Tower Cottages, 16 April 1877

As I type in this letter, much of mid-Scotland is under hurricane conditions--so maybe it's appropriate that Marion Brown is writing about the weather--in her case, cold and snow. (The winter-spring of 1877 was "notably wet" in Scotland, according to weather historians.) The cold is affecting Aunt's rheumatism, and Tam's work schedule. Marion Brown, meanwhile, is confined to bed with sore eyes and a cold. She was recently, temporarily blind, and apologizes that she cannot write more. The doctor blames Marion Brown's sewing and knitting for straining her eyes. Aunt is wistful; she expects she will never get a chance to see John Bryden, the new son of James Bryden and Marion Glencross. (And as far as I can tell, she never did see him.)

Tower Cottages
April 16th 1877

My Dear Friends,

In answer to your last which I received in due time I write a few lines to let you know how we are getting on. Aunt has been wonderful in her health but very bad with rheumatisms in her legs and arms the weather is so cold that there is little wonder that we are not all bad with pains the snow is lying white on the hills around us today we may say that we have never had winter till the spring is nearly past only we hope the weather will soon take a change.

Tam is still working with masons when the weather will allow and has been in pretty good health this some time past now James I will not promise to write you a long letter this time for I have had very sore eyes for a week I was nearly blind and since my eyes turned a little better I have had a bad cold and has been confined to bed but I may be very thankful that I am on the way of getting better if I continue if it is Gods will. the doctor blames me looking so steady at my work for my eyes turning sore. be that as it may I must just submit to whatever God sees fit to lay upon me and be glad it is no worse. I hope this will find you all in good health when it reaches you. Aunt sends her kind love to you and she says she would like very well to see your son but she thinks that will likely never take place. you are to give Aunts kind love to all friends and execpt [sic] the same to you all every one from your affectionate Cousin Marion Brown

I hope you will not be long in writting for I cannot write more at this time M. B.

Tower Cottages, 8 January 1877

An eventful letter--or rather, a reply to an eventful letter. Marion Glencross and James Bryden have a new baby son, John Glencross Bryden, who would be called "Jake" in later life. Marion Brown is excited for her cousin, and offers half-jokingly to come help with him, saying that she's good with children, and that, if she can't walk around with him, at least she can sit in a corner and sing, as "bairns all like noise." (She will feel somewhat differently when she's sharing quarters with Tam's children, later in the correspondence.) Marion Brown mentions that her brother James has five children, the youngest named for her.

This letter also gives evidence that John Glencross has sent money ("kindness") for his sister's household; especially handy in the stormy depth of winter, when Aunt's rheumatism is worse, and Tam has been out of work for weeks. Marion acts as conduit for messages from Aunt and Tam in this letter ("Aunt bids me say that..."), and scolds more than once that the American cousins should write more often (though surely there might be some excuse for less-frequent writing, in a household with a newborn baby).

Tower Cottages
8 January 1877

Dear Cousin

I received your very welcome letter in due time and was very glad to see it for Aunt was wearing so much to hear from you. We are all very pleased to see from your letter that you are all well and that you have got such a fine little boy to nurse. Aunt says that she dreamed about uncle John holding a baby on his knee about the very time he would come among you and James if I was near you I would nurse some times for you for I am very fond of children and I am Aunt to all the children that know me.

The new year is begun very stormy with us while I am writting the window is just as if it was going to be blown in. I am very glad to be able to tell you that we are all wonderful in the meantime Aunt is bad with rheumatisms but if there is a weak part in the body the stormy weather is sure to make one feel it and Aunt is not so young now and she must fail but has always the brave spirit to go through her if strength would stand

You are to tell uncle from her that she is very much obliged to him for his kindness and she hopes both you and him will always have plenty and never want for anything. but there is one thing I have to tell you that you are never to be so long in writting for she does weary to hear from you.

Uncle William and his family is all well in the meantime. my Brother and his family is all well he has five children and the youngest is named for me. Now James I am going to tell you that if you are all spared and well you are not to be very long till you send me the likeness of your son to let us see what he is like I have to tell you from Aunt that she is very pleased that his name is John Glencross. tell Marion from me that I think she would be nothing the worse of a useless body like me to sit in a corner and nurse her son some times if I could not walk about much with him I would sing to him and bairns all like noise.

