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Title: Eliza Smyth, Co Tyrone to James A Smyth, Ontario
ID2668
CollectionIrish Emigration Database
FileSmyth, Eliza Catherine/60(2)
Year1903
SenderSmyth, Eliza Catherine
Sender Genderfemale
Sender Occupationfarmer
Sender ReligionProtestant
OriginCastledamph, Co, Tyrone, N.Ireland
DestinationEssex Co., Ontario, Canada
RecipientSmyth, James Alexander
Recipient Gendermale
Relationshipsiblings
SourceCopyright Retained by Mr & Mrs J Smyth, Castledamph, Plumbridge, Co Tyrone, castledamph@btinternet.com
ArchiveMr & Mrs J Smyth, Castledamph, Plumbridge.
Doc. No.0410031
Date19/11/1903
Partial Date
Doc. TypeLTE
LogDocument added by LT, 26:10:2004.
Word Count1016
Genre
Note
Transcript[Front of envelope]

Mr Jas [James?] A Smyth
Essex
Essex Co
Ontario
Canada

STAMPED
[NEWTOWNSTEWART?]
PM
10 0
NO 19
03

[Written]
Ans

[Back of envelope]

[Stamped]
PLUMBRIDGE
NO 19
03

[Stamped]
ESSEX
NO 30
03
ONT.



[Page 1]

Castledamph
November 19th 03

Dear Brother
We rec [received?] your letter of
Nov 8th today containing Aunts [Aunt's?]
death. We also rec [received?] one on Monday
in which you told us of her illness
We noticed it in the Free Press but
we little thought when we read it
that she was dead at that time
that is a week ago Monday Just the
day before she was buried I suppose,
We did'nt [didn't?] have the Free Press so early
this week although we were looking
for it since Monday it just came
with your letter
We are all sorry to hear of it
& I am sure it is a great shock
to Uncl [Uncle?] & Bell [Belle?] they [the?] others I

[Page 2]
know wont [won't?] miss her near so much
as they are away from the house
That is a very painful illness but
every one [everyone?] has to bear some trial
before death comes although some
die without any disease.
Its a wonder they have a post
mortem examination but perhaps
as you say it will benefit them in
some future time I see there was
quite a lot of folk there its [it's?] a
wonder John A Duncan did'nt [didn't?]
come with Joe but perhaps he is
further away & couldn't easily get
as regard (sic) the clock it used to be a
rule but like many other things
its [it's?] done away with it keeps time
as usual I see it cost you some
money to have a man in your (sic)

[Page 3]
but you done well to not be away
its the first trouble every [ever?] was
there since you went out but it
alway [always?] comes soon enough
Many a time that same thought
has occured [occurred?] to me when you see
some one [someone?] that was just as
active & busy as you left as
Mr Stien [Stein?] says in the cold & silent
grave you just say to yourself
why such a hurry to get this
worlds [world's?] goods & yet the work & bustle
goes on & will
I do hope the next time you come
home it will be more plesanter [pleasant?]
for you while here & leaving &c
but one can not get over it
the way the [they?] should if we would
look at it in another light

[Page 4]
I suppose we may look forward
to seeing you both this year I have
some changes to make around the
house so I hope I get my plans
carried out before that
Many a time I hear Father & Mother
tell how easy Grandmother died
just as if she was sleeping with
her hand under her head you are
quite right in all you said Father
remembers it she died April 21st
1879 I was just 9 months old I
heard Liza Houston say (sic) that nobody
was paying attention to me so I
crawled about & she said when she
took me up I was as cold as a
frog I think you have better memory
than Wm [William?] has I never heard him
say what he remembers but Mother

[Page 5]
say (sic) you were always quicker than
he was she also says that was
the last time her Father was here
I don t [don't?] remember any of them
atall [at all?] neither do I remeber Aunt
Catherine I heard Willie Gilkison
say that the night Grandmother was
dead he was holding a candle
untill [until?] it burned his fingers while
Aunt Liza was doing something
I suppose Mary gave a helping
hand with the work its [it's?] nice to
have some one [someone?] to do the work when
trouble comes as it gets neglected
all has died I never saw
one only Old Joe I was there when
he departed but he had not spoke
any all day there was alway (sic) a
minute or so between every breath
he opened his eyes a little before


[Page 6]
he died I think it was much the
same Aunt Bella died with as
Aunt John Chas [Charles?] was over in Wm [William?]
Duncans Tuesday night he told
them of Aunt being ill also he
got Willie J [J's] address it takes
his letters 5 weeks coming.
I told you in one letter of Mary
J Noble & husband coming here
well they have come & gone again
She remained here while he went
to Paris & round the world he
said he was in one of the poorest
places ever he saw in this earth
I think it was Switzerland they
were eating horse flesh.

[Page 7]
I think John Chas [Charles?] will start work
at Houston's new house on Monday
he had a letter to day [today?] to make
arrangements from Houston you
will see a nice house in Plumbridge
this year.
We have got all the work over
for another year but the weather
still continues dismal rain nearly
every other day They had some
thought of going with the flax
tomorrow but if it continues
wet they will get dissappointed [disappointed?]
Tom is over every day at Stewarts
comes home at night he has
13 or 14 head of cattle to attend
& doing some wireing [wiring?] besides

[Page 8]
Wm [William?] is drawing turf & Father he
is busy doing niff nafs as he
call (sic) them & I tell you he would
rather be in the field
Their [there?] is a meeting of the tenants
to be held in the school tonight
I think Father is the principal man
he is gone down now for the keys
Alex Duncan has his farm up for
letting for the season & selling all
stock & crop I hear he was going
behind
I was down to see Bella & baby
Sunday it was vaccinated some time
ago & is nearly better it is getting
a very nice little thing & so lively
they have a kitten & if it would
get hold of it it would never let it
go Bella is for writing you soon she
was waiting untill [until?] you would write
all well good bye
Your Sister

Liza C [Catherine?]




Transcribed by Alan Houston