Live Greetings from Sanquhar!

We visited Scotland in August as a family, and spent five days in Sanquhar (my first time there). It's a fine burgh, with beautiful surrounding countryside. Here we are at the Bogg, where Marion Brown lived (photograph by Iain Hutchison, who kindly gave us the complete Marion Brown Tour on a rainy chilly day):
There's a mailbox near one of Marion Brown's in-town addresses that still has "VR" on it--for "Victoria Regina"--so it's been in use since Marion's lifetime. Seemed only right that I should also send something to my American kin from that box. (I made a set of Marion Brown postcards before we left, in preparation for this.)

We saw Marion Brown's tombstone (shared with Tam Scott and his wife), and Aunt Agnes's tombstone (in the most forlorn cemetery ever--outside the town of Wanlockhead, nowhere near a church, haunted by many sheep), and several others' as well. We were also in Sanquhar for the 100th Riding of the Marches--a grand parade and field day, with great bands.

Tower Cottages, 12 February 1874

A newsy letter, punctuated with some rather shocking news. An acquaintance in the neighborhood has murdered her newborn. This story is mentioned almost in passing, as it relates to the troubles of Mr. Kennedy their old landlord. Marion fully expects to go to America here, or so it sounds--she's making plans with James to carry some things across. Tam is working again, but not strong and prone to "thinking fits" and low spirits.

Tower Cottages
Feburary 12th 1874

My Dear Friend

I received your very welcome letter in due time and was glad to see from it that you was all well when you wrote. I hope you have got a letter from me before this reaches you at least you ought to have got one and uncle John to. we are all in moderate health in the meantime with the execption of having the cold we have all had a turn of it but is on the way of getting better. Tam is working in a quarry close at the house when he is able but he is never so strong as he was he has never got over the turn up he had in summer he takes thinking fits and gets low spirited over it all that can be said to him you say that if I come out in spring you want me to bring you out some things I will only be to happy to do so and if Aunt would only concent to take the road I could be quite pleased for it has been my desire for a long time to be in America the only thing I would not like to leave Aunt. but we will see what turns up in a month or two.

the way Aunt left the Bogg I was very sorry for her but Mr. Kennedy has got more matters to talk about as what he said to Aunt you will remember Katty Hunter at the Bridge that you and me when to see well she has had a child since we left and has murdered it so he can take a look at that for a change but just to tell the truth Aunt is better away from the Bogg as to stop and him always grumbling about our some thing else.

you must give Marion my kind love and say she must excuse me for being so long in writting to her for I have been away nursing since I got her last letter uncle William has got another addition to his family both Mother and daughter was doing well when I left uncle is working in the woods just now. now James I think I must draw to a close give my kind regards to all that asks for me and the same to yourself from your affectionate Friend
Marion Brown
Tower Cottages by Sanquhar
Dumfriesshire
Scotland

PS Be sure and write soon I weary more here as I did at the Bogg M. B

Tower Cottages, 11 January 1874

The change Marion Brown has feared is her new reality as this letter posts. The Brown/Scott household is no longer living at the Bogg, but closer in to town at Tower Cottages. Tam Scott, still recovering from his illness (probably tuberculosis), is working in a wet quarry and feeling the effects. Aunt is considering emigration to America--where she might live near her brothers and their families--and Marion Brown is hopeful. Marion wants to go to America, but won't leave Aunt behind. Meanwhile, Marion's grandmother has passed away at Carronbridge, and she traveled to be with her family there for a week. The new year passed with little notice in their new home.

