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letter written, in 1851
The following is a transcript of a letter written, in 1851, by RichardGolden (Goulden) to his siblings who had immigrated to Essex County,Ontario, Canada, to purchase property for themselves and the rest of hisfamily, including parents before they immigrated in 1952. I am copying thisfrom a transcription which was printed in the Ottawa Branch of OntarioGenealogical Society in 1982. Since there are so many different names orfamily and friends, mentioned in the letter, I thought that with any lucksomeone out there might find a name of interest. I believe the originalletter, was in the possession of Grant Golden, of Essex County, Ontario.Unfortunately, Grant passes away recently.Richard refers to both Canada and the USA as "America"
Anything in the [ ] brackets are my notes. Hopeit isn't too long to gothrough.

Rathscanlon, May 19th 1851
My Dear brother and sisters.....
That cheering and encouraging letter which we were looking for arrivedon the 6th of May. I need not be describing the comfort it brought,particularly to my poor mother. [ANN BLACK GOLDEN]
She is in a middling state of health at present, thanks to Almighty Godfor that and all other Mercies to us unworthy creatures. & O, what aprivilege to hear from our most beloved friends who are always on our minds,almost taking the place of Him who requires our first and best thoughts. ButGod Almighty grant of His goodness for Christ's sake , for any anxiety orsuffering we not fall from Him with whom we have to do.
We were also happy to hear how well my Aunt Sarah [SARAH BLACK PETTYPIECE]and cousins [William, John, Anthony and Sarah [PETTYPIECE] are. May Godbless them for their kindness to you. You would be comfortless dear Jasper,only for them.We hope the Lord will prolong our lives another twelve monthsto see ye, also to thank our beloved Aunt and cousins for all their acts ofkindness. You have still to admire the goodness of God in supporting us onthe little means we have, as you and I often did.
Our stock is as good as when ye went. We sold the mare and foal atNovember and bought £/5.7.6 worth of hon. I have the most of that moneyearned in plowing. Mr. H., [probably referring to his Landlord, O'HARA],thesame kind man still. He got the Dean's plowing for me which came to 1.10.0.We joined Mrs. BEATTY of Rue. We bought an iron plow for £2.1.6, a very nicebut a light one. Let us know if you will encourage us to bring it with us,if so, we would keep it. We have only our potatoes set. We have some over.We have had a very late spring but this month is coming on very favorably.We have about an acre and a half planted and intend to plant 3 more ofturnips. We have half an acre of wheat sown. It did not make much progressyet. Have two acres of oats. It appears well. We had not enough grass of ourown. We bought Roger GOLDEN's grass for £4.0.0. You know there is a goodpiece of meadow on it which will draw half of that money.
Now I must let you know about the friends. Mr. HAMILTON and lady andbaby are all well and very happy to hear from ye. My Uncle Dick and hisfamily are well. John is still unmarried. Mrs. EERAUS house-keeps for him.Aunt Mary HENDERSON is well. She is in Sligo yet and all the family. Eccleswas home on a visit from the Army. They are gate-keeps of the old Abbey.
Mrs. POWELL and family are much the same way in health, but not the samerespect. Elicia got married to Robt. IRWIN about a half year ago and livesin the big house with Robert. Mr. FRAZER and family are well. Mrs. GOLDEN iswell. Mrs. FRIZZEL is well but Miss FRIZZEL gave up teaching on account ofbad health. She is not very bad now. Miss BLACK teaches in her place. Iwrote you about the death of Mr. POTTER. You never spoke about him so Idoubt if you got that paper. I also sent two papers written with ink. Ithink ye ought to have them before ye wrote. Benson is in Tubbercurrydealing as before. The reason of his return, I think no person knows. Ellenstopped in New York and the rest of them came back. All in this town. JohnMULLARKEY came home too and is in this town. He left the two eldest sons inAmerica. Tommy CONNOLY is home.
Margaret GOLDEN is married to James CARROLL. Both go to church. They areliving in Mathew GORE's house. Our cousins the BRETT's are well in America.George, their brother went at Christmas. He brought a wife with him by thename of Emily GUFF. I think ye know her (big George's sister). George gothurt on the vessel and he is in hospital in America. The girls sent theirmother home £5.00 They are well at home. The MORRISON's are all gone toAmerica. LOUGHEEDs except Jane that married Hugh LOUGHEED. Dick McGee'sfamily are all gone to America. Mrs. FERGUSON's widower Clifford is marriedto Miss O'CONNOR, James GOLDEN's sister-in-law. Miss FERGUSIN, RobertBLACK's sweetheart is also married to a young man near Ballymoli. BessieWEST has gone to America. She went with the MORRISON's. Miss WALLIS is gonealso. Pat GOLDEN is about going to America. There came no letter toCloonacurrow from America, but what Willis sent. We hear Rich. PHIBBS gotone lately. The old Uncle is well, at least he was well a month ago. I wasdown then. John BLACK, wife and child are well. Katherine FERGUSON's husbandand daughter are well and doing well. Henry CONNOR is well and all thefamily.
