| Title: | J A Smyth, Ontario, to, John C Smyth, Castledamph, Ireland. |
|---|---|
| ID | 2699 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Smyth, James Alexander/8 |
| Year | 1902 |
| Sender | Smyth, James Alexander |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | school teacher |
| Sender Religion | Protestant (Methodist) |
| Origin | Essex Co., Ontario, Canada |
| Destination | Co. Tyrone, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Smyth, John Charles |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | brothers |
| Source | Copyright Retained by Mr & Mrs J Smyth, Castledamph, Plumbridge, Co Tyrone, castledamph@btinternet.com |
| Archive | Mr & Mrs J Smyth |
| Doc. No. | 0506604 |
| Date | 04/02/1902 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 16:06:2005. |
| Word Count | 1301 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | [Front of Envelope] Mr John C, Smyth [following address scored through?] c/o Mrs McFarland Irish Street Strabane Co. Tyrone [Written in Corner] Castledamph Plumbridge Ireland [Written across Top] Mr. James A [Smyth?] Essex Essex [County?] Ontario Canada [Stamped on Front] Essex FE4 02 ONT. [Back of Envelope] James A Smyth Essex Essex County Ontario [Stamped] NEWTOWNSTEWART AM [02?] [Page 1] Essex Ontario February 4, 1902 My dear Brother, My dear brother I was very much pleased to hear from you after such a long time. I was wondering indeed why you did not do so long ago, You know I have no brothers that write except yourself and it seems good to hear from one. Since Willie Gilkinson [Gilkison?] died I am almost lost in regards news. He used to tell me so much. Now I hope you write often as I want to know what you are doing and how you are getting along. Again it acquaints you with how to write and compose, Mind me [sic] letter writing [Page 2] ii is quite an accomplishment So do you [sic] all you can at it and don’t be afraid of my finding fault. If I began that I am afraid I would have no correspondents at all, Well seeing that it is quite a while since you wrote I am just after reading your letter again to get the facts once more. I am glad you had a good time at the wedding but I am also sorry that I was not present as I always intended to be. Of course had I known it would take place even, in a year I would gladly have waited. But its all past and gone now. Well, how does Bella like her new home? I have never written to her yet which I should be ashamed for [sic]. I am often thinking she may have to work to [too?] hard there. Oh, John, if there is any thing [anything?] I despise, it’s to see the way in which some of them treat their wives over there, just as they were slaves. I hope my sisters never have to do it not half as hard as my mother, had to work. I don’t like to think that either of them will have to get [Page 3] iii to get [sic] down to feed pig’s and such like, in fact a good many there think that that and raising a large family is all a woman is good for. Now it was just along this line that I was anxious to get Mary to come out here a while [awhile?]. I would like to have a sister that can discourse and talk with educated people and hope she learns quite a few of these things out here. No John we may not be together for quite a while, But I was always intending to stay home a year or so before the family broke up, but I got left [sic]. [Page 4] iv When I shall be home again I don’t know. It takes money. I don’t think I know any of those young people you mention, they may perhaps have seen me while I was home, If so remember me to them, I hope you are in a good boarding house, and be sure you conduct yourself properly and get associated with nice young men. Describe Strabane for me sometime as to its sociably [sociableness?] and the advantages therein, Has it a library?. I am one of the directors and secretary of our Public Library. Now you are in a place where you can get music lessons. Can you get a [Page 5] Piano to practise on? If so you can get music lessons there. Now I know you can get violin lesson [sic] so take them and learn to play by note also if you can on the drum, You have no idea what an accomplishment it is to play a violin by note. If I could do so, I would earn you wages per week over and above my own, Then it gets you in to good company if you are a violinist. Take violin lessons by all means when you have the chance. If you have not got the money let me know and I’ll gladly pay for them for you. This is a good piece of advise [advice?] John, although you may laugh at it, But Mary has found it out by this time. She is taking Piano lessons,. Also going to school. The accomplishment of music is what I envy anybody. I took Piano lessons last winter but have no piano this winter, If Mary was living with me I would rent one for the two of us. Keep up your druming [drumming?] too if you have a chance and learn from notes I have so much to say I don’t know where to begin or end, However I am going to tell you about our last party - I was one [Page 6] 6 of the gentlemen who helped to give it. We had a grand time, of course large private parties are the whole go, in winter, But this was very swell, I doubt if the quality, if you call them so around Strabane could get up a better one, I shall send you one of the invitation cards if I get one, The ladies were all in full dress. and gentlemen also and wore white gloves. I’m sure you know what full dress is. Among our guests we had Mr Cowan M.P and wife Mr Clarke L.E.B. and wife Crown Attorney, and sister, and I had a dance with each of them. [Page 7] 7 Supper was served in town Hall up stairs [upstairs?] and a very [dainty?] affair, I had that Miss Arnold in the picture as my partner for supper. I am writing [sic] Chas [Charles?] McCullagh and in his letter I give as full a description as I could. Mary got an invitation but she did not come of course Mary might hardly feel at home but she would have seen something grand. If I had been pretty well supplied with money which I was not, I would have bought her a nice dress and had her come. You know John Aunt and Uncle are funny people, I could not live a day there [Page 8] 8 There [They?] are as much behind the times as they are up in Glensas [Glensass?], compared with Strabane, They have no fun at their house, and I am sorry Mary is not seeing more of this county while she is here, If she had been with me she would had a fine time all winter, parties nearly all the time, and music galore. There is usually something going on in the town hall every week. There is a, Public Library concert on Friday night and I am going to have her come up for it. Also she wan’t [sic] some help in connection with her school work. Well I have had no fun shooting since I left, my how I wish I could have such a time this summer, You should be out here a while and then you would learn to appreciate your own country scenery, I shall just look forward to my next trip home for another good time, The scenery over there is beautiful, Say the first chance you get go up to Belfast, then you will see a city, Well John ask Mary what she thinks of our school system. I’ll bet she thinks she never learned anything in [Page 9] Castledamph N.S. [National School?] and we did not learn much. I tell you I know a good deal more to day [today?] than I did six years ago, If you had my education with your trade you could make £150 a year. So if you have any spare time study what you can, Mary was talking about you comming [coming?] out to this Country Well it might do you good for a year or so as a visit Now write often and give me all the news, I was down to see Mary on Saturday. I only stay [sic] one day as that is all I can stand down there Your Brother Jas A [James Alexander?] Smyth Transcribed Elizabeth Prentice Transcribed by Alan Houston |
