Murtagh John Strain; Emporia, Kansas; June 28^th, 1883

My Dear Brothers,

Your very welcome letter was duly received and would have been answered earlier but for the fact that I was anxious to be better informed as to this part of the world before I would undertake to advise you in regard to the matter of coming here.

I have made careful inquiries and have travelled a good deal around this vicinity and from what I have seen and heard there are few better places for industrious, intelligent, sober farmers than this very state of Kansas.

The soil is exceedingly rich and the climate is moderate. The principal crops raised are Corn (Indian), Wheat, Oats and potatoes, and the great portion of the surplus of these crops is used by farmers in feeding stock.

You cannot very well form an accurate idea of what stock raising is in this Country. It means the raising by some farmers or ranchmen as they are called, of hundreds and thousands of head of Cattle. A young man from near Belfast by the name of Forbes (?) has a ranch or Cattle range some miles from here the area of which is 50 miles long by the same measurement in breadth and on that range he has some 11500 head of Stock. Now you would naturally think that it would be impossible for him or any person else to handle such an enormous number, but it is an easy matter here. These ranges are without fence or ditch of any kind, the broad open prairie in fact, and the boundary lines are imaginary except when you intend enclosing and then you are limited to just as much land as you purchase but if there is unenclosed prairie outside of that you enclose, you are at liberty to drive your stock on there and let them feed just as long as they like. The unfenced land is free to every person and all herds of Cattle are tended by herders or cowboys, as they are called here. These cowboys ride on ponies and are so disposed around the herd as to keep it bunched all the time. The herd eats when and where it pleases and all the herders have to do is to see to it that none of the Cattle walk away, to keep them from getting mixed with other herds, to see to it that the Cattle are always near where water is to be found and to keep them salted from time to time. It takes several men to mind a large herd, but one man is supposed to be able to look after 4 to 500 head. In Winter these prairie cattle have to provide for themselves but as winter is mild (very little snow), they pull through nicely on farms, the Cattle are fed much the same as at home, except that the people hear feed with Corn (Indian). Hogs are also fed with the same article.

This class of Stock is also raised here in large numbers there being all around town exclusive ranches for Hogs. Almost every person that has capital here is interested in Stock. Every man has his faith pinned in it and those that manage to get rich here are generally Cattle men.

There are two classes of farms, the class for farming almost exclusively and the other for Stock raising. The first class comprises all of the bottom lands, lands lying in the valleys and alongside rivers, these are much more fertile than the uplands. The Upland, admit of cultivation but are not as reliable for good crops as the bottom lands. In dry seasons the latter are by far the best and Kansas is a dry state in summer, in wet seasons, which sometimes occur the upland farms produce well.

A day or two ago I ascertained for the first time that Mrs McKain widow of Wood McKain was living in Emporia. I called to see her. She is quite well and she and I had a long talk about the Old Country. There is also a Jno Strain of Shankill living near here. He called to see me about two weeks ago. He farms about 240 acres and is quite comfortably fixed. I intend going out to be his place next week. He is reputed rich and his success has been from hard steady work and economy more than by the result of intelligent labor. He has since I met him introduced me to another Jno Strain a native of the State of Ohio and the latter Jno Strain introduced me to another Strain yesterday. This last Strain was born here but his father he says was from the Co Down. I couldn’t place the family, his mother’s name was Lemons and he says he often heard her talk about her Uncle David of Co Down. I don’t know how many more Strains there are in the neighborhood but its quite probable I’ll meet all that are here.

Now as to your suggestion about leaving Creevy unsold Pat, Ed & Charley all think that it would be better to sell it and to bring all the money here with you at once. Should you and I have no doubt but will like this Country settle you would have to go back to close out and the trip would cost a good deal of money furthermore the more money you can put in stock the better the results for it is just about as cheap herding and caring for a large number as for a small one.

I would suggest that Willie or you come out after the harvest so as to be able to take hold of a farm in the Spring. One of you [illegible] the Winter could learn as much about planting and caring for crops as would make the risk of farming to yourselves comparatively safe. The other could remain home until Spring as sell Creevy to better advantage than it could be sold for in the fall, you could sell everything almost now except the farms. The one to come would want to have about £250 or say $1200 with him and that sum would enable him to earn enough to keep him until the other comes. Think this matter over and let me know at once if it meets your approbation. There is no need for hurry to get here any time before November or during November will do. All the folks in New York are swell, also those in Pittsburg. Wrote to Mary Anne today. It is most likely I’ll be in Emporia all winter. With love to both of you and also to Uncle Edward, family, Aunt Mary & family and to the folks in Dromena & Ballymoney and regard to Mr McConville, ? Cranny, J Boal, Luke Cranny, Peter Boal, the Jamesons, Dan Byrne and in fact all neighbors and friends. [illegible]

Your brother

M John