| Title: | Bella M. Smyth, Castledamph, to James A. Smyth, Ontario |
|---|---|
| ID | 2596 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Smyth, Bella Maggie/91(3) |
| Year | 1900 |
| Sender | Smyth, Bella Maggie |
| Sender Gender | female |
| Sender Occupation | farming household |
| Sender Religion | Presbyterian |
| Origin | Co. Tyrone, N.Ireland |
| Destination | Essex Co., Ontario, Canada |
| Recipient | Smyth, James Alexander |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | siblings |
| Source | Copyright Retained by Mr & Mrs J Smyth, Castledamph, Plumbridge, Co Tyrone, Castledamph@btinternet.com |
| Archive | Mr & Mrs J Smyth |
| Doc. No. | 0604109 |
| Date | 19/07/1900 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | LTE |
| Log | |
| Word Count | 905 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | [Front of envelope] Mr James A. Smyth, Essex Box 234 [Crossed out] Ontario, Canada. [Written at top of envelope] S. Woodslee 20 [Stamped] [Newtownstewart?] [PM?] 10 0 J 19 00 [Postage stamp underneath] [---?] and Inland Revenue One Penny [Back of envelope] [Stamped] PLUMBRIDGE A JY 19 00 [Stamped] ESSEX [JY 31?] 30 ONT. [Stamped] PLUMBRIDGE A JY 19 00 [Written in pencil] 30 10 20 10 20 [Crossed out] 10 20 [Remains of red wax on back of envelope] [Page 1] Castledamph July 19th 00 Dear Brother I see in your letter of July 1st which we rec [received?] yesterday that you expected a celebration on July 12th Mary & T [Thomas?] Hay wrote to you on that day & I expect they told you how we spent the day, quiet enough anyway though there were some of the members had a good time about the Plum [Plumbridge?] I believe it was hard on them to stop at home on that day We have not missed the celebration very much on account of visitors They kept us from thinking about it John was in Derry & had a good time [Page 2] There were about sixty bands present & all passed quietly Well we had Belle here for the first time on Sat, her & Sara came up from Donegal on Friday & Sandy brought them here on Sat Sara Did not stop long as she was for Donegal that evg” [evening?] Belle stopped till night & I was in Wm [William?] Duncans on Sunday evg” Monday was the Plum [Plumbridge?] fair so Willie John drove her through it & on to the Butterlope & left her back here at night. Then on Tuesday we drove to Barness [Barnes?] gap, Wm [William?] Tommy Hay, Belle and I up one side & down the other, when we came back, Joe Gilkison Mrs Gilky & James Houston was here so we had a good time, James told us some stories & kept up the fun Belle went back to Wm [William?] Duncans [Page 3] last night to go down to Donegal today & attend Strabane shows tomorrow & Ballindrait shows on Monday so she is having a good time for so far & she is well pleased with the country & people & all she went to see Aunt Tilda on Monday morning & was in with Alex, she has been round all the burn & she had to see where you used to fly the ducks she says you allowed her to go to a fair & to the orange walk she has managed the fair but not the other as there was no one going from Donegal she wishes you had been here but I suppose you’re time is comming [coming?], she sent a paper to Cassie yesterday & a piece of heather from Barness [Barnes?] gap forget me not, out of our meadow & some flower [sic] out of the blue (clay buy?)] you will see the [Page 4] twelfth demonstration all in it Joe Gilky & Mrs came on Monday & they are going down to her place tomorrow & for Glasgow on Tuesday night she is a pretty good looking woman & she appears to be nearly a boss) Tommy Hay I think will be going away on Wednesday, he is a little sorry that his time is up again he gave Belle some idea of what the natives of India are like he kept us laughing on Tuesday night till we were tired he acted them & spoke like them & everything We will feel lonely after he goes away too on account of being used with him so long he is in Moses Ballantyne [sic] yesterday & today Page 5 There is some sport about the Plum [Plumbridge?] now with Scotch people there are lots of visitors, as well as our own country people all being home: James Barker is home, Willie McKernan & Robert the McKnickles [MacNicholls?] all & Willie Knox is home or in Eden rather, Belle got a sight of him on Sunday she thinks he is a light enough husband for anyone: I suppose she wont see Bella when she isn’t home now she may not see Bella Maggie nor Lizzie Anne either I don’t think they are home this year she intends to go up there next time she is back here & get a sight of Gortin Glen Matthew Smyth was very anxious to know what sort of a girl Belle was: he was asking Tommy Hay was she anyway nice looking Page 6 There are lots of enquiries in that line as well as him, but beauty is not all, she would know Tommy John on you & she says Mary has a face shaped like Cassie Old Margets [Margaret’s case was tried on Sat again, the Duncans were all in Omagh & old Mary had to go the Decree is granted this time for all the money but there is something to do before they get it yet [&?] I cant say whether they will do it or not : So if we get the money at last it will be all right. Master James is anxious to know how it will go he says if father gets it he must send for a gallon & they will have a good time I will make this do today as we may write often while Belle is in this country Yours B M S [Bella Mary Smyth?] [Page 7] P. S. Mother says that if you would want anything to let us know & we would send it with Belle shirts or socks or any other thing I suppose they will [Page 8] be leaving in September so we would have time enough Nice warm weather here now people are all at the hay & some drawing home turf we have not tried the new potatoes but it may not be long, Mary is home yesterday & today Good Bye Your Sister Transcribed by Mark Gallaher. |
