| Title: | Bella Smyth, Castledamph, to J A Smyth, Ontario |
|---|---|
| ID | 2581 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Smyth, Bella Maggie/70 |
| Year | 1897 |
| 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. | 0505566 |
| Date | 07/01/1897 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | LTE |
| Log | Document added by LT, 07:04:2005. |
| Word Count | 749 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Mr James A Smyth Essex Essex County Ontario Canada [Stamped] NEWTOWNSTEWART JA 97 [Written on Front] Ans [Answered?] Jan 28 Violin String [Back of Envelope] [Stamped] [PLUMBRIDGE?] B JA 7 [-7] [Stamped] ESS JA 18 97 ONT [Page 1] Castledamph January 7th 1897 Dear Brother In answer to your last letter which we received Xmas morning we are glad to know that you are all well We are all in good health at present William is alright again and Mother never had better health,, she had a bad cold for a fortnight before the soiree but she was rid of it before that night-- There is another soiree on the 20th inst at plumbridge [Page 2] or rather Lisnascreagh [Lisnacreaght?] in Samuel Dunn [sic] barn Proceeds to repair Lodge room. They expect to have a good night but Im afraid they will change [far?] if they keep [sic] from quarrelling--- We have not seen that McFarlane that came home yet he was in the Plum. [Plumbridge] fair but was not talking to any of our ones I dont think he knew them--- Robert McFarland’s ones had a letter from Elizabeth C Ballantyne and she wants your address; Bella sent her letter up here for [Page 3] us to write to her and give your address but we thought that it was better for her to answer the letter when she got it, so we did'nt bother, she said that they had wrote [written?] to three or four colleges and couldn’t find you, and Maggie was not able to give them the name of the place,, I think you should have their address Maggie McFarland gave it to you before you left if you did'nt lose [loose?] it-- We had a paper [newspaper?] on Saturday from T=Y [Tommy?] Duncan Australia he is a [sic] M-P and his speech is in it it is a pretty long one there is an election going on there [Page 4] now, and he is one of the candidates. he addressed the electors in different places for a whole week every evg [evening?], about seven o’clock--- Miss Dunbar got your letter when she came up after her Xmas holidays, she says that its not so bad when you wrote at all I suppose she need not thank you for writing now after a whole year has passed. They are doing very well in Eden now they dont think as much long as they did last year but I believe if she would get a better [Place 5] place she would soon leave: she will be apt to try an examination if she had this year in, she must teach two years in a school like Eden. before she can get to be a first Class Teacher.. Joseph Gilkinson is going to Strabane next week to Donnell’s, he will get 16s per week for a start and if he pleases them he will get up to 24 but he has to board himself out of that. it would do very well if he would spend none. he did’nt [Page 6] want to leave Gortin but Uncle Charles would like him to go for a while, and learn something that he has’nt and it would make him smarter... He is a far better carpenter than John as he is, and it appears he will be better yet John is working about home and if he is kept busy its alright and if not its no matter: but he never would work as constant as Joe, nor he’ll never make as much money [Page 7] Joseph Ballantine was at home at Xmas, he did not come here this time either but his time was short and I suppose he was kept busy visiting-- Andy is not coming [Jo?] Gilkinson now, there was something said that offendid [offended?] him so he will not come back till he forgets it, and he will be badly missed, Matthew Smyth attends regular--- I think he must have been offended one night too: for there was one day he did nothing but scowl about [Page 8] sheep, eating on him and he would stand it no longer Tommy thought he was going to have a troublesome winter, but he never was cross only the one day he told Tom that he would have to wire for the [they?] never was [sic?] off him--- William has commenced to plough the upper land they have none to work with the [this?] year only their own so they are for doing some of the bad thing We are sending a paper today with the Soiree in [it?] so you will see it, Rev Willoughby sent it in No more at present Good Bye Bella M Smyth [Written across Pages 6 & 7] We are sending Violin strings along with this letter [Written at top of Page 1] I hope you got the £4 all right Transcribed by Elizabeth Prentice |