Tam bids me tell you that he is wearing his very life out for he has had nothing to do for three weeks he is going to set out a second time to see if he can get any thing to do work is very scarce here just now. please to give Uncle Joseph & Aunt Marion your kind regards and I hope Aunt is keeping better and all the rest well. I can think of very little more to say at this time I have no news all is very quite. hopping you will not be so long in writting next time with kind love to you all every one in which Aunt and Tam joins and may God be your guide is the desire of your affectionate cousin, Marion Brown

PS Many thanks to uncle John for his kindness MB

Tower Cottages, 11 December 1876

Into the darkest weeks of winter. Tam Scott isn't working much, and Aunt's rheumatism is sometimes bad. This letter is written not to John Glencross, Marion Glencross Bryden, or James Bryden (who received the majority of the letters that survive), but to Uncle and Aunt who are also in Pennsylvania, near the others. So at some point, this letter was added to the collection at 207 Helen Street.

A few family, geographic and other notes: The Uncle and Aunt addressed by Marion here are no doubt Joseph Glencross (1819-1898) and his wife Marion Wilson. The Tam at the end of the first paragraph is their oldest son Thomas. The new baby Marion mentioned belongs to her brother James Brown and his wife Agnes Kerr.

Who is Corse? Not sure, but he sounds like a former neighbor at Tower Cottages? (Glencross is sometimes written "Glencorse," which adds to the complication of discovering who this is.) The parish of Sorn is in Ayrshire, and Auchenlongford is a hillside farm about 3 miles from the village of Sorn (according to Iain Hutchison's email notes on this letter, from a decade ago!).

Jane Rae Hunter of Raefield, then Cumnock... there's a Thomas Rae of Raefield in the Wilson list of graves at Sanquhar Kirkyard (link in left column), and there are several other Raes and mentions of Raefield in that list. So the mention of the name and place might well have been familiar to the uncle who grew up in the area.

Tower Cottages
Dec 11th 1876

Dear Uncle & Aunt

We was very glad to see your kind letter for we was wearing much to hear how you was all getting on and I hope this will find you all in moderate health when it reaches you. I am glad to be able to say that we are in moderate health in the meantime Aunt is sometimes very bad with the pains in her legs and arms she was thinking you had all forgot her together before we got the last letter she just takes fits of wearing to hear from you and she bids me say that you are all to tell Tam that he is to write a letter himself and let her know how is getting on

Tam is working with masons when the weather is dry but there is very little work going on around here and every thing is very dear Uncle William and his family are all well and James and his family are all well and he has another addition last month another daughter and it is named after me they call it Marion he has five alive and one dead and it is just like no times since he was married.

Corse left the Tower at the last term and went to a place in the parish of Sorn the name of it is West Auchenlongford and we have got one letter from him and he was liking the place well enough for the time I had very little news to send you this time but Jane Rae of Raefield was married on the 8th of this month to a Cumnock man his name is Hunter all acquaintences is well here as far as I know and Aunt sends her kind regards to you all every one and you are not to be so long in writting remember me to uncle John and Marion and Bryden and execpt of my kind regards to you all every one from your affectionate neice Marion Brown

Tower Cottages, 20 November 1876

Short, rather grouchy note, reporting Aunt Agnes's disappointment about the lack of correspondence from her brothers in America. The winter has been early and hard so far in Sanquhar, and it's making Aunt's rheumatisms worse. Marion's health is also worse than recently, and "I cannot walk a step with a sore back." Crops were good, and "we are not traveling far to hear many news"--maybe a comment on the Tower Cottages being closer to the town than their old home at the Bogg.

Tower Cottages
Novr. 20th 1976

Dear Uncle

It is now so long since we heard from any of you that we have been wearing very much to know how you are all keeping I am sure there has not a day passed for three weeks past but Aunt has had some one at the post to see if there was not a letter from America but no there has no news come yet so Aunt just told me this morning that I was to write to you this time and see if you would answer any quicker as Uncle Joseph or James Bryden. She thinks far more about any of you being long in writting now as she did when we was at the Bogg she has not so much work to do and gets more time to think some times she will say I think Joseph & John has forgot that they have a sister in this country now at all I have to say that she hopes you are all well and that some of you will not be long in writting. You have to tell Bryden from her that he told her in fun that she was long in getting the tea ready but she thinks in reallity that he is long in writting this time.

