| Title: | John J. Smyth, Castledamph to "My dear James" |
|---|---|
| ID | 2882 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Smyth, John James/84 |
| Year | 1900 |
| 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. | 605047 |
| Date | 25/2/1900 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | LTE |
| Log | unknown |
| Word Count | 653 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | [No envelope] 1900 Castledamph February 25th My Dear James Once more a few lines to let you know That we are all in good helth [health?] at present. Thank God for all his Goodness to us all yet there is plenty of people ailing from influenza. Willie Smyth is Down, the Doctor is coming to him toDay Sunday evening from NStewart [Newtownstewart] James Ballantine Bob is also Down sick and any amount up the Watter [Watterside?] a good many have passed away this last while old May McConnell you will see her name in this paper that I am sending people takes ill in a short time the winter was everything but pleasant and very little ploughing as yet and not much of anything is down this Day Sunday is fine and warm if it continues [Page 2] We had just sent of a letter the day before we got your last one so we expected another this last week and that kept us from writing Well we are pretty near been out of the roads a week or so will do us if we had £32 out of it fair well [farewell?] to it John Warnock and Bob Ballantine has it this time at very little more than we had it They also have the one up past our house But the 5 years is not up with them yet The assistants is often on the roads now and always complaining about something So I think we will be well out if it as the help is not to [too?] good now and turff [turf?] ill to get in the [summer?] Dear James we have sent you three pounds in one letter and five in another wich [which?] we hope you have Got by this time all right When one looks back since you first joined to prepare for Canada up to the present it took some money [Page 3] Sometimes we wonder how it come [came?] to be shure [sure?]. There was a good lot of hard work in and out to have it ready for you and we never had to borrow one shilling Thank God for helth [health?] and strenth [strength?] and a Blessing and a blessing shurly [surely?] we all got when you came out so well at all examinations and was so fortunate to get a school just as you finished I think both you and us ought to be thankful and be wise and take good care of your helth [health?] and be shure [sure?] to attend to your house of worship and show a good example in a strange land I hope you are getting along well with your new work Shuarly [surely] its not as hard to teach as to have to pass in all the examinations that you have gone through Master James says they were very hard [Page 4] We had another meeting about old Marget [Margaret?] money. They will pay none of it till the law takes it of [off?] them. So we had to take out Administrations they wanted me in to do it But I refused Willie [William?] Houston Watteside [Watterside?] has taken them out then we had to fight for the costs I refused to sign for any but myself So at last I went in for William Canada it will come off in April at the quarter sessions how it will go its [it is?] hard to tell in the first place it will cost something A. Duncan has got a young son William Houston [Watterside] also has got a young son he is well pleased because it’s a son we are waiting every day on a letter this is Tuesday and we have got none as yet this day is very rough and heavy rain. I hope you are all in good helth [health?] Disease is very rife in this country now well now and down tomorrow give my love to all - Yours John J. [James?] Smyth Transcribed by Alan Houston |
