| Title: | Bella M Smyth, Castledamph to James A Smyth, Ontario |
|---|---|
| ID | 2572 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Smyth, Bella Maggie/53 |
| Year | 1896 |
| Sender | Smyth, Bella Maggie |
| Sender Gender | female |
| Sender Occupation | farming household |
| Sender Religion | Presbyterian |
| Origin | Co. Tyrone, N.Ireland |
| Destination | Essex Co., Ontario, Canada |
| Recipient | Smyth, James Alexander |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | siblings |
| Source | Copyright Retained by Mr & Mrs J Smyth, Castledamph, Plumbridge, Co Tyrone, Castledamph@btinternet.com |
| Archive | Mr & Mrs J Smyth. |
| Doc. No. | 0604066 |
| Date | 07/05/1896 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | LTE |
| Log | |
| Word Count | 786 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | [Front of Envelope] Mr James A Smyth Essex Essex County Ontario Canada [Stamped] NEWTOWNSTEWART [PM?] [---?] MY [--?] 96 [Postage Stamp] [Postage & Revenue?] 2 ½ d [Back of Envelope] [Stamped] ESSEX MY [25?] 96 ONT [Stamped] PLUMBRIDGE [--?] MY [?] 96 [Page 1] Castledamph May 7th 1896 Dear Brother We received a letter from you about two weeks ago we are glad to hear that you are all well. We are all in good health at present. We have very nice weather here now the potatoes are nearly all in except some people that is very slow workers. William Duncan’s people is away to the Moss this morning and Gilkey’s [Gilkinsons?] ones is going to morrow. we will be ready on Monday we are changing the [pits?] of [Page 2] potatoes today there is no end to potatoes this year and no sale for them. We sold two barrel [sic] to Jamey McKelvey at 7s each and that is all we can get rid off. Joseph Ballantine is home now, he left Belfast on Sunday morning at 9 o’clock and was in Robert McFarland [sic] Barness at three, came the whole way on the Bicicle [Bicycle?] he told Tommy he would be up some evening before he would leave he is a smart looking gentleman, dressed in light grey. he went to Gortin fair yesterday on the bicicle [Bicycle?] and all the road contractors took him for the [Page 3] overseer, and some of them wanted him to look at a pipe he had built, he told them to do such a thing and he would be round on Friday again, and he would get a drink out of a bottle if he had took it, so now he can make fun how simple they were. Mr [Steen?] is visiting to day we will expect him in about an hour but he will not stop long for he is on horse back. I suppose you have not answered any of those letters yet. Uncle Charles was here one day last week he had got none at that time nor Willie [Page 4] Gilkinson has got none yet either. May 14th This letter might have been half way over since I commenced it. Mr Steen came in before I got it finished and since I spent my time carrying meat to the hill but I expect to finish it to day but the ink is very pale. Willie Gilkison [Gilkinson?] got a letter on Friday morning it’s not likely he will answer this week we will be done cutting turf tomorrow, and Saturday will be an idle day. They will be all in the [fair?] at them have an [cash?] or not. We had a cow [Page 5] Died on Friday last. Uncle John's as we called her she was ailing about three weeks and a week calved before she died. We went to Steele twice but he said there was no use in giving her medicine for she had the big gall he could cured her for a year before she calved but no use after. I think they will try and buy another again Saturday. A Duncan has not give up the stilling yet he run a brewing on Monday last in the March [marsh?] betwixt him and Houston. There were six police round this town [Page 6] and Glensass in the morning, and only for Elkin sending up word they would all been caught they were ready to commence work early so then they had to wait till after dinnertime till the police went out of sight there is [sic] no informers idle now or they would not still so much. James Joe Duncan is away to a shop in Strabane to serve his time. on Monday last I think he is in Whites the hardware. John Alex is in Cohouns Strabane and John Joe is in Strabane so there are [sic] a good share of Duncan’s in Srabane at present. [Page 7] Mrs Nelson has to leave plumbridge now she has a cheap sale this last month or more. Maggie Nicholas or Peter Pat Given wife or whatever they call her, made her leave the house on the first of May so she had to take all her goods into McMackin’s so now Nicholas would let her in again if she would pay her £20 of rent instead of £13 but Mrs Nelson will not give it, when she gave her so much trouble changing her goods, but she is very sorry to leave, all the time she [Page 8] always asks us how you are doing. Willie Gordon has got an order to go to Dublin to stand an examination but I’m afraid he will not be successful for he has a crooked finger. They call him nothing but Constable Gordon at Gortin and they put his name in the papers for arresting a boy with a watch belonging to Lizzie Dunbar Letterbratt and no truth in it at all. No More at Present Bella M Smyth Tomorrow five years you started first. Transcribed by Elizabeth Prentice |
