| Title: | J.J. Elder, New Brunswick, Canada, to J. Caldwell, Belfast. |
|---|---|
| ID | 986 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Elder, Jack/12 |
| Year | 1890 |
| Sender | Elder, John |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | accountant |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | New Brunswick, Canada |
| Destination | Belfast, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Caldwell, J. |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | nephew-uncle |
| Source | T 1320/1-4: Copied by Permission of J.F. Caldwell Esq., Law Courts, Belfast. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 8850004 |
| Date | 24/04/1890 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Action By Date Document added by C.R., 02:12:1993. |
| Word Count | 1851 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Bond's Hill, Waterside, Londonderry. Woodstock, New Brunswick, April 24 1890. My Dear Uncle, I am informed by mother that you were not aware that you had an Uncle Sam, until I recently wrote you about his descendants. Though amongst his near relatives out here for four years, I never heard of him until last September, when I spent a week at Florenceville and Mount Pleasant. During my visit, I pencilled down in my note book numerous genealogical details which I picked up in conversation with your Aunts Jane (Mrs Casper) and Mary (Mrs John) Caldwell. I put down these items in the first instance to pass the time, and as a matter of curiosity; but I found that both ladies, especially your Aunt Mary, knew such a lot about the Caldwell family, that I thought it better to preserve all the particulars they could give me with the intention of sending them to you at my leisure, when I could properly arrange them. If your Aunts were removed, a bit of genealogical information might be removed with them, which could not be supplied by anyone else. I expected to get time during the winter to arrange the materials for sending to you, but I did not obtain a proper chance until about three weeks ago, when I set to work at the book of genealogical trees which I am sending you by mail under seperate [separate?] cover. It seems a small job to have occupied my leisure hours for three weeks, but then the work is all done with the pen, and besides my leisure hours are very few, and are frequently interrupted. Sometimes I work half an hour before breakfast, twenty minutes or so at noon, and occasionally an hour in the evenings. I had no idea when I began the work that I would make it so extensive, but it grew on my hands. My intention was to send you a "Tree" of all your grandfather's descendants, and then to give you the skeleton "trees", (so to speak) or outlines, of the family connections; but when I commenced the latter portion of my task, I felt in a difficulty as to which portion of the materials I should give you & what portion I should not enter. I solved the difficulty in a peculiar way, and that was, by giving you all the items I had obtained regarding the family connections, and accordingly the charts I send contain almost as full particulars regarding the Cunningham, Kilpatrick, McCain, Mackay & Stephenson families, as they do regarding the descendants of your #PAGE 2 grandfather. Much of it you will, no doubt, consider unnecessary, useless, and uninteresting; but if you should ever visit your relations in New Brunswick, or Maine, or the Western States you would find the charts and maps not quite an unnecessary incumbrance [encumbrance?] on the journey. There may be some relations of the Stephensons or McCains in Ireland who would like to hear of their friends out here, Andy McClintock's name you will find on page 9. His Uncle Andrew Stephenson who lived at the Flush in the House now occupied by Alex McCormac, had three children who married first cousins of yours - one of them Sarah, married a son of your Aunt Katie's: another, Matthew, married a daughter of your Uncle Casper's: and a third, James, married two daughters of your Uncle John. A granddaughter of this Andrew Stephenson (who is not to be confounded with your Aunt Katie's husband, of the same name), namely Margaret Porterfield, married Basil Caldwell, son of your Uncle Casper; and a great-grandson of Andrew S., namely Henry Cook was married last fall to Mary Kinney, a granddaughter of your Uncle Casper. You will also find a "Tree" of the Lieutenant's family (supplied by your Aunt Mary, with some assistance from C Caldwell, of Toronto): and of his brother, Sam's descendants. I intended getting particulars of the Hemphill family (from Charlie Caldwell) for page 12 of the book, but as this would delay the matter another ten days,I did not mind it. You or Charles could put on page 12 such items as you can find regarding the Hemphills - that is, if you care to take the trouble. I would like you to send me a tree of the Hemphill family for your Aunt Mary. Also, if you find any more, no matter how slight, in the tables I send you (and there may be many errors), would you kindly tell me of them, & give me any further information. The chart is badly colored. I had only red & green ink & a piece of yellow water color. When the colors fade, Sissie could touch them up again. By having the space covered by descendants of your Uncle & Aunt colored in the way I have done, you can more easily find from whom any person mentioned on the chart is descended, and besides you can see which branch has got the most members. You will find maps on page 3, and also a map of part of Carleton Co [county?] at end of book [., at the end of the book:?] these give nearly all the places mentioned on the charts. On pages 10 & 11, there is some account of the Elder, #PAGE 3 Stuart, Lecky, and Mathewson families. I give particulars of a branch of the Mathewson family of which I knew very little until recently - that is, descendants of Matilda Mathewson, (aunt of my grandmother Elder), who married John Harpur, of Aghadulla. I am informed that her daughter Anne married "Ct Ed Sproule" whoever he was. Have you any idea what the letter [letters?] "Ct" mean? Do you know what branch of the Sproules he belonged to? A niece of his wife's, namely Matilda Robinson, (sister of the late Dr A H