Letters to Jacob and Mary Mitchell from Andrew and Catherine Fergusson (nee Mitchell)
Balkail, 22 November, 1865 Dear Father and Mother. I write you a few lines informing you that we are all enjoying good health and hoping this may find you all the same. We received Charles letter and we were happy to hear from it that you were all well.
We had two letters from New Zealand, one from Hugh and one from Mr. Runciman. Elizabeth has got another son but perhaps you got a letter at the same time. I thought I was middling clever but Mr. Runciman beats me. Both Elizabeth and her son is in good health. I would like well to see her now. I sent 3 likeness to them, one till each of them, and one to you and one to my mother. You will not think much of us. My eyes don't look well. We were going to get Mary and Jane taken too but the day were too dull and they could not sit still. They had too long to sit, but we will have them taken in summer if we are all spared and there will be another to the number if all goes well.
Mother, Cathrine would like if you could come through to see us after the New Year and I would like to see you as well. If you don't come I will not give you any honey. I have a little drop for you when you come. My William is not home yet. He will not come. They have got him the hi'land kilt and they say he looks well in them.
Tell Charles we were disappointed when he did not come. I was up at the station every night the boat sailed to Stranraer till last week thinking he would come with her. There was a woman who we are very intimate with. She is come to Hamilton to serve with one Doctor Nasmith. She said she would give you a call. Her name is Elizabeth Weir, Dear father, and I have nothing more to say at present. Hoping to hear from you soon. We join with kind love to you all. Your affectionate son and daughter, Andrew & Cathrine Fergusson. Don't be long till you write. How far is Larkhall from Hamilton? Charles, you must come at the New Year.
Balkail, 25 December, 1865 Dear Father and Mother, I write a few lines letting you know that we are all well, only little Jane, she has got her arm very badly burnt with boiling tea from a little above the wrist near to her shoulder round and round. Myself with a bowel complaint. But I am rather better with it now.
We had a letter from Hugh and Janet about they don't like New Zealand but you will see what they say. I am very sorry for them. I sent my mother a letter saying I would like to be off to New Zealand in another year but she sent me back word that I would be better in my own country for there was thousands that would give all ever they had to get back. So I think it's very like the truth. We hope this will find you all in good health. We remain your affectionate son and daugher, Andrew and Cathrine Fergusson.
Dunskey, 26 March 1868 Dear Father and Mother, I write you a few lines letting you know that we are all well except Cathrine. She has been complaining with her side this few days but I hope it will soon leave her. I hope this will find you all well. I hope mother you are keeping well. We have very coarse weather here at present and every person almost has the cold. We hope Jacob is better. It is a pity. But he was through here to stop a while it would be a better change of air than Glasgow for him. You should try and let him come, it might help him greatly.
Father, you will be rid of some of your horses now. Are you not coming through a trip. Have you much to do now. I have nothing new to write. We had little Janet at Church last sabbath getting her (named). And it rained very hard the whole day. But she has been nothing the worse of it. How is Charles getting on now. I will stop and go to bed. We join in sending you all our kind love. Hoping you will write soon and let us know how you are all. From your affectionate son and daughter, Andrew & Cathrine Fergusson. William and Mary is always at school. Good night. Write soon please.
Dunskey, 5 August, 1868 Dear Father and Mother. I write you a few lines to let you know how we are getting on, as Jacob is not so well. He is bothered with a pain in his side. He thinks he will come home if some of you would come through. I thought he was getting better till that pain commenced. I wrote to Charles saying he would like to be home.
Cathrine is sorry that she cannot come. Jane has been badly with a gathering below her chin. It's broken now and a great deal of stuff came from it. Little Alexander is very thin and he is not stout and I am so much tormented with Sir Edward and I am kept running on that it is impossible for me to try to come through and I am sorry now, dear father and mother, Jacob says some of you are to come as soon as you can.
