| Title: | Bella Smyth, Castledamph, to, Mr. J. A. Smyth, Ontario. |
|---|---|
| ID | 2585 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Smyth, Bella Maggie/81 |
| 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. | 0505565 |
| Date | 20/05/1897 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | LTE |
| Log | Document added by LT, 07:04:2005. |
| Word Count | 870 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | [Front of Envelope] Mr. James A.. Smyth Essex Essex County Ontario Canada [Stamped] NEWTOWNSTEWART PM MY 20 97 [Written on front of envelope] Ans [Answered?] June 6th 1897 [Back of envelope] [Stamped] PLUMBRIDGE B MY 20 97 ESSEX JU [1?] 97 ONT. [Page 1] Castledamph May 20th 1897 Dear Brother In answer to your letter which we received May 7th we are glad to know that you are in good health:: We are all well at present Mother has pretty good health this year for so far I dont think she was any better this last six or seven years. We have got rid of the wet weather at last nice warm weather now since Sunday potatoes all in: plants set, and every body [everybody?] cutting turf This is [Page 2] the second day for us and the Gilkys: There is no fun cutting now for there are not enough people together they are nearly all away to Lisban hill:: William Houston and Alexander has [sic] left Eden so you will be astonished at that after all their hard work William left on Tuesday 11th and Alex the next night,, and a boy and girl in their place now William left farewell in Gilkys a few nights before that he said it was no fault of Willie nor the wife either but he said they were not able to work any longer [Page 3] and they could’nt sit there and see the work to do and another thing there was no room for them and two servants so they started [sic] to Johnnie Robert Smyth and is [sic] there since.. so you may guess how lonely the fields look without William and its likely he thinks long away from them We had a letter from Tommy Hay on Monday he says he likes army life for so far he was home eight days at Easter and his father has been drinking a good deal since he left but he thinks he will be content now when he has seen him alright Lizzie told us that her father [Page 4] was sorry for Tommy [listing?] but I’m afraid the drink was no good to him Tommy expects to be over here in July as he has to start for India in September he can write a nice letter and appears to be content he always asks about all his friends every time [everytime?] he writes Joe Gilkison [Gilkinson?] was home Sunday and Monday he is doing very well he has joined the [I.O.G.T?] but I dont think he cares to be in it the rules are pretty sharp and exact and saluting Gentlemen going in and coming out Joe does not care for it I suppose its easy enough for a swell like John A Duncan that you would [Page 5] think he did'nt belong to the country: he has got a bicicle [bicycle?] now so he can come home pretty easy but he doesnt talk much about here unless till his own people Joe is for Joining the Strabane Orange Lodge he wont be up here this twelfth at all so that is one man less The band isnt commenced to practice yet nor no notion till then about a week before the twelfth will do them and the [they?] will not have much time to argue They are all for Newtown [Newtownstewart?] this year it is expected to be another big day Willie Gilkison [Gilkinson?] is expecting a letter from you Old [Page 6] Joe is not able to be up yet but I think he will recover James McKernan is no better yet he fainted on Friday last and they had to send for Bob Ballantine Mary was over today and he was sitting at the fire and what she compared him till [sic] was the skeleton in your book she says he is very thin and weak I dont know whether Willie told you about Miss Loughlin been [being?] married about six weeks ago to a brother of John Orr’s wife Willie Fleming: Maggie Ann”, they call her and the other Girls is [sic] away to Belfast or Derry so now the father or the son must marry We did not get Willie John to write this week [Page 7] but we will be sure the next time, he told Miss [Dunne?] one day that he would be a Rector so they made fun of him since about the Preacher he would make and he took it angry [sic] and he says now he will be a fellow like the rest and he"ll never be a rector so you couldnt anger him worse than to talk about him being a rector he is learning well now and attends every day Uncle William attended the road sessions on Monday they are cut one pound this time they are sorry they have any thing to do with roads such a time [Page 8] for no one can please them with good roads now,, and the assistant is very short he wouldnt talk to no contractor along the road so its hard to please him Tillie McCullagh and Eliza was out collecting for the New County Hospital Friday and yesterday they collected £4-10s they went down as far as Andy [Dunns?] in the far side and Mrs Dunn's this side and up to Glenrone [Glenroan?] they got from 6D up to 3S and a good deal would give nothing Miss Dunbar got a letter from you same day as us they were up here Sunday No More Good Bye Bella M Smyth Transcribed by Elizabeth Prentice |
