| Title: | Bella Smyth, Castledamph, to J. A. Smyth, Ontario |
|---|---|
| ID | 2589 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Smyth, Bella Maggie/86 |
| 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. | 0505582 |
| Date | 15/07/1897 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | LTE |
| Log | Document added by LT, 08:04:2005. |
| Word Count | 1242 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | [Front of Envelope] Mr. James A Smyth Essex Essex County Ontario Canada [Stamped] NEWTOWNSTEWART PM 10 [JY?] 97 [Written on Front] South Woodslee Back of Envelope:- [Stamped] [PLUMBRIDGE?] B JY 15 [97] ESSEX JY 26 97 ONT. [SOUTHWOODSLEE?] [JY 27?] [97?] ONT. [Page 1] Castledamph July 15th 1897 Dear Brother We received your last Letter on Friday 9th we had written a few days before we got it We are all in good health and has got the Twelfth over in good style another time. and I suppose you have Twelfth and your exam.. over too.. you will be in need of a rest now for a while There was a splendid demonstration at Newtownstewart on Monday the day was fine and everything encouraging We have heard there was 82 flags altogether but no one here is sure how many was but from the station bridge [Page 2] up through the town and on till the field was crowded with people These men assembled about eight o’clock and started half past,, and was in about Eleven They [The?] rest was all there except Derry men, there were none absent this time except John Orr I never saw more men on the road both Orangemen and others,, they [there?] were few stopped at home, I will give you the list of band boys before I close and I believe it was as good looking band as was there, only their drums was [sic] scarce they had three broken before they got to the field the sun was so strong the [they?] could’nt stand,, every band had to cover them [themselves?] with handkerchief [sic] and beat on the top Most of all the girls went from [Page 3] here and I think they did not mind the long walk for what they saw,, Lizzie M Duncan and Bob was there from Ballindrait and Miss McIlwaine went from Corrick [Corickmore?] but none of them went from here only for their goods and home again We left the field about four and was [sic] home about eight and had a good evenings fun till eleven and they all started for home and not a drunk man among them but all in good humour They held a meeting here on the 9th and they all agreed to go to Church on Sunday to hear an Anniversary Sermon preached by Rev. C. M. Monteith They wore the colors coming down but not going up and were all pleased with the sermon,, he chose for his text. “What is truth”- and if the [they?] attended to what he said about bringing disgrace on the colors [Page 4] and everything else.. They had no call to be warned on the 12th morning but they always do well when the day comes,, We were astonished when you did not mention about W J [Willie John?]Duncan coming home in your last letter he is home a week today,, father met him coming.. he is like yourself when you come.. he is very thin about half as heavy as when he went away and he wears a long tailed, coat which makes him far worse looking,, James Joe is heavier looking now than him and a better looking boy into the bargain...Anyone that wants to get thin all they have to do is go to America for a year or two: I think he has got two months leave.-- Miss Dunbar has got her exams over too she spent a week in Strabane I cant say how she done Them and Mr Steen is not [Page 5] in good terms now. and the choir is upside down in the Meeting house all about a seat When Mr Steen got up the choir he changed the Key’s [Kee’s?] out of their seat, and now he brought them back and we had no room and Miss Dunbar asked him what would be done so he told her to send Miss Hamilton to her own seat and take her sister beside her and let the Keys [Kees?] sit in ther [their?] seat so she told him she could [sic] stop in the house,, and so she did go in again.. and was not out since and the rest of us went to our seat and when he gave out the psalm he commenced and sung it himself so I wish you had seen the astonished congregation that day he preached an awful sermon and was so cross you could hardly look at him.. So last Sunday William went to Church and Miss Dunbar was at home [Page 6] and he asked Sandy Duncan to raise the singing.. she will sing no more nor neither will William so its likely Sandy will do it.. He made Beck [Rebecca?] teach the week that she was away wouldnt let her close it. Beck [Rebecca?] and Miss Annie Macklin was up here on Sunday evening and she told us there was some person telling lots of stories about them to Mr Steen he was told they come up here on the Jubilee and went with the band to the [mote?].. and closed the school an hour early they come this length but no farther and even they had it was no harm These people at the road speaks as bad sometime [sic] as strangers it is hard to keep them in humour Tilda [Matilde?] is in an angry mood now because they come here once or twice and not there: and we drove up to Barness [Barnes?] Gap on Sunday and did not take her [Page 7] I think they should make less talk do when they were in the habit of coming there There are plenty to tell lies without them We have got summer weather here this week it is awful warm now but we had lots of cold and wet so we must be content with the heat the crops does not look too well yet the corn is very short and potatoes is not [closed?] the drills yet Our People is all on the hill to day gathering the turf and Mother is away with the tea. They have some gravel out but it will take them two weeks to finish yet William is not in extra good health so that keeps them back a little he is working but not doing as much as he should do Father mother and him is going to the shore shortly so that might help him Uncle Charles is alright again he was in Newtown S. [Newtownstewart?] on Monday [Page 8] Tommy Hay did not write yet to say whether he was coming or not if he dont come.. we will get our photo’’ copied and send you one ‘it is a military one, Daniel Henry is living at the road now he attended on Monday 12th but he has a strong notion of resigning,, Band Boys first row James McKelvey- J McKnight- G Young- D Houston [Huston?] Second William A McClelland- J Hay-W Gilkison [Gilkinson?] Third Bob McKernan- Tommy J Gilkison [Gilkinson?]-A J [Campbell?] Small drummers J Charles- J McKnight- J Reid- J Ballantine(Bob) Symbols Bob Campbell Big Drummers A McClelland- J Barker And there was some others who helped to beat the small drums they are for learning some this winter We are sending a paper today so you will see the demonstrations it is hardly correct but it is better than none When the band was on the street starting Mother must have been thinking of you for I came in for something and she was crying in the room No more hoping you done well at your examination Good Bye Bella M Smyth (Written at top of Page 1) I have written a lot let it be good news or not W Gilkison [Gilkinson?] was for writing to day if he had time Transcribed by Elizabeth Prentice |
