| Title: | Alexander Patterson, Farmington, to His Nephew, Ireland |
|---|---|
| ID | 2079 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Patterson, Alexander/8 |
| Year | 1897 |
| Sender | Patterson, Alexander |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | farmer |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Farmington, Canada? |
| Destination | Ireland |
| Recipient | unknown |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | uncle-nephew |
| Source | Mr & Mrs S.V. Thompson, 4 Grove Park, Lenzie, Glasgow |
| Archive | The Ulster American Folk Park, Omagh |
| Doc. No. | 9506109 |
| Date | 22/02/1897 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 15:06:1995. |
| Word Count | 527 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Farmington Feb [February?] 22nd/97 [22nd 1897?] My Dear Nephew Mr Scott's letter reached this town Feb [February?] 11th but owing to my distance from the office I did not get it till Sunday 14th I can hardly say the tidings were a surprise seeing your father had not only attained a great age, but also had been the subject of a painful disease for many years, of which he always reminded me in his letters - Still when I look backward I am reminded that from some years ago your Father, Uncle Robert and I varying in age from seven years till nearly four formed a little group - able even then to play together round doors of the parental house all unconscious of the sad loss we had already sustained in the in the [sic] death of our mother - without counting fractions of the last year on which we had entered at Robt's [Robert?] death our united ages then reached 255 years, a large aggregate for three, still there may be others up to that, or more but I fail to find a mother 83 yr's (or within a month of that) in the eternal world and not followed by a single child - The day hour ever arrived at first & the long spell brokens [broken?] and now as in the case of Elijah the prophet "I even I only am left" and thr [though?] my health is good as I think it ever was I know the mental shock must soon fall & father Mother & their three sons shall all have been gathered into their eternal house It was remarkable that your father died on her birth- day & that my last letter and death centred the house together as with Scott informs use [you?] - The companions of my youth [there?] are few indeed Even Mr English (it seems) is marked for a removal at no distant date though I expected a correspondence which he opened with me two yr's [years?] ago would have lasted longer. I had a letter from Robt [Robert?] of Milwaukee written since your father's death but he had not heard of it, shall write to him soon, that is if spared myself but the ground is slippery so near 84 years as I am, for one said truly if by reason of strength they be four score years yet is there strength labour & sorrow, for it is soon cut off and we fly away" - I had dropt [dropped?] writing much on subjects outside of our own family connections & shall confine myself chiefly to such matters as concerns ourselves & friends of "Auld Lang Syne" in whatever correspondence you & I may hold in the future - I am well convinced you have nothing to regret now as you review your case & the demands of the fifth commandment while your parents lived, & my wish and prayer is that the Almighty Father of us all may give you your wife & children a long & happy life in this world & at last gather you home, no wanderer lost - A family in heaven From Your Uncle Alex Patterson |