Perhaps some of you will be come as may be (...) you receive this. You can bring Mary. Her uncle William wants to see her before he goes away. I think he is a little better since he came here. Now, I think I will stop and if it please god to make us all better in health. But his will must be done and we must submit. Now dear father and mother, I think I will stop with kind love to you all from your affectionate sons and daughter, Jacob, Andrew and Cathrine Ferguson. Thursday morning. The pain in Jacob side is no worse this morning. He has not rest very well through the night. It is so warm. Jacob received the 5 shillings all safe.
Dunskey, 9 August, 1868 Dear Father and Mother. I sit down to let you know I arrived safe here on Thursday night. Jacob is much about the same as he was this two or three days. There is little difference in him since he came. We are not sure what road we will come home yet. But we will see what we think best to do. Catrine and Family is well. William Ferguson is here I have little more to say. But remain your (two or three) sons and daughters.
Dunskey, 24 September, 1868 Dear Father and Mother, I write you a very few lines to let you know that we are but middling. We are bad with the cold. Cathrine has it very bad. We hope you are all keeping all well. We hope Jacob is no worse. We have been wearying very much to hear from you to know how Jacob is keeping. If you have not wrote be sure and write by return of post. If Cathrine is fit to come she will be on Tuesday night. Give Jacob our kind love and accept the same to yourselves. We hope Mary is well now. I will stop at this time. Hoping to hear from you soon. From your affectionate son and daughter , Andrew and Cathrine Ferguson. God bless you all. Good night to all.
Dunskey, 31 October,1869 Dear Father and Mother and Brothers. I now write you a few lines to let you know that we are all well. Alexander's foot is getting better. It is a fortnight since he got it. Charles, I wrote to Glasgow to you but I suppose you would not get it before you left. But I may say again how Alex got his sore foot. He fell off a corn chest and stand his foot. He has been confined to his bed for the last fortnight yesterday since he got it and he cannot put it to the ground yet. But it is better.
Mother, we are glad to see that you are better of your cold. We are glad to see that you like your new place. It will be more healthy than Glasgow although it is a wild country. I am going to Stranraer tomorrow against a patcher. I will get my likeness taken and send you one if it is a clear day and you will see how I am failed.
Cathrine is middling well at present but she is not long one way. Sometimes she is very useless. The rest of the children is all well. Jessie or Janet is a big lass now. She is the largest to her day of any of the rest yet. William and Mary is at the school but they are not the best of learners. Jane is not gone to school yet but she must go before long. Now, dear friends, we hope these few lines will find you all in good health. No more at this time. We remain your affectionate son and daughter, Brother and Sister. Andrew and Cathrine Ferguson. Write when you get this.
Dunskey, 16 March, 1871 Dear Father and Mother. I just write you a few lines to let you know that little Jacob and Jessie is very bad with hooping cough. Jacob has been bad about a month now and he is bad with his teeth. Like a teething (...) at the same time. And Jessie, I never saw any person taken so bad, coughs as if she is going. We have been think long to hear from you and I am going to (drop) you but afterwards. Dear mother, the time is nearly expired that you spoke of coming through. We got your letter on the 18 of February. We hope this will find you all in good health. The rest of us are middling well but bothered with the cold. I will say no more at this time. Hoping to hear from you soon. From your affectionate son and daughter, Andrew and Cathrine Fergusson.
Dunskey, 8 May, 1871 Dear Father and Mother, I again write you a few lines to let you know that we are all wonderful well. But Jacob, he is still not very well. He is very fretful. He was wonderful well till about the middle of last week. He still takes very bad coughs yet. Jessie is a great deal better. She still coughs yet but not so bad. Mary is threatened with the mumps. The rest of us are all well.
We are very sorry to hear about Brother George. We are very sorry about him. But we hope it will not be so bad with him. We are always apt to think the worst of anything. But we hope he will soon get better. Dear Father and Mother and Brother, we hope you are all still in good health. We have very coarse weather since you left. This few days has been very warm. We hear no word of our new master coming yet.
