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Title: Eliza Smyth, Castledamph to J. A. Smyth, Ontario.
ID2680
CollectionIrish Emigration Database
FileSmyth, Eliza Catherine/120
Year1899
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
Doc. No.0505581
Date07/11/1899
Partial Date
Doc. TypeLTE
LogDocument added by LT, 08:04:2005.
Word Count1179
Genre
Note
Transcript[Front of Envelope]

Mr James A. Smyth
Windsor Box 626
Ontario
Canada

[Stamped]
[NEWTOWNSTEWART?]
PM
10 0
NO 7
[99?]

Back of Envelope
[Stamped]

[PLUMBRIDGE?]
A
NO 7
99

WINDSOR
PM
NO 17
99
ONT.





[Page 1]

excuse Castledamph
this writing November 7th 99
E C S [Eliza Catherine Smyth?]

Dear Brother
In reply to your letter which
we rec. [received?] today always glad to
hear of you doing well the envelope was open
up one side and across the top it must
have bursted [burst?] so we had not the trouble
of opening it Bella wrote last week
also we sent papers we will send more
paper's today I suppose war is the
talk of the day every where [everywhere?] The
English has [sic] lost a great deal of men already
the Tyrone C.[Constitution?] will give you an
account of what men is leaving about Omagh
The strangest news I have to tell you
is about John McFarland being at
meeting on Sunday so you see
Lizzie Dunbar has converted
more than Mr Steen can all he
preaches they were all in Dunbar's

[Page 2]
seat the bride looked well but
the groom was not so charming
Old Robert has settled again
I think they are angry because he
has turned his back upon the [dipper?]
The Foundation Stone of
N.T.Stewart [Newtownstewart?]
Orange Hall will be laid on the 18 inst
this lodge got an invitation and
has agreed to go they were gathered
here last night today is the Co [County?]
Meeting in Omagh David Houston [Huston?]
& Jamey McKnight is [sic] up they are
getting a new pair of symbal's [cymbals?]
and a drum head part of the
money was collected last night
Perhaps the weather will be roug [rough?]
and put it all up side [upside?] down
it will look strange to see flag
sashes & drum's [drums?] now in winter

[Page 3]
they are to be in Newtown [Newtownstewart?]
at one oclock I think they will leave here
at nine if this letter reaches you
in time no doubt but you will
think you see & hear them play as
in days gone by John C [Charles?] was down
in Newtown [Newtownstewart?] on Sunday night
5 Nov their [there?] was a sermon preached in
Presby [Presbyterian?] Church and all members
wore sashes he says nearly all
black sashes he travelled down
and up & was home at ten.
We sent down a copy of our Photas [photographs?]
and will get two more we will send
you one as soon as as we get them
and one to T [Tommy?] Hay if we ever get
word from him the last letter
he wrote he said he was going


[Page 4]
to Egypt & for us not to write
until he would write again so
we will have to wait he said he
had wrote [sic] to you but rec [received?]
no answer but if we get a letter we will send
you his address as quick as possible
Hallow eve [Hallowe’en?] night passed over
quietly about these doors although
Master James got his door smashed
up there was a party in
Jas [James?] Campbells they [the?]
guests were a girl from Derry
Master & Miss James Tommy & John
[Charles?] and a few others which
I need not mention they started for home
about 2 oclock but when they get
to the master's his door was open
the lock being smashed with a
stone there was a couple of stones
in the kitchen the [they?] say he was in

[Page 5]
a great rage so they went in &
stooped [stopped?] untill [until?]
six in the morning she played on
the Harmonium & I suppose they
never felt the time fly by Mrs
[Conan?] had an auctin [auction?]
on all her furniture & every other
thing none of our folk were down
I belive [believe?] everything
went its value she is going to reside
with her daughter in England
they put a new head stone on the
old Doctor the New Doctor & wife
has took [sic] a seat in our Church
up with they [the?] Hamilton's he has
Mrs Nelson's new house all but the
shop which Lousia [Louisa?] Campbell
has charge of James Houston [Huston?]
is writing to you he got your address
last night he said Catherine would
write a little bit

[Page 6]
Tommy & James Gilkison [Gilkinson?] is
threshing Young's corn in our barn these
last few days they look like blacks
as there is some smote [smoke?] in the
corn it has blackened them
Did you get your new suit yet
as Wm. [William?] has got his he had it
for Sunday week Sacrament Sun [Sunday?]
it fits him well you should have
a new over coat [overcoat?] if possible
mother thinks you are not keeping
yourself dressed like the others
to not spend the money you do
with as little as possible you ought
to have the last money by now
Father was going to write today
but I said I would try and give
you as much news as possible
I know if I was away I would

[Page 7]
like to get lots of news but some
how [somehow?] one does not like to
write everything the [they?] hear
perhaps the half would not be true
if Tom & Wm [William?] would write
they could tell you more news
about the place than we can
John McFarland & Lizzie Dunbar
was the talk of the country if
you would hear one say this &
another something else you would
wonder John had anything to do
with her Fiddling & Dancing will
soon be in Eden now old Robert
used to say the Fiddle scattered
house’s but I dont know what
scattered his We are all well at
present Mother has good health now
better than Father and it used to
be different We have all the


[Page 8]
potatoes dug the weather is very
stormy at present a great deal of
lighting [lightning?] after night.
The hiring time is coming round
again but I think I shall stop for
another term Perhaps if I would
change I would not be as well.
James Jack has got a young
daughter in the glen 5 sons and
one daughter the McColgans
are all gone out of the glen
to England Nicholas has his farm
Susan McNamee is back from
America she says she could not
stop there atall [at all?] so it
was leaving out money for nothing
John McConnel [McConnell?] & old
Mary it [sic] still living in the
glen Lizzie is for death up in Omagh
Ann is married so Lizzie is with her
old Wm [William?] Hay & Bell also
Kate & Jamey are all living in the
glen: Arter [Arthur?] Art is still
running about
Good bye Eliza Catherine Smyth

[Small note with letter]
P.S. We will get the Irish Times &
send it to you as there are a great
[sic] of wants in it Master James says
their [there is?] more people learned
for schools in Ireland than their [there?]
is [sic] schools for them but perhaps you
might have a chance some time we will send
you as much news about them a [sic] possible
E. C. [Eliza Catherine?] Smyth

[Note at bottom of Page 3]
We will send you more mony [money?] as soon
as posible [possible?]
J.J.S. [John James Smyth?]