| Title: | Jane Armstrong, Hampshire County, U.S.A., to Mrs Richard Baxter, Ireland |
|---|---|
| ID | 91 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Armstrong, Sarah/4 |
| Year | 1843 |
| Sender | Armstrong, Sarah B. |
| Sender Gender | female |
| Sender Occupation | unknown |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Hampshire County, USA |
| Destination | Co. Down, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Mrs Richard Baxter |
| Recipient Gender | female |
| Relationship | niece-aunt |
| Source | D 682/55: Presented by Mr P. Doake, "Glenlagan", Kinallen, Dromore, County Down, Ireland |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland |
| Doc. No. | 9702052 |
| Date | 26/01/1843 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 31:01:97. |
| Word Count | 1951 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | [----?] 43 LIVERPOOL SHIP Mrs Richard Baxter Crossgar House Dromore via } County Down New York} Ireland Romney Jany. [January?] 26th 1843 My ever dear Aunt After so long a silence I scarcely know how or in what manner to address you it would be needless to take up my paper with apoligies [apologies?] or useless regrets suffice it to say that I still retain [retain?] the warmest affection for all my dear Crossgare relatives You will be no doubt surprised to hear that Elisabeth is married to Mr Ambrose Cramer as she mentioned nothing of it to Aunt Jane when she wrote to her in October last she knows nothing of it then as the first time she saw Mr. Cramer was the day she closed her letter and she said Aunt Jane would think she was a little crazy as she thought she nether [neither?] put site or place of residence to her letter Mr. Cramer is a son of Mr. Ambrose Cramer formerly of Downpatrick who removed to this country in the year 1800's have no doubt my dear Uncle remembers him as I often heard my father speak of the family and regret he had not come out with him my Father had business at one time old Mr Cramers neighbour houce [house?] and took that opperttenety [opportunity?] of visiting him he said Mrs Cramer gave him the warmest reception he ever had in this country Mr Ambrose Cramer, Elisabeth's Husband was not quite two years old when he came to this country he was a Widower with five children three sons and two Daughters his two latest are sons and and grown he is a merchant in Williamsport state of Maryland of high respectability and one of the warmest and most affectionate hearted men I ever saw I love him as an own Brother they were married on the 22nd of December and started off imediately [immediately?] they arrived at Mrs Davenports the next day for dinner and staid [stayed?] untill [until?] Saturday morning and got home that evening being Christmas ere [here?] Elisabeth met with the warmest reciption [reception?] at Mrs. Davenports who is Mr Cramers only sister he wrote to me that she was about [---?] up with Irish lore her Father lives there at the advanced age of 89 he was very much pleased at Mr Cramer's fancying one of my Father Daughters as he said he knew her to be of good stock I had a letter from Brother Ambrose after they got home he said his Father clasped Elisabeth in his arms and said it made his old heart young again to receive her as his own Daughter from his own lovedland I have heard from them frequently they seem perfectly happy the children met her with the warmest affection I had a letter from his eldest Daughter who is fourteen she speaks in the kindest manner of her Mother as she called Elisabeth and writes to me in the most affectionate manner although I have never seen her Williamsport is 79 miles from Romney we have known Mr Cramer from character and he as although we have never seen each other untill [until?] lately Brother Francis and him corrisponded [corresponded?] at one time. Now my dear Aunt I have told you so much about Elisabeth you no doubt will wish to hear how Ellen and myself comes on without her I [now?] assure you we miss her very much I thought the manner of life [--?] [--ad?] burthen enough with her assistance and have had strong intention of giving it up for some time and certainly hope to accomplish it in the course of this year though I look to a kind [Rosidence?] to arrest us as I know of we follow his guidence [guidance?] we can not err he has led us through many trials and difficulties and he will shew us our duty in this. Brother Francis still lives in Wheeling he has now three children all daughters Ellen [Janes?] Sarah Petterson [Patterson?] and Frances Isabella for him self and his Wife as he dispairs [despairs?] of ever having a son David lives in Ohio in a place called South-Charleston it is about thirty miles south west of [Calumbas?] the seat of government and upwards of three hundred miles from Romney he was here on a visit this summer with his Wife and all his children four of the finest and best [behave?] children I ever saw Frank his eldest a fine interesting boy with warm affections [Lawrence?] is handsome with a fine disposition Ellen Baxter my Father over again she is as fair as a lilly [lily?] certainly the most gentle lady like manners I [torn] saw [torn] of her age [---ssess?] the Babe [baby?] was to young to form [torn] opinion about but it was a very sweet little thing it was only two [torn?] old the day it arrived here Davids Wife is quite a fine looking woman of ever looked thier [there?] you see my dear Aunt my dear Mother's name will not go down as she possessed the affections of her children in no common degree and I do not say it because she was my Mother but I have never seen her like her Christian Graces were refined in the