Richard Golden's Letter October 1850
Jasper's journal continues telling about his life over the next number of years and will be transcribed on a new page. This is a letter Jasper's brother sent to him. It is hard to imagine the worry the family must have since they go so long without any word from their loved ones. In this case Jasper's mother had to say good bye to her son and two daughters .
There isn't any postage stamps and the letter is folded in such a way as to make an envelope. The envelope has TUBBBERCURRY and BALLYMOTE stamped on it and is addressed as follows.
Mr. Jasper Golden
care of Mr. Anthony Pettypiece,
Anderdon,
Amhertsburg
America Canada West
The penmanship is something to behold and has to be very legible as Richard continues his message by writing across the already written second and third pages.
Rathscanlon October the 22nd 1850
Dear Brother & Sisters
I now take pen in hand to answer the long looked, long wished for letter we rec'd on the 16th of October. We rec'd paper on the 23rd of July that you sent from Kingston which very much comforted us. We rec'd 3 papers up to the Letter & 2 with the Letter. One of Maria's writing & one of yours Jasper. Dear Jasper I cannot express to you how I felt on the night I parted ye. I slept that night in John Blacks & came home next morn. You may imagine how I joined the family & my Mother far better than I expected, the Lord strengthening her. We were then uneasy to know the certainty of your sailing. If we knew ye were so long in the pool I certainly would be down. perhaps as well not. We got your note from Oyster Island on the 22nd of May which settled us. John took sick of Scarlet fever on the 16th of May, was ill for 14 days, and then got well & remained so for a week when he took a relapse & swelled all over particularly his face & head & chest. Ye would be surprised to see him on the 11th of June, he took such a change that we thought he was dying. Mr. Hamilton said so too. We sent twice for the Doctor but he was not at home that day. So the next day John was getting better thank God & recovered ahead & now as well as ever and growing wonderfully since. From the 8th to the 12th of June we were very uneasy about the sailing on account of a great wind as we thought was ahead. My Mother could not rest those nights. We see now that ye were in the gulf. Again we felt very uneasy on receipt of 2nd paper from you, you said hardly anything in it & we were thinking ye were sorry for going. We were also in doubt where ye were til we rec's a paper from Sarah about William Dukes' death for which we were very sorry.
We then knew ye were well off where ye were. in Aunt Sallies. My Mother was heartily thankful then. The first Sunday after ye Setting Sail Mr. Hamilton appointed me clerk in Church place of Bartley but the Dean opposed him & kept in Bartley. Mr H would give a thief s penny worth of him. Our Sunday School is doing well. We have an Adult class in Church on Sunday morn. Mr. H. has a young heir and he is doing well. I spent a pleasant night after receiving your letter with him & Lady. Both were thankful to hear from ye. He has no day school as yet. Our crops are middling good. 4 stacks of oats & 1 of wheat. The wheat was good and our crop of turnips is very good. Our potatoes are better than we expected. We commenced digging them as early as the 15th of July. They were then very good. We expect when collected to have about 5 barrels of eating potatoes. The foal is doing very well and we expect to exchange him soon. We kept the cows all the year but sold all other stock, 1 year old heifer calf. Rich Phillips got a letter from William. Mr Cooper did not speak of any rent of your farm. We did not pay the rent called in September nor any in Town except Clarke. They were all noticed to quit, we as well. We expect to sell one of the cows soon to pay rent, in that country there is no such work. Let us know in your next how soon you think we may be going out. All is well if my Mother be able then but as for that who can promise themselves any time, but it is very encouraging to us all that my Mother was not well from her stomach she says these 17 years past. but she is very subject to headaches. She thinks Jasper's medicine is doing very well with her. Jack Benson returned from America. He is no in Sligo, he and wife and father-in-law. John Golan wrote twice home to Clonacurrow from that country. He says they were almost wrecked by floating ice coming down. John Walker is married to Betty Black & doing very badly & Eliza , his sister married. Rebecca Connor teaching for Mr Armstong. I cannot say what salary. John Morrison struck his sister that was married to Hugh Lougheed with tongs and broke her scull. The Doctor says she will not recover. All other friends are well & remain as they were when ye were here. Pat Dolden says he will go to America. I slept in Richard Phibbs' on Sunday night last. They are still grieved. Mr. Phibba is very much discouraged in going. They think waiting til they take off another crop. They expect we might be going and he told me he would post a letter this day. The Dukes are very grieved particularly the Mother John would like to know if Sarah has his little Book. We are surprised you said nothing about Fanny at all. Let me know if your crops are heavy & how heavy. I wrote to Mr Potter when I got your Letter & to Mr. Frazier. Both requested me to do so a long time ago. Clonacurrow people are all well. I was in it yesterday. Let us know what is Sarah's employment in the Doctors. My Mother sends her sincere and hearty thanks to her Sister Sally for her great kindness to us. She expects to express her thanks face to face at the request of ye one day. Since we all had that pleasure which Christian Brethren feel on their fellowship with each other. but now though absent in body yet present with each other & the Lord we hope that each of ye not forget the goodness of God both in his providence & Grace towards ye & also towards us and that he may prolong his many mercies til we see each other face to face. My Mother can eat the potatoes this year every day to dinner & sleeps well at night & she does not forget your last words, nor will she til she sees ye again. My Father expects to be footing the stools in that place yet. We sent ye 3 papers. We sent on to Toronto in care of Aunt Fanny thinking we were there. First let me know if ye got them. My Mother often says she misses you, Jasper.
