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From the collection of Carole Stewart, [email protected]

Carole would be very interested in further family information.

Letter from Angus Stewart, Mangawai, N.Z. to his sister on P.E.I., Sept, 17, 1918.

Note: This is an edited letter sent from Angus Stewart, Mangawai, New Zealand to his sister in Prince Edward Island, Canada, where he was born. It has only been edited in the sense that in the original, some sentences ran together, as did the paragraphs. Except for the odd �and� or �but� all the words belong to Angus.

Angus was the second son of �Big� Malcom Stewart (1808 � 1901) and Mary McPherson (1809 � 1889). His siblings were Mary (d. 9/12/1916), Ann, John, Christy, Charles, Donald and Alexander.

�Big� Malcom�s parents are said to have been Charles Stuart and Mary McMillan, who came to PEI from The Isle of Skye on The Polly.

Edited by Carole A Stewart: This was found in the roof of a house in Prince Edward Island. These were handed onto Carole by Beryl Smith (nee Judd)

Mangawai February 17,1918

Dear Sister:

I suppose you remember the day me and Margaret got married 60 years ago today, 17^th of February 1858. You were our Brides Maid and John Allen my best man. We were married by Rev. Alexander McKay in Belfast manse, sailed from Prince Edward Island the same year, leaving on the first day of December. We arrived in Auckland, New Zealand on 12^th of May 1859. So we are here ever since.

We are both keeping well, strong and healthy. We had a family of 3 girls and 3 boys, and have 18 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren, so we increased a lot.

I went up to town on Saturday the 9 by steamer, and came back by train. to Kaiwaka on Tuesday the 12^th. My son Malcolm and his son was there to meet me with the motor car, and run me down to Mangawai in a very short time: a distance of 12 miles.

I saw my youngest son Charles at Kaiwaka. He lives on the old home I lived on for 45 years. Kaiwaka is 84 miles by train to Auckland and same by steamer to Mangawai.

My son-in-law Angus McKinnon lives in Auckland. He was married to my oldest daughter and had 6 of a family: 4 boys and 2 girls. One girl is dead and the 4 boys are married. The youngest got married last week. He was at the war for some time and got wounded in the legs with bullets. He has got a good farm in Waikato where his other brothers live.

I got William�s newspapers the other day 14^th. We have very fine weather here now. I see where you have it very cold. There is a fine climate in New Zealand and I have never seen frost or snow. We stock feed the year round in the country, grow good crops of all sorts and send a lot of frozen meat to England.

My youngest daughter lives in Auckland: Thomas Judd is her husbands name. They have 3 sons and one daughter married. One son is married and he is managing a Butter Factory in the South Island. He must be doing well for her put 300 pounds into a motor car lately. The second oldest son is also is managing a butter factory. New Zealand turns out a lot of butter.

Malcolm has got 6 boys and one girl. Two of the boys is got to go to the war soon. My son Sandy has got 2 girls. Charles has got no family as his wife died when she had twins. My second oldest daughter has no family.

I had a letter from Malcolm Bell a while ago. He was telling me John Allan lost his wife age 65yrs and had 6 girls (all married) and one son.

I remember being at her fathers wedding in Ronay. Me and Rory Crakan danced there a lot. John will be very lonely since his children left him. Roderick McGregor is living yet. He came out with us. He is 4 or 5 years older than me.

I am sending a newspaper to William this mail. There is no sign of the war coming to an end. New Zealand has lost a lot of fine men through it, and so did Canada.

I hope you are keeping well. Good bye.

Margaret sends her best wishes to all.

Your brother Angus Stewart.

View Diary of Angus Stewart written on board The Prince Edward bound for New Zealand