Literal Transcription (left half here, and right half below):
Dear Sons and Daughters we Recived your Letter just as I was gen to Send offe your Litters with a Nowspiper from Alexr Lownes from Tornento in Amirica which he Sent Last week and you will See in it what flurshing Stiet Camidea is in but we Cannot Splick about you goen out after a Nother Month you must Reman wher you are intell the Sprin of a nother year belive Me non of you is ibel to Stand the Siveraty of an American winter to be Set for down in the midest of it So if you can not get away at thes time don not move thes yet year and you Spick about about goen to orlens it is nonsince your Mony cannot dow and Andrew Can not give Mor then he prosmed Agnes Bumes her Father and Brother are both Ingencyers and thay are goen out to Camdeay to a Ralway that is begun it is to be 700 Mills long and you will See a Nother to go from Quebick out to the Antliok See Mr. Johnston and Son we think ould be very happay to have you for ther will be many Tunnel in that Line and you might get a good Bargen if you are willing to Ecicpet of it rett Rett and let us know and we ould let his Sisters know and thay ould Rett to hem he Lives at Liverpool and her what he Saes about it. So faer will o may The Lord be with us all Corrected Transcription (left half here, and right half below):
|
Literal Transcription (right half above and left half here): Charles St. Edinburgh 20 April 1852 Dear Daughter Jassae I recived Just now and we are hapay to her that you are all will I am Sorrow to think that you Should be So much put about and putten others about toou Robert Murray was in her on Saterday night he Says thay are mikang very lettel and he ould live ther on the pay Day Freday first and Toy Bathgate but keep that to your Self Jassae you with to if your lins are away thay are all Sint off on Saterday and what Jassae keep up your hart Andrew and Christon will dou to ther utmost of ther power to halp you all ways So faer will. We will Reman your Loving Father and Mother. James and Agnes Archibald Corrected Translation (right half above and left side here):
|
Historical Note: Daughter Agnes and her husband David Hamilton Kerr, along with James' daughter Jessie and her husband Robert Murray are preparing to emigrate to America. Their father and mother, James and Agnes Archibald, are elderly and ailing, and are living with their daughter Christian and her husband Andrew Smaill, who owns a grocer and mercantile store in Edinburgh. Andrew and Christian were sending supplies and money to Agnes and Jessie, to help them in their effort to emigrate (this was repaid I believe). James is not happy about their decision to take a ship to New Orleans. The "lines" Jessie wants her dad to send her are papers showing some legal state, such as marriage or baptism, or whatever. It is not known exactly which papers she was requesting. David and Agnes Kerr and Jessie and Robert Murray did emigrate, but were not able to get a ship until October 1852. They landed in New Orleans January 1, 1853. |