Rich Golden
At this point the writer resorts to writing across the pages to get more limited space.
We send our best respects to Aunt Sally, Sarah & Anthony, William and his wife & family. I hope my Aunt will stand my place. I answered for Anthony but it is impossible for me to answer hor him in America. Margaret Golden says Sarah promised to send some account to her. We did not laugh so much at any time since we went then soon reading the enclosure of the Girls; ye will laugh too. The next Letter we will be expecting an account of Aunt Fanny. Ned Jenkins was happy to hear from his friend. My Mother is uneasy about Aunt Fanny as ye said not one word about her. William West, George's son , sent home 3 newspapers unopened til we read them. The ink you had in Kingston was far better than any since e could read par of them. Some of them we could hardly read. Anyway as soon as you get a Situation let us know. We would be tter pleased if you could get a Clerkship than a School. John Brett did not speak about any money. Since our rates are stuck at 3 pence your papers comfort us very much. All friends and neighbours are thankful for your account of America. There is a female Teacher wanting in Balisodare. Frissle is falling into decline. I wish I could send you one of Connel Track, the School Master that wa in Mr. Hamilton when you were hers is a Bible reader in Ballinasloe. We are still in good health & hope this will find ye in the same. We have nothing more in particular to say, so I must conclude in saying we are happy for ye going , for so far. We all send our Love to ye & the above people which we hold most Dear to heart.
From your affectionate Parents, Sisters and Brother
Rich Golden
My Mother would like to let ye know the Tobacco is rising and let us know the reason thereof.
RG
Send us more account of the Country in your next Letter
I remain yours Rich Golden
This letter was transcribed by Roy McLean and is currently in the possession of Linda McLean
Jasper's journal continues telling about his life over the next number of years and will be transcribed on a new page. This is a letter Jasper's brother sent to him. It is hard to imagine the worry the family must have since they go so long without any word from their loved ones. In this case Jasper's mother had to say good bye to her son and two daughters .
There isn't any postage stamps and the letter is folded in such a way as to make an envelope. The envelope has TUBBBERCURRY and BALLYMOTE stamped on it and is addressed as follows.
Mr. Jasper Golden
care of Mr. Anthony Pettypiece,
Anderdon,
Amhertsburg
America Canada West
The penmanship is something to behold and has to be very legible as Richard continues his message by writing across the already written second and third pages.
Rathscanlon October the 22nd 1850
Dear Brother & Sisters
I now take pen in hand to answer the long looked, long wished for letter we rec'd on the 16th of October. We rec'd paper on the 23rd of July that you sent from Kingston which very much comforted us. We rec'd 3 papers up to the Letter & 2 with the Letter. One of Maria's writing & one of yours Jasper. Dear Jasper I cannot express to you how I felt on the night I parted ye. I slept that night in John Blacks & came home next morn. You may imagine how I joined the family & my Mother far better than I expected, the Lord strengthening her. We were then uneasy to know the certainty of your sailing. If we knew ye were so long in the pool I certainly would be down. perhaps as well not. We got your note from Oyster Island on the 22nd of May which settled us. John took sick of Scarlet fever on the 16th of May, was ill for 14 days, and then got well & remained so for a week when he took a relapse & swelled all over particularly his face & head & chest. Ye would be surprised to see him on the 11th of June, he took such a change that we thought he was dying. Mr. Hamilton said so too. We sent twice for the Doctor but he was not at home that day. So the next day John was getting better thank God & recovered ahead & now as well as ever and growing wonderfully since. From the 8th to the 12th of June we were very uneasy about the sailing on account of a great wind as we thought was ahead. My Mother could not rest those nights. We see now that ye were in the gulf. Again we felt very uneasy on receipt of 2nd paper from you, you said hardly anything in it & we were thinking ye were sorry for going. We were also in doubt where ye were til we rec's a paper from Sarah about William Dukes' death for which we were very sorry.
