. If only you were strong and well and here. But we still have much to be thankful for haven’t we. You were to be having a great string of callers. They should you from being lonely at least. Your mother is getting it hard sure enough. I expect we can can have no more closed door in future. We owe her a great deal, though she she complains that she can get no work done I have a shrewd suspicion that she objects to the numerous callers no more than does her daughter and perhaps will get to like Charlottetown more in that new account. You haven’t told me how the hens have been laying lately. It is fine to be getting some eggs sold for bottling starting early too. I shouldn’t be surprised if you made some more sales. First thing you know you will be having quite a revenue coming in. Gladys must be proud and even your mother will be thinking herself quite a hen wife. We must manage to hold onto the lay hens. Everything has been going nicely here, lovely weather the last few days and we are getting a fine lot of spring work done. Nearly every Friday I spend following the team so you may imagine I like the work. Though to sit on a sulky cultivator all day is not particularly hard. This hard work on a farm business is a myth and you may tell mother I said so. That was always her objection. The hours are long but the work is the healthiest in the world and easy when you get a little hardened to it. But I am not here for my health and I am going to take what I can make most of whatever it is though I shall hate to leave here in many ways. I saw a set of scales in the yard the day I came and weighed myself 125 lbs. today with exactly the same clothes on 130 lbs. not too bad for a month is it and everything hardened up in good shape to boot. I am going to stop now as I have several more letters
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#146. Niagara Falls South
April 21,1907
My own darling wifie
Here it is Sunday again and a month since I left home. I am afraid I must be a big fool and it is just one month too long to be away from my mate. Perhaps though it is better that you should have been free from a husbands attention. I only hope that you are still getting letters and are getting some good weather though the weather everywhere seems to be bad. Even here they are complaining about a backward spring though it seems anything but that. The weather is fine and bright every day but the wind keeps cold from the North east. The dust is flying on the roads and the fields are perfectly dry. We have a good deal of ploughing done. I have done it nearly all so far. Have a splendid team of nice little blood horses. Lively and restless but very kind and nice. They are both considerably taller than Annie but neither quite as nice but one a black mare is a beauty. Current trees are coming into leaf and a warm rain will make things pick up again. I have been out doors on the land nearly every day and have not yet had muddy feet. The soil here when it dries on boots and clothes seems to blow off like powder and even when wet does not seem to stick on at all. The weather is still chilly enough for an overcoat and as my little one is pretty dull looking. I am postponing any extensive looking around the country until things warm up a little more. I have spent all this morning reading the papers and expect to turn out to church tonight. Last night I went into town and ——— myself for some envelopes, stamps and a couple of post cards which I will enclose for the girls. I timed myself last night and it takes just an half an hour to walk to the Island————- station. That is in the main city, Niagara Falls South is much nearer and had I reason I could have taken an electric car either there or at Stanford which is ten minutes walk from here. This farm is about the farthest from the electric car on any of the three roads as either way you go from here you get nearer one or the other. Stanford is about two miles from Niagara. It is composed almost altogether of single houses just about such as the Brighton row or a little better only they are about as far apart as our house is from the Weeks. There must about 150 to 200 houses in the settlement. Nearly every one of which has a garden of from one two twenty five acres. Gardening as they call fruit and vegetable farming is the principle means of getting a living and judging from the orchards and berry bushes even more quantities must be shipped. I think if I suit Mr Birkett pretty well (and we get along splendidly so far) with his recommendation there should be no trouble in renting a pretty snug place for a year or two or else working one of the shares. There seems quite a demand for men on the latter arrangement on these small farms. There is ample work to do here and I suppose that whatever we do about the————— place we will have to stay up this way for at least the second year. I believe if we could manage to rent our house for a year or two and keep getting a little paid on it, it would be our best plan. Perhaps after being here a whole year would be more resigned to sell it if advisable. I am very glad I got here. It will be worth a great deal to me either here or at home though perhaps I would have made more actual cash at something else. I don’t think though that we can afford to stay here for the winter though I believe I could fix it all right. I had forgotten for the moment when I read your letter about your mothers house and thought it was one of the places we’re to look through. I was wondering what you could be up to. I am afraid it will be hard to let in the fall. Since you are dealing with Mr Pare perhaps we should give him a chance at that field. I believe if you put it to him to plough up to the first rows and run the cultivator through three or four turns in the season and you would give him the use of the field he would finish at it and I don’t believe he could do better
