| Title: | [?] [?], Ontario to “Dear Father and Mother” |
|---|---|
| ID | 2684 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Smyth, James Alexander/1(2) |
| Year | 1893 |
| Sender | Smyth, James Alexander |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | farm labourer |
| Sender Religion | Protestant (Methodist) |
| Origin | Essex Co., Ontario, Canada |
| Destination | Co. Tyrone, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Smyth, John J. and wife |
| Recipient Gender | male-female |
| Relationship | son-parents |
| Source | Copyright Retained by Mr & Mrs J Smyth, Castledamph, Plumbridge, Co Tyrone, Castledamph@btinternet.com |
| Archive | Mr & Mrs J Smyth |
| Doc. No. | 0604153 |
| Date | 09/01/1893 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | |
| Word Count | 625 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | [no envelope] South Woodslee, Ont. January 9. 1893 Dear Father & Mother I received your letter of Dec. 8 on the 22 Ult and I am glad to know that you are all well We are all in good health here Tillie, Willie, Sarah, Annie, Charley and the baby was [sic] all here for Xmas. so there was quite a family here for Xmas dinner Annie and Charley went back on the 31st and Tillie and Willie went on the 8 inst Sarah is here yet I suppose she will have to wait to get a situation Cassie is going to College this week The don’t [sic] be much stir around here at Xmas nothing like it would be at home no shooting here [page 2] There was pretty hard frost all through December and a little snow New years day brought lots of snow good sleighing since, we were all out for a sleigh ride on the 2nd the timber is coming [coming?] in fast to the mill since the sleighing come to-day the snow is falling fast There was good skating on the ice before the snow came I was learning to skate I bought a pair of skates at [5?] shillings I suppose you know what skating is though I never seen [sic] none of it at home There is a kind of a pond of resorvour [reservoir?] in Woodslee and there was about a hundred there every night when skating was good from dark to 10 or 11 o clock I suppose you would think it would not be very old when we would stay out at night like that but we never feel cold and I tell you its fine fun skating [page 3] Well now I think I will try and answer these questions of yours I should have wrote [sic] this letter two weeks ago but you should have a letter from me since you wrote, learning telegraphy and giving to College it all depends on which of them would be best as one would cost as much as the other before I would be through and going to College it would be worth all it would cost even you did not follow it out and the other would not do one any good unless the [they?] always work at it and then you would have got pay, I mean if you learned either one of them and then did not like it when you would be through one would be some use but the other would not, Charles Allison brother is an Telegraph operator and he was home at Xmas and he told me he would not advise me learn it I will not learn either one now anyway I will see how Wilie and Sarah gets along [page 4] I dont like farming very well nor I dont dislike it either I can do it if I have to without any trouble but I would rather farm here as at home and have a cleaner nicer time no pigs or anything take that in the house not as much as a dog will they let stay in here I will I answer your letter as it comes Bartley 19£ is not very much a man that would run like business like that would get [£50?] I can have £30 this year if I like and remember this is only Essex County wages is low here besides in other places I dont remember of saying in my letter that I did not like the Country I dont know what you mean I could give you an advice in I could give you two or three Uncle and Aunt knows all about those things they dont know what advice to give I dont think they would advise me go [home?] [Remainder of letter missing] Transcribed by Gordon Drummond |
