It is always interesting to study letters written in the past and the following letters are selected to give the reader an idea of some of the triumphs and trials that our forebears weathered as well as allowing us to look through a window and catch a glimpse of our village and Upper Strathearn as it was yesterday. This is a part of our heritage and gives added value to any portrait

High above St. Fillans previously known as Little Port stood a hillside clachan in Glentarken wherein resided several fairly large crofting families including many Carmichaels. The clachan was divided into Easter and Wester Glentarken and at best the people who dwelt here eked out a bare living with not many scrapings left for the pot.

Easter Glentarken (Dr. Richard Murray)

Many left with the Diaspora of 1818 on the “Curlew” bound for Canada and the remainder continued on eventually reaching a point of desperation. At this critical juncture some letters passed between Glentarken and Canada resulting in the balance of the people leaving their hillside homes for faraway places. The following two letters illustrate the despair and anguish.

Letter addressed to Mr. John Carmichael, Farmer, and Care of Revd Mr. Proudfoot, London, Upper Canada.

Glentarken, June 1, 1831

Dear Brother,

This will inform you that we are all in good health at present thank God hopping these few lines will find you the same. Your brother Peter and family are in good health your sister Margaret is very poorly more especially in the winter seasons she can hardly move, but as she is lifted. As to the news of the country you can have them more particular from Malcolm than I can state them to you in so limited a letter, you have gotten a good possession of the good (?)...better particular which will never be taken from you as your Father set before you a good example I trust you will follow his footsteps that you will give them a good education as far as your circumstance will allow and keep them in the fear of God for a good example will have more effect than anything else that you will pray with them morning and evening and teach them to pray and teach them to Remember the Sabbath day when the day come when the dead small and great must appear before God that you will be...The seas divide us from seeing one another in the face yet you are often in my thoughts and may the Lord Grant that we meet at his right hand, you will let me hear from you as often as you have an opportunity I have sent you by Malcolm McNaughton some Books. I and my family join me in compliment to you and yours

Dear Brother

I am yours truly Medear

To John Carmichael

Archibald Carmichael

new London

Fragment of a letter written in a very, steady hand

Comrie, March 24th, 1834

Dear brother, Wife and children

We received your letter about the 15 December which gave us no small pleasur to learn that you were all alive and in health for which there is ground for thankefulness to the good of all our mercies and although you are in abundance of the necessarys of life it apears that you maintain already that you have banished yourselves from gods ordinances and as you expresed yourself no dout nor is it a want which the things of time will not make up. but upon the other hand you showed cause to regoise (recognise) that you are nor banished from your...(missing)., John McLarens son in Careglen (Carroglen) is going away one Peter and their was two of the sons away before...(illegible) of theirs a son of John Stuarts it was at lochearnside&James Carmichael Lochearnside who learned the shoemaking.

Comrie Donald Carmichaels son & one Peter McIntyre from Lochearnside who learned the shoe making with James Mingas a son of Alex Stirlings and it is reported a son of Donald Galech Cowan I think all bound for Canada. As for the book you wanted it has not been printed as no man could make out the writings you may mention in your next letter what kind of hous you have and if you had furniture as good as...had in the ross what kind of Market you get for your and iff you have any.

Although parts of the letter are missing it shows that folk from the Comrie area were receiving and sending information back and forth ...although it was a very slow, and expensive, process. It also shows that others were contemplating moving across the “Pond.” Carroglen today is a quiet and lonely place. It, and and its neighbours of Balmuick, the Lurg and Tynashee, once boasted more than one hundred families. It was, as in all these small communities and pockets where people eaked out a living in Upper Strathearn, an area of weaving and sheep-rearing. Today the only sound heard on the hillside is that of bleating sheep and curlews! At times the silence is deafening! As an observation it is rather ironic that the name of the vessel which took many of our people away in 1818 was called the “Curlew.”

Perth, March 25, 1834

Dear Brother,

I take this opportunity of writing to you per Mrs. Thomson who is going out from this place to the District of Gore (Ontario) and who has taken in hand to forward this to you. We are all well at present, and we were very glad from my brother Archibald that you and your Family are well. Our trade (and every other trade) is very bad here at present, and we can see no prospect of it being any better, and I hope you will have the goodness on the receipt of this of writing us and informing us what prospects we would have in coming over to Canada, and if you would favour us with an particular account of all the Advantages and Disadvantages of the places. I hope you have not forgot your promise when you went away, of writing me a concise account of your circumstances and of the nature of the country. We never could get a proper direction (neither have we got it yet) to write to you or we would have written long ago. We only knew that you were within eight miles of London, but whether East, West, North or South, we could not tell. We wish to know if you are near any river and if (so) what is the name of the river and what Distance you are from it. Also let us know about trade, and how the Flesher (Butcher) trade would do about London or any other town, and how land can be purchased, and what money would be requisite to buy an Hundred Acres (or less) with as much of it leased as would keep a Family a year. We hope you would send us particular word about all these things. We know already what expence we would incur in going the length Niagara, but if you know how far it is to Niagara to where you are, give us a statement of the land travelling expense. Now I shal give you an account of my Family. My eldest Daughter Janet is married to a Mason and she has been in England these 9 years, she has four of a Family. John Died in Glasgow about a year ago he left four Children and we have two of them keeping they are both boys, the one is five years of age, and the other three. Peter Died in Larbert about ten years ago. Margaret is to be married in about a fortnight to a wright, Rebecca was married about a year ago to a Weaver, Andrew is at home working at thy own trade he is about 22 years of age and unmarried. Archibald is about 19 years of age and is an apprentice to a ship Carpenter at Allva, he has 2 years to serve yet, Alexander is about 14 years of age and at home. Mary is 8 years of age and is at school (she is the youngest). From your long residence in the place you will most likely have some knowledge of the different Branches of Business as well as the Farming we wish you would send us some account of that. We see from information that can be got here that something may be done in Canada, In the way of General Merchandise, and we would be glad to try any way that would be best, and I think we would be most likely to succeed in that, from our knowledge in cattle and being in a trading way here. We know that there is a great many difficulties at first in Canada, but here there is nothing else but difficulties all the year round and they are always increasing, besides I do not know what to put any of my Family to as every trade is worse than another. Dear Brother I hope you will send me a post letter directly on receiving this, if you think there is any danger of a letter miscarrying send two. I remain your affect brother

Peter Carmichael

P.S. be so good as tell me how a steady wright would do in London District, Peter Carmichael

Flesher Aisth, Stirlingshire

North Britain

Editor’s Note: Today Glentarken is still and ominously quiet with the only evidence of existence being a pile of stones. If one listens carefully in the wind one may hear the plaintiff distant cry and laughter of children playing and people talking or sometimes in the loaming one can see the fiery cross moving slowly over the hillside bringing important news. Or is it just the sound of the bleating sheep which replaced them or of the throated call and sight of a startled grouse which are the only living things there now!

Glentarken (Dr. Richard Murray)