| Title: | Thomas [Sample?], California to Ellen McIntyre, [Co. Tyrone?]. |
|---|---|
| ID | 2375 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Sample, Thomas/21 |
| Year | 1887 |
| Sender | Sample, Thomas |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | unknown |
| Sender Religion | Protestant |
| Origin | Galt, California, USA |
| Destination | Co. Tyrone, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | McIntyre, Ellen |
| Recipient Gender | female |
| Relationship | siblings |
| Source | T 2722/12: Copied by Permission of Miss E. Throne, Bready, Strabane, Co. Tyrone. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9007190 |
| Date | 12/09/1887 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by JM 09:02:1994 |
| Word Count | 939 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Galt Sac Co [Sacramento County?] Cal [California?] Sep 12/87 [1887?] Dear Sister Ellen I suppose long before You receive this You will think that I do not appreciate Your kindness in sending me the card which I wanted so much if You think so I can assure You that You are very much mistaken, but between the receipt of Your letter and the card there was such a long interval that I was afraid it was not going to come You can not [cannot?] appreciate my feelings when I saw it, it produced a great deal of pleasure mixed with a large amount of pain when I saw William's picture which I know must be correct and was unable to see a single feature which I could recognise I felt sad the evening I received it and took it home, Wife chanced to be out So I set it on the table beside a lamp where I could well see it and for about an hour I did nothing but just sit and look, next day I had it put in a beautiful frame and hung and now any one [anyone?] would be very safe to offer me a hundred dollars for it they would get keeping their money. You have two beautiful children and in the proper training of them a great responsibility. God grant that You may be enabled to do Your whole duty toward them and that You may see them growing up an ornament to religion and then they are bound to be a comfort and joy to You and their father last time I wrote to You I had fully made up my mind to leave here before this time but could not arrange it so I could and now feel that I can not [cannot?] afford to go back from this almost tropical climate to a northern winter so we have come to the Conclusion to spend the winter in California and if life is spared to leave in the spring. we have here the most beautiful climate I think in the world all that is wanted is #PAGE 2 some old friends but occasionally for lack of those a terrible feeling of loneliness comes over me we have lots of good friends BUT THEY ARE NOT RELATIVES I will send with this a card taken some six Years ago when about the age William is now since that time I have got to be a good deal like Uncle Ned in the negro Song "who had no wool on the top of his head in the place where the wool ought to grow" I feel of late Years growing old can do nothing in the way of reading or writing without spectacles but have been very fortunate in getting into a buisness [business?] where physical strength is not absolutely necessary the most unpleasant feature about it is the very close confinement You can form some idea of it when I tell You that I have been out only a day and a half in eighteen months and my hours are from half past six in the morning until nine in the evening with no certainty when I go to bed that I may not be called up once or twice before morning, I often think if Young men and women in Ireland only knew what was before them a great many more would stay at home one thing gives me a good deal of comfort to think that none of your children are likely ever to come to America it is generally a hard life they have before them who do come I do not want You to think that I feel bad about my own case I have done moderately well but the general average could do better at home I have been a little surprised to hear that Uncle Lenny and and Aunt [Molly?] are still able to be around give them our kindest love we often think and talk of them. how much I would like to see you all I have suffered more from home sickness [homesickness?] #PAGE 3 since I commenced to correspond with You than I did in the thirty Years previous. I see by newspaper accounts that times are very troublous in some parts of Ireland how is it in Your Section I wish William would write us a letter and give all the news he can about things in general and some of the old neighbours in particular who is occupying the Woods and [Kilg--?] and Alexander [Markey?] places how crops have been this season who is the Minister in 2nd Donagheady and how he compares with Mr Porter I have never heard a preacher since that I liked so well I should have preferred to send a picture without the regalia but had none it was taken at the time for Society purposes as at that time I belonged to the society of "Odd Fellows" the regalia is that of Past Master in that society I have nothing more of any interest to write I trust You will write very soon on receipt of this would like very much to have a little letter from Willie and Bessie - Wife joins in sending kindest love to You all think if I ever get back to New York would find it hard to keep from paying You a visit but I suppose it is useless to think of it direct Galt Sacramento Co [County?] California U.S.A. I had intended to enclose card in this but send it separately please write at once no matter how short it may be and believe me ever Your affectionate brother Thomas |
