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Title: Mary Smyth, Castledamph to James A Smyth, Ontario
ID2996
CollectionIrish Emigration Database
FileSmyth, Mary/97
Year1900
SenderSmyth, Mary
Sender Genderfemale
Sender Occupationunknown
Sender ReligionProtestant (Presbyterian)
OriginCastledamph, Co. Tyrone, Canada
DestinationEssex Co., Ontario, Canada
RecipientSmyth, James A.
Recipient Gendermale
Relationshipsiblings
SourceCopyright Retained by Mr & Mrs J Smyth, Castledamph, Plumbridge, Co Tyrone, castledamph@btinternet.com
ArchiveMr & Mrs J Smyth
Doc. No.605060
Date27/10/1900
Partial Date
Doc. TypeLTE
Logunknown
Word Count1030
Genre
Note
Transcript[Front of Envelope]

Mr J.A. Smyth
Essex Box 234
Ontario
Canada

[Postage stamp]
Postage and Inland Revenue
one penny

[Stamped]
Newtownstewart
PM
10
Oc 27
00

[Back of Envelope]

[Stamped
PLUMBRIDGE
A
Oc 27
00

[Stamped]
ESSEX
N010
00
ONT

[Written in centre of envelope]
1900


[Page 1]
Castledamph
October 27th 1900

Dear Brother
I just write
these few lines to let you
know that we are still
alive as I believe it has
been a fortnight since they
wrote to you before so I
thought I would write a few
lines. We were in Moses
Ballantines [Ballantynes?]
last night there was a kind
of a party in it of the
neighbours a [and?] friends we did
not leave it to four o clock
this morning. We had a great

[Page 2]
night with singing and dancing
James Ballantyne the yankee
danced a good deal and
there is not very many about
here can dance a single
dance as well, nor as light
on the floor. He has only a
week to stay now or less
he is for going on Thursday
and very vexed he will be as he
is vexed already. John Chs.
[Charles] came over for last
night. he never went to bed
yet when he came home this morning
he sat up till it cleared and then
started out with the dog and gun
he has shot four now and is
away out again so he will have
a good many before night.
I suppose you are doing well
at the teaching. How do you
like the books that we sent you

[Page 3]
the Civil Service guide. I
was wishing when I was looking
over them that I had never quit
school. I was thinking that you
should be able for the best
of them nearly.
I believe Master James tried the
[Excise?] exam but failed he
done [sic] it on the sly but the
Campbells found it out someway
He was up here one night and
we were talking about it and he
said that the exams were harder
than what you would expect.
So I suppose he had the experience
of it when he said that.
By this time you have heard
a good deal of news from
Belle. I don’t think she begrudged
her visit to Ireland I think
she enjoyed herself very well
I am sure you were all glad
to see them back again.
I suppose you will take a trip
over next summer well, there


[Page 4]

is some changes in Castledamph
since you were here before.
Do you know you would miss
Willie Gilky [William Gilkinson?]
last night you should
think you would see him dancing
it was the first spree for him
to miss. I don’t think I was in Gilky’s
[Gilkinson’s] this two months but I
intend going down with this letter
It is very dull & lonely, not like
it was atall, at least I think so
anyway, but there is a
good deal of [caliklaliess?] yet or
whatever you might call them.
You will think it a great change in
it besides when you left. There is
two in it now and you would not
know when they are pleased nor when
they are angry [viz?] James
& Tilda Willie [William?] was the best
of the whole of them put together.
James Houston is not very much
better. I hear them saying that he
will hardly mind, I did not
see him this long time but I believe
he is far failed that he will be
another of your correspondents gone.
He was here one evg. [evening] Belle was
here and he told them some funny stories

[Page 5]

he was not very bad that time
I always liked to hear him
singing and telling stories especially
about wee Paddy which is as
the Master says, good value.
Wednesday is halloweve [halloween?]
day does it be remembered over there
there is not as much tying of
doors and such like as used to be.
I remember last year Jamey Gilky
[James Gilkinson?] and Willie [William?]
was in here and Eliza and me and
them thought we would tie Joe Gilkys
[Gilkinsons] but when we went the length
we could not manage to tie so we fired stocks
in and one thing and another [for?] a long
while but out come the two Joes and
then if you would see the race so Eliza
and James passed me and I was afraid of
being caught and I had no remedy only
to get hold of Willie [William?] so when
he was passing me I just got hold of the
sleeve of his coat and I held for all I was
worth you would think it was death and
live [life?] and Willie [William?] would
always say to me let me go, you’ll get us
two caught but I held fast
we were not in a hurry out again.
Tomorrow is the Sacrament Sunday
I suppose you never have been examined
yet I see a daughter of Willie [William?]
Dunns


[Page 6]

is home this last while has been examined
this time after being away four or
five years I suppose. Our ones are
all examined but me I don’t know
whether I will go next year or not.
I suppose winter is commencing over
there too by this time it is [joinyng?]
to get a little bit cold here
they [the?] potatoes are not all dug yet
I have got away from them the [this?]
year every other year I would be
gathering them and last year I had
to dig some.
We are just churning now, I
think I had better give it a
brash for fear the [they?] are getting
tired. I wish it was night or bedtime
rather as I have a dizzy head
and I don’t know what all with
sitting up I suppose. I got
yesterday and today and I don’t know
whether I will get Halloween [Halloween?]
day or not yet. I have a good deal
of holidays this year but time is
not very precious we are not very busy
now. Nobles ones has got a new fiddle
and I was playing on her last night and
she has a beautiful sound and very loud.
She was 14s [shillings?] so she was very
cheap. John James is as good a player as
Daniel and some say better.
God Bless for the present
M. [Mary] Smyth


[This note is written diagonally and upside
down in top left corner]

Excuse grammar
and [inditing?]
as I am not very
good at
either
they [the?]
2


Transcribed by Alan Houston