We have had very cold weather of late the snow was lying white on the hills for some days and now we are having rain every day and today the rain is just falling in torrents so I may say that winter seems to set in very soon this year. In general there has been good crops the corn potatoes and turnips has all been very good at the Tower and we are not traveling far to hear many news. Aunt is some times very bad with rheumatisms in her legs and arms and the changeable weather make her feel them more and for me I am not very strong some days I cannot walk a step with a sore back. now I will stop hopping to hear from you soon and with kind love to you and all friends I remain your affectionate neice Marion Brown

Tower Cottages, 2 July 1876

Aunt has rheumatisms, Tam is working but spits up "much blood," and Marion has had a lump removed from her lip and a few blisters to treat chest pain. She tries to be grateful for the life she's given, but "I have not known what it is to have good health." What Marion doesn't mention: this letter is dated 2 July, Marion Brown's birthday--she turned 33 on the day she wrote this.

Tower Cottages
July 2nd, 1876

Dear Cousin

I have no doubt but you will be thinking me very long in writting to you but I will claim the shelter of the old proverb better late than never and try and do better for the time to come. I hope this will find you and all friends well when it reaches you. Aunt and Tam is wonderful well in the meantime Aunt is sometimes very bad with rehumatisms and not very good at walking when they are bad but hard work makes people fail faster. Tam is labouring with mason just now he does not like the work very well but he is near home and it is better as being in lodging when he is not very strong sometimes he is often troubled with a pain in his side and spits blood and no one is very strong when they spit much blood. and for myself I have been very frail this some time first there was a lump grew on my under lip and I had to get it cut off and then there is a pain in my left side that is annoying me very much the Doctor says my left lung is affected and I have had on three blisters but they do not seem to take much effect yet I have to go away some where for a change and not look at work of no kind for a month or two.

We are poor frail mortals when we have not health we have nothing and I think I may say that I have been one of those born to troubles for I have not known what it is to have good health since ever I was able to do anything for myself we may prepose but God disposes every thing and His way is the best so we have no right to say a word but be very thankful we are as we are.

We have had very warm weather here this some time and crop is looking very well in this part of the country at least as far as I have seen but I have not been traveling far this some time. There is very little going on here just now perhaps I will have more news next time if spared to write. Uncle William and his family is all well in the mean time and all other friends is well as far as I am aware. Aunt bids me say that you may come over and see her when ever you like and be sure and bring Marion with you to let her see her father & mother's native country for she thinks she will never be in America to see her. now I think have little more to say but this that if I have been long in writting I hope you will not take any example but write soon and let us know how you are all getting on and tell uncle Joseph that I am going to write to him very soon now when I am started to write again Aunt & Tam sends their kind love to you all every one and execpt of the same to you all from your affectionate cousin

Marion Brown

Tower Cottages, 24 January 1876

Long time since the last surviving letter, but in the interim, James Bryden and Marion Glencross have married (almost four years after he emigrated, apparently for that purpose). Marion jokes "long looked for come at last,"* and suggests that if they have twins, she'll come over to help--but she has obviously not attended their wedding, as hoped in previous letters. Nonetheless, she has an opinion about the bride's dress, as it was described to her. Marion Brown has been ill with infected ears and throat in the winter; Tam Scott has also been quite ill and unable to work, and Aunt is "failing." There's some dispute about whether Marion Brown was writing letters back in the recent months--James and Marion Bryden didn't receive them, and indeed they are not in the surviving set. But she says she wrote.

*Here's another 19c. letter between women that uses the same phrase. It also turns up in song lyrics, which makes sense for the sentiment. There's even a "Long Looked For, Come At Last" Vineyard, in Maryland.

Tower Cottages
January 26th 1876

Dear Cousin,

I received your very welcome letter last week and was glad to see from it that you and all other friends was well when you wrote and I hope this will still find you all enjoying the same precious blessing for which we cannot be to thankful for. I am very glad to be able to tell you that we are all better than we have been for some time back Tam has been very poorly he has had inflmation and a bad cold and he has not been able to do much since Martinmas I have had a sore throat and bealing ears and Aunt is the only one that kept pretty strong among us but poor body she is failing altho she has still the spirit. However I hope we will all keep better now when we have got the turn we are looking forward to better weather and surely that will recruit us.

I will claim the old saying over your marriage long looked for come at last so I wish you long life and much happiness and a big family and if you should have twins the first time as Mrs. Johnston had I will come over and help you nurse them. Well Marion I think your dresses would look very well and it is very fashionable to have a dress made in two shades now so I think the two browns would look very well and James I have a word for you to you have no excuse for not writting because you are married you must write oftener and surely when there is two of you as one we will get a letter oftener. you say you have wrote me two letters and got no answer but I have never got any but I have sent away an answer to them whither you got it or not.

