| Title: | [?] [?], Plumbridge, to ‘My dear Cousin James’ |
|---|---|
| ID | 910 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Duncan, Bella M/56 |
| Year | 1903 |
| Sender | prob. Bella M. Duncan |
| Sender Gender | unknown |
| Sender Occupation | unknown |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Plumbridge, Co. Tyrone, N.Ireland |
| Destination | unknown |
| Recipient | Smyth, James Alexander |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | cousins |
| Source | Copyright Retained by Mr & Mrs J Smyth, Castledamph, Plumbridge, Co Tyrone, Castledamph@btinternet.com |
| Archive | Mr & Mrs J Smyth |
| Doc. No. | 511057 |
| Date | 15/10/1903 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | LTE |
| Log | unknown |
| Word Count | 603 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | [No envelope] [Letter Incomplete] Eden [Back?] Plumbridge 15th Oct 1903 My dear cousin James I received your very welcome letter of Sept 9th and we were very glad to hear from you I am sure you feel lonely some times [sometimes?] and that the sight of some of the old familiar faces of Castledamph or Eden would be very welcome We were very much pleased indeed to know that you have been getting on so well [page 2] and that you have reached the highest mark in your profession. The responsibility of such a large school must weigh on your mind more than people think The idea that people have in this country that teachers have nothing to do You have a very fine salary but the cost of living out there is greater than in this Country I am sorry [page 3] Mary is so far from you but I suppose she has made new friends but no matter how kind they are they can never replace the old ones at home. Your Uncle and Aunt I am sure are very glad to see you every month but I think you might stay longer than a night Now, James you must save money and if you would like to turn to something else more profitable [page 4] it would be a great help to you getting on. But on no account give up your present situation until you are sure of something better. If you would like to become a farmer you would be your own master. We have still our old servant Barney and can get along wonderfully well, we have some corn out yet the weather is something awful I suppose you have heard that old Margaret’s money has come to the front [page 5] at last It was scattered North South East & West They were all very agreeable but Willie Houston Waterside he got very fiery and bois- terous over James' share and the [sixth?] part of James' money was only £4.5 so it was scarcely worth his while as we say in this country He said a great deal more than I could tell you But he had no right to James' share No one had any right but my self [myself?] as I administered [page 6] after James' death We left him at Plumbridge "Gathering his brows like a gathering storm Nursing his wrath to keep it warm" Alexander Houston is in poor health so that James Houston's family is on the eve of another legacy but it will not get spread field like Margarets for no one [no-one?] has any title to it but the one family [L?] Houston Plumbridge is building a splendid house We are expecting [page 7] he will be getting married when it is completed No doubt to some one [someone?] of importance as he is able Now to live private I suppose he will retire from business John C is a fine young man we had him at our place putting a roof on a turf shed he is very good and wise Tommy is just as usual he made a good deal of money this year Mr [Minneice?] stopped part of a day at [page 8] your fathers place Tommy sold him a great many sheep Bella has a very fine baby Davy and she come often to see your Mother We are all in good health Mary will never forget how you helped with the hay the last time you were at home Your Photo is splendid The lady teachers are lovely I wonder you did not fall in love with some of them I sent a Cutting out of a news paper [newspaper?] to you Concerning the ancestry of the Houstons [letter incomplete] Transcribed by Kyle Smith |
