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Note: es a candid window on William Grieve's experience as a settler: "I conversed with two of the settlers as to their own history and progress. Mr. Grieve was a shepherd at Whittingham, on the Border. He landed at Fredericton, in 1837, with a family of ten, and with only 7s. 6d. in his pocket. He did not come out immediately to Harvey along with the other settlers, but having received his grant of land, he hired himself as a farm-servant to Colonel Shore at Fredericton, at £30 a-year; and such of his children as could do anything he hired out also. Supporting the rest of his family out of his earnings, he saved what he could; and whenever he had a pound or two to spare, he got an acre or two of his land cleared. In this way he did good to the other settlers, by bringing some money among them and giving a little employment. At last, four years ago-that was, after seven years' service-he came out, and settled on his land himself: building a good house for his family right away-that is, without the previous erection of a log-house, as is usually the case; and a very good house he appeared to have. He now owns seven hundred acres of land in different lots, and has clearings of twenty acres on each of three or four of these farm-lots, intended for his several sons, who appear to be as industrious as himself. When I asked him how it was that he appeared to have got on better than the rest of those around him, he said, "he and his family had saved it off their backs and their belly." But he added – and it really moved me to find here lingering some heart and gratefulness still for kindness conferred, among so many who are filled only with grumbling and discontent – "Few have had so good a chance as I had, sir, or have met with so kind a master." I afterwards had the pleasure of meeting that master at Fredericton, and found him as grateful for the warm attachment and zealous service of so good a hind. I can well fancy a canny Northumbrian shepherd, with his thriftily brought up, obedient, and respectful children, gaining friends in New Brunswick, and thriving as Grieve has done. "Had I my life to begin again, "he said, "I would come out here; for though I might not have more comfort myself, there is the satisfaction of providing well for my family.” He added though that "A man must work as hard here as at home, and longer hours. He must build his own house, make his own family's shoes, and do many other things. A useless man need not come here."
Note: A passage from James F.W. Johnston's 1851 Notes on North America: Agricultural, Economical, and Social (Edinburgh and London: William Blackwood and Sons, 1851), Vol. II, 168-78; CIHM no. 35750, provid
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