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Transcribed by Jon Cable, [email protected]
27 March 1837 letter from Charlotte Town [sic], Prince Edward Island to Fredericton New Brunswick via Cumberland, Nova Scotia. Letter sent to Robert Leonard Hazen from Edward James Jarvis, the Chief Justice of Prince Edward Island at that time (both have biographies in the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online). Note many EJ Jarvis letters are in the Jarvis correspondence in the Public Archives of Canada.Rated 4d + 11d currency making a total of 1N3 (1sh 3d). This comprises 4d postage from PEI to Cumberland and 11d for the journey from Cumberland to St John. Between 1835 and 4 January 1843 in winter the mail between PEI and Cumberland (Amherst) was sent via Cape Tormentine at a postage of 4d per single sheet and the postage from Cumberland to St John was 11d in this same period [all this information taken from Jephcott, Greene and Young’s “Postal History of NS and NB 1754-1867” table IVA].
There is an excellent strike of the Cumberland NS star cancel (became Amherst), JGY RF3 used 1837 to 1842 – this would be first year usage. It is JJM cancel 58, category IV, less than 10 copies in private hands. There is also a Prince Edward Island cancel, Lehr type P3 island mark used 11 July 1834 to 31 August 1842 – less than 18 examples seen. The letter says:-
“Charlotte Town, 27th March 1837.
Dear Robert, Several months have elapsed since I have either heard from you or written to you. Having no particular matters to write upon, & the winters being always a particularly busy season with me in my public avocations are the reasons of my silence. William’s and Caroline’s letters have given us many particulars of the past fire – you and everyone who escaped its ravages have much reason to congratulate yourselves, for the whole town must have been in imminent danger. I am sorry to learn that they are again erecting wooden buildings – the same distinction will undoubtedly follow sooner or later. I see the fire insurance officer has made a further call, but I hope you will have sufficient surplus in hand to prevent the necessity of the stockholders making further contribution. I have not yet turned my attention to the subject of the estate, which you refer to in your last letter, nor have I yet answered your uncle R’s letter which I received by William. As soon as the session of the Legislature is over I shall write him & endeavour to bring about something satisfactory. I hope the summer will not pass without a final understanding among us all on that subject. I think I mentioned to you that Miss Farley sent me an account some time since of £10.2.6 due in 1834. If this account has not been settled I will thank you to arrange it for me as soon as soon [sic] as you can. I am afraid you have not much funds in hand for me unless William should have found it convenient to make further payment. I wish much this were the case, for a pretty heavy balance on my building accounts has come in against me & I am unable to meet it. Will you in your next let me know if you can answer my drafts. You can ascertain from William. I have 9 shares of Colonial Bank stock, which I would willingly dispose of at par but I am told they are at a discount, your Legislature having refused to pass the Bill. The proceedings of your great men at headquarters have excited much interest generally. Sir Archibald will probably soon take his departure. Sir John Harvey will undoubtedly succeed him, & tho’ we shall much regret his loss, yet I think it will be well for your province, for Sir John is a man of talent, & withal so extremely kind hearted & conciliatory that he will set all matters to rights for you. I was extremely sorry to hear of poor Putnam’s death – what could have caused that sudden event – from the number of deaths announced in the papers it would seem that some epidemic or influenza as fatal as that in England was in your province. Make my kindest regards to your wife & [.], Yours E.J.
Jarvis.”