| Title: | Eliza Smyth, Co Tyrone to James A Smyth, Ontario |
|---|---|
| ID | 2668 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Smyth, Eliza Catherine/60(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, Castledamph, Plumbridge. |
| Doc. No. | 0410031 |
| Date | 19/11/1903 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | LTE |
| Log | Document added by LT, 26:10:2004. |
| Word Count | 1016 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | [Front of envelope] Mr Jas [James?] A Smyth Essex Essex Co Ontario Canada STAMPED [NEWTOWNSTEWART?] PM 10 0 NO 19 03 [Written] Ans [Back of envelope] [Stamped] PLUMBRIDGE NO 19 03 [Stamped] ESSEX NO 30 03 ONT. [Page 1] Castledamph November 19th 03 Dear Brother We rec [received?] your letter of Nov 8th today containing Aunts [Aunt's?] death. We also rec [received?] one on Monday in which you told us of her illness We noticed it in the Free Press but we little thought when we read it that she was dead at that time that is a week ago Monday Just the day before she was buried I suppose, We did'nt [didn't?] have the Free Press so early this week although we were looking for it since Monday it just came with your letter We are all sorry to hear of it & I am sure it is a great shock to Uncl [Uncle?] & Bell [Belle?] they [the?] others I [Page 2] know wont [won't?] miss her near so much as they are away from the house That is a very painful illness but every one [everyone?] has to bear some trial before death comes although some die without any disease. Its a wonder they have a post mortem examination but perhaps as you say it will benefit them in some future time I see there was quite a lot of folk there its [it's?] a wonder John A Duncan did'nt [didn't?] come with Joe but perhaps he is further away & couldn't easily get as regard (sic) the clock it used to be a rule but like many other things its [it's?] done away with it keeps time as usual I see it cost you some money to have a man in your (sic) [Page 3] but you done well to not be away its the first trouble every [ever?] was there since you went out but it alway [always?] comes soon enough Many a time that same thought has occured [occurred?] to me when you see some one [someone?] that was just as active & busy as you left as Mr Stien [Stein?] says in the cold & silent grave you just say to yourself why such a hurry to get this worlds [world's?] goods & yet the work & bustle goes on & will I do hope the next time you come home it will be more plesanter [pleasant?] for you while here & leaving &c but one can not get over it the way the [they?] should if we would look at it in another light [Page 4] I suppose we may look forward to seeing you both this year I have some changes to make around the house so I hope I get my plans carried out before that Many a time I hear Father & Mother tell how easy Grandmother died just as if she was sleeping with her hand under her head you are quite right in all you said Father remembers it she died April 21st 1879 I was just 9 months old I heard Liza Houston say (sic) that nobody was paying attention to me so I crawled about & she said when she took me up I was as cold as a frog I think you have better memory than Wm [William?] has I never heard him say what he remembers but Mother [Page 5] say (sic) you were always quicker than he was she also says that was the last time her Father was here I don t [don't?] remember any of them atall [at all?] neither do I remeber Aunt Catherine I heard Willie Gilkison say that the night Grandmother was dead he was holding a candle untill [until?] it burned his fingers while Aunt Liza was doing something I suppose Mary gave a helping hand with the work its [it's?] nice to have some one [someone?] to do the work when trouble comes as it gets neglected all has died I never saw one only Old Joe I was there when he departed but he had not spoke any all day there was alway (sic) a minute or so between every breath he opened his eyes a little before [Page 6] he died I think it was much the same Aunt Bella died with as Aunt John Chas [Charles?] was over in Wm [William?] Duncans Tuesday night he told them of Aunt being ill also he got Willie J [J's] address it takes his letters 5 weeks coming. I told you in one letter of Mary J Noble & husband coming here well they have come & gone again She remained here while he went to Paris & round the world he said he was in one of the poorest places ever he saw in this earth I think it was Switzerland they were eating horse flesh. [Page 7] I think John Chas [Charles?] will start work at Houston's new house on Monday he had a letter to day [today?] to make arrangements from Houston you will see a nice house in Plumbridge this year. We have got all the work over for another year but the weather still continues dismal rain nearly every other day They had some thought of going with the flax tomorrow but if it continues wet they will get dissappointed [disappointed?] Tom is over every day at Stewarts comes home at night he has 13 or 14 head of cattle to attend & doing some wireing [wiring?] besides [Page 8] Wm [William?] is drawing turf & Father he is busy doing niff nafs as he call (sic) them & I tell you he would rather be in the field Their [there?] is a meeting of the tenants to be held in the school tonight I think Father is the principal man he is gone down now for the keys Alex Duncan has his farm up for letting for the season & selling all stock & crop I hear he was going behind I was down to see Bella & baby Sunday it was vaccinated some time ago & is nearly better it is getting a very nice little thing & so lively they have a kitten & if it would get hold of it it would never let it go Bella is for writing you soon she was waiting untill [until?] you would write all well good bye Your Sister Liza C [Catherine?] Transcribed by Alan Houston |