purchase of afflictions she never [murmured?] none [know?] but her God the extent of her sufferings I feel it not to much to say that like the silver [burnished?] and ready by polishing to reflect the Masters image so was her spirit found when about to be set free from its clay tabernacle now I have got on the theme of my Mother I could write a volume but you all knew her but not as well as I did for I was her child and saw her die she lives in my affections as strong as when she was first laid in her grave. My dear Aunt Cramer has paid the debt of nature but died [such?] a peaceful happy death that you need not know as those haveing [having?] no hope for what else is worth liveing [living?] for but to die well our course in this world must leave us to mansions not made with hands eternal in the Heavens or down abyss of us and what is time to eternity a hands breadth I would rather be the meanest beggar on earth with an interest in the atoneing blood of the son of God than the Lien [Lion?] in Egyptian darkness Now my dear Aunt when you write tell me all about my relitives [relatives?] as I am interested for them all both for thair [their?] spiritual and temperate welfare as thair [there?] is no probility [probability?] of our meeting on earth I hope to meet you all arround [around?] the Throne and mingle our views in one universal song of praise you may think I have forgotten you all but I have a distinct recollection of all my dear friends even your Eliza Mary and James who were so much the youngest tell Eliza I remember when her and myself slept in the press bed and you dear Aunt used to tell us of us quarled [quarrelled?] it could not be about kindred as we were the same blood I remember all my Crossgar Cousins with a great deal of affection as they were as kind to me as the were to them selves [themselves?] Richard used to acuse [accuse?] Jane of being partial to me I tell you all this to let you see how well I remember you all I hope my dear Aunt this letter will find you enjoying better health than you general do [----?] able to answer it if not you can get one of my dear Cousins to do [ask?], what would I give to see you all how des [does?] my dear Aunt Jane and Mary do I was distressed to hear that Aunt Jane's health was not good but [-----?] this she is finely [finally?] recovered Elisabeth wrote to her in October I hope she has recieved [received?] the letter [-- ---?] tell her if she wishes to write to direct her letter to Romney and I will forward it to her. Cousin William and his famely [family?] still live in Romney William and Edward are married and have families James his youngest son is studieing [studying?] law he is in Staunton at present attending Judge Thompsons law lectures he is quite a promising young man and it is thought will make a handsome speaker William is a sherif [Sheriff?] Edward [Caward?] is a merchant in partnership with Mr Gibson he is much more of an Armstrong than William he has two sons his oldest is upwards of three years old a lovely boy Cousin Betsy has been in bad health for some time [and?] has been [--------ably?] confined to her room for some time Cousin William's health is as good as persons generally at his time of life Mr. Gibson lives one mile from town on a farm it is quite a plesent [pleasant?] walk I like his Wife very much she treats us as kind as if she was a relative his oldest Daughter was married about two years ago to a Gentleman from Pensylvania [Pennsylvania?] of the name of Given he is of Irish desent [descent?] I think from Colerain [Coleraine?] she was [----?] last summer with a young son [named?] David Gibson she is a very handsome woman Mr. Cramer promised Mr. Gibson to to [sic] take Elisabeth to see Sarrah [Sarah?] as it would be a short trip by the rail road Mr. Gibson and Mr. Cramer are warm and old friends they are both Eldrs [Elders?] in the in the [sic] Presbyterian Church I think Elisabeth blessed in getting such a [-----?] man they are also members and strong [advocates?] of the temperance society. Mr Cramer has delivered lectures in public on the [subject?] although I have heard him say he never was intoxicated in his life the temperance society has done a vast amount of good in this country as well as in Ireland. Father Mathews has extended his pledge over on this side of the Atlantic amongst his [own?] denomination it is a good thing as they were often a disgrace to thair [their?] native land from thair [there?] roitous [riotous?] conduct in public works There is a general depression in this country in the way of trade you hear nothing but the cry of hard times from all quarters what it will end in I do not know general bankruptcy I suppose the people of these United States are given to a great deal of extravagance they will live while the can how does [Aunt?] [W----?] do tell her when you see her I sent my affectionate love to her and to [----er?] that I recollect her perfectly. I am like the Exile, I dreaming I revisit thy sea beaten shore; and in that way keep up my acquaintanc [acquaintance?] and to my Ballynahinch friends give very [----?] though I never think of that sweet place only when I can not help it [no?] it brings nothing but [painfull?] recollections I wrote to James Croziar a few weeks ago you must give my warmest [love?] to Aunt Jane Mary Uncle and all my Cousins and except [accept?] the same for yourself also to all my other Crossgare friends believing me to be [---?] { Ellen say to gave her love to [torn] your trully [truly?] affectionate Niece Aunt Thompson an Eliza was thair [their?] [torn] she will write to them she [sends?] [torn] you all Sarah B. Armstrong |