Tower Cottages
January 11th 1874

My Dear Friend

I know you will be thinking me long in writting to you but when you know all the ups and downs I have had you will forgive me I hope this will find you in good health and I am glad to be able to say that we are all in moderate health in the meantime altho we all feel a great change to what we was used to at the Bogg. Aunt has been very bad with a sore back this some time for a week she was not able to cross the floar but she is rather better this two days past. sometimes she thinks she will go to America and then she thinks she cannot go. Tam is working in a quarry close at the house but he is not agreeing very well with it for he gets himself wet often and he does not do to be wet since he was ill. I would like very well if Aunt would make up her mind to go to America for I would like to so well to be there but the only thing is I would not like to leave her poor body she is so much off her way that some times she is quite stupid and if I was to leave her she has nobody but I would like so well if she would go give Marion my kind love and say that I am going to write to her some of these days. We had a very quite new year we scarcly knew the difference. I think I have little more worth writting at this time and you must not take my example but write soon and let me know how you are getting on my grandmother died after the term and I was away at Carronbridge for more than a week now I must stop and with kind love to you in which Aunt joins I remain your very affectionate friend
Marion Brown
Tower Cottages
By Sanquhar
Dumfriesshire
Scotland

PS be sure and write soon M. B.

July 2: Happy Birthday, Marion Brown!

Marion Brown was born on this date in 1843. Her correspondent Marion Glencross Bryden had a daughter Helen on July 2; and Helen Bryden Marsh's great-grand-son Chris (my cousin) was also born on July 2. So it's the family birthday.

July 2 also marks the second anniversary of the Letters from Sanquhar blog, because I started it on Marion Brown's 165th birthday. So happy two years. Got plenty of letters to cover several more years, at the rate I'm going.

Bogg, 9 October 1873

This is the last surviving letter dated in 1873. Health problems still dominate the news from Sanquhar: Tam Scott is still down with the illness he contracted in Dumfries Jail; his mother Aunt Agnes is aging and her family wants her to give up "the cows" and take it easy. James Bryden has offered to pay Marion's expenses if she wants to travel to America, and she thanks him for the offer, but says she cannot leave just yet, with the household in such low times. Still, Marion imagines dancing in her uncle John's "fine house" in Pennsylvania. (Marion Brown doesn't mention her own health, but it must have been somewhat improved for her to be away from the Bogg visiting her own grandmother.)

The Bogg
October 9th 1873

My Dear Friend

It is with much pleasure I write to you to let you know that I received your letter in due time. Altho it was a day or two after it came here before I got it as I happened to be away seeing my grand mother when it came however I am here at last and I hope this will find you in moderate health but I am sorry to tell you that Tom has not been well for the last six weeks and is not much better yet but you will get full particulars about him from Marion as I wrote to her last week. all the rest of us is about our useal way Aunt is just going on her old way but has not been so strong this summer but to tell you the truth she has two much to do if she would only give up the cows but she will not consent to do that.

I am very much obliged to you for your kind offer to think that you are so kind as say that you will send me money when ever I like to take me across but I cannot send you word this time when I may come for as Tom is not like to be strong I dont know how things may turn up if he does not get better soon and altho he was better I know he will never have a day's pleasure after what has happened. for he cannot get above it.

but perhaps I will can tell you next time I write to you I have got a letter from my Brother in law since I began to write telling me that my sister Sarah [h]as a son and you can let Marion and uncle John & Joseph know. I think I have not much more worth writting I am glad to hear that uncle John has got such a fine house if ever I am spared to come to americe I will dance a good jig in some of the rooms now I must conclude

give Marion my kind love and execpt of the same to yourself and dont be long in writting for we are always proud to see your letters I remain your loving friend
Marion Brown

Bogg, 6 October 1873

More bad news: Cousin Tam Scott, the only man in the household, recently released from Dumfries jail, is now quite ill with lung and heart troubles (sounds like tuberculosis). He "spits a great deal of blood" and cannot work. There are lasting hard feelings related to his "tousel" of a Wilson girl, too, because his uncle Joseph is married to a Wilson. Marion, meanwhile, is experiencing speech impairment again, and taking "galvanic shooks" for them. (Soon after Marion describes her recent bout of speechlessness, she says of the family controversy with the Wilsons, "there is no use saying a word." S0 Marion Brown finds herself both literally and figuratively unable to speak effectively.)

But in America, the Glencrosses have a new house (probably an addition to the core building on Helen Street); Aunt imagines having a "crack" with emigrated friends over "auld lang syne affairs," and Marion dreams of dancing on the Glencross's new floors.