Robinson, of Fintona), married a Mr Sproule, nephew of Ed Sproule, and one of her sons is the present A H R Sproule, of Fintona who inherited 22,000 [$? £?] on the death of his Uncle, Dr Robinson (see page 11). Charlie Caldwell says that A H R Sproule is not (paternally) descended from the Sproules of [Burrell's?] Folly or Grennan. Kindly find out about Ct Ed Sproule, and A H R Sproule. Your Aunt Mary also supplied the following:- m CALDWELL _____________________________________________________________ Mathew Casper James (d) m Elizabeth Sproule (d in Scotland) of Castlederg and had issue m Mary Anne Hamilton m ... Russell and had issue | | | ------------------------------------------------------------- Thomas John Robt Jane Eliza (Emig. to (D unm. [Robert?] m ... BRADLEY America) in C.derg) Russell(dead) [Emigrated?] [Died unmarried in Castlederg?] If incorrect in any particulars, kindly let me know. I should be obliged for any information you can give me regarding Sproule Genealogy. I sent a copy of "Fragments of Sproule Genealogy ["?] to mother, & asked her to hand it to you. Can you give me any more "Fragments"? Have you learned anything about the money which your cousin, Robt [Robert?] A Caldwell, of Blaine, Maine, alleges should belong to him? Also, is there any prospect of getting the Caldwell arms? I am really anxious to have them for Mrs Holly #PAGE 4 Mathewson. The ice "ran out" in the river last Thursday. The snow has nearly all melted away, and we are having fine, sunshine weather. The river is rising rapidly, snow being only now thawing away in the woods to the north. The river flows 300 miles before it gets here. Spring trade has fairly begun. I shall be very busy, if spared, from this forward. For over 12 months I have had an extra department to attend to - namely, Electric Light - the books of which have had to be kept quite separate from those of Conwell Bros. I expect soon to get rid of keeping the books of that department, as my boss and some other local men, are promoting a bill in the N B [New Brunswick?] Parliament at Frederickon [Fredericton?], for the incorporation of the Woodstock Electric Light Co. [Company?] The bill has passed the Lower House, and is almost certain to pass the Upper. I shall probably have to transfer the a/cs [accounts?] to the new Co [Company?] and perhaps open the new books, but I hope to get rid of the job after that. I don't know anything of Bookkeeping for Joint Stock Companies, so will not object to open the books for them so as to get some experience for myself. Mr Connell has been trying to sell out the foundry for some time. It has been reported that he was going to take Mr George Shea (pr Shay) into partnership. Shea was foreman here when Grieves was book-keeper. After I came, they bought a foundry in Houlton, Maine, 12 miles from here. Grieves died a year ago. Shea carried on the business, but his foundry was burned down a few months ago. Mr Connell (who has been absent from the office for a week through illness & who only returned today) told me this morning that Shea was coming here as his partner at the first of May, & that I would require to order a complete set of books for the new firm, which will still be known as "Connell Bros". This afternoon I will be busy selecting what kind of books to order. The old books will be kept while the a/cs [accounts?] owing the expiring firm are being paid in, & these amount to over $40,000. Donald Munro, who has been foreman since Shea left here in 1886, will be without a job after 1st May, but I have got no intention that my services will not be required. I shall have some heavy bookkeeping to do, keeping books for old & new firm, but I think a few months will suffice to wind up the former. I shall have some useful experience in #PAGE 5 opening a new set of books. As I will only have time to send mother a postcard this week, would you please tell her the substance of this paragraph and the preceding one. I am in good health, I rise early and go to bed early, & take regular gymnastic and walking exercise. I have kept out of society for nearly 3 years. I don't attend any parties, balls or theatres, but I go to Odd Fellows Lodge. They are going to have an anniversary supper tonight. I am annoyed frequently with catarrh in head and throat, a prevailing disease in this country. With love to all. I am your grateful nephew J J Elder John Caldwell Esq PS - As you know, the chart I sent you 4 years ago, only contains descendants of your Uncle Casper & your Aunt Catherine, whereas this contains descendants of all your Uncles & aunts. At end of book, you will find some ruled paper for recording any births, marriages, or deaths in the Caldwell family. I got the following account of the Porterfield family from John Porterfield, of Mt [Mount?] Pleasant, whose father occupied Allison's farm in Collumstown, & who himself often raised stones in the "Quarry Hole" at the roadside. PORTERFIELD, of Ballymagorry m Janie Lindsay (After his death, she came to Collumstown) | -------------------------------------------------------------- Robert James John Sally Mattie m Clemens m...Blair (of m ANDW m JOHNSTON (Removed to Collumstown) [ANDREW?] (Donagheady) Collumstown) m Nancy COWDON | McLaughlin (Castlefin) | (of | Burndennet) | ---------------------------- Matthew John Robert -------------------------------- #PAGE 6 John (of Lifford Common) Jane m 1st Anne Jane Arbuckle m JOHN CURRIE m 2nd Rosanna McClintock (Clady Hill) ------------- (Son) (Dan) by first wife Nancy m ANTHONY THOMPSON near Raphoe | --------------- (Dan) (Son) m MOODY P O R T E R F I E L D ---------------------------------------------------------------- Matthew John Alex George James Jane Fanny (d unm) of Mt (d unm) (d unm) (d unm) m WM (d unm) [died Pleasant [died [died [died STEWART [died unmar- NB unmar- unmar- unmar- (of unmar- ried?] [NEW ried?] ried?] ried?] McCalls ried?] BRUNS- -town?] WICK?] As the above particulars were very remote from your family connections here. I did not put them in the book. Excuse this disconnected letter. It has been very hurriedly written. I wrote the first two pages in the morning, the third at dinner hour, and this page after supper, just before going to Lodge Room. JJE |
