| Title: | Robert Cowan, [Co Down?], to Margaret [Trimble?], [U.S.A.] |
|---|---|
| ID | 715 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Cowan, Robert/36 |
| Year | 1855 |
| Sender | Cowan, Robert |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | poss. linen worker |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Co. Down, N.Ireland |
| Destination | North America |
| Recipient | Margaret |
| Recipient Gender | female |
| Relationship | uncle-nice |
| Source | T 3619/1: Deposited by Mrs. M.G. Underwood. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, N.Ireland |
| Doc. No. | 201129 |
| Date | 29/01/1855 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | LTE |
| Log | Document added by LT, Td by Chris Pilkington, 07:0 |
| Word Count | 1036 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Fofanny January 29th/55 My dear Margaret, I take this opportunity of writing these few lines to you hoping to find you in good health and all your friends in that country, as this leaves us all in the same here at present, thank God for all his mercies to us. I have received your letter, bearing all the marks of kindness and gratitude for which I feel thankful to you for so kind a letter [last five words underlined]. We had all been thinking great long to hear from you. Your Cousin Eliza has been very impatient to hear from you, and has been often dreaming of you, and also of Mary. I was happy to find by your letter of this kind love and rememberance you still have of your Mother, and of the kind love [she'd?] had for you, and also of this kind love and affection she had for me, which kind affections you have remembered in your kind letter to me. It appears to me that although your mother is dead, that the example she set forth to her children has taken effect upon them, and is plainly seen by their talks, and actions. its a great blessing that although she is dead that the example of love and affections is [still?] alive and manifests itself forth in her children. I was very sorry to hear of Mary's illness, notwithstanding. I thank my God on her behalf, because her life has been spared in the midst of her great dangers, and that the day of her grace has been [----?] out longer, and that she has been allowed longer days to repent and turn to her maker. I hope that this long suffering mercy of God may lead to Salvation and not to hardness of heart". I hope that this afflicting dispensations of Providence may prove a blessing to her own soul, and to the souls of her friends that have witnessed her afflictions. It is calculated to teach you a lesson to number your days, and apply your heart to heavenly wisdom. I have [sympathised?] with you in hearing of your Sisters and family's departure to a distant part of that country. You have told me that you have been very lonely since she has went away. But all is nothing only what you may expect as no worldly enjoyment is of a permanent nature. I trust you have still a friend remaining that will never leave you, "a Friend that sticketh closer than a Brother". Let this friend occupy the chief place in your heart, find he always uppermost in your thoughts. You have wrote me a very feeling letter, and with one exception a very satisfactory letter. I think you have not been efficient enough in letting one know your means of living, or what business or trade you follow now. In your first letter you told me that you were learning a trade, and that your time would be in in this month of April. In this letter you have'nt mentioned whether you are following your trade, or what business you were engaged in. If your Father and you go to that plan to Mary (sic). you will please write to me at least once a year, and send me the address so as I may know how to direct my letter, and when you write let it be always about the new year. You have told me that [this?] was a very hard winter with the snow in that country, and wish to know if it is any better here. Before the commencement of the present war the Linen and flowering trades were paying very well, but since that it has reduced both to nearly one half that is in the wages so that the times are not near so good now as they have been some time ago. Prices of provisions is not yet unreasonable but it is expected that if this was continous that all kinds of provisions will be an enormous price. Margret [Margaret?] Greer has got married to a boy from [Bryansford?]. Robert [Skillen's] first [way?] [Susana?] Linn [Lynn?] has died, and he has got married again, John [McLenahans?] eldest daughter has got married to a [boy?] Chas [Charles] [Gracy's?] of Drumlough. James [McLenahans?] daughter Ann has got married to a boy from Ballybrick. Mary Ann McCrackan [McCracken?] of Fofany [Fofanny] has got married to a young boy from [Leitrim?] and is now living in [Clenawhillan?]. Sally [Bigham?] has got married. (sister in law to Thos. [Thomas?] Park, to a son of Jacky Stuarts, and are gone to America. John McNeilly shopkeeper has got married secondly to a daughter of Robert Dodds' a grand Daughter of Mrs [Magills?] Mary Wilson and her Sister [Martha?] of [Tullnasod?] had to leave their Fathers place this year, and Mary has got married to her cousin Hugh Wilson, and both of them have gone to stop with him for a time. James Hawthorn of [Tullnasod?] has died lately and old David Park of [Clenmaghery?] is dead an [and?] we hear that his son David has been killed in America by the fall of a gravel pit. Wllm [William?] Weir Archy and George are well and sends their love to you. Rosanna Weir is still living in the same place that she was in since she went to America, and Hanna is still living with her husband in Liverpool and has money at will. Your Aunt [Nancey?], and family are living in Stranraer in Scotland, and her daughter Jane was so unfortunate [not?] to have a child to her cousin Wllm [William?] Trimble before she went away. Aunt Jane, David and Eliza, send send (sic) their love to you and your Father, and Sister Mary in the kindest manner. May the Lord reward you for your friendship to me, and preserve you through every step of your perilous journey through wilderness of this wearisome and troublesome world. When you write again to me, Direct to care of Rev'd Mr Lockhart, Hilltown, Rathfriland, Co. Down I have no more to say at present, but I remain Dear Margaret Your affectionate Uncle till death Robert Cowan This was our mother's uncle Ellen Transcribed by Chris Pilkington |
