| Title: | Mary Smyth, Ontario to J. J. Smyth, Co Tyrone |
|---|---|
| ID | 2968 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Smyth, Mary/37(2) |
| Year | 1904 |
| Sender | Smyth, Mary |
| Sender Gender | female |
| Sender Occupation | unknown |
| Sender Religion | Protestant (Presbyterian) |
| Origin | Ontario, Canada |
| Destination | Castledamph, Co. Tyrone, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | unknown |
| Recipient Gender | male-female |
| Relationship | writes to her family |
| Source | Copyright Retained by Mr & Mrs J Smyth, Castledamph, Plumbridge, Co Tyrone, Castledamph@btinternet.com |
| Archive | Mr & Mrs J Smyth |
| Doc. No. | 508027 |
| Date | 22/6/1904 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 08:09:2005. |
| Word Count | 1139 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | [Front of Envelope] Mr J. J. Smyth, Plumbridge Co. Tyrone, Ireland [Stamped] SOUTH-WOODSLEE JU 24 04 [Postage Stamp] Canada Postage Two Cents 2 2 [Back of Envelope] [Stamped] [NEWTOWNSTEWART?] AM 10 0 JY 5 04 [Page 1] Sth. Woodslee June 22nd 04 Dear People.- I am sure you will be looking a long time for this letter, but I have been waiting on one from you before I would write so just got one last night. Now I don’t know what to begin to tell you first. I suppose that I arrived safe here a week ago yesterday and I was very much delighted to get to the country again. I thought everything looked so nice. Well, there are two ladies and a little boy visiting here from Chicago Their names are Mrs Fair & her daughter Mrs Moulton & her son George. [Page 2] 2 Mrs Fair was a great friend of Aunts & then her husband & Aunt were Cousins as you know they are related to the Fairs. Mrs Fair is 60 years old & Mrs Moulton 29 & George 5. So you can have an idea On Sunday Mrs Fair & I went to church on the morning & Uncle & George, & at night we all went except Uncle. Mrs Fair is a great big woman I expect who weighs over two hundred pounds, she never gets weighed so that no one can tell exactly. On Thursday of last week Bell [Belle?]& Mrs Moulton went to Essex so we kept house they left about 10 [o'clock?] & got back by 6.30; On Friday night Mrs. Moulton & I were invited to go driving with Rob. Fair, her Cousin. You may wonder that they dont stay [Page 3] 3 down at Mr. Fair's here but I don't know why either they have always made their home here at Uncle's when they come to visit; they go down to Mr. Fair's occasionally. On Monday we girls were all down to Mr. Fairs at a quilting, and at night Rob took Mrs. Moulton & I for a drive to his brother's as he was going anyway he took us. On Tuesday evening Jim came down about 6 o'clock as he had never been down since I came so He drove down & had supper & then Mrs Moulton & Belle & Jim & I rode down to Woodslee to League (League is a young people's meeting that they have once a week) after League Jim started for Essex & Bell [Belle?] rode as far as here with him & then walked up with Rob Fair. [Page 4] 4 Friday June 24th 1904. Another day gone & yet I am not finished this letter to begin where I left off. Wednesday afternoon Mrs Moulton & George & I drove to Essex, and Yesterday, Thursday, Mrs Fair had been away since Monday & Mrs Moulton was down at Mr Fair's so Cass [Cassie?] came down on the morning and wanted Bell [Belle?] to go with her to Essex as they are getting dresses made; so Bell [Belle?] went & I was left to keep house alone I ironed from 10 o'clock until 11.30 & then got dinner & after dinner I ironed again until 4.30. About six o'clock they all got home as there was a social [Page 5] 5 down at the church so they had to come here & get dressed Bell [Belle?] Mrs Moulton & Mrs Fair & I all went. Admission 15 cts & Bell [Belle?] paid for us all. Ice cream & cake was served & there was a good programme afterwards. You may think so when we didn't get home until 11 o'clock. Today there is a picnic down here on Mr. Fairs flats, the river runs through them & there are lots of trees so everyone thought it would be fine for a picnic so they are having one I don't know who it is in honour of unless Mrs. Fair & Mrs Moulton & my going away. I am also invited to a [Page 6] 6 recital tonight in Essex by the pupils of Prof. Thompson, my teacher last year, so I don't know what to do if I go to Essex I will have to leave here by six o'clock & then the picnic doesn't commence until about two so that I wouldn't have very much time picnicking. They are trying to persuade me to stay here. This is a complete list of our doings this last week so you can imagine how busy we are, we have cooking to do this morning for the picnic but I thought I had better take time to finish this letter or you might think I had forgotten you in my busy hours. [Page 7] This is a lovely day but not as warm as usual Mrs. Fair just now tells me to tell you that she may go over to the old country to see you. She is very wealthy; she is now ironing her clothes & she is pretty lazy she didn't like to do it but Bell [Belle] left them for her. She is awfully funny she never gets mad but has always something to say. It is now half past ten so must hurry up & get this finished soon. I see by your letter that Bell [Belle?] Gray is dead, well, I think the people over there are getting worse to think that nobody would be with her & nor none of her family [Page 8] after she died either. I suppose Jamey tried to make some tears while he was telling his story I just imagine him. I think if the drink was banished out of them altogether there would be a change. I am getting like Jim in that way I don't want to see any of it around nor any one [anyone?] drunk either. Bell [Belle?] is still in a pretty sad condition she doesn't take much interest in anything. We were talking here one night and she said she didn't care what happened to her. I suppose if we were in her place we might feel just the same. She has lots of work to do here & she has no girl either but I help when I'm here but I don't intend to stay here all holidays as I have to get around & see a good many before I go. Good Bye Mary [Postscripts] [Top of Page 8 [Page 8] Jim is busy now preparing his entrance class. He will be through school by next Thursday. If I go up [Left Side of Page 8] to Essex tonight I intend to stay up until Monday. [Page 7] I am waiting for a letter from Willie John but I suppose I'll be home before I get it. When are the McFarland’s coming back? I suppose they are quite Yankiefied. [Page 6] These ladies are going away for a few days tomorrow & Bell [Belle?] is having company on Sunday from Windsor You have heard there [their?] names before Mrs Paddon. [Page 5] I am cornering up the letters like a pig in a stall. Hope you will be able to read it alright Good Bye M.S. [Mary Smyth?] Transcribed by Alan Houston Transcribed by Alan Houston |
