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Title: Liza Smyth, Co Tyrone to James A Smyth, Ontario
ID2671
CollectionIrish Emigration Database
FileSmyth, Eliza Catherine/64
Year1902
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.0410024
Date03/11/1902
Partial Date
Doc. TypeLTE
Log
Word Count1266
Genre
Note
Transcript[Front of envelope]

Mr James A Smyth
Essex
Essex Co
Ont Canada


[Stamped]
NEWTOWNSTEWART
PM
10 0
NO 3
02

[Postage Stamp]
Postage& Revenue
ONE PENNY

[Back of envelope]

[Stamped]
PLUMBRIDGE
A
NO 3
02

[Stamped]
ESSEX
NO 14
02
ONT.



[Page 1]

Castledamph
Nov 3 1902

Dear Brother
I am just thinking
you will feel dissappointed
[disappointed?]in not rec. [receiving?]
a letter sooner than this one I had
intended writing last week but it passed
rather quickly. Mary will likely have
the last letter tomorrow in which
I told her what was best for her
to do if she intends going in for
a teacher here. Master James
thinks she should loose [lose?] no time
in coming as she would always
be another year behind
Perhaps she may think now
that we have Stewart's farm
she would have to work if she
came. but she wont unless she
likes to do some thing [something?]

[Page 2]
Master James thinks or says it
isn't fair for you to have to keep
Mary going he thinks its all
little enough for yourself.
If you think it would be
better for her to come home &
study here don't put yourself
to any trouble by her leaving
nor to any expense whatever
I told Mary we had got the farm
its quite a large sum of money
but it would have to be got
sooner or later & it is just as
well to start at once.
(Dr Evans & Bob Dunne has (sic)
just come to hunt for Rabbits)
They have a good deal of the
money to borrow They get
possession on 16 of Nov
You may think like a deal
of others that one goes to

[Page 3]
every place Everyone was
anxious to know if it was
for William or Tom & if
they were going to live in
it They dont intend to
separate (sic) for a number of
years yet & I think William
will get it. going to clear
a deal of it before anyone
goes to live in it. The rent is
£22 10s. & then intrest [interest?]
after that it will take some money to
be made to make ends meet
A few deaths around here
this last week George Youngs
Mother died a week ago & his
father is not expected to survive
long I dont know how them [those?]
boys shall manage everything
after a while not a woman
in the house at the present
time

[Page 4]
Wm [William?] McCleary [William McCleery?]
was buried last Tuesday & Claud Fleming
on Monday, the old Folk are
passing away this year
Old Joe is not to [too?] well so he
may go this year too. it would'nt
be remarkable if he died. but
many a young one has gone
since he was expected to die
I will be waiting for a letter
in answer to the last I sent
so I hope you dont delay
in answering as we are all
anxious to know what will the
answer be.
Halloween passed over
very quietly Bella & Davie & Tommy
came up John Chas [Charles?] did'nt (sic) come
as their [there?] was a social in the
Abercorn Schools & he got
an invitation to attend

[Page 5]
it was not over untill (sic) five
the next morning so as John
was getting the day he came
home. was here as soon as
we were getting up he started
to hunt but got nothing
he went to bed at dinnertime
I did not get up untill (sic) 8 oclock
Master James & Andy Ballantine
was [were?] here so the Master called
to him to get up & tell them
how he had spent the night
Rev Clarke was in one day in
Mrs Mc & saw his drawings
he told him he should go in
for an Architect & next day he
was down in the shop with
a Book on Eculid [Euclid?] &
told him to have five Problems for
him on Tue evg [Tuesday evening?]
he also introduced him into the Y M C
Association

[Page 6]
John thinks him a
different man for [Steen?] John may
do well yet if he keeps on
in the Direction he is going
He complains of being to [too?] fat
he says he will commence to
smoke & reduce himself
in that way. Jamey Gilkison
was up in Omagh on Saturday
he got three of Bella & Davie’ (sic)
Photos thats all he has got finished
yet so I think we were foolish
to go near him they are not
very well done after waiting
for them so long but I suppose
they will have to do now
I think that is a very good one
of Mary & Miss [Wigle?] everybody
says she is a nice girl
she does look nice in the picture
& so does Mary both done
well

[Page 7]
Well we have a great time here
with religion We attend all places
the preacher that was in John
McFarlands is gone to College
again & now there is a payer [prayer?]
meeting every other Sunday
yest evg [yesterday evening?]
was the first George McIlwaine was
the leader & a Brother of the
Preachers they have done some work
amongst the people of this locality
Sunday week after the meeting
was over there was a testomonial
[testimonial?] meeting I seen four
converted by his preaching. any who were
saved by the meetings were told
to stand up so Lizzie Campbell
Miss Moor Lizzie McFarland
& another girl all stood up
it was one of the greatest
meeting (sic) I ever attended

[Page 8]
The prayer meeting is to be
conducted without any sides
be [being?] taken like dippers or Presbyterian
all are to join in as one
& aim for the same end So
I hope we will have a good time
this winter Rev C M Monteith
is preaching in the School house
at 5 oclock now & this other
one is to start at 6.30. We just
go from the one to the other.
The men will finish digging
the potatoes this week its
not to [too?] dry weather for digging
mostly wet all the time
I hear Lizzie M Orr has
got married. this may be
of no intrest [interest?] to you
but Mary will likely like to hear
of School Companions its funny
how some go I was thinking

[Page 9]
one day of all who used to be
at School when I was there
some in America some married
& some gone to there [their?] graves
all have taken some road
through life but what a
difference is betwixt them
No place I can remember
everyone so well as in the School
the fire place the old press
are still the same & the desks
all bring back memories
of long ago, we may look
back on them but we can never
bring them back.
I think they are all hunting
for Rabbits as the Field is
vacant its tea hour but no
one to [take?] any they have a
Ferrit [Ferret?] so it will chase them
out but I didn't hear a shot

{Page 10]
yet I believe the Rabbits are
getting scarce now everybody
shooting now & again leaves
them thin at last.
Not much news around this
place at present every thing [everything?]
quiet and all well & doing
well I dont know when we
rec. [receive?] a letter from you if Mary
comes you will have to write
oftener & so will we, in writing
to you both I can harldly [hardly?]
find news enough to fill a
letter every week I have some
Magazines which I intend
to send you I never take the
time to tie them up so there
they are yet but I must send
them this week if I can get
them read through first Master
James brings them up to us
Write soon

Good bye [Goodbye?] Liza


Transcribed by Alan Houston