| Title: | [Alexander Patterson?], Farmington, to "Dear Robt." |
|---|---|
| ID | 2082 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Patterson, Alexander/33 |
| Year | 1893 |
| Sender | Patterson, Alexander |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | farmer |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Farmington, Canada? |
| Destination | Ireland |
| Recipient | Robert |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | relatives? |
| Source | Donated by Mr & Mrs S. V. Thompson, 4 Grove Park, Lenzie, Glasgow, G66 5AH |
| Archive | The Ulster American Folk Park, Omagh |
| Doc. No. | 9602154 |
| Date | 22/08/1893 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 29:02:96. |
| Word Count | 1088 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Farmington Augt. 22nd 1893 Dear Robt. [Robert?] tho [though?] I think of your last two or three letters, some expressions therein respecting your failing vigor and activity stir & urge me to write, esp [especially?] being on the world's brink myself and with so many reminders in memory of friends - wherever I've been dropping out without notice, all seem to say "Defer no longer" you may, or may not remember how I told you long ago how the news of my good friend and brother in law's death (Mr. Alex. [Alexander?] Hall) surprised and filled me with regret on account of an unanswered letter of his lying in the house - I could record instances by the score here & in Ireland of parting from friends without more than goodby [goodbye?] unconscious that the parting was final - I can hardly say less - so far as health is concerned than that I was never freer from disease of any type than I am at present - This is noticed by my neighbors so much that I am frequently told, "You are an exception" and sometimes - "You are always well" Yet none of these things give me any confidence in the future - I think of a sermon the Dean used to give us now and then - John baptized it - "The contingencies" - It had one forcible truth namely "that death cannot be far from any one of us" and though some 60 yrs [years?] must have passed since I heard it, yet the voice, the place and surroundings seem all vivid today - I am still presuming that we, three of his hearers still remain - I can hardly think of another except (possibly) Mrs. Brown - I suppose of the grandchildren of John Patterson it is not likely any remain save ourselves, Aleck of Ballymena and Dorothy his sister, and of the grandchildren of Robt. [Robert?] Kennedy, perhaps John K. Addison and some of his sister's and my fathers unbroken family - here the name's of Jas. [James?] Scott and John Bicket are to far in advance that we seem pigmies in comparison, and one of the late papers recorded not the death but the life of a woman in Ireland of 118 y'rs [year's], familiar with the events of 98, sings a good song & seems like one the reaper had forgotten Lest I should forget I here acknowledge the rect [receipt?] of the book "Ulster in 98" - I am apt to carry my letters to the office unsealed so that I might give notice of anything I might receive, but I had neglected the precaution in that case when I recd. [received?] the box I expected the "Blackreds" more noticed in it - I believe all governments as well as all religious denominations, when scrutinized have more or less to be ashamed of - The capture of the Negro Hut, Burns, under the fugitive Slave law, in Boston was sufficient to prevent any humane man from ever voluntarily becoming a citizen of the U.S. and surely enough to stop the mouths of fourth of July speechmakers when sprouting "the land of the free" Reading of the head of poor Munro or any countenance "Made in the image of God", stuck on the spike of the public Market house, the thoughts turn backward to the day's of Ahab rather than to England, less than 110 y'rs [year's?] ago - "Tell it not in Gath" - We have had, perhaps the severest drouht [drought?] that has occurred in my experience here - We got a good rain Saturday, and then Sunday night and Monday and hope the drouth [drought?] is over - The hay crop was fairly good, but the milk business is got so enormous here that cow fodder oat and barley fodder are raised largely at a later period of summer James is always strong in these and intended to have a silo in which to save the fodder green all winter but instead of the towering crops of past years it would remind you of the year the Irish often ask me about when "they pulled the oats" - No Silo will be needed this season - I started a letter to John the 2nd of this month - Have heard nothing since from that quarter except some slips thro the papers, all of which had me to look for tidings of a life closed in a later generation, at no far distant date there is no calamitous tidings at this date in my family - We expect a visit from my son John Sept. 5th with his wife, three sons and one daughter and Sarah who has spent so far of the summer with them - They will probably spend a week here, then he intends to see the World's fair & she with the children will visit her own people in New Jersey - I may have forgotten something I would like to say but while old people live largely in the past it is no reason why they should not anticipate the future for myself when my thoughts ventured look similar to the look the greatest tinker ever England saw took after his two pilgrims, and having done so wished himself among them, there seems to be so little to regret at leaving this world of toil, disappointment and death that I too, unworthy, vile and sinful could withal wish myself among them and among the earliest of the dead in my connexion [connection?] I think of my own Mother Long year's ago it was impressed on my mind that in this "Mysterious way in which God performs his wonder" Mother's prayers had much to do, and a letter from Aunt Halliday the day of father's funeral confirmed my opinion - I trust I have others shut in by the same golden gate - I have children there grandchildren there and among all the traps & by ways in Bunyan's wonderful book none has oftener set me straight than Christian's bold resolve to open the door of [doubting?] castle by the key of promise, which, thank the good Lord is potent today to force back the hold of any lock in [Doubting] Castle Oh spread thy covering wings around till all wanderings cease - And at our Father's lov'd [loved?] abode - Our souls arrive in peace Please spend 5 cts [cents?] on this & send to John he is always urging me to write A. P. [Alexander Patterson?] |