Dear mother, we have all our (potatoes) set about a fortnight ago. The garden and the green back of the garden and two bushels in the field. I think we will have nearly 10 bushels in this year. You will have yours in long ago. Dear Mother, the eggs you brought, two of them came out and the hen crushed one and there are but one alive. 10 with the hen altogether.
Charles has not wrote us since you went away. Is William with Charles or at home? Now I think I have little more to say at this time. We hope to hear from you soon. We hope this will find you all in good health. From your affectionate son and daughter, Andrew & Cathrine Fergusson. We have not get any word from George since I wrote him. Write us before long and let us know how he is getting on. Our kind love to all.
Dunskey, Port Patrick, 13 May, 1871 Telegram addressed to Charles Mitchell, Flesher, Douglas, Lanark. Jacob died today. Funeral Tuesday. Andrew Ferguson.
Dunskey, 15 May, 1871 My Dear father and Mother, I telegraphed to Charles on Saturday concerning Jacob's death but could not send any particulars. He took measles and the two, whooping-cough and measles, soon ended his wee time here upon this earth. The measles could not be kept out in him.
Jessie is very poorly with the same. We had very little hope of her until this morning. The measles kept out on her and thank god she is a little better. And William I hope has them past. He is up.
I have been bad with a severe pain in my breast since Saturday morning. They had to telegraph to Stranraer for a doctor. He came to bleed me and this morning I am able to sit up in bed and scribble a few lines, and tomorrow I hope I may be able to convey my dear boy to Portpatrick and lay him beside his grandfather. Your affectionate son and daugher, Andrew & Cathrine Ferguson.
Undated I forgot to say my son was laid in his grave without one belonging him. Dear Mother, his age he would have been a year old on the first day of June. He was 11 months and 13 days old. He was but a short time with us. This is Wednesday morning and Jessie is continuing better. We hope you are all in good health. My dear Cathrine has a sore want from her arms at night and when she sees any of his little clothes it puts her in a sore state. I will stop. Hoping to hear from you soon.
Dunskey, 7 July, 1871 Dear Father and Mother, I write you a few lines to let you know we received your letter and was glad to see that you were all well. We are all in good health but myself. I am not making much better. I should have wrote you before this time but I thought to have been stronger before I wrote you. Cathrine is very useless for two three days. She is got nearly strong again. The children is all in good health. We have very stormy weather at present with a good deal of rain.
Dear Father and Mother, we hope this may find you all still in good health for health is of great solace. We are liable to troubles and disappointments in this sinful world but God is always good to them that puts their trust in him. We can do little of ourselves.
Dear Brother William, we hope you are well. I suppose you are at school yet. But mother did not mention nothing about you nor Charles, if he is at home or not. We hope to hear from you soon again. I will stop with kind love to you all. From your affectionate son and daughter, brother and sister. Andrew and Cathrine Ferguson. I am very ill off when I sit down to write with my brest. May god bless you all.
Dunskey, 15 July, 1872 Dear Father and Mother and Brother, I again write you a few lines to let you know we received your letter and we are happy to see that you are all well. Dear Mother, we are glad to see that you are got better. We hope you will continue. I know what it is to want the housekeeper. I am sure father would miss you when you were not able to walk about.
I am happy to inform you that Cathrine is a little better and able to be up and do a little, but still very weak. She has been confined to bed nearly a fortnight. She has (...) Elizabeth and giving her the bottle and she is very good and likes it well. And that is the first thing that will let Cathrine gather some strength. The doctor ordered it to be done and I think in a short time she will gather more strength with God's help.