The Bogg
October 6th 1873

My Dear Cousin

I was very glad to see your letter for I always weary to hear from you and I hope this will find you and your father and all the rest of our friends well when it reaches you. I am sorry to have to tell you that Cousin Tom has not been well for the last six weeks and is not much better yet the Doctor says that his heart is bad and his left lung is infected and he spits a great deal of blood at times he takes very little meat and the doctor says he is to take every thing that is supporting and take care and not get himself wet and he has not to work any but the worst of it is he is not able to work any however I hope he may soon get a little better for Aunt thinks so much over him and no wonder for I may say he is her all.

We have got all our hay in but we have a great want this year they have been at the hill gathering bent every day that was dry but it has been very wet weather the whole summer through our potatoe crop is wonderful good but we have very few turnips. so I doubt the cows will not fare so well. Aunt has a good lot of swine this year there is seven that she is fattening and ten little pigs to sell.

now I think I have given you a pretty fair account of all the things about the bogg. You will have had a busy summer getting your hew house set in order but now when it is finished you will have plenty of room and I could like very well to be over to the house heating and I can tell you I would dance a good gig to help to dry the flower. I was five weeks that I could not speak but the doctor gave me Galvanic shooks that has done me good and I hope I may keep well now for I was feared when it came on this time for the last time I was bad I could not speak none for twenty three months however I ought to be very thankful that I am a little better.

I dont know what Rob Wilson would mean to send word to Marion to come home again but she is never content where ever she is and uncle Joseph will be the more of a fool if ever he comes home with her for he was just kept in misery with her here and I suppose it will be much the same with her in America. However quiteness is best and there is no use saying a word.

Aunt sends her kind love to your Father and your self and wishes you both good health to enjoy your new house and the first time you see Mrs. Law you are to give her Aunts kind compliments and say she would like very much to have a crack with her over auld lang syne affairs now I hope you will not be long in writting after you get this letter and let us know how you are all getting on and with kind to you and your Father I remain your loving Cousin
Marion Brown

PS. give James Bryden and all other friends my kind love M. B.

Bogg, 21 August 1873

This letter is to James Bryden, still not quite married to Marion Glencross. More on the aftermath of Tam Scott's jail time--"a queer time about the Bogg." Tam is still not well, and "I think Aunt will never get over it." Marion cites the "ado" as her reason for not writing in a while. Are there many letters telling the family's story of a jailing? If not, this correspondence is rare in another dimension!

The reference to James Bryden having his back "painted" must be about a medical treatment--painted with a topical medication, I assume. Any idea what the phrase "he never liked the dodders" means? I've looked in a few dialect dictionaries, and dodders has several given meanings, but none of them really fits this context.

The Bogg
August 21st 1873

My Dear Friend

You will be thinking me long in writting but you will likely have heard the great ado that has been about Tom and if you have you will think I was not in very good trim for writting for I can tell you it was a queer time about the Bogg when Tom was away at the Jail but Tom was like you he never liked the dodders and I am sure he will think less of them now as ever he did and no wonder for it was such an ado to make about nothing I think Aunt will never get over it and for Tom he cannot think to see a person. you may tell Marion from me that John Hunter was not such a great man about the bogg as he talks about but it is best just to hear them and never speek

My Dear Friend I must say that I am very much obliged to you for your kind offer and I have no doubht but I will execpt of it if spared and well till the spring but it is getting to far in the season now for me to set out but I will change my mind greatly or some thing come in my way that I dont know of if I don't come out in the spring but you need not say anything about it to make a great talk so long before the time and if you and Marion waits till then I may have a dance at your wedding and tell Marion that she is to write me a long letter and tell me all about her new house Aunt sends her kind love to you and wishes you had been here to cheer her up since Tom was away Anthony sends his kind love to you but he has not been well but is on the way of recovering I hope your back is got quite better now I know what your back would be like when they were painting it we are busy with the hay but it has been very bad weather for it and Tom is wearing to get it past now I must come to a close hopping this will find you well and all the rest of our friends well and be sure and write soon and execpt of kind love to you and all friends from your loving friend Marion Brown
Ps be sure and write soon