| Title: | Bella M Smyth, Castledamph, to, Mr. James A Smyth, Ontario. |
|---|---|
| ID | 2583 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Smyth, Bella Maggie/79 |
| 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. | 0505564 |
| Date | 06/05/1897 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | LTE |
| Log | Document added by LT, 07:04:2005. |
| Word Count | 732 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | [Front of Envelope] Mr. James -A- Smyth Essex - Essex County Ontario Canada [Stamped] NEWTOWNSTEWART PM 10 MY 6 97 [Written across top] Ans [Answered?] May 24 [Back of Envelope] [Stamped] PLUMBRIDGE B MY 6 97 [Stamped] ESSEX MY17 97 ONT. [Page 1] Castledamph May 6th 1897 Dear Brother I again take the pleasure of writing to you to let you know that we are all well hoping you are enjoying the same. We were expecting a letter this week but we have got none yet nor no paper's we would liked to have seen the debate,': I suppose by this time you have our last letter and the money:: We have awful wet weather here this spring and no change yet there was one dry week: that finished up the corn and some people got in the potatoes we have no drills in yet about half an acre set in the upper field and that [sic] all [Page 2] we have the field before the door to put in but it’s so wet you could hardly walk on it hailstone and heavy rain every day and as cold as March..- They are all on the road to-day pairing [paring?] and scraping and its not pleasant work either the [they?] have lost the £10 altogether there is no hopes of getting it now, nearly everybody got it only them and their name is not on the books atall [at all?]:. yesterday was Gortin fair [three] of them [was] over Tommy bought some sheep three year old" 12s [shillings?].6d [pence?] each and two ewes and lambs at 18s [Shillings?] each they have fifty seven now and I think he bought about thirty of them there was one died on Tuesday last" with inflammation in the udder the lamb was two weeks old but its [Page 3] taking milk and doing well that was all died yet but there was two or three lost their lambs but that was nothing to what some people has lost:: it has been a severe spring on sheep for so far Dogs has [sic] all to be [muzzled?] here now the police are on the look out for any dog that’s un-muzzled Alexander Houston [Huston?] is summoned for his and a good many others there is great talk about mad dogs. there was one went down the road and worried. Andy Campbell’s and he had to shoot the greyhound and the other one the ninth day after that, they had narrow escapes with the greyhound he had to be shot in the kitchen so everyone is afraid now and has no call for the police to warn them [Page 4] John Ballantine has a son dead to-day I suppose you remember him the young of the four: ‘Joseph’ he is only complaining since July some say he had consumption and others that he killed himself playing ball at Willie Orr’s but he did not last long anyway. McCormack the surveyor that was broke some time ago' was buried this day week it’s likely he died from drink:: and Joe Sproule the same day its likely you knew him We will try and get Willie John to write next week, we sent him to Charles McCullagh’s one evening and Joseph McFarland asked him who owned him and he said he was Uncle James’s so he says he wont ask him again I don’t know of anything else to-day Good Bye Bella M S [Bella Smyth?] [Page 5] I thought I had told you all news but perhaps I will get this filled and it will be all one cost Did Miss Dunbar answer your letter yet I hope she wont be like Mr McCullagh she was at home for a week at Easter and its Annie that [sic] up now They have'nt been up here yet They don’t visit as much now as when they come [came?] first She is for trying an examination in July so I suppose she will study some Rev Willoughby is trying to get the Warnock family on the Orange [Orphans'?] he sent the paper over here for the Lodge to sign and seal [Page 6] he is doing all he can for them to keep them out of starvation Joe Gilkison is doing well in Strabane his pay is risen 3 shillings since he went there Old Joe is lying constant this last month or more some think he will not [mend?] and he is the greatest lecturer you would listen too [to?] you would think he was the best man ever lived Tilda gets letters regular [regularly] from the [McFarland’s?] the [they?] appear to be doing well out there now and is content enough. B M Smyth [Bella Smyth?] Transcribed by Elizabeth Prentice |
