This letter was past through the family, and was one of my family mysteries that took a while to solve.  Although some of the connections are still a puzzle.  Not helped by the variety of spellings of Glanvill, Granville, and variations on.

 Transcription of letter

                                                 April 25 1881

Upton Park

                        Riverton

My dear Niece,

I received your kind letter and was glad to hear from you.  I came out in this country in 1852 with my wife and five children. We remained in Adelaide for two years and then I went up the country 60 miles from Adelaide and bought some land and there we have remained ever since. At that time I felt quite young and healthy and hard work seemed a pleasure to me.  There was not many settlers there at that time it was a open country scarce any one to bee seen excepting your own family for weeks. Together our land was heavy timbered we had to labour hard to clean the land and get it for cultivation.  The land where we are in general is very good and we have a comfortable home stead.  I should like for you to be able to come in some times and have a cup of tea with us and walk around and see our farm yard the cows, horses, pigs and poultry.  I fancy you would enjoy your self and we should enjoy ourselves to see any of our dear friends, but out of my five children I have but three a live my eldest son John a fine lad died in June 1955 thirteen years of age Hannah died in 1870 aged 26 years  she was married and had two children the baby died soon after the mother the eldest is 13 years old his name is Amos Nathan he is in Adelaide boarding school.  My eldest daughter Elizabeth is married has six children three boys and three girls the live about four miles from us they have a good farm and doing well.  My youngest daughter Jane is married has one child a little girl they are living about twenty miles from us he is baker and butcher.  Samuel the youngest is with us he is married has two children.  Samuel manages the farm I have been much afflicted with the liver complaint for this last ten years and now I am in my seventyeth year. My wife is two years younger and we are getting to a feeble pair I have much to be thankful my children have been very kind and dutiful this has been a great comfort to me. This is a beautiful country any person that is industrious can do well here drink is a great evil in this country, there is many earn good wages but are in poverty.

We have received a letter from Susy at Bodmin stating sister Jane’s death and we have sent her some help I think she seems to feel it very much.  I hope she is going to be with Christ which is far better so may we all meet there on the banks of the river and sing of salutation for ever and ever.

We received a few lines from your son in Milbourn and have wrote to him and shall be glad to hear from him at any time. I shall enclose our photo in this letter please write an answer as we shall be  anxious to hear from you and now I must conclude my children join with us  kindest love to  you all

From you affectionate

Uncle James Glanvill

I hope you may be able to read this scribble my hands shake very much.

Catherine Taylor and her husband James Glanvill

Pictues taken before 1881

Gravestone of James and Catherine