| Title: | Fanny Stewart, Canada to Her Sister [Location?] |
|---|---|
| ID | 3070 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Stewart, Fanny/7 |
| Year | 1872 |
| Sender | Stewart, Fanny |
| Sender Gender | female |
| Sender Occupation | unknown |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Peterborough, Ontario, Canada |
| Destination | Ireland? |
| Recipient | unknown |
| Recipient Gender | female |
| Relationship | sisters |
| Source | D. 1604/327: Presented by Rev. Robert Kirkpatrick, Breezemount, The Roddens, Larne, Co. Antrim. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9012057 |
| Date | 31/01/1872 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Action By Date Document added by B.W. 06:12:1993 |
| Word Count | 1531 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | To: From: 31st Jany [January?] 1872 My dearest Sister I think this is my week for writing to you - so I will make a beginning & have it going on in case I have any way of having it posted this week - I know you always grow anxious if you dont hear and indeed in these wonderful times, one cannot help feeling anxious about any friends not just beside one - I never knew so many deaths or so much illness as there seem to be now in every direction & every where some very sudden deaths too, quite without any apparent illness - Genl [General?] McDonald who has been about a year in Peterboro [Peterborough?] - died last week - he seemed perfectly well & had been out walking about the town - he was just sitting down to dinner at his own table when he fell down _ & instantly life was gone - he was an elderly man - strong & healthy but apoplexy caused his death -- Scarlet fever is very prevalent, but that we have all had - it seem very fatal now & small pox is coming on, all through Canada as well as other places - I have just had Henrys two youngest Flora & Darcy vaccinated but it is almost impossible to get pure infection - I hope what Dr Burritt had was good - he said he said [sic] he was assured it had been taken from a Cow - I wish you could have seen Darcy - he came running up to me to tell me he was going to Dr Burritts - he is such a handsome fine looking boy - his cheeks as rosy as health and frosty air could make them & his lovely eyes - so dark & soft looking - not at all fiery - but soft - sweet looking - he is such a loving little coaxer - but you will laugh at me for praising my wee boy - " its no matter ma'am" - you are a Grannie now yourself & I daresay you can praise #PAGE 2 your boy too! - And so poor Gerrie [Geraldine?] is really "on for another" she is determined not to lose time - it seems to belong to the Kirkpatrick family - I suppose you have heard of Kate Dennistown having had her 3d [3rd?] since she returned from Scotland or Ireland 7 children & only 9 years married!!! Ellen was there one day lately & she says it is a sight worth seeing - to see the young mother with such a set of wee things round her - Annie K [Kirkpatrick?] is staying now with Kate - she met Mr Beggs lately in Kingston & heard about all of you from him - I should fear that our rigorous winters would be too severe for one of that delicate family so many of them have died of consumption - here is dinner so goobye for the present - Thursday Morning 1st Feby [February?] - Well dearest dinner stopped me yesterday at noon - and I never took pen in hand after - my cold was very heavy & my eyes pouring water so that must by my excuse for the horrid writing & all other misdemeanours of the other leaf Peterboro [Peterborough?] has been in a state of great excitement with those Evangelist who made a long stay there and I hope have done some good - but this has to be proved in time - I have not heard them - but no doubt all they say is excellent & true - & they make all as plain as possible as their language is plain & straight forward Mr Carroll is a married man & a very nice person I am sure - he is gentle & pursuasive Mr Russell the other gentleman is strong & very forcible - but what he says is pure Gospel Truth - & both use good language Mr Carroll is a Baptist & I think a Minister but Mr Russell belongs to no particular church & is not a clergyman - only a lay preacher he is young handsome & very musical with a fine voice - so it is my notion that some of his young lady hearers [listeners?] are actually in love with him - more than really effected [affected?] by his preaching - but they have #PAGE 3 attended all his meetings & have heard him in private houses & at evening parties - & so have wept for him when leaving Peterboro [Peterborough?] last week _ & have given up dancing &c Of course there is a party division now one side warmly for the Evangelist & the other for our regular churches & clergymen many Episcopalians have been constant attendants at their meetings - & are quite excited in defense [defence?] of those people - Ellen & Mary Dunlop amongst others - Mary has always been a very quiet girl & never cared for going to parties & never would dance - see that is not so great a change in her - however they are gone - there was also a Miss Lowe, who came to Peterboro [Peterborough?] with some of the children from Miss Macphersons School of Industry & assylum [asylum?] for the little vagrant children in London - she is one who I think must do good - she had meetings twice a week for ladies only or females I mean - she was daughter to Sir Hudson Lowe & was at St Helena when Napoleon was prisoned there, she is a very charming person I am sure, & a delightful companion - She was sent for by Telegraph to go to attend some patients in Smallpox in Ottawa or Kingston & so she went off in a hurry - she is quite an elderly lady - & very quiet & retiring in her manner - she joined with Mr Russell when he was here - but she goes about wherever she can to do good - & gains friends & live where ere she goes - Another preacher of that kind has come lately & takes Mr Russells place - & is as popular - he is a Mr Gough a nephew of Lord Gough - & in very bad health - but tries to preach I believe he is an Episcopal clergyman - but none of the churches will admit any of these men to preach in their pulpits - so there is always some disagreeable opposition - We are so far from town we are out of the way of these people - & I am glad of it in one way - tho [though?] I shod [should?] have liked to hear them - because they certinly did explain the nature of Redemption #PAGE 4 & the Atonement very clearly - but I have not been out since the winter before last you see my cold is not quite over yet but is much better - Notwithstanding that crowds attended these Evangelists Preachings - there are Balls & parties every evening - it does seem such a strange time altogether - so many deaths too [to?] - that one w---d [would?] think few could think of parties - but still they do go & this very evening we heard a "Surprise party" were coming out here to this house!! these are a sort of picknic [picnic?] - they bring some contribution with them towards supper or refreshment & meet at any house where there are good rooms - this is to be but a small affair got up by Jean Stewart & Fran Hay - & I think Anna Hay & Jean are the Matrons - there are to be a few others. a lady now staying with Jean - Mrs Cunningham an old friend of ours - Mr & Mrs Archer - (he is deaf & dumb) but a very nice gentleman like person 2 Roger girls - Bella & Rachel & their brother George (these are some of the families of Revd Mr Roger) - & two or three young men - Mr Renanud - Mr Wardrobe - Mr Buchan - & I dont know who more - it is not very convenient just at present we have all such bad colds - but we only heard of it last night & cannot well refuse - I think dear I must make this a short letter - as I am so stupid with this nasty cold in my head - So with love & best wishes to all in which Bee & Katharine Join I am as Ever your very fond sister Fanny Stewart Ellen was here one evening last week, she looks better & younger than I have seen her look for years - & is grown fat which is an improvement - she seems in good spirits but excited about the preaching &c&c&c Fanny Hay is as gay as ever & goes to all the parties - Mary Dunlop is quite the reverse & w---d[would?] not go to one for anything - Bessie Reid is another became #PAGE 5 quite a Devotee |