Mrs. ROGERS was teaching school in Chafpool and the priest opposed itand Mrs. ARMSTRONG gave it up. Her son is well. John MORRISON, Bob's sondied last Christmas. I was sorry for him. Old Jack POWELL is dead. He lefthis carriage and all to Pat COAN. Old Jack YOUNG in Ballisadare is married.Wm. GOLDEN, Mrs. GOLDEN's brother in Ballisadare came in to Tubbercurry andstopped half a year and then to Sligo to the poorhouse and two of hischildren are dead since he went. Jane WALKER of Carrane is gone to America.Wm. WEST (George's son) sent home £6.0.0 to his father. His sister Jane wentto America. Wm. WEST (Tom's son) is still in the Police. I sent you a paperthat he sent me.
The toothache pays me a visit betimes. My mother [Ann BLACK GOLDEN]hopes to see ye in America, God willing. My father [Richard Jasper GOLDEN]does be often thinking and planning how we will leave a row of trees behindthe house. Then he says from all the ground William has [William PETTYPIECE,who had immigrated the year before], if we have to go back farther in thebush, God help us. I hope Jasper [GOLDEN, his brother] will choose a goodfarm. It is very particular you ought to be in choosing a spot where weexpect to live on earth. Anthony and John [PETTYPIECE] will assist you inmaking a choice. We are very happy Sarah [GOLDEN, his sister] is in areligious family, and that she is content, and I hope she will see myfather's house surrounded by a good number of hens.
Let us know as soon as possible how Maria [GOLDEN his sister] issituated and if content. It is lawful now to write in a paper if a personpay one penny for stamping it anywhere through the British Settlements. Weexpect that you will not forget to send us papers at least every fortnightor sooner. I wonder at Cousin Sarah's [PETTYPIECE] patience in waiting toget married till we go over. [She shouldn't of waited, as she never didmarry!] I wonder how I forgot to mention and speak of John and family[PETTYPIECE] in our last letter but as I did I hope he will excuse me for Ioften prove awkward in many things. I hope my son Anthony[PETTYPIECE --referring to Godson, son of William PETTYPIIECE, who was onlya few days old when he sailed for Canada] is doing well and that William[PETTYPIECE] would bring him up in the fear of the Lord. I promised sincefor a son of Louis's a namesake of my own. I do not intend to promise forany other child in this country.
Our Sunday school is doing well. Henry CONNER still attends it. We dohave good congregations [this would most likely be St.George's Church ofIreland, in Tubbercurry]. We had on the 5th of May 105 people at Church.Dean HARE went to Waterford. He is replaced by a Lord MONTMORREY. I fear anexchange for the worse. Mr. O'BRIEN will get an atlas for you. Do notforget to remember us to William [PETTYPIECE] and his kind wife, John[PETTYPIECE] and family and also Thomas PETTYPIECE [? cousin of otherPettypiece's mentioned]. If the bush is a lonely place he must be verylonely. It is my mother's wish she was there, then her wish would befulfilled, but she says she will venture, at any rate, this year will be thelongest passed for many years. Winny would wish when you would be writing toAunt Fanny to inquire about his brother James' family. Do not forget to letus know in your next what requisites will be necessary to bring with us andif farming implements are cheap and easy to get.
Mother is still in doubt about my Aunt Fanny and would like if you wouldbe good enough to remove her doubts. Sarah GOLDEN] wished know if my motherfretted much. Not much now, it was mingled with joy ever since she heard ofye being at my Aunt's [Sarah BLACK PETTYPIECE]. She was wonderfully eased.Jasper's [GOLDEN] medicine proved good. She uses it still. I cannot saywhether any of the PHIBBS will go out or not. I saw none of them this longtime.
My mother thinks John lost all his good nature since he went to America.She says he was not so before he went. She hopes she will have nothing toanswer of the promise she made for him. So I must conclude. We sent our loveto you dear Jasper, Maria & Sarah and Aunt and Cousins. May the Lord blessye.
[signed] Richard GOLDEN.
PS: John is well. He sends his love to you and M & S.
Wm. REID is gone to America this season.

contributor:
Jan Livingstone
pettypiece@casco.net

letter written, in 1851

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