Aunt sends her kind regards to you both and wishes much happiness in your married life and long spared to each other, and also to all other friends and she was wondering what was come over uncle John when you wrote last for you never mentioned his name and you are to give Tom Glencross Aunt's kind regards and say she would like to see him now and he is to write a letter himself now I think I have little more worth writting at this time so I will say goodbye with kind love to you all every one from your affectionate cousin, Marion Brown

Tower Cottages, 14 June 1875

Here we learn about Marion's turn of health--she cannot speak and is "dull" company for her Aunt; she had had twelve teeth removed to date, and is receiving "galvanic shooks" (galvanism, or electrotherapy, was a popular treatment for many conditions in Marion Brown's day). She also continues her vaguely suggestive/flirtatious tone with James Bryden, hoping that he might come and cheer her up, and wishing "I was beside you to get a ride on your fine horse."

Tower Cottages
June 14th 1875

My Dear Friend

I have no doubt you will be thinking me as long in writting to you as ever but I have put of from day to day for a week thinking I would could say that I was better but it will not do yet for I can speak none at all now I have to write everything I want to say I am getting galvanic shooks every day the Doctor say they are they only thing that will do me good so I must just wait with patience and see what turns up for me. I hope this will find you and all friends well when it reaches you I am glad to be able to say that Tam has had pretty good health this some time and Aunt is wonderful but has never been so strong since she had a bad cold about the new year she bids me tell you that if you was to come in some day before she knew you would give her a surprise but she would be very happy to see you and she thinks I would be so much the better of you to cheer me up as she would for since I could not speak she thinks me very dull. I was sorry to see from your letter that you had been so bad with toothach it is a very annoying disease and some has very little pity for it but I am sorry to see any one bad with it for I have had my share of it I have got twelve taken out, I could like very well if I was beside you to get a ride on your fine horse many a canter I have had on Miss Kennedys pony when I was at the Bogg. give my kind regards to Marion and tell her I am wearing for her letter and she is to be sure and send me Sarah Johnstone's address for her Grandmother is wearing for it. The gardens will be in full bloom now I hope you will have a good crop of everything the crops here is looking very well as yet. now I can think of nothing else worth writting at this time with kind love to you and all friends in which Aunt and Tam joins I remain your affectionate Friend
Marion Brown
Be sure and write soon

Tower Cottages, 5 April 1875

In this letter, Marion Brown scolds Marion Glencross for not writing a letter--by writing a brief letter that's mostly about letterwriting. But she also talks about the hard winter--snow still on the hills in April--and Tam's health and work, and Aunt's health (which has been bad), and the Johnstones, and William Glencross and family. This is another instance of Marion Brown taking on the role of news conduit between Scottish and American kin--she also kept John Glencross and his son connected, and kept Marion Glencross's maternal grandmother apprised of her well-being (and vice versa). In a time and place where epistolary literacy could not be taken for granted, her ability and willingness to write letters gave her a chance to be helpful to a range of acquaintances.

Tower Cottages
April 5th 1875

My Dear Cousin

I received your very welcome letter last week and we was really beginning to think that you was not going to write any more, many a time Aunt said she could not understand what neither you nor your father was writting for, since we came here she thinks the time far longer and she takes it very hard to heart when you are long in writting Aunt had a very bad cold about the new year and she has never got the better of it she had rheumatism in her back and down her leg and some times she could scarce walk across the house she has been a little better since the severe storm went away but we have very cold weather yet the hills is white with snow today

I hope this will find you & your Father both well and all the rest of our friends in moderate health when it reaches you.

Cousin Tom is working to Mr. Hyslop just now at whatever he can get to do but he is never very strong when ever he gets the least cold it fixes in his chest and he just coughes on. I have very little new to write as I am not able to go out much and we have a very quite place here. You will likely have heard from James Bryden before you get this that I would like to get Sarah Johnstones address to her Grandmother I was at Sanquhar one day and saw her and she was quite greived that Sarah never wrote to her and she asked me to send to you or some of my friends for her address for she is going to write to her altho she never gets an answer

uncle William and his family are all well and uncle is still working in the woods. It has been a very hard winter here & a great dal of trouble & death around us