We then knew ye were well off where ye were. in Aunt Sallies. My Mother was heartily thankful then. The first Sunday after ye Setting Sail Mr. Hamilton appointed me clerk in Church place of Bartley but the Dean opposed him & kept in Bartley. Mr H would give a thief s penny worth of him. Our Sunday School is doing well. We have an Adult class in Church on Sunday morn. Mr. H. has a young heir and he is doing well. I spent a pleasant night after receiving your letter with him & Lady. Both were thankful to hear from ye. He has no day school as yet. Our crops are middling good. 4 stacks of oats & 1 of wheat. The wheat was good and our crop of turnips is very good. Our potatoes are better than we expected. We commenced digging them as early as the 15th of July. They were then very good. We expect when collected to have about 5 barrels of eating potatoes. The foal is doing very well and we expect to exchange him soon. We kept the cows all the year but sold all other stock, 1 year old heifer calf. Rich Phillips got a letter from William. Mr Cooper did not speak of any rent of your farm. We did not pay the rent called in September nor any in Town except Clarke. They were all noticed to quit, we as well. We expect to sell one of the cows soon to pay rent, in that country there is no such work. Let us know in your next how soon you think we may be going out. All is well if my Mother be able then but as for that who can promise themselves any time, but it is very encouraging to us all that my Mother was not well from her stomach she says these 17 years past. but she is very subject to headaches. She thinks Jasper's medicine is doing very well with her. Jack Benson returned from America. He is no in Sligo, he and wife and father-in-law. John Golan wrote twice home to Clonacurrow from that country. He says they were almost wrecked by floating ice coming down. John Walker is married to Betty Black & doing very badly & Eliza , his sister married. Rebecca Connor teaching for Mr Armstong. I cannot say what salary. John Morrison struck his sister that was married to Hugh Lougheed with tongs and broke her scull. The Doctor says she will not recover. All other friends are well & remain as they were when ye were here. Pat Dolden says he will go to America. I slept in Richard Phibbs' on Sunday night last. They are still grieved. Mr. Phibba is very much discouraged in going. They think waiting til they take off another crop. They expect we might be going and he told me he would post a letter this day. The Dukes are very grieved particularly the Mother John would like to know if Sarah has his little Book. We are surprised you said nothing about Fanny at all. Let me know if your crops are heavy & how heavy. I wrote to Mr Potter when I got your Letter & to Mr. Frazier. Both requested me to do so a long time ago. Clonacurrow people are all well. I was in it yesterday. Let us know what is Sarah's employment in the Doctors. My Mother sends her sincere and hearty thanks to her Sister Sally for her great kindness to us. She expects to express her thanks face to face at the request of ye one day. Since we all had that pleasure which Christian Brethren feel on their fellowship with each other. but now though absent in body yet present with each other & the Lord we hope that each of ye not forget the goodness of God both in his providence & Grace towards ye & also towards us and that he may prolong his many mercies til we see each other face to face. My Mother can eat the potatoes this year every day to dinner & sleeps well at night & she does not forget your last words, nor will she til she sees ye again. My Father expects to be footing the stools in that place yet. We sent ye 3 papers. We sent on to Toronto in care of Aunt Fanny thinking we were there. First let me know if ye got them. My Mother often says she misses you, Jasper.
Rich Golden
At this point the writer resorts to writing across the pages to get more limited space.
We send our best respects to Aunt Sally, Sarah & Anthony, William and his wife & family. I hope my Aunt will stand my place. I answered for Anthony but it is impossible for me to answer hor him in America. Margaret Golden says Sarah promised to send some account to her. We did not laugh so much at any time since we went then soon reading the enclosure of the Girls; ye will laugh too. The next Letter we will be expecting an account of Aunt Fanny. Ned Jenkins was happy to hear from his friend. My Mother is uneasy about Aunt Fanny as ye said not one word about her. William West, George's son , sent home 3 newspapers unopened til we read them. The ink you had in Kingston was far better than any since e could read par of them. Some of them we could hardly read. Anyway as soon as you get a Situation let us know. We would be tter pleased if you could get a Clerkship than a School. John Brett did not speak about any money. Since our rates are stuck at 3 pence your papers comfort us very much. All friends and neighbours are thankful for your account of America. There is a female Teacher wanting in Balisodare. Frissle is falling into decline. I wish I could send you one of Connel Track, the School Master that wa in Mr. Hamilton when you were hers is a Bible reader in Ballinasloe. We are still in good health & hope this will find ye in the same. We have nothing more in particular to say, so I must conclude in saying we are happy for ye going , for so far. We all send our Love to ye & the above people which we hold most Dear to heart.
From your affectionate Parents, Sisters and Brother
Rich Golden
My Mother would like to let ye know the Tobacco is rising and let us know the reason thereof.
RG
Send us more account of the Country in your next Letter
I remain yours Rich Golden
This letter was transcribed by Roy McLean and is currently in the possession of Linda McLean