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Title: Mary Gibson, America to Brother and Sister-in-law, Ireland
ID1164
CollectionIrish Emigration Database
FileGibson, Mary/3
Year1898
SenderGibson, Mary
Sender Genderfemale
Sender Occupationmentions owning a shop
Sender Religionunknown
OriginPittsburgh, Penn., USA
DestinationCo. Derry, N.Ireland
Recipientunknown
Recipient Gendermale-female
Relationshipsiblings/ sisters-in-law
SourcePresented by Gordon Douglas, 5G Lisnavar Court, Altnagelvin, Londonderry, N.I. BT47 QNE.
ArchiveThe Ulster American Folk Park, Omagh
Doc. No.9503230
Date01/01/1898
Partial Date
Doc. TypeEMG
LogDocument added by LT, 27:03:1995.
Word Count366
Genre
Note
Transcript325 Morewood Ave
Shadyside
E E PITTSBURG P.A.


My Dear Brother and Sister,

I am so glad to be able to reply to both of your
very welcome letters, and to let you know we are all well
at present. Hoping this will find you in good health. I
got Eva's picture all right and I think she is lovely. She
is a child to thank God for. Every one here admires her
so much. Who does she look most like? I am so glad to know
your home life is so pleasant. Poor Father, what a terrible
mistake he has made. I wonder how that woman will feel
when the time comes to render an account of her life work.
For the future I will dismiss all mention of her from my
letters, as it makes me mad every time I think of her. Dear
Brother and Sister,* these are very troublesome times for us
over here just now. How it will all end only God alone knows.
We have won one of the most splendid naval battles on record,
but our men's success was too good to last.

I am sending you a paper so you can see for yourselves, if
you have time to read it. I have seen some scenes of great
excitement here around election times, but never anything to
equal the scene when the news was confirmed of Dewey's victory.
Strong men cried like children and then laughed in the same
breath. I am trying to get a copy of the pictures burned in
the fire and if I succeed, I will send you one of Edwin's and
my two little ones that are gone, as well as our own.

We are at our summer home now as the weather is getting very
warm, and here it is on the hillside, and we get nice cool air.
You see, I have to board all summer on account of Bessie, she can't
stand the crowded city in the hot weather and we have some very
hot spells here. The man that looked after the shop for me has gone
with the army, and I am not feeling very bright over it, as he
understood everything and I had no worry. I have a notion to give
it up, but can scarcely tell yet. Dear Brother and Sister, I think
it best to tell you that I may very well probably get married again
this fall, that is, if God spares Jim to come back from the war.
He has been very patient. He has waited for five years and he
was to [have?] been home in May but this war will maybe prevent all that.
He tells me in his last letter, Jacob must have been of British
breed as he served seven years for Rachel. I was more than
sorry to hear of your struggle in the first days of your married
life when only for someone's treachery I could have helped you so
easily. I wish you could have seen my husband, you would, I
know, have liked him. Jim is very nice too. Jim and me has one
special liking in common, we are both fond of books. When I
write again I will be able to give you more definite information.
I seen the agent for the Cunard Line today, he says by August
he hopes everything will be safe for travelling.

With fond love to all, and kisses to my little nieces,

I remain your loving Sister,

MARY GIBSON.

Write soon.


*(NOTE) - The 'Times' referred to would be the brief Spanish-
American War of 1898, lasting from April 25th-12th August.
'Dewey's Victory' was a sea battle at Manilla, in the
Phillipine Islands when the greater part of the Spanish
fleet was destroyed. Commodore Dewey who commanded the
U.S Fleet later became Admiral Dewey.