26 January 1880: William Riddell to his sister, Isabella Riddell Wood

Transcribed Letter:

Wellgreen 26^th January 1880

My Dear Sister,

I received your letter of 16^th Agust 79/ all right and was glad to see you were all well once more, as you say the time is uncertain, it will not be long that we will have the priviledge of writing to one another in this world, but I hope we are all Trusting in Jessus Christ, so that when our latter End does come we may all meet in a Better world, and meet with those who are gone Before, to Dwell for ever with he Lord, this is a world of sin and Sorrow and triles, but if we reach the Heavenly land, it will be all Peace, Love and Joy, O Lord Jesus Christ, Do thou receive us all to Glory, when time here shall be with us no more.

I had a letter from my Son William, latly, saying Friends in Illinoise were all well, with the exception of Brother Roberts Son, who is in rather Delicate health, I also had one from Allegheny about the same time as yours, they were all well at that time, I will post one to the with the same mail as this, you seen to have had a very warm and dry summer last Season, and in Illinoise something of the same, But with us it was very different, we had a very wet summer with little sunshine, in consequence we had a late harvest and green corn, but plenty of fodder. We got it gathered Inn faverably after all, we have a heavy stock of cattle just now 29 cows young and old with 5 horses young and old, their never was so many on the ground in no mans day but we buy a dale of feeding for them,.

Your old aquaintaince David Mitchel died on 28^th May last, also Mrs Hugh Ballington died about two months since, James Shearer is till living but not able to do anything, John and William Hunters are both living. I saw William a fue days since, he was asking very kindly for you all, my Daughter Mrs Gilchrist had another little girl about two weeks after hir daughter Isabella was taken away from hir, God giveth and he taketh away and Blessed Everer Blessed be his Holy name, she calls this one Elisebeth.  Mrs. Semple of Burn had a little girl five weeks since, another Eliwsebth, she has two girls, John has five, two sons and three girls, son James in Siskey has one son and two girls, my youngest son Thomas is in Killmarnock he is a pattern maker, I have only Robert and Isabella at home with me now and so long as they stay with me we do well enough, they are very kind to me, but if they were leaving before my end, I will go into other quarters, we have one servant girl, my son John and Us works altogether, we have had a very calm winter with a dal of frost, its hard frost just now, we had a very severe strom at the new year, adale of damage done and loss of live. Their was a railway Bridge two milles long over the tay, a train running alongst it just when the storm was at its hight the Bridge gave way and the train with its living fright tumbled over and not one was saved, about one hundred beings in it, what a catastrphy, it was on 28^th December being Sunday Night, I will have to conclude by saying Friends here are all in good health, Hoping this will find you all Engoying the same great Blessing, I will be glad to hear from you again.

From your Affectionate Brother

William Riddell

Along with this I send these two cards Mrs Riddells and My own.

WR