| Title: | [H?] Campbell, Letterbratt to Dear Brother Robert |
|---|---|
| ID | 450 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Campbell, Andrew/31 |
| Year | 1861 |
| Sender | Campbell, Andrew |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | land owner |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Letterbratt, Co. Tyrone, N.Ireland |
| Destination | unknown |
| Recipient | Campbell, Robert |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | brothers |
| Source | The Campbell Documents, the Ulster American Folk Park |
| Archive | The Campbell Documents, the Ulster American Folk Park |
| Doc. No. | 611084 |
| Date | 28/01/1861 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | LET |
| Log | Document Added by JM, 02/01/2007 |
| Word Count | 1315 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | [Page 1] Letterbratt 28th January 1861 Dear Brother Robert Your letter of the 18th ult [ultimo?] and one from John Campbell I received on the 8th inst and I answered Johns letter the mail before last- Brother Hughs letter to Mrs McFarland concerning his brother estate was received the day before yesterday and we were rejoiced to hear Hugh say he and his family are so happy and contented & that your children were such a pleasure to them and we we [sic] feel so happy at little Roberts [foal?] getting well from what brother Hugh writes of him & sister Ann tells of him he must be a most interesting child but [all?] your children are spoken highly of by those who have seen them- was it not very a kind act of John Campbell to send such a present - it is not so much the value of the present but the kind feeling that dictated it. I am glad to hear you speak so favourably of Johns management and of Charlottes housekeeping- what a contrast betwixt him and unfortunate A. Clark I wrote poor Mary some 3 or 4 weeks since and dear Robt I find your kindness and Hughs [are?] [-----ing?] towards her and I wish I could say her [orphans?] but Gods time we must wait [of?] [Page 2] Thanks to your liberality I have got my house roofed and it is a very neat & substantial built house as is in all the country- after [F?] McFarland sent you the amt [amount?] it cost I had to send to Derry for near 3 [worth?] of slates to finish out as the [slates?] [calculations?] came that much short and I consider that when I now get on the doors and windows that is required (I will make some old doors & windows of the old house [so?] ) that the [100?] will be fully [----?] and if right finished will be a much neater house than Hughs that cost 200. If I live to summer I will try to get the floor laid & a part of the inside put into habitable repair that we will move into about August- it will take upwards of 50 to cut plaster & get materials & pay workmen & I had the rent of one of my tenants laid out to begin with & the fellow carried all off and left the rent unpaid but if I live I will do all gradually & my old house I think will [scarce?] [stand?] to I have the other habitable I return you many & sincere thanks for giving me the means of building & slating such a comfortable house to spend the remains of my days in & Betty is highly elated at the prospect of getting into a large and comfortable [sleeping?] room instead of the small one without a fire place we have [occupied?] these 39 years past [Page 3] our foolish [reckless?] son Robert B. I am unwilling even to mention or to think of what will become of him for I dread the very worst from the many opportunities you gave & he has profited by now & John Campbell speaks very unfavourably of him. I have bequeathed him the [one?] half of this farm but I hope he will not come here [untill?] his mother & I are called home for if he does & no improvement in his character he will speedily bring [our?] grey hairs with [saviour?] to the grave. Poor sister Ann has been ailing for several weeks past & expected death almost certain but it has pleased God to give her relief & we trust she will yet be spared to continue an honour to her friends & the Country she lives in it would be the greatest loss that my family could sustain her death. She has two good boys & a large stock of cattle and the labour goes on as usual - she was not confined to her bed but could eat no solid food or [serve?] any food for 3 weeks & she is now able to go out to the sandyhills in the car & we hope next week she will be able to come down here may God grant that- she [---nate?] sister [mary?] the week before last I think and I would have written you before now but [----ing?] its changed which I thank God is for the better- Betty and I are [weaving?] down lifes hill rapidly but thank God neither of us have any particular ailment and we have an affectionate agreeable child our daughter Virginia who trys [tries?] to make [Page 4] us both happy [but?] as all my daughters who are married was married very young and she is more [----?] at her age than any of the others we do not not [sic] know when an offer would be made we would not wish to refuse would you please write me what might be the amount of the 50 you said you would take care [for?] [her?] in 1850 when I was over & the other 50 you also left for when sister ann was [over?]- in this country you [are?] [aware?] this is the first matter looked after by a father who has a son that he has desirable property for but there is nothing [yet?] a proposing but we cannot tell when - I am very much concerned about the [secession?] movement much more than the talked of invasion of Ireland but I hope there will be no bloodshed or evil war- It was Buchanans speech raised this storm he is not now able to quell and I fear your state [garrison?] is another [blow?] the [coal?] but there are some sensible & judicious remarks in the Journal of Commerce Kansas City in the situation of members for the state convention which if adhered to the danger may not be so great- I get the reading of many papers at the post office besides my own & I am all anxiety for the United States God grant a speedy settlement & protect all our friends- I am joined by Betty and Virginia in kind love to all [H?] Campbell [Written on left side of page 1] My son Hugh went to live in his new house on the 15th of November and he his wife & lovely little son are in good health [poor?] [fellow?] he was not well [prepared?] for taking the charge of a house & providing for it Wm [William?] Moore gave him 200 & the [mere?] building & finishing of [one?] room cost this he then had not a [-----ted?] [beast?]. [written on left side of page 3] I gave him a good young horse worth 22 & a new cart & harness value for 6 and a cow & heifer for 10 besides household furniture such as tables & chairs and [---?] the use of my [Clough?] [Harness?] & every [farming?] implement & when he had [very?] little [milk?] I had to give him 7 to buy another cow- Wm [William?] Moores [brother?]. [Written on left side of page 2] made a present of 2 heifers to him but Wm [William?] [Moore?]is very stingy and will give him no help but the 200 although he has cash plenty in bank- I have left myself [very?] [poor?] trying to help him out of debt & he is not [indebted?] one penny and has 6 head of [corn?] cattle & a [horse?] & a calf John McLaughlin bestowed him. [written on left side of page 4] I hope he will do well poor fellow- I also gave him all the benefit of my [manure?] these two years past and it has left me to buy my provision for the summer but if I had not assisted he had no cash nor Wm [William?] Moore would not [lend?] him 50 which he knew he could & would have [---?] [him?] so I did all I could & left him from borrowing. |
