| Title: | R. J. Alexander, San Francisco to Susan Alexander, Ireland. |
|---|---|
| ID | 24 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Alexander, Robert J/62 |
| Year | 1890 |
| Sender | Alexander, Robert J. |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | unknown |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | San Francisco, California, USA |
| Destination | Ireland |
| Recipient | Alexander, Susan |
| Recipient Gender | female |
| Relationship | brother and sister in law? |
| Source | T 2461/2/6: Photocopied by Courtesy of John Boyd Esq. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9405307 |
| Date | 06/10/1890 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 11:05:1994. |
| Word Count | 705 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | 810 Twenty First st [street?] San Francisco Oct 6/90 [1890?] Dear Susan The latest news we had from home was a letter from sister Mary Ann to Thos [Thomas?] G. containing the very bad news of our dear brothers death. It was so unexpected and unlooked for by any of us that it came like a thunderbolt from a clear sky although my brothers and sister had a [presentment?] of bad news through dreams but they hardly looked for it from that source I had just written a letter to David B. about three days before we got the news of his death but that letter will remain unread by him poor fellow. You and he had got things in such good shape and were so comfortable fixed I was in hopes that he would take the world a little easier and enjoy life a little better as he had a busy work-a-day life has practically raised two families, as we were all very young when father died and it was through his and mothers exertions we were all kept together as a family until most of us had grown up. I could not appreciate his labors in this [connection?] when a boy so well as in later years I have [?] and often wished I could have given more [?] tokens of it to him than I was able to do not that he needed it probably of late but I felt that I should have liked to do it. In fact I have no love for money execpt for the benefit or good I might be able to do with it for others especially my own relations. I was living in hopes of being able to visit Ireland in a year or two and seeing you all but it is just as well we cant tell what the future has in store for any of us. He has done with the cares of this life now and the future state can only have or be a blissful sentance [sentence?] for him We may reflect that if this or that had been done or left undone some dear one would be with us still and in fact we do foolish things sometimes which are liable to shorten our earthly lives but still there probably some destiny in it all that we cant see. David was speaking of laborers being scarce and wages very high and no doubt he overtaxed or [?] himself too much as it was a busy season with you then. He never had a very rugged or robust constitution and that chilling he got in the water may have brought on his fatal sickness but if it had not come in that way it would in some other form if his time had come. We were all sending messages to D. [David?] B. by cousin Thomas Alexander but suppose he had not written any of you before his death in fact he may not have written yet although he is home several weeks but we have only a postal card from yet as yet announcing his arrival. These afflictions all leave sadness in their wake but if your children had to loose [lose?] one parent it is much better for them that their mother should be spared a father may be sadly missed but a mothers place cannot be filled when there are young children to be cared for. I hope you won't give way too much to grief as it is not right to [?]. It wont bring back the dead and we owe a duty to the living. you have your children to live for and care for and I hope you will be given strength and courage to bear your burden and pull through with a good heart. I am too far away for consulation or advice if and were needed by you but although I have never met you I have often heard you are a good manager I should like to have a letter from you just as I had [occasionally?] from David as I am always interested in the welfare of my relations. With best wishes for you and your children and heartfelt sympathy for you in your afflication. Your affectionate brother R. J. Alexander |
