Castle Mains, 23 January 1879

It's been almost a year since the last surviving letter from Sanquhar, but this one comes with big news:  Tam Scott will marry without any ceremony whatsoever--no ceremony, no party, no family gathering.   I've always thought they didn't even do that;  irregular marriages "by cohabitation with repute" were legal in Scotland until 2006.   But Irene Macleod got in touch to let me know there was a record of their official marriage at New Cumnock in 1879.  (Thank you Irene Macleod!) 

Marion Brown is apprehensive about moving another woman into their home, but she recognizes that Aunt and herself have no real alternatives.  As if trying to convince herself to accept the situation, the word "thankful" appears in this letter three times, and "kind" three more.

It's winter in Sanquhar, and the weather has been "hard" for months.  She's not one to exaggerate:  The winter of 1878-79 was severe, according to the reports in the Transactions of the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland. Marion can walk into Sanquhar, slowly, from their new location; but she is not able to speak much.

Castle Mains

January 23rd 1879

Dear Uncle

It is now a long time since I wrote to you I hope when it reaches you that it may find you and all friends in the enjoyment of good health for which we ought to be very thankful for nothing in this world is a pleasure to us if we have not health to enjoy it.  I have some news to tell you this time Tom is going to be married on the last day of this month if all goes well.  the woman he is going to marry belongs to New Cumnock her name is Robina Boyle.  he is going to have no wedding only a marriage she is coming here to live along with us.  Aunt thought it was the best way for her to come beside us as Tom could not keep two houses.  Tom wrote to uncle Joseph but he said he would leave me to write to you as he never saw you.  and we must just try and put up the best way we can there is no doubt but we will feel a difference if she is kind to Aunt I dont care for myself so much but I would not like to hear her speak cross to Aunt she has always been so kind to me and Tom has always been very kind to me.

Dear uncle if I had been strong and able to fight the battle of life for myself it would have been different but as it is I ought to be very thankful that I have always some place I can call home our heavenly Father is always kind to me and there will always be a way and will turn up when we least expect it. 

Aunt has moderate good health but is very bad with rheumatisms.  I am just about the same my back is still sore but I can walk about a little altho but slowly I can go up to Sanquhar but it takes me half an hour what another person can do in ten minutes however I am very thankful I can walk as I do.  I have been worse at speaking this some but the want of my voice does not put me about as long as I am able to move about.  All friends here is well as far as I know.  We have very hard weather just now and has had for two months now.  I must stop with kind regards to you and all friends in which Aunt joins hopping to hear from you soon I am your affectionate niece Marion Brown

PS the post is just waiting

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, 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, 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.

Tower Cottages, 6 September 1874

Marion's writing to James Bryden again, joking about when he'll finally get married (he's been in America for a long time, and promised to Marion Glencross, but so far no wedding); she also laughs that if they have twins at "the first throw," she'll come help with the nursing. Once again, the subject matter of their letters reveals an extraordinary intimacy for a man and woman who are not kin, or lovers, or even neighbors. In more serious news, Aunt is still hurting from the move from the Bogg, and Tam Scott is working but still not strong. Finally, Marion sends a little token of friendship: a feather and some heather for James's hat.

Tower Cottages
September 6th, 1874

My Dear Friend

With great pleasure I take my pen to write you a few lines to let you know how we are all getting on. I hope this will find you all well and I am glad to be able to tell you that we are better as we have been about the time I got your last letter Aunt was not well at all she is often troubled with her head and rheumatisms & you will understand as well as I can tell you that she is entirely of her way and she can never get above leaving the Bogg. Tom is away to his harvest just now it is not a big one there is only twenty acers but he is never very strong so it is just as well that he got a place that they had not much to cut. hay is very scarce in this country this year but corn looks very well & I think the potatoes is keeping pretty free from disease this year as yet.

I hope uncle John & Marion is both well & likewise uncle Joseph and his family. I was surprised when you told me about John Johnstone's wife having twines she had not put off much time I don't think they could be more than ten months married when they were born I hope they are all doing well but I never hear a word of little Sarah send me word how she is getting on. You told me to get married and have twins at the first throw but when are you thinking about getting married now you never tell me that and if you have twins I think I will come over and help to nurse them for every one say I am a good nurse

Aunt sends her kind love to you and bids me say that she thinks you are the only one that minds her for she think uncle John & Marion has forgot her this time it is so long since we had a letter from them & you are to tell them she is wearing very much to hear from them now I will stop I have been a prisoner to the house for a week but I feel a little better so with kind love to you and all friends I remain your affectionate Friend

Marion Brown

I send you a feather and a little peice of heather to wear in the side of your hat. M. B.

