Histories

To Robert Campbell By Geordie Jack

yes Robert, I was acquainted with your Father Archibald Campbell we weir small Boys when first we Mett: Archey as we called Him an His cussan Frank came to our place on some earnd and I was over Joyed to see 2 little boy about My own eage. this was away Back in 1857, Forb the Tp Proton in the Co. of Grey was Dence wilderness at that time: Old cuntry folks wair quite Hungry for Land. at that time familyes come in the wildernese By the dossen. John Campbell Archeys Uncle was one of them. Archy Lived with his uncle the first few years, when 11 or 12 years old He went to Alexander McPhails and done choors for his Board a a Little clothes for 2 or 3 years. when 14 or 15 years of age He got a Little schooling at the 10th school. But Had to paddle is own cenue and all the wedges that could Be got for a boy Like Him or He was 4 or 5 dollars a month, and sure we Had to got to the front or Chang Bording Placeses. when we got to be 17 or 18 years we jinerally worked by the Job. your Dad was quite a rail splitter we youst to get 25c a 100, of corse we all ways got our Board whair ever we worked. Then we got to goying down to the harvest near hamilton ont us Bush whakers youst to be in grate demand among the Farmers at that time. when the Harvest and Haying started we could get all the work we could do, we wair yoused to the Hardest cind of work and so that Helped us out... Cutting grain with the cradel, hay with the syth all work Had to Be done By hand of the Farms of Canada 60 to 70 years ago. we took the Job quite often of Cutting Hay By the acre 50c and Board. fall wheat 1.25c and shook it up, oats 1.00 and acre: and roall peas up in Bundles one Dollar an acre. that give us a little money so we could cloth our selves in winter and chew tobaca:
in the Last days of 1869 I got married to Miss Margret Scarlett. that winter your Dad chooping with His John out Near Collingwood. I dont thin He got any pay for that winter work. in the spring of 1870 adam Scarlett MY Brother in Law came Home from Michigan. telling us of the chances a por Man Had in Alcona CO. mich. the lumber operations Had Just started and that He Adam and His Father in Law gill Vanburen Had a Job of Lumbering that would take 3 years. so He Hired Me and His sister to come and work for the. So the third day of August 1870 Maggie and I Landed in Alcona: Archibald came 2 months after some time in October so that winter. He workd for gill and Adam Scarlett and so did I:
also the Yuill Boys Alex John and Bob, at that time it was a common occurence for men to get Beate out of theyr pay Archey Cut Logs and I drove oxen all winter. we got our Bord and tocaca. in the spring of 1871 we got work in the saw mill at Alcona. Your Dad pilled Lumber I worked on the eager, the mill ran from 5 in the morning till 7 in the evening so you see we put in some day for one dollar and our Board.
that fall you Dad wen Back to Canada and cut cord wood around Dundalk, I was too poor to move so went in to the Lumber Camp for Baldwin in the sprint of 72 I Moeved on to the Fettes place and got in quite a pach of potatoes., while I was planting I see you Dad coming up the fut pad to the House. He had a peck of Cut potatoes He Brought from Canada, that summer we rafted Long timber that was the time your Dad got hurt. stick caught His Leg and it was a Bad case for 6 or 7 weeks. He had a good nurse, Mrs. Henery forsith, the winter of 72 or 3 he worked at Black river and took up Land. He lived on built a shanty and called it Home. it is slow Hard work to amke a farm and pay for it when all you own is a 4 pound ax. we treaded work a got quite a clering, and road Jobed together and made Better then working By the month. the spring of 1877 I split the rails and Helped Him Bild the fence along the road. I was a widder at that time worked half month for $9.00 and Helped Him Keep Bach. I was waiting for the old Marine Cith to take me to Prt Huron. Standish was our nearest RR station at that ime. the pring of 1878 I married again, part of that summer we worked for Hasty He Had a Job Lumbering for Alger Back of Black river. But I went Jobing again and your Dad came with me. the Last Job we had to geather was cutting and sciding saw Logs for Richies, picking up the cull timber after the long timer was taken off. we worked 3 weeks and made 2.20 dollars that spring your Dad went back to Canada after a Help Mate and Brought Back your Mother Fanney Armstrong she can tell you more about your Dad than I probably can. But we wair all ways friends and Helped one another when possible. He was truthfull and Honest. Had a very quick temper cind and would do what He could to Help the Distressed. Oh yes Robert its My Opinion this State of Michigan is a much nicer place to live than it was 60 years ago. But I am affraid this generation is spending theyr means for that which is not Bread and will bring upon themselves want and slavery.
Your Dad's Old Friend Geordie Jack
Lincoln June 14, 1930
Love and Best wishes all

(Note from Bob Milligan - This letter was transcribed and we have strived to keep the spelling exactly as George wrote it. He does mention Archie Campbell's uncle, John so it's possible that he is related to Duncan. This letter was written about a year before George died.)