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This is another of the letters found in the bog in Ireland pre-1960. NEWS: Andrew Bradford McCULLAGH has died; his wife Margaret (JACKSON) McCULLAGH & her sister Mary GRIFFIN have gone to Armagh for probate; TJ's son Russell has been ill; mention of McCABE family - likely hired hands at Urker; two of TJ's daughters - Kathleen & Amy - are visiting "David" (likely COULTER) at Warrenpoint (who has recently returned from somewhere); Eliza reiterates her instructions for Urker after her demise; recommends Thomas REED for employment with HSBC (he has been at school in Drogheda); Eliza wishes Julius were at school at Coleraine; Sir Ewen CAMERON sent a brace of grouse.
Sharon Oddie Brown. October 24, 2006
Updated March 26, 2010

 

Urker Aug 23 1897

[Answd 29 Sept]

 

My dear Tom,

 

By this time you have heard of Andy McCullagh’s [1] death. I am sure that the mourning envelope startled you; probably you thought old Mother was gone home; but she is here yet; and in good health, thanks be to God. Very deaf and very infirm, but healthy & happy; no sorrow but those of other people. Andy made a will & left Peggy [2] sole manager of all he was worth. She and Mary [3] are gone to Armagh today to do what is required in the prerogative courts.

 

            Happy & thankful we all are that dear little Russell has been spared to you; and I think you need not be anxious about Amy; she seems to be & says she is quite well; but not yet come to her usual strength.

 

            Our good servant has also recovered and is back with us. Poor [O?ay] McCabe’s [4] son was hopeless from the first; but we did not let him want any comfort & gave him a decent burial when he died. Kate McCabe [5] is not worse than usual; she is never very strong or [?ly]; but she has been able to work a good deal here lately. Kathleen [6] & Amy [7] are away at present with Uncle David at Warrenpoint [8] . He likes to have the young people about him & has always some of them with him. He looks much better than he did when he came home.

 

            Your noble consignment of tea arrived safely yesterday; many man thanks to you for it. I have distributed some of it already. As you may see I cannot write as I used to do & I would not have attempted it today but to thank you for the tea and to mention two other things which have been on my mind. One is to tell you to send no more money after I am gone. This place is bequeathed to David [9] and it is he, & not you, that should bear the expenses of it. The other case is about Tom Reed [10] who has grown up a very nice boy. I have kept him for the last two years at school. One a good school in Monaghan the other the [Grammar?] School of Drogheda. He got a very high character from both schools. I would be heartily glad that he was in your Bank; but I fear he is too young yet; he was only 17 on his last birthday. His Mother intends to keep him at home this coming winter; she would be very lonely otherwise. And I wish your Julius [11] was at school at Coleraine [12] . Thompson Brown [13] never did any good till he was sent there.

 

            Mr Cameron [14] sent me a brace of grouse from Scotland. Was it not very kind of him to think of me? Ten thousand times ten thousand blessings & loves to you and yours from your old Mother E. Jackson

 



[1] Andrew Bradford McCULLAGH (d. 21 July 1897). I don’t yet have his birth date.  He was the second husband of Margaret JACKSON – sister of Sir Thomas JACKSON

[2] “Peggy” Margaret JACKSON

[3] Mary (JACKSON) MENARY) GRIFFIN – sister of Sir Thomas JACKSON.

[4] ? McCABE  - See also the letter of March 11, 1896 for info on John McCABE & Biddy McCABE

[5] Kate McCABE – See footnote above.

[6] Kathleen McCullagh JACKSON (1872-1959) daughter of Sir Thomas JACKSON & Amelia Lydia DARE.

[7] Amy Oliver JACKSON (1874-1962), daughter of Sir Thomas JACKSON & Amelia Lydia DARE.

[8] David COULTER? There was a John COULTER at Warrenpoint - http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~rosdavies/SURNAMES/C/CosCoy.htm

[9] David JACKSON, youngest surviving brother of Sir Thomas JACKSON

[10] Thomas Jackson REED (1880-1956), son of Robert Hamilton REED & Margaret JACKSON – sister of Sir Thomas JACKSON. He was active in the Cahans Congregation of the Presbyterian Church in 1950. I see no evidence (yet) that he ended up working for HSBC. In the 1911 Census, he was a farmer living at Slieveroe.

[11] George Julius JACKSON, son of Amelia Lydia DARE & Sir Thomas JACKSON

[12] Coleraine Academical Institution or Coleraine Institute is an all boys grammar school in Coleraine, Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It was founded in 1860 and is still on its original site which is just off Castlerock Road.

[13] Thompson BROWN, son of Thompson BROWN & Elizabeth JACKSON – sister of Sir Thomas JACKSON

[14] Likely Sir Ewen CAMERON (1841-?) of HSBC (1867-1905); son of William CAMERON of Muckopie Inverness-shire.

 

 

 

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