| Title: | Bella M Smyth, Co Tyrone to James A Smyth, Ontario |
|---|---|
| ID | 2611 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Smyth, Bella Maggie/107 |
| Year | 1899 |
| 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. | 0508029 |
| Date | 19/05/1899 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | LTE |
| Log | Document added by LT, 08:09:2005. |
| Word Count | 842 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | [Front of Envelope] Mr. James A. Smyth, Essex, Essex Co, Ontario, Canada, [Stamped] [NEWTOWNSTEWART?] [---?] [Back of Envelope] [Stamped] PLUMBRIDGE A MY 19 99 [Stamped] ESSEX MY 29 99 ONT. [Handwritten] Answered May 29th 1899 [Figures on Envelope?] £ 15 . $75 £ 10 . 50 £ 9 = 45 $170 [Page 1] Castledamph May 19th 99 Dear Brother I suppose by this time you have our last letter: so I think its time to write again We rec. [received?] your last the day after Liza wrote, so we have a chance of getting another shortly We are all pretty well at present Father is able to work again. but he feels it a little sore yet he never had the doctor: Miss Dunne is able to be at work again also [Page 2] A Duncan is home again but not very well yet. If you ask them. they say he is improving. But we heard that the doctor told him to make his will for it was dangersome [dangerous?]. He is missed badly from Sunday School. Sandy is learning to pray. but it will be a long time before he does it as well as him The hiring fairs is pretty near over for another season Nearly everyone has new servants now James Houston has John Duncan's boy. Sam Henry [lundy?] brother to Dan's wife. he would'nt stop with John because he had too many masters. Aunt, John & Alice was [sic] all giving orders [Page 3] Barney Morris & Sam Knox Is [sic] away to Scotland again Alex has one of Wilson's son’s he is doing better since he got married Matthew Smyth had a narrow escape the other evg. [evening?] from being scalded It appears he said something about Alice & Sam Ballantine going to Newtown [Newtownstewart?] so she heard it. and when he went over she was making stirabout [porridge?] or pigmeat [food for pigs?] so she commenced [started on?] him about telling stories. but he had to run for his life or he would have been scalded. & Mary had the grape [graip? – dung fork] as well. I wish you would [sic] hear him telling the position he was in [Page 4] I believe he was as bad as the day you had to leap the gate. for throwing the water on her. Matthew wont be in a hurry back she gave him a scare for once. Sam started to America on Friday last him and Andy could not agree they were always quarrelling but I believe it was Andys fault. Patrick Bradly [Bradley?] came home on Saturday Barney McGillians farm is for him. Im sure he will think it strange for a while he says he could earn 21s per day where he was so it was a wonder he left. Barney & Biddy is living at Colvahullion [Culvacullion?] they were sorry leaving here [Page 5] I see by your letter you will have a big day on the 24th and I suppose you will earn something by the snare drum again, so that you wont spend the day for nothing The band did not start practising yet nor no talk about it. They [There?] are few this year so they have no heart to join. but they might gather up about the twelfth I suppose you will end your studying about that time everyone says you should be tired now. Mr Conroy Strabane always asks about you and what you are going to be [Page 6] This place is left wanting a Doctor again. O'Sullivan has got a place at home and left here. so there will be another election. but it will be in Strabane this time and a new set of men will vote as well. Its the whole talk now how the Councils is doing and how they will do. people think when the three years is up they will all be tired of the employment. We have wet weather here again. there was one dry week which left the potatoes all in and some turf cut. but now its as wet as ever. We have got no turf cut [Page 7] yet They were trying for a bank in Glenrone [Glenroan?] but would get none. we have only about two days cutting on Uncle James hill so we may try for one in the Butterlope I expect by this time you have the 5 pounds as the other was not much good we have lots on hands now Wm [William?] Sold one of the horses in Strabane fair at £15 to Mr Steen They think one is enough for the summer and then the [they?] can buy a young one again. We have sold eleven pigs at £10 and a cow at £9 Tommy bought half a score sheep in the Plum [Plumbridge?] fair from 12s 6d each to 14s so that took some [Page 8] We always have it all in a lump and others times we are nearly out I heard Tom say today that he has 73 sheep bought so that is a good share and he may buy more yet. Did you get the paper with the primroses: all wild flowers are in bloom now and whins [gorse?] are lovely everything is green now and looking well. Friday eight years you left first I expect you remember it. and your birth again Monday week No more this time So Good Bye [Goodbye?] Your Sister Bella M [Mary?] Smyth |