Tower Cottages, 26 April 1874

This is a dreary spring letter! Everyone at Tower Cottages has been sick with colds, Marion Brown has "not the same spirit" since they moved from the Bogg,* Aunt is dreaming of James Bryden having an ill relation, and many in the neighborhood have died recently. But... the weather has been beautiful, and Marion is grateful to be feeling better.

*The difference between the Bogg and the location of Tower Cottages was quite striking when we visited Sanquhar this summer. The Bogg has a dramatic setting, hilly, with a grand view even on a stormy day (called "outstanding panoramic views" by the rental agency these days). Tower Cottages has no such view, but as Marion says, perhaps the nearby walking is more pleasant.

Tower Cottages
April 26th 1874

My Dear Friend

I have no doubt but you may think it strange of me always being so long in answering your letters from this place I don't know how it is I have not the same spirit. However puting all that aside I hope this will find you and all friends well when it reaches you. We have all had a very bad turn with cold. Tom was worst but I think the warm weather is going to make him better we have had beautiful weather for the last two weeks.

Aunt was bad to but to tell the truth she is so much of her way that she does not feel herself at all. I have to tell you from her that she wakened dreaming about you this morning and she thought that both you & her was at the Bogg again and you was going to carry a woman in from the door that was not well and she can send you nothing very brights this time but perhaps she will have more to say next time and she hopes you will not be long in writting after you get this and let us know if anything has been wrong with any of you that she started to dream.

I have had a very bad turn myself but how thankful I ought to be that I am so much better and can move about again. there has been a good many deaths around us this spring both old and young

This will be a beautiful place in summer there is a glen goes up past the house and with trees and flowers it is quite a pleasure to take a walk along the side of it. Uncle William and all his family is quite well uncle is often asking for you. give my kind love to uncle John and Joseph and all friends not forgetting yourself and Marion and how well I could like to be beside you. now I must stop and beleive me to be your Affectionate Friend

Marion Brown

be sure and write soon and let me know all the news and if you ever hear about me getting married now. 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

Bogg, 31 October 1872

The last letter surviving from 1872, a fall report delayed until news of the next year's rent was known. Aunt's cheese production has suffered from sick cows, and the landlord says he won't raise their rent this year in light of that--but the threat of future rent increases remains.

The weather is wet and an uncle's hay isn't up. And a neighbor has died suddenly. "Mr. Hyslop Cleneries" probably means "Mr. Hyslop who lives at Clenries," a nearby house. There was a John Hyslop living at Clenries who won an award from the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland in 1872, for a "cheviot tup" (a kind of breeding ram)--maybe it was him? "Ten hours illness" seems to be a phrase that often refers to cholera, and there were cholera epidemics about this time (1873 in the US, 1872 in India).

This letter includes a rare reference to Marion's own siblings (her sister Sarah is marrying in London soon). And a not-so-rare reference to Marion's dreams of seeing James Bryden back in Sanquhar, offering to take Marion away to America.

The Bogg
October 31st 1872

My Dear Cousin

You will be thinking I am not a woman to my word at all when I am so long in writing after sending you word that I would write last week. I would have written but Aunt would not let me till once we got our first lot of cheese away and then I could send you word whither Mr. Kennedy was going to make the rent more this year or not so he was here yesterday and he said seeing as the cows had the disease last spring he would not ask any more rent for another year. we got 115 cheese away last week but they were not near so heavy as they were last year. There is a want of thirty stone and that is a good deal. Aunt thinks she will can make up a few stones yet but we had no turnips and the cows are greatly failed. Uncle William has had a very bad time the weather has been so wet that he could not get his hay up and I don't know if it is all up yet and it is past the time of the year for hay wining[?]

I am going on and writting and never asking how you are. I hope you and all friends beside you are well how is your Jeamie getting on I was dreaming about him the other night I thought he was come to take me away to America but when I wakened it was but a dream but I must say I was quite disapointed when I wakened and did not see him many a time we talk over the fun we had when he was here and you can tell him that I could dance a polka with him now I have to tell you from Cousin John Glencross that he is wearing very much for the card you said you would send him he is not getting very strong yet but is better as he has been.

We had a very sudden death beside us last week you can tell uncle Joseph he knows who it is. his name is Mr. Hyslop Cleneries he died in the ten hours illness this is his funeral day. I have some thing more to tell you my sister Sarah is going to be married in about a fortnight after this but she will be married in London so I will not be at her marriage her intended husband is a Jewler I have never seen him so I dont know what he will be like.

