| Title: | Margaret Simpson, Alabama to [Madelina Wightman, Alabama?]. |
|---|---|
| ID | 2469 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Simpson, Margaret/1 |
| Year | 1841 |
| Sender | Simpson, Margaret |
| Sender Gender | female |
| Sender Occupation | unknown |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Florence, Alabama, USA |
| Destination | Ireland? |
| Recipient | Madelina |
| Recipient Gender | female |
| Relationship | sisters |
| Source | T 1475/1 p49: Copied by Permission of Miss A. McKisack, 9 Mount Pleasant, Belfast |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9404178 |
| Date | 12/01/1841 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 25:04:1994. |
| Word Count | 965 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Florence Jan. 12th 1841 My dear Sister, Since I received your last letter I have daily thought of writing to you, but procrastination is too truly the thief of time, and often leads us to defer till tomorrow what we should do today. The intelligence you give of our poor brother is indeed painfully interesting, but a ray of hope beams in when you say he is making some effort to break away that consuming soul destroying vice, may God bless and strengthen him in this effort, and though far gone may he yet turn unto God sorrowing and thirsting after righteousness, and be a comfort and blessing to his family. By a letter lately written from Mr. Buchannon, we were much pleased to hear of your health and happiness, (he says he could not live in such a dismal climate) Our family and relatives here are all well; spared by the goodness of God to enter on another year, blessed with everything we could desire for this world and still cheared [cheered?] with the glad sounds of the Gospel, inviting us to believe in that dear Saviour who died for sinners, may such goodness lead us all to repentance and new obedience. My own health is much better than in summer, our Mary is still very delicate, but no decided disease her Father and all the others quite well. I never saw your John look better, he talks a little of going to see you. Would like greatly our dear Miss [Craig?] and Mary to go with him, last summer here was very sickly. I suppose he told you of many valuable citizens we then lost. Mrs Jackson still looks very much digested, her last daughter is married, since her Father's death, so that she is quite alone. I hope that you have seen Mrs Collins or Mary. Mrs Bliss has just had a little daughter, they are both doing well, but she feels their absence (but this is only my wish not very likely to take place) much at such a time. Mrs Roads health is much better than formerly. Jane is still unmarried. Thomas and Elizabeth Simpson and their two sons are staying with them this winter. Business is still in a very dull state here, many entirely out of employment. Gibons has been with us for some months, and no opening for a situation for him anywhere yet. I am glad to hear of Nancy Wightman looking in such good health, and I trust she is still, as formerly, growing in grace, and more and more abundantly enjoying the favour and presence of her dear Saviour. Since commencing this letter we have had the happiness of receiving letters from Ireland, from Brother John and Eliza, by which we are delighted to hear our dear friends there are well, and although the former writes in depressed spirits as regards his situation, in which our hearts sincerely sympathize, still there is much to gladden us, to find he is in better healths and habits than formerly. May God strengthen and encourage him in every good way. How is it that his prospect is all gone, and what has he to support his family. Can his children have no education. I have only had one letter from Varinah since the awful hurricane swept over Natchez, part of their house was injured, but none of themselves hurt. I believe these calamitous times in business has borne hard on Mr Mitchel, I would like much to see her and her little family, but do not know that I have any prospect of doing so. Our winter so far has kept very mild and yet head colds have been very prevalent. Our worthy citizen and neighbour Mr Dyas is at present very sick. I hear Mrs Hugh Jackson has a sister with her on a visit from Ireland, who intends returning again in Spring, were it not for the expense, distance now seems nothing however our great business in this changing fleeting life, is to prepare (whether near to or far distant from each other) for a better life to come. Mrs Hanna is spending the winter in Cuba with her daughter Mrs Ogden who is in very delicate health. Mrs James Hanna is also there for her health. Colonel Hatchings who was married to General Coffees eldest daughter, went for the same purpose and returned a few weeks since, he was buried this morning beside his wife, leaving his two little orphan children with Mrs Coffee. Margaret Marlow spent the summer with me, she seems pleased with Orleans for a winter home, and has returned to Mrs York. We have heard within the last few days of the sudden and melancholy death of young Rowan. I believe his name was Cunningham, as he was assisting in extinguishing a fire, sad intelligence for his parents. I hope my dear Sister you will soon write to me, you will please remember me with sincere and unchanging affection to my dear relations and friends my dear Mother, Brother John, James, Jane and Isaac, David, Andrew, McAlister Nancy Wightman and many others who may [know?] me, my very affectionate love to Ann and William, may they grow in grace as they grow in years, and in their own sweet experience prove, how good it is to remember their Creator in the days of their youth and may we my dear Madelina who in our early days lived without God, and without hope, now in our later days turn unto God, repenting of our sins, and believe in Jesus Christ, the only Saviour of sinners, and may his Grace so rich, so free, enable us our few remaining days form character for that eternity to which we are rapidly hastening, is the prayer of your Very affectionate Sister Margaret Simpson. |
