| Title: | John J. Smyth, Castledamph to James A. Smyth, Ontario |
|---|---|
| ID | 2854 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Smyth, John James/15 |
| Year | 1892 |
| Sender | Smyth, John James |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | farmer |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Castledamph, Co. Tyrone, N.Ireland |
| Destination | Essex Co., Ontario, Canada |
| Recipient | Smyth, James Alexander |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | father-son |
| Source | Copyright Retained by Mr & Mrs J Smyth, Castledamph, Plumbridge, Co Tyrone, Castledamph@btinternet.com |
| Archive | Mr & Mrs J Smyth |
| Doc. No. | 605044 |
| Date | 13/07/1892 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | LTE |
| Log | unknown |
| Word Count | 1327 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | [Front of Envelope] Mr. James Alexander Smyth Southwoodslee Box Essex County 23 Ontario Canada [Postage Stamp] 2½d [Stamped] Newtownstewart [written in pencil] July 22 1892 [Back of Envelope] [Stamped] Plumbridge C JY 13 92 [Stamped] HAMILTON 11 JY 21 92 CANADA [Letter 1] [Page 1] July 13th 1892 Castledamph Dear James once more I take The liberty of letting yous [sic] all. know that we are all in Good helth [health?] at present. hoping you are all in good helth [health?] after the 12th Juy [July?]. the [there?] are hot times of it now in Ireland and every place with the General Election. The people is [sic] all up to a man every one holding up his side I believe [believe?] since the siege of Derry never was the people so Determined to stand to there [their?] colours we had a great meeting at Plumbridge on Thursday the 7th one Band went Down in full style taking with it every man woman and children [sic] we met the pl [Plumbridge?] Band at [w.arr] and after going through the town went to meet Fredrick [Frederick] Hamilton [Page 2] we met him at Derborough [Dergbrough?] hill. the pl [Plumbridge?] band went behind him and ours in front of him I rode on the Din in front all day I sent you two papers in wich [which?] yous [sic] will see some of the speeches the day for the pole [poll?] for North Tyrone is Friday 15th I hope he will win the day the other paper Tilda Gilkson [Gilkinson] directed it. our own pole [poll?] day is over Mid Tyrone I was a personation agent. I was in gortin [Gortin?] at 8 in the morning and stoped [stopped?] to 8 at night Such a day I never saw I went from Booth to Booth. almost every other man on both sides was [swain?] But I am sorry to say we lost. But we have gained the Maiden City and a great lot of other good places I tray [try?] and send yous [sic] a paper every week Well our band has meet [met?] once a week The [they] are all [cl---?] young meen [men?] now we met on yesterday morning at 8 oclock a.m [Page 3] left here at half past 9 oclock met the p [Plumbridge] lol [loyal orange lodge?] at [m ou?] house?] on we went we met Strawhill at Carick [Carrick?] on we went we met all [new?] district at that romish [Roman Catholic] Church Glennock a grand sight to see up through N Stewart [Newtownstewart] out to [grange?] to the District Master house Mr. [More?] he was for Death for some time past and requested all the lodges to come before him so that he might cast his eye on them perhaps the last although very weake [weak?] he was got to the platform where he was putte [put?] into the chair and was able to introduce the spakers [speakers?] some of them leatly [lately?] geting [getting?] into the order the [ink blot] Mr. [Morton?] Presbyterian Minister and R. W. Christy formerly of Gortin and others the [then?] opened the meeting with singing the National Anthem god [God?] Save our Queen. [Page 4] the speeches was [were?] excellent [excellent?] all Been [being?] over we left the field in the Best of good order every lodge Starting for home we come up the [Moyle?] side an immense crowd fowled [followed?] the p [Plumbridge?] lodge left us up on top of [Sanness?] Men woman and children meet [met?] us I must say that William had the Barn ready for dancing. the young ladies Belonging to the lodge was [were?] all in readiness for the evening amusement we reached home at 7 o clock and after getting something to refresh themselves dancing and singing was kept up to 1 o clock D Henery [Henry?] playing on your fiddle if you could see them dancing not a sorefoot being amgest [amongst?] them every one highly pleased with the Days [day’s] proceedings. Your letter reached us on the 11th July W. Barker and [A?] Duncan was [sic] here just putting up the flag on the Bush it was read to them all on the 12 morning. Some droping [dropping?] tears while it was a reading. [page 5] No. 2 Dear James I see by your letter that yous [sic] are all there I suppose yous [sic] have some fun talking about home and the people of it I also see that Mrs. C Allison has a young son I hope they are all well it .puts your uncle and aunt into that old list wich [which?] is called Grandfather and Gmother [Grandmother?] a step in advance of me I was speaking to two of tillies [Tillie’s?] sisters on the 12th they are all well I also was speaking to [anny?] May and sister I told them that yous [sic] were all at what I called home Dear James Saturday is the Day we have to go to omagh [Omagh?] to the Assizes to finish up I think that long tailed trial of McConnells. I cannot tell whither [whether?] [Fitzmaurice?] will attend or not I will give you all the news as soon as I can [Page 6] one thing that trial has done it has caused some of Eden people to be at arm [arm’s?] length so long as I can remember it whos [whose?] names I will not now give But they were [Gladstoniary?] in [hartt?] many a year. I have something to ask yous [sic] and something to write to yous [sic] but will not now. The members of the Band are as follows N1 James McKelvey 13. Robt. [Robert] McKelvey 2 George Young Glengaw 14. Robt. [Robert] McKernan 3 David Houston 15. John Gordon 4 William Smyth 16. James Barker 5 Andrew McClelland 17. W. Barker 6 John McKnight Drummers 7 James Hay Big Alex Duncan 8 W. Gilkinson we [wee?] [sic] Joseph Young 9 James Gordon John Houston 10 James McKnight Alex McKelvey 11 Andrew Ballantyne Absent 12 Jh [John] Smyth Sandy Houston [upside down] Alex McClelland simbals [cymbals?] Joseph Duncan Willie Andrew Campbell [Norc?] triangles Willie [goel?] [Page 7] Dear James we got the papers you sent we see that you had a splendid Day and hope yous had a good one on the twelfth [Twelfth?] the weather is not very good the [there?] are very few turft [turf?] rickeled [rickled?] yet the people is [are?] cutting the upland [today?] [bog?] we have the half of the field under the new road we will join it tomorrow our turnips up in the whins looks well flax and corn looks pretty well potatoes [potato?] tops will be short they will hardly close the Drills We have got two of the sheep in Spirrn [Sperrin?] pound only wants one now Uncle John got your letter he is going to write someday now May Duncan [Duncan’s?] letter arrived also I do not know when she will write Willie Gilkson [Gilkinson] wrote to you long ago. Did you get it Let Cassie know that we will answer her letter as soon as posibly [possible?] I hope she will forgive for the delay. [Page 8] I also see that you have some ploughing to do you haven’t to be lifting the plough over the stones like in Ireland I hope you will take good care of them horses that was a serious accident keep off the track of the train if not be very careful tell them orange meen [men?] the [there?] are more degrees in Ireland than the orange and the royal arch purple But we stop with two. We fixed the big drum I think she was as good yesterday as any I saw we are going to get a new flag we thought we would have her for yesterday but we could not the [there?] are [is?] no more talk now about old Margets [Margaret’s?] money Archibald hasent [hasn’t?] thought of giving it up yet But we are going to get into the law as soon as posibly [possible?] I think you will be tired reading before you finish this one we all join in sending our love and best respects to yous [sic] all and to Annie and husband and young one Yours truly John J. [James?] Smyth |
