| Title: | Liza [Smyth?], to J A Smyth, Canada |
|---|---|
| ID | 2662 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Smyth, Eliza Catherine/54(2) |
| Year | 1903 |
| Sender | Smyth, Eliza Catherine |
| Sender Gender | female |
| Sender Occupation | farmer |
| Sender Religion | Protestant |
| Origin | Castledamph, 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. | 0506049 |
| Date | 23/09/1903 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | LTE |
| Log | Document added by LT, 23:06:2005. |
| Word Count | 1427 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | [Front of Envelope] Mr James A. Smyth Essex Essex Co. Ontario Canada [Stamped] [NEWTOWNSTEWART?] PM 10 0 SE 23 03 [Calculations on Envelope] 22 15 1.50 2.90 10 ______ 5840 [Back of Envelope] [Stamped] A PLUMBRIDGE SE 23 [0-?] ESSEX OC3 03 ONT HAMILTON, CANADA OCT 3 3-AM 1903 [Page 1] Castledamph September 23rd 03 Dear Brother After a long delay I will try & give you some of the news around here also answer your last letters which I have neglected doing from day to day untill [until?] I almost think its a shame that none of us have wrote [sic] now since old Joe's death. He had been ailing since March so I think death was a relief to him as he was in bed most of the time & neither knew what day or month it was unless he asked There was not much pleasure in old age with him as he tried [Page 2] 2nd to give as little bother as possible he was 93 years of age so he seen [sic] days enough & like all others some of them hard enough. I think I never told you of Alexander McKernan being ill so he has passed beyond the troubles of this world on Sept 4th & was buried on Sunday evening 5 oclock he had heart disease this last couple of years they [the?] doctors told him he might drop of [off?] anytime & to keep inside the house but he had to take [sic] bed before the end came. I am sure they will miss him very much as he done [sic] a great deal of work they [the?] other two old men are still alive & well So [Page 3] 3rd its not by age death goes like what I used to think long ago. We rec [received?] a good many letters from you during this last couple of months & papers of all description. This is the worst time of the year for writing as their [there?] is so much work going on everyone is tired and is [sic?] suppose its contrary with you as you had lots of time during holidays. I notice you have got a raise in salary its not much but still it will help also you have got new teachers & I see the attendance is not what you wish it to be they just stay from school same as they do here they say [Page 4] changes is heartsome so if its true you will have some benefit by the new teachers. We have rec. [received?] a letter from Mary & she informs us that she has gone to high School in St Thomas & not as she had intended to do as you were against her going to Bussiness [Business?] College well I suppose as Andy McClelland says things must be some way & what ever [whatever?] comes is best if we would take it that way; as we can’t see the future let us live in the present. You are some distance from each other again but I suppose a few dollars would carry you back & forward & perhaps Mary [Page 5] 4 will see more as the place is some thing [something?] larger than Essex. Since I last wrote we rec [received?] Old Margerets [Margaret's] money it came to £43 clear of all expence Many a time Father said what he would do with [sic] but it came and went as all other money does they bought stock with it Just the next fair So the more Father says a lot of things when angry he forgets soon. Old [Minnis?] was down in McClellands buying sheep this year Just a day or so before the Plum fair John sold him 50 at 19s each & two at 15s. [Page 6] 5 he had home more money than [then?] old Margerets [Margaret's] came too [to?] our income this year is excessive & the outlay I am afraid will be heavy I think they will try & clear £100 or at least £50 off the farm this year you see intrest [interest?] & rent comes to a good deal so it will take nice work to make both ends meet this year but we wont be so hard run next year I hope; they made well by Annie’s hill & everybody thought they were foolish but let them look now what profit was in it they sold the ewes at 19s & bought them at 15s also 20 lambs at 11s [Page 7] 6 each to Andy McClelland John Chas [Charles?] has some thought of getting a few sheep when he gets money enough to buy them as the [they] raise the money in a few years Willie J [John?] & he have a little box & are saving all they can Willie J [John?] has in 2s 6d & John about 6s but he has some to get in the country it will help to raise it a bit John has a notion of taking a trip to Glasgow after some time to see what it looks like their [there?] is another young boy going along so I am afraid it will take all his money by the time he comes back. Now my next few lines will be all about the weather [Page 8] 7 & the harvest. It has been one of the wettest season [sic] ever was heard of for nine week [sic] I might say we had rain every day [everyday?] and it was something dreadful during the first week of this month but then it has cleared up so much that the corn is nearly all cut & plenty have the half stacked its very blowing kind of weather the wind was so high that hardly anything could be done on Monday unless cut corn all these folk went down to put in hay at Houstons [Hustons?] but could not move it so they Just set [sic] at the corn they have [Page 9] 8 a reaper down there so they were not long putting it down. Mother & John remained down both nights & they [the?] others has [sic?] gone down yest [yesterday?] & today I think this will finish it today as the wind has fell [sic]: we got our hay in at home on Sat & has [sic] all the corn cut but about 1/2 an acre here they [the?] other place is hardly ripe enough yet & the hay was only finished tramping [put up in hay cocks?] last week & a few gardens to cut yet we had a great union pulling the Flax about 40 men & got it spread with about 20 & has [sic] it safe & sound in the barn [Page 10] 9 Willie J [John?] & I are alone these fue [few?] days so we have some work to do attending all. Lizzie Hay is visiting with Tilda [Matilda?] this year [sic] comes up here now & again she wonders why you never answered her last letter see & don't neglect it as she is very uneasy to hear your verdict. I suppose on what ever [whatever?] she has told you about her school work. Mrs Myles her teacher has lost her little son with Scarletina (about six weeks ago) he was five years of age She was knocked down with it at the time he [Page 11] 10 died & they had a substitute in her place but Lizzie did’nt like her atall [at all?] she says they learned nothing it was Mrs Myles that was learning her the piano so everthing has got upset with Lizzie she has her height marked on Gilkies [Gilkinson’s?] door every year since you left she has grew [sic] about six inches altogether There was [sic] 13 left for America last friday from about the Plum. [Plumbridge?] some returning after holidays & others green hands. Catherine McKelvey is back at her old place & Lizzie Noble & her neices [nieces] sails Oct 3rd & a few more from [Page 12] 11 glenrone [Glenroan?] returning back. If you intend coming next year you will need to be soon saving up you may be like John [sic] get a little box & drop a dollar into it now & again in that way you would not miss it so much. I was thinking you will likely have some thought that I will quit writing when you gave me such an advice but no I will just take it for my own good so I will try & keep up the correspondence with you both while I am able I don't think Tom & Wm [William?] could write any at the present time so there is an excuse for them but none for John or Willie John I must close now as its near post time [Written up the side of Page 12] so good bye [goodbye?] your Sister Liza C [Catherine?] [Written upside down at Top of Page 1] I have read this letter over in about ten minute [minutes?] and as usual it took me some time writing. Transcribed by Jim Buchanan |