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Perhaps you would get a dollar or two out of him besides. The hay in your mothers and Mr Popes field, will be easy to sell either standing or made. I think the trouble with our raspberries last year must have been that they were too thick. They made them much thinner here and take the tabs off leaving the ears about 3 feet high. That is something worth learning eh? This year though you can’t help that but get them ploughed between if possible or they will soon get unmanageable. Hope you get great big crops. The hens are doing fine. Gladys must be a first rate hen wife though it looks as if to your mother must be ascubed a fair share of the credit. I do hope you are all getting along all right. One thing the best part of the season is to come, I think if Bob rents your mothers house you had better have a big sale of two lots of furniture and give up the cares of housekeeping for a space. You ask about the family here. There are four children at home at present. Reuben is at college in Toronto and will shortly be home for the summer. Jamie the oldest girl was ill when I came. She is better now and has gone to Winnipeg on a visit to her brothers. She is very nice though I think I care for her the least. Patterson of 21 years is a good fellow. I was a little dubious as to how we would hit it off at first but things are coming off right. Marion aged say 17 is a pretty red headed little girl with lovely brown eyes, utter—————— isn’t it? She is quite a student, is head of all her classes and almost ready for normal school. She plays the piano fairly well as all the others are more or less singers. Dora is quite a clip about 14 and Bill of 11 is the baby and as such spoiled though a fine little chap. He and I are great chums. Altogether I could not possibly have got with a nicer family though as I think I said before a little rough in some ways. Reuben, Jamie and Billie are dark. Patterson,Marion and Dora Red. I get to like the mother more all the time though she is a queer little piece. It made me homesick the other day to see her and her man fixing up their book after having been to market. She is making him account for every cent. I might also say that they had a big roll of five dollar bills in front of them. From what I hear he is worth from $15000 to$20,000. And came here eighteen ago with very little but wife and six children. This is the first place moved though and he has only been in it five years. I promised a long letter but I really didn’t intend to use a whole pad. It will be double postage on it all right. I could write lots more but must really say good night after a few words of business. I only wish you had no worries in that line. It is a good job that you enjoy it as you say you do. I sincerely hope you still have the furniture and no doubt you will be interested to know that I am still on the——————— side of the line. I enclose a blank note which you may let McRae use if you deem advisable though as you say better not if possible. I sent that renewal to the bank if he paid it in full it could not have been used. I left the account blank and told Mr.Wallace to fill it in as necessary. If it was used it would be due June 30. If you do use this you had better see the account filled in and make McRae show you the Hearty note when he gets it. I also enclose a ———— for Peter. I have enclosed the nineteen dollars one due May 2nd. So don’t let it out of your hands. You can keep it and I will send you a letter addressed to the bank in plenty of time for May 2nd . The other you may as well send to me when Peter signs it. If you get him to come to the house you could let him hold the pen, and make his mark, and you could write your name as witness which will make it in order tell Peter that I will send a renewal straight to the bank for his one which is due May 5th and he can go there and fix it up. You will indeed be worldly wise when you get through with my unfortunate money matters. I wish you could decide to wipe them all out and come up here. We would at least start with no dept. I greatly fear your old man is n
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#145. Niagara Falls South
April 9th 1907
Dear Father
There must still be something decidedly wrong with the mails down there for letters have been coming very irregularly. I got the first word of Bill’s illness together with notes reporting his progress. He must have had a very close call but must now be on the high road to recovery. I came here quite suddenly. The clearance served a good one and I think I have got with just the right man in the right part of the county. The fruit land is very light and pears apparently in strips. In this district the strip is about 2 miles wide and 20 long. Mr Bruchette has about 15 acres of strawberries, raspberries, peaches, cherries and apples also a new vineyard of about 3 acres which will bear this year for the first time. He farms besides 125 acres, keeps 30 head of cattle and 5 horses of which a nice little team of bloods is to fall to my share. They have also a team of heavy draft mares. The land is now in good shape to work. On Monday I harrowed a piece of corn stubble and yesterday ploughed part of it. Got over about 2 acres which was not I think too bad for a start, of course I had a good team and lovely land to turn over to say nothing of the ploughman. Today was sleety and we could do nothing out of doors, the first day since I came here. The season here seems certainly much in advance of ours and prices considerably higher. Mr Bruchette has about 500 bushels of potatoes in the cellar. They are now worth 80 cents but he is holding them to get the dollar shortly. I think they farm better up here than our people though the corn gives them a good advantage. The cattle get practically nothing but cut corn stalks with some cobs cut off among them.
The fall’s are about 1/2 miles away. You can hear the roar all the time and see the mist from them on a clear day. On a little rise about 1/4 of a mile off I can gaze and see the pristine site of the battle of Lundys lane. Every furrow ploughed should make me more patriotic. Or if I get energetic enough to climb to the top of the hill in Lundy’s love I can see Brock’s monument, so you see the environment is all right. Tell mother that there are four of our churches none more than 11/2 miles away so I will have no excuse for not being a church goer.
I think you have all been good to Ethel, I hope she is nearly all right by now. Strange that the last time I went away and left her she had such another attack. I am enclosing a note to Bob. Hope it will be time enough though it will be much too late for the date he wanted it. The family here is a very nice one and good to me as can be. Must close now as I must get to bed early so as to be up early. With much love to mother and all. I remain
Your affectionate son
Frank
I heard about the surprise
Hope everything will be all right.
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