| Title: | Liza Smyth, Co Tyrone to James A Smyth, Ontario |
|---|---|
| ID | 2671 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Smyth, Eliza Catherine/64 |
| Year | 1902 |
| 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. | 0410024 |
| Date | 03/11/1902 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | LTE |
| Log | |
| Word Count | 1266 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | [Front of envelope] Mr James A Smyth Essex Essex Co Ont Canada [Stamped] NEWTOWNSTEWART PM 10 0 NO 3 02 [Postage Stamp] Postage& Revenue ONE PENNY [Back of envelope] [Stamped] PLUMBRIDGE A NO 3 02 [Stamped] ESSEX NO 14 02 ONT. [Page 1] Castledamph Nov 3 1902 Dear Brother I am just thinking you will feel dissappointed [disappointed?]in not rec. [receiving?] a letter sooner than this one I had intended writing last week but it passed rather quickly. Mary will likely have the last letter tomorrow in which I told her what was best for her to do if she intends going in for a teacher here. Master James thinks she should loose [lose?] no time in coming as she would always be another year behind Perhaps she may think now that we have Stewart's farm she would have to work if she came. but she wont unless she likes to do some thing [something?] [Page 2] Master James thinks or says it isn't fair for you to have to keep Mary going he thinks its all little enough for yourself. If you think it would be better for her to come home & study here don't put yourself to any trouble by her leaving nor to any expense whatever I told Mary we had got the farm its quite a large sum of money but it would have to be got sooner or later & it is just as well to start at once. (Dr Evans & Bob Dunne has (sic) just come to hunt for Rabbits) They have a good deal of the money to borrow They get possession on 16 of Nov You may think like a deal of others that one goes to [Page 3] every place Everyone was anxious to know if it was for William or Tom & if they were going to live in it They dont intend to separate (sic) for a number of years yet & I think William will get it. going to clear a deal of it before anyone goes to live in it. The rent is £22 10s. & then intrest [interest?] after that it will take some money to be made to make ends meet A few deaths around here this last week George Youngs Mother died a week ago & his father is not expected to survive long I dont know how them [those?] boys shall manage everything after a while not a woman in the house at the present time [Page 4] Wm [William?] McCleary [William McCleery?] was buried last Tuesday & Claud Fleming on Monday, the old Folk are passing away this year Old Joe is not to [too?] well so he may go this year too. it would'nt be remarkable if he died. but many a young one has gone since he was expected to die I will be waiting for a letter in answer to the last I sent so I hope you dont delay in answering as we are all anxious to know what will the answer be. Halloween passed over very quietly Bella & Davie & Tommy came up John Chas [Charles?] did'nt (sic) come as their [there?] was a social in the Abercorn Schools & he got an invitation to attend [Page 5] it was not over untill (sic) five the next morning so as John was getting the day he came home. was here as soon as we were getting up he started to hunt but got nothing he went to bed at dinnertime I did not get up untill (sic) 8 oclock Master James & Andy Ballantine was [were?] here so the Master called to him to get up & tell them how he had spent the night Rev Clarke was in one day in Mrs Mc & saw his drawings he told him he should go in for an Architect & next day he was down in the shop with a Book on Eculid [Euclid?] & told him to have five Problems for him on Tue evg [Tuesday evening?] he also introduced him into the Y M C Association [Page 6] John thinks him a different man for [Steen?] John may do well yet if he keeps on in the Direction he is going He complains of being to [too?] fat he says he will commence to smoke & reduce himself in that way. Jamey Gilkison was up in Omagh on Saturday he got three of Bella & Davie’ (sic) Photos thats all he has got finished yet so I think we were foolish to go near him they are not very well done after waiting for them so long but I suppose they will have to do now I think that is a very good one of Mary & Miss [Wigle?] everybody says she is a nice girl she does look nice in the picture & so does Mary both done well [Page 7] Well we have a great time here with religion We attend all places the preacher that was in John McFarlands is gone to College again & now there is a payer [prayer?] meeting every other Sunday yest evg [yesterday evening?] was the first George McIlwaine was the leader & a Brother of the Preachers they have done some work amongst the people of this locality Sunday week after the meeting was over there was a testomonial [testimonial?] meeting I seen four converted by his preaching. any who were saved by the meetings were told to stand up so Lizzie Campbell Miss Moor Lizzie McFarland & another girl all stood up it was one of the greatest meeting (sic) I ever attended [Page 8] The prayer meeting is to be conducted without any sides be [being?] taken like dippers or Presbyterian all are to join in as one & aim for the same end So I hope we will have a good time this winter Rev C M Monteith is preaching in the School house at 5 oclock now & this other one is to start at 6.30. We just go from the one to the other. The men will finish digging the potatoes this week its not to [too?] dry weather for digging mostly wet all the time I hear Lizzie M Orr has got married. this may be of no intrest [interest?] to you but Mary will likely like to hear of School Companions its funny how some go I was thinking [Page 9] one day of all who used to be at School when I was there some in America some married & some gone to there [their?] graves all have taken some road through life but what a difference is betwixt them No place I can remember everyone so well as in the School the fire place the old press are still the same & the desks all bring back memories of long ago, we may look back on them but we can never bring them back. I think they are all hunting for Rabbits as the Field is vacant its tea hour but no one to [take?] any they have a Ferrit [Ferret?] so it will chase them out but I didn't hear a shot {Page 10] yet I believe the Rabbits are getting scarce now everybody shooting now & again leaves them thin at last. Not much news around this place at present every thing [everything?] quiet and all well & doing well I dont know when we rec. [receive?] a letter from you if Mary comes you will have to write oftener & so will we, in writing to you both I can harldly [hardly?] find news enough to fill a letter every week I have some Magazines which I intend to send you I never take the time to tie them up so there they are yet but I must send them this week if I can get them read through first Master James brings them up to us Write soon Good bye [Goodbye?] Liza Transcribed by Alan Houston |
