I will therefore do honour to your age and let not your gray hairs be treated with
irreverence. I will not forget My helpless infancy nor the forwardness of my youth
I
will indulge in the infirmities of my ages Parents I will assist and supply them in the
decline of life SO shall your hoary heads go down to the grave in peace, SO shall
my
children if ever I be blessed with any in reverance to my own example repay my my
[sic] piety with filiel love.
Now if you are in want of anything do me the favour to ask it I will not say to my
brohters and sister, we are the children of one father provided for by his care, and
the breast of one mother has given us suck Let the bonds of affection, therefore, unite
as brothers and as sisters that peace and happiness may dwell in your fathers house. and
as we are separated in this world, remember the relation that bindeth us to love and unity
and prefer not a stranger before thine own blood, for if my brother is in adversity I would
assist him and if my sister was in trouble forsake her would I not. So shall the fortunes of
they father contribute to his whole race, and his care be continiued to you all, in your love
to each other
I will now leave you all with my blessing on this page and make a few substamintal²
remark on the []³ to my brother James Dear Brother consider now taht thou who art a
parent the importance of thy trust, the beaing thou hast produced it is thy duty to support,
and by what means I cannot comprehend, upon theee also it dependeth whether the
child of they boasom shall be a blessing or a curse to thyself, an useful or a worthless
member to the community,
Prepare him early with instructions and season his mind
with the maxims of truth Watch the bent of his inclinations set him right in his
Robert Smyth, Philadelphia, to his family, Moycraig, County Antrim, 25 March 1844
Description
Smyth apologises for not writing earlier and assures them he will not forget them and does not intend to marry in this country but instead hopes to wed "a sweet flower that has grown on the Carculloug[h] hills". He promises his brother James to continue to keep his purse open for him and will bring him out once more [to America] if his wife agrees, in consideration of enmity from her family for "acting a manly part in the case of your marr[i]age". Smyth then relates his weeks-long journey from Philadelphia to to the "western country" on behalf of his uncle business, over the "alleygency mountains" with his partner Mr Martin — who had once been in smuggling partnership with Smyth's uncle Jonathan. After settling his uncle's business, Smyth purchased 100 cattle in the "western reserve" and drove them home on horseback, averaging thirty miles a day and passing "45 other droves", even as he stated that "road droving" was very dangerous "though respectable". Smyth notes there are no fairs, like in Ireland and instead cattle are sold by riding "amongst the farmers and purchase them and appoint a place to muster your drove". After recounting a "little occurance" with a wild hog, Smyth concludes that he must "make his fortune to match with W.R. [the flower of Carncullough] before I can hang my hat up here" or he will never return to Ireland.
Date
25/03/1844
Date Issued
27/03/2023
Resource Type
Text
Archival Record Id
p155/1/3/2
Publisher
University of Galway
Extent
7pp
Topic
Smith/ Smyth Letters
Geographic
Philadelphia (city),Philadelphia (county),Pennsylvania,United States,Moycraig Hamilton (townland) Antrim (county),Ireland
Temporal
Nineteenth century,Eighteen forties
Genre
Letter,Transcription
Note
Title and transcript provided by Professor Kerby Miller. This transcript includes handwritten corrections to transcript from PRONI, made with reference to original letters. Letter description provided by University of Galway. The names Smith and Smyth are used interchangeably in this series so both are quoted.
