| Title: | Eliza Smyth, Castledamph, to J. A. Smyth, Ontario. |
|---|---|
| ID | 2631 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Smyth, Eliza Catherine/4 |
| Year | 1904 |
| Sender | Smyth, Eliza Catherine |
| Sender Gender | female |
| Sender Occupation | farmer |
| Sender Religion | Protestant |
| Origin | Castledamph, 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. | 0505586 |
| Date | 23/03/1904 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | LTE |
| Log | Document added by LT, 11:04:2005. |
| Word Count | 1163 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | [Front of Envelope] Mr Jas. A Smyth Essex Essex Co Ontario Canada [Written over Envelope] Ans [Answered?] Aug. 10, 04 [Stamped] NEWTOWNSTEWART PM 10 0 MR 25 04 [Back of Envelope] [Stamped] [PLUMBRIDGE?] [MR 23?] [04?] ESSEX AP 1 04 ONT. [Page 1] Castledamph March 23rd 1904 Dear Brother Your last letter we rec [received?] Friday last also another a week or more before so perhaps it is pretty near time to make some reply. In the first place Willie John has got up but as the saying is he is like a ghost going a kellying [ceilidhing?] he can't walk properly but he may improve with time & care to compare him & Charlie the one is like a rose & the other a white lily [Page 2] He was to come over here this week but I suppose he can't walk far yet Uncle James is very far back with the ploughing he has a mare heavy with foal & he can't do much with her & a young one 3 year old & besides that she flings like [atle?] he has last years foal so in the Feby fair in Gortin he was getting £7 for it but would’nt look at such a price & he has got keeping it since not one to ask him what he wants for it next thing he done [sic] was to buy a 5 year [Page 3] old to plough with a flinging mare & he had to buy hay to keep them going I never knew such a man he take [sic] leaps & jumps at everything I believe if he could live independant [independently?] he would’nt know his neighbor I always thought he was good but I see him with other eyes now I dont believe ever I will think the same of him till the end of my life or his but I must not say anymore Willie John may in two year [sic] see the mistake he [Page 4] made by having to get home in one way I would [sic] been glad he had been taken away as like what you say their [there?] is enough of them in yon house for they will never amount to much. Ill begin with the electric lights I am sure it is very nice but it will be long before we have such a thing in this house so you may be prepared to put up with the lamp hung from the roof Well I suppose you have some fun going over the old countrys fashions but lots of them [Page 5] are dying out. Tom Jordie is still alive Just only the day before we got your letter he left this town & is gone up to where George Noble & Mrs have bought a farm near Omagh. they were saying here that when he goes out [sic] give a call that the Omagh folk will think some one is out of the Asylum he was with Andy Ballantine for a long time well if you would Just hear him calling to the sheep in the turnips from he left the house till he got their length his voice rang [Page 6] far & near. I suppose you remember old Nancy the drumer [drummer?] as she get [sic], well she was here a while Sunday evg [evening?] still hale & hearty although 84 years old she could relate some old tales she has the best memory you ever knew do you remember the evg [evening?] she & her son John was here that Father got so mad about what corn the hens destroyed he would’nt taste the drink he had sent for she was telling this to us (Tom remembers it) and lots of other things [Page 7] I suppose you could call to memory Old Christian Barber well she is dead died about two weeks ago in Omagh workhouse the [they?] say it was pitiful to hear the cries of her when the van came to take her to the workhouse & she only lived four days after she was lodged in that little house at Ternamadin [Trinamadan?] bridge so when she took sick the [they?] sent for the Minister & he ordered the van to take her away You just wish the same wish that many one does & that [Page 8] will never be fulfilled in meeting the aquaintance of youth its not much valued at the time but in after life one is always looking back I suppose the card playing bother you [sic] to [too?] John does a little at it at the Plum [Plumbridge?] some nights he stays down in Jas Houstons [James Huston’s?] well Dr Evans is always there till 1 & 2 oclock and indeed one night last week the [they?] sat up altogether but next day John could’nt work so he came home. Wm.[William?] was scolding him thought that he had broke [sic] [Page 9] his pledge but indeed he has not he was sleepy so at last he told what they had been at I would object to such work but I think John wont do it again for he loosed [lost?] a days pay besides his sleep. Well we had a letter from T. [Tommy?] Hay last week he has took on [sic] for another two years & that entitles him to six months leave and he expects to be here to keep his 27 birthday which is next Oct. so we have been thinking if you could manage [Page 10] to come home this summer & be altogether next winter if you intend to stay for a year you would do as well to come as we dont know what the future may have in store we are all well now & in good health but a year may & will bring more changes I will write to Mary & see what she will say I would like when Tommy Hay would come that you & Mary were here. it would be dull for him although he thinks it is still the same [Page 11] Mary told us about the cold weather but she seemed to enjoy it well she likes the skating so she took with the cold to have the fun. Mrs McCullagh was very bad a week ago much the same as Aunt died with but I think her case is worse in a sense although she did’nt die, she is unfit for any heavy work it appears in lifting a tub about a year ago she hurted [hurt?] herself & neglected to have it attended to & now it is to [too?] late they wrote for Tillie last week to come home [Page 11] as Lizzie would have to give up her work & it is better for Tillie to come. We have very nice weather here spring is approaching in all ways. We are ready for the seed & has [sic] some drills opened for potatoes but it rained some so it has kept them back. There is going to be a concert in Eden School tomorrow night proceeds to buy maps etc Albert Hamilton & the Master is [sic] the main spoker [speaker?] the Master has got into Hamilton's again so he will do alright now McCullaghs ones & him had a clean fall out he never goes there now Liza Transcribed by Julie Simms |