Aunt sends her kind regards to you & your Father and hopes you will not be so long in writting again. now I can think of nothing else worth writting at present so with kind love to you and all friends I remain your affectionate cousin

Marion Brown

PS please send Sarah Johnstones address soon and word how she is getting on M B

Tower Cottages, 22 March 1875

And now it's 1875, and "a very severe" winter has passed in Sanquhar since the last surviving letter. She mentions that there's been a lot of "trouble and death," but doesn't say who died. Aunt has had a cold for many weeks, but takes the opportunity to send a message via Marion Brown's letter to America (her lines are in blue); another friend, Sarah Johnstone's grandmother, sends a request in this letter too (green lines). Tam is working on the surface, not in the mines, which Marion judges to be better. And Aunt half-jokes that James Bryden should return to Scotland for a visit, with Marion Glencross in tow.

Tower Cottages
March 22nd 1875

Dear Friend

I received your kind and welcome letter last week and was sorry to see from it that you had been so bad with the cold but I hope by this time that you are greatly better if not well altogether. It has been a very severe winter in this country with trouble I never remember of as much trouble and death since ever I began to take notice. I am sorry to tell you that Aunt is not at all well she took a cold at the new year and has never got quite of it she has a very bad cough and her chest and side is very sore at times but I hope if the weather would get a little warmer that she will get a little stronger for when any thing is wrong with Aunt it is not like our own house.

I have to give you her kind love and say if you would do her any good it is time you was here for she has had a very dull winter and she thinks you would be nothing the worse of a sail across to see what the old country is like once more and she says you are to bring Marion along with you this time

I am very glad to be able to tell you that Tam is keeping well this some time he is left the coals and is working farmwork this last month and surface work agrees best with him

I have very little new to write this time. I was down at Sanquhar last week and saw Sarah Johnstone's grandmother and she wanted me to ask Marion to send her address to me and then I could give it to her for she has not heard from Sarah for a long time and she is going to write to her if she know her address. please to send the address the next time you write or tell Marion to send it if she writes before you for the poor body is quite distressed over Sarah.

give my kind regards to Marion Uncle John uncle Joseph and all friends and execpt of the same to your self from your Affectionate friend, Marion Brown

write soon and perhaps i will have more news next time and be in better spirits M. B.

Tower Cottages, 25 October 1874

[Image at left: Portrait of a young woman from family albums, labeled "Jane Law" in pencil on the back; there's another photograph of Miss Jane Law posted here]

Last letter surviving from 1874. Marion Brown's health has taken a turn: she was blind for a week, and still has sore eyes; for five weeks, she has been unable to speak "any louder than a whisper." But she's writing to James Bryden anyway. Aunt is still missing her cows and the Bogg; Tam Scott is working in a coal pit now that the harvest season has ended. In Dunmore, Marion Glencross's friend Jane Law (pictured at left) is getting married--but James and Marion G still haven't got married. Marion B still hopes to attend their wedding in America, and "kick up a right spree."

Tower Cottages
25 October 1874

My Dear Friend

I received your very welcome letter this day week and was very glad to see from it that you and all friend was well when you wrote which is the greatest blessing we can enjoy in this world. I have not been so well this last five weeks I cannot speak any louder than a whisper and I have had sore eyes I was blind for a week but I am thankful that my eyes is a little better and I hope I will continue well if it is Gods will.

Aunt is about her useal way but is always the same as if she was not at home when she has no cows to work with she says that she would like to see you here she thinks you would cheer her up the time you was here. You tell me in your letter that Jane Law is going to be married about the end of this month she is going to beat you and Marion but as the saying goes there is luck in lesure I always think that I have to be over in time to get your wedding and if I should chance to be there I would kick up a right spree.

It has been very wet weather this long time if one day is dry the next is sure to be wet every body is busy here just now raiseing there potatoes and from what I hear there is a very good crop throughout the country.

Now James you see this letter is commenced on the 23rd of October and this is the eight of November and you will see by the beginning of it that I have not been so well and I can tell you that I have had very sore eyes and could scarcly see any but I am glad that they are improving now or I could not write so well.

Tam is working in a coal pit now since he came home from his harvest but he does not like it very well and the coal trade is not so brisk here as it was last year.

You may tell Marion that we are wearing very much to get a letter from her. now I must stop at this time I hope I will can write more next time if spared & well & with kind love to you and all friends and may God be your guide is the desire of your affectionate friend Marion Brown

I hope you will not be long in writting M. B.