We are glad to see that John and wife and family are in good health. They will be very much struck when they hear of George's death. I see they have not got word when he wrote their letter. Cathrine is very much amazed to think that he has only one sister in this country and never to mention her name in his letter. I am to tell you he has long promised to send his father and mother something. He should send it at once and not promise it so long. I will stop. Hoping to hear from you soon. We all join in sending our kind love to you all. Your affectionate son and daughter, brother and sister. Andrew & Cathrine Ferguson. Write soon. We will send John's letter next time.
Dunskey, 9th July (no year) Dear Father and Mother and Brother, I write you a few lines letting you know that we are all well. We received your letter and we were sorry to see that your were so bad with the pain in your side. We hope dear mother you are better by this time.
Dear mother, we would gladly send either Mary or Jane to help you. We would have no fear of them with you, but I don't approve of sending children to their grandmother for it makes them have no regard for their parents. You see, we sent William to England and it was but for a short time and it spoiled him. Some of us would be happy to come through to see you all but there is no getting away and it is a long road.
Jane is carrying the letters to Dunskey and takes them milk in the morning. She (gets) 3 Pounds a year, and she gets 6 and 8 shillings from the gardner and coatchman. William is herding crows at present. He was 3 weeks with a friend of the generals running about with the poney and carriage, and there is no school at present. It is (....) Jane can attend school altho she carries the letters. Alex, Jessie and Elizabeth are all well and ranging about home and Andrew George is thriving very well but he is very bad in getting his teeth. He has just 4 yet. He is beginning to walk.
We have had very wet weather. I have been kept very busy rearing pheasants and running after one thing and another and Catherine is middling well. Sometimes she is bothered with the pain in her side yet. Dear Brother, we would be very proud to see you and I hope you will come. Write soon and let us know how mother is. Your loving son and daughter, brother and sister, Andrew & Cathrine Ferguson.
Dunskey 25 February, 1877 Dear Father, Mother, Brother and Jane. I write a few lines informing you that we are wonderful well. We hope you are all well. I am happy to inform you that Cathrine has got another brave son last night about 9 o'clock Saturday night, and they are both doing well. Andrew is very fond of it. It is a very bonny little fellow. Jane would you like to see your Brother that you never saw before?
We are happy to see that you are getting better, dear Mother, and are able to go about a little. But be very careful of yourself. Jane, we are glad to see that your grandmother has been able to go and buy you a new dress. I think she is very good to you. You ought to be good to her.
Dear Brother, we are sorry to see that you have not got a place yet. We have had very cold stormy weather here. I have got little to say at this time. Hoping to hear form you soon again. We remain your loving son and daughter, brother and sister, father and mother. A. & C. Ferguson.
Monday morning: I write you a few lines to let you know how mother is. She is keeping middling well. Dear Jane, it is a nice little baby. Wee Andrew will call him nothing but (Sam) and he will let nobody see it for he is afraid they will take it away. Andrew slept with me last night and never said a word. He says if anybody takes the baby that papa will lick them. That is all that I have to say at present. Till the next time. Your affectionate sister, Mary Fergusson.
Dunskey 8 August, 1882 Dear Father and Mother, I write you a few lines to let you know we are all well. We received your letter and was sorry to see, dear mother, you were not very well. But we hope you are got quite well now.
We are really very sorry for poor Charles. I wonder where he will be. We would like to know. His wife deceived us very much. We thought when she was through here that she was a very nice woman and would make a good wife. I think Charles has been very simple with her. I am very glad I got a good wife altho she was young when I got her. If I had searched Scotland over I could not have got better and I am not whitewashing a bit when I am saying this for we have lived happy together.
Dear father and mother, we have sent back the letter. It is a very nice letter indeed. Poor man, he will miss his poor wife in his family. Our hard work commences on Saturday first and (.....) for another season if god spares us all. We will have many a (....) to walk. Dear Mother, do you know where Charles is? I will fill up no more of this sheet. I want to send you my likeness, Jessie, Elizabeth and myself. Please send us word what you think of me now. We all join in sending our kind love. From your son and daughter, Andrew & Cathrine Ferguson.
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1999-01-10