Letter to Thomas Benbow Phillips from Evan Evans, 17 April, 1851

Description

Letter written to Thomas Benbow Phillips at Colonia da Nova Cambria, Rio Grande de Sul by Evan Evans, Brynmawr dated 17 April, 1851

After thanking Thomas Benbow Phillips for the last three letters he received, Evan Evans expresses sympathy with him about the accident to his arm. He suggests that due to the inability of Thomas Benbow Phillips to write letters, he himself would correspond with numerous Welsh papers to convey the testimony of as many as possible of the emigrants about the religious liberty in the new Colony. Apparently emigration from Wales would take place on a large scale, and since the publication of various letters in Welsh newspapers, many Societies had been formed. Two respectable families had asked if Thomas Benbow Phillips would retain a farm for each of them, but they could not emigrate until the following September, one being Mr David Watkins, an elder with the Calvinistic Methodists, his wife, who was a shopkeeper, and their three small children. Mr David Watkins required a farm of 100-150 acres, and he would also keep a shop at a convenient site near a road. The other gentleman was a Mr William Davies, who was brought up on a farm, his wife and child, and he also was asking for a farm of 100 acres. Evan Evans himself had buried his twenty year old eldest son a fortnight previously, and another of his sons was indisposed, so he could not consider a move to Nova Cambria just yet. Evan Evans feel it would be beneficial for him and his family to have free passage as hundreds, if not thousands of Welshmen would follow him out there.