Aunt sends her kind love to you and you are to be sure and write and let us know how you are all getting on there was a spree at Brandleys last night and I suppose it was a very merry night there was above forty at it and Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy danced till the last I had a busy day getting them all dressed for it but I was not there I waited at home and was housekeeper. now I must come to a close and give uncle Joseph and aunt Marion my kind love remember me kindly to John Johnstone and Sarah and also your father and Jeamie Bryden not forgetting your own dear self from your affectionate friend Marion Brown

PS be sure and write soon M. B

Bogg, 10 October 1872

This is a long, eight-sided letter, full of interest, to James Bryden in Dunmore. Marion mentions her burnt hand (three times) and a toothache, but also says that she can walk a distance with minimal assistance, which is a big improvement from past letters. The weather is wet and the crops are bad; the cows aren't producing quite as much milk as they had in the spring; Tam Scott isn't home much, and uncle William's hay still isn't got up. Prices are high and getting higher, so much that Marion worried about keeping a supply of coals for the fire.

It's a busy, hard fall at the Bogg. Marion Brown, however, has her mind on other things--Halloween, marriage, dreams, a ring, apples, and the fervent, repeated hope that James will visit Sanquhar again soon. Her joking about her own romantic prospects here is more blatant than in most letters--she says she's in no hurry (at age 29), that she'll maybe come to America first, that one young man had even offered to give her a glass of brandy and put her to bed. It says something about the intimacy of the friendship between James Bryden and Marion Brown that she'd feel comfortable writing such things to a man not yet kin.

The Bogg
October 10th 1872

My Dear Friend

It is with much pleasure that I take my pen to try & write you a few lines altho I have not written to you I have had you many a time in my mind. but I am glad that my hand is better for it was in the way of many a thing as well as writting. I hope you will forgive me for this time for if I could have wrote to you I would before this time.

I was very glad to see from your letter that you was all well and I hope when this reaches you that you will still be enjoying the same precious blessing. We have had a very busy time for it has been such wet weather here they could not get on with the work and every thing has just been kept in a turmoil but we got in all our hay the other day and now they are going to commence to raise the potatoes there is not many diseased potatoes but they are very thin in the ground and for tunips Aunt has none this year they are all rotton with what they call finger & toe I don't know whither the master will allow her anything for the bad crop or not. the cows is all very healthy now but they have never given the same quantity of milk the whole summer as they did before they had the trouble. Mr. Kennedy was here the other day and sold our cheese to a Mr. Crow[?] he lives at Kirkconnel he gets thirteen and six pens a stone for them.

everything is very dear here I think we will soon get no fire the coals is so dear and there is a talk of them rising yet and everything else is as high you say in your letter that uncle John has had a great quantity of fruit this year I wish I had been beside you to get some for I have scarcly ever seen an apple or pear this summer they seem to be scarce in this country.

you want to know if there is any lads coming to see me now it was with pouring out tea to lads that I got my hand burned and Halbert came in last night and asked me when I was going to be married for some one asked him when I was to be cried if it was first Sunday but Jeamie they will have to wait awhile before they hear me cried yet I am not in a hurry to get married I think I will come to America first there is a young man going to be here at Halloween that says he will make me drink a glass of Brandy and then he will have the pleasure of puting me to my bed but I don't think I will give him that pleasure if he thinks it one, you might come over at Halloween and bring Marion alone with you to see the fun. I think by that time I will can dance a jig with you if I keep well.

I have been over at James Hunters two or three times since you was here I can walk over to Brandleys with a very little asistance and not be very tired so you see I am greatly improved in walking I have been very bad with the toothach this last fortnight so you will can understand that my patience will not be very good.

What did you send me the 15 sents for was it to pay the postage of my letter when I saw it I just said that makes my dream true for I dreamed the night before I got your letter that I got a registered letter and a nice ring in it and my name inside so you see I am still going on with my dreaming yet. do you ever talk any through your sleep now. I hope you will not tell them any queer stories about love at my rate.

Katty Hunter bids me tell you that you are to be sure and come over and bring Marion with you and a lot of apples and we will have a Halloween when you come Aunt sends her kind love to you and she is very proud to see your letter to let us know how you are all getting on and you are to remember her to them all and she thinks you may give us another visit if once you was married and let Marion see this country before she leaves it.

uncle William and family is all well but he has not got up all his hay yet and I think it will be in a queer state now Tam has been at Brandleys for a long time and will be for some time yet tell uncle John he will just have to come and take us all across for I don't think Tam & me will ever get Aunt to start. give Marion my kind love and say I will write a letter to her this day week if well give my kind love to uncle Joseph & Marion and you will likely get some fun when the young one comes home or she will not be her useal.

Anthony sends his kind love to you and he says it is high time you was here to look after me I am turning bad enough give my kind love to all that ask for me and execpt of the same to your own dear self. now I will stop my nonsense and hopping this will find you all well I remain your affectionate friend Marion Brown

PS be sure and write soon and not take example by me but perhaps you will have got your hand burned to. MB