| Title: | Mrs. Whitelaw, Lebanon, Pennsylvania, to "My dear William" |
|---|---|
| ID | 1914 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Mrs Whitelaw/3 |
| Year | 1851 |
| Sender | Mrs Whitelaw |
| Sender Gender | female |
| Sender Occupation | unknown |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Lebanon, Penn., USA |
| Destination | Ireland? |
| Recipient | William |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | aunt-nephew |
| Source | D/1270/4: Presented by Ulster Folk Museum, Cultra Manor, Holywood, Co. Down |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland |
| Doc. No. | 9808237 |
| Date | 22/01/1851 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 11:08:98. |
| Word Count | 926 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Lebanon Jany 22 1851 My dear William I have not heard from Sarah since your cousin Kane came out I wrote to you and her on the 2 Dec last and we all feel miserable about her as we know had she been well she would have written long since the only hope we can reasonably entertain is that perhaps, her letter or letters have been mislaid I can bear the uncertainty no longer and entreat you my dear W. [William?] to write immediately on rev [recieving?] and let me hear the worst - anything is better than this cruel suspense surely you wuuld have written I often argue with myself if Sarah was dangerously ill or could not write herself - every day for the last 3 weeks we have been watching for the Post how with almost feverish anxiety - but "no letter" is still the answer - I hope Mary Jane has regained her usual health and that the children have got well over the winter it will be spring ere you recieve [receive?] this. I believe you have had what they call here a warm winter but we think it a very severe one - what is really unpleasant and unhealthful is the sudden change in the weather - some days in this month were like fine spring weather, and others like days in Nova [Jimbla?] - I dont know how many degrees below zero - so cold that I really felt as if my blood was frozen, and as if I would never wish to get out of my bed again - your Uncle never get better health and all the family except poor Anna whose very delicate indeed we all like living here better than Cincinnati - it is a very pleasant and moral town - no intoxicating liquors permitted to be sold except in Drug Stores and in small quantities - how would that do inone of our Irish towns of 2500 inhabitants? say K-D or Clones- there does not appear to be any poor - I know of none - very few keep over one servant - and am sure there are not 5 houses in the town that have 2 - except Hotels the Houses are generally better than those of Clones - none so bad as those in shamble - [Care?] or Fermanagh sheds - there are 9 good Churches of different creeds - but no roman Catholic one - there are a good many colored people free - of course - and their dwellings are very neat and particularly clean - they are the only persons we can hire to do any work. [---?] spent a week with us lately - he is very well - we hear Dick Jackson will be married in July to a Miss [--ott?] - a niece of W. O. Kidd she is a agreeable nice young lady - I saw her when hiring in Cin - I hear no word of John settling himself I think he feels he ought not while his mother and sisters require his help indeed all the boys contribute largely to their support - the Education of the girls is expensive - Ellen is a first rate performer on the Piano and both Lizzy and Maggie play better than most private performers in the old country - we were all greatly shocked by the account of poor John Jackson's affairs I think he is one who ought to try this country - G [Meninon?] wrote that D Kidd was very attentive to our dear Sarah while she was at your house. I would except every thing kind as [torn] friendly from him, when was he otherwise? always when you write let me hear of him very few I respect or esteem more you may rely that he is a most worthy man - and say how his sons are doing - do you know any of the other Kidds? My heart still warms to the name - my Aunt Harpur the last of my mother's family appears to have quite forgotten my existence - will you put an envelope on the enclosed for her - and the others as directed - I feel interested to hear how you are getting on in your new employment - I hope you are doing well - tell me all about yourself M [Mary?] Jane and the children - I think she might often write to me if she knew how glad I would be to hear of each and every one of your little family she would, and she would enter into details concerning the little ones which I would love to hear. that you never do - all send their love to you and yours and believe, my dear Wm [William?] that your souls eternal happiness is subject of many a prayer - I never forget you and your wife and little ones - May God Almighty Bless you and them as He only can Bless is the same frequent prayer of your fond Aunt Whitelaw When you write say how is Aunt Kane and family [---?] tells me John was very sorry leaving he says he thonks he will not go back - he feels the sorrow leaving so deeply - poor Aunt and the girls how my heart sympathised with them - h says he is a very wise fellow also particularly mention Aunt Kirke [Kirk?] and family how many subjects of interest have you to write of? and how seldom you indulge poor old Aunt Whitelaw |
