XM/5120/93.
LETTER: Hugh Jones [America] to his brother. Felt his previous letter was inadequate. He feels greatly attached to them all, but when he looks at his wife and children in this country, he compares him with Mahomet’s coffin who they say hangs between two. About four years ago he bought a tract of land of two hundred acres. He has paid up half but the depreciation in their paper currency meant he was behind with the payments. He bought another tract of land containing two hundred acres for which he gave a valuable horse. These tracts were in a natural state. Then he moved from Washington and built a house and schoolhouse on one of the tracts. He entered in agreement with two brothers and two negroes who moved to the area. One of the men married one of his wife’s cousins. Last summer H.J. purchased a Soldier’s Bounty in the reserve [a place laid out for the continental soldiers] containing 230 acres of the first quality. He sold his other two hundred. Re coming to Wales; his wife says if he moves home, plants an orchard of peach trees, and makes a crop of corn, etc. he may go. If he sets out in about 2 years from now he will hopefully be able to bring some of the country produce with them and lay it out in England to get some necessartes to bring home as well as to bear his expenses which will be great unless he can work his passage, but he doesn’t intend to work his passage. Nothing would please him more than to see his brother in this country during the course of the year. He is sure they will like this country better than their own and they might stay here while he goes to Wales. He is able to give them land. If Owen were here it would suit him to work on the plantation. Describes the way they clear land. He hopes that matters settle between the two nations. He assures the recipient that this is the best poor man’s country in the world. Georgia is very popular. He hopes to secure a larger tract in a year or two. Peach trees come to perfection in three years out of which is made brandy. He wonders if he would be able to find the recipient’s house from Caernarfon. He would go by Pont Saint, Pont Newydd, Pont Wyllad, Rhwvallen, Frwd Scafarnog. He would fall to call at Llwyn y Gwalch, Garth y Glo, and William ab Bevan the Prydith who married their cousin. He would go by Bettws and Glynllifon leaving Tyddyn ab Engan and Tyddyn Dafydd on the left and Bodfan on the right. He would go by Clynnog leaving Lliar Fach on the left, perhaps he would go by Llanhaiarn village. He wants to know in their next letter about the people they used to call Pena Crynion. He wonders if they are followers of Mr. Whitfield. He’s read the great man’s letters. Reports on the inter-denominational wrangles in his area. When he first heard from Bro. Evan he wanted to see them all immediately. Desires his parents to write in Welsh if they wish. When he first saw the recipient’s Welsh lines he thought they were in the South Wales lingua but then he saw it was what he was used to. He wishes they could write a great deal to him in Welsh. He would like a Welsh Bible. One Llewellin Taylor from South Wales, a man he knew in North Carolina had several Welsh Books. He is dead since H.J. left those ?parts and H.J. has heard that he left his books to him. A Welshman named David Griffith from Haverfordwest who spoke good Welsh died aged 100 recently. There are several Welsh Settlements in America where they retain the language. Settlement on the Peedee River. On the Missouri there is a Welsh settlement, called the Welsh Indians, a tribe of White Indians. He tells the story of the Welshman, John Davies, who found himself in their midst. It pleased H. J.`s daughter Polly that recipient’s wife is of the same name.
Cyngor Gwynedd