Tower Cottages, 5 November 1877

This is one of my favorite letters by Marion Brown. Why? Well, it's quite detailed about her physical health (or lack of health, speech, and mobility) in the first section; and it mentions bigger events (hard times in America), which is rare for Marion Brown; but mainly, I love this letter because she mentions sending a photo.... and we have that photo (left). Seated is Marion Brown, with her cousin Nellie Glencross (standing), in Thornhill, 1877, on Marion's way back from visiting an aunt in Carronbridge. It's unusual to ever find Marion outside of Sanquhar in the correspondence, so this letter is also interesting for that fact. She also mentions that she and Aunt will be moving at the end of their lease, to a house near the Castle at the townfoot of Sanquhar--significantly closer to town than Tower Cottages.

The unquiet that Marion Brown refers to in America might be the general poor economy in 1877; but it might more likely refer to the Shamokin Uprising, which could well have affected James Bryden and John Glencross's work as Pennsylvania miners in the summer of that year.

The quarries where Tam has gone to work in Gatelawbridge were red sandstone--much of what was quarried there in the 1870s would have been shipped to New York to make the famous "brownstones" there.

Tower Cottages

Novr 5th 1877

Dear Cousin

It is now a long time since I got your very welcome letter but you must excuse me this time I was not at home when it came and it is just a week since I came home. I went away to CarronBridge to see my Aunt and turned ill there and was away for three months before I could come back I cannot speak a word I have to do all my talking by writting and I am very bad at walking it is all I can do to walk across the floor my back is so sore and my right leg is sometimes quite powerless. Human nature is hard to mend and sometimes I think my lot is very hard but there is no doubt but it is all for my good in some way that I have been afflicted and we have no right to grumble at our heavenly Fathers dealings with us.

I hope when this reaches you that it will find you all in good health I see by your last letter that you have had very bad times in America this sometime but I hope by this time you are started to work again and has more quiteness around you as when you wrote. I may let you know that we are going to leave Tower Cottages at the term and is going to the Castle at Sanquhar town foot Aunt is not going to have any cows but she has to see if the woman gives the cows their meat right Mr. Colvin does not mean her to work any but I know she will always be at some thing if she is able to crawl.

Tam went away this morning to work at Gatelawbridge quarry and will not be home till the term he means to work there all winter if spared and well. There is no work going on about Sanquhar that he could have come home at night. Aunt and me will feel it very lonely if spared to go to the Castle in a house by ourselves and nobody near us it is not so bad here my brother and his family is just next door. However we must cheer up there is no use looking at the dark side of the cloud

Aunt is wonderful she had a turn with her stomach but she says she is beginning to feel about her useal again. you told me in your letter [damage here prevents reading full sentence] you was thinking [more damage here] your little boy's cards taken you must be sure and send me one to let us see what he is like many a time Aunt says she would like to see him

Uncle William's eldest daughter came to CarronBridge to bring me home and when we was at Thornhill she would have our cards taken so I will send one and I think it is like me but they have made me squinting and I am sure I do not squint I tell Nelly that she tries to make herself to prim when she gets her card taken you may ask uncle John if he thinks I am anything like what I was when he made me walk through the house with a prim mouth now I must stop all friends here is well as far as I know give my kind love to all friends and execpt of the same to yourselves in which Aunt joins I remain your affectionate cousin Marion Brown

I mean to write to uncle Joseph next week

Bogg, 21 August 1867

[Image: Studio carte of Marion Glencross (1852-1919), as a girl, in a long dark dress with darker hash-mark trim and hair that's parted in the middle and possibly cropped?]

Back to the letters. This week, a long one--seven sides (the eighth is a short note from uncle Joseph Glencross to his brother). Again, I've added some paragraph breaks.

In this one, Marion is more explicit about her impairments than in any of the other letters I've transcribed here so far. She describes recent and long-lasting interruptions in her mobility, vision, and speech; at the time of this letter's writing, she hadn't been able to speak in about four months. She says she often thinks "we are the better of a crook in our lot." She also points out that it would be "a very different thing" if she lost her reason instead of her voice (which is perhaps her way of assuring the reader that she hasn't lost the former). We get more physical description of Aunt Agnes Scott here, too: she's "failing" and thin, "turning very small about the shoulders," but with a stubborn spirit and obviously very hard-working.

More news of the livestock and the neighbors who are leaving for America or getting married. Aunt will send some blankets and books over with David Williamson. And we get mention of "Marion's carte"--a photo of young Marion Glencross, age 15--it might be the photo I've attached to this post, above left. (That's definitely Marion Glencross as a girl, but maybe there was another young-Marion photo now lost?)

My Dear Uncle I have been longer then I expected in writting to you but I hope when this reaches you it will find you and Marion both in good health for what can we enjoy if we have not health and nothing in this world is a pleasure to us but we are the better of a crook in our lot some times or we would be apt to forget what we realy are.

Many a time I have thought that since I was close confined to the house, but I am very thankful to be able to say that I am a little stronger for when I wrote last although I am not able to go without a hold of some thing yet it is a great change from being close confined to bed and I would have written sooner but I have had very sore eyes for a long time but I am thankful I can see a little better this week for I felt very lonely when I could neither speak nor see have not could speak a word since April but amidst all our sufferings we have mercies too for it would have been a very different thing both for myself and everyone connected with me if it had been my reason instead of my voice

now I think I have given you a long account of myself and I will tell you about Aunt next she is wonderful healthy but I know a difference of her this summer she is failing she is turning very small about the shoulders now but she has such a spirit she will go through where many a one twice her weight would stick. And I was to tell you from her that she has got clear off for last year and she will let you know as soon as she can how she stands with the cows this year and she has five pigs and four shots and she is going to have them all away as soon as she can and she has one away this week that was 18 stones and she has two breeders and it will not be long till we have a lot of pigs again and that is an account of the swine and I think the cows has done very well as far as this year is gone. and they are going on with the hay if it keeps good weather they will son have done and I think all the rest of the things is going on as useal but there is a great want for although I have my brother here he is just like nobody beside my uncle but never ??ed with him before and that makes me feel the difference more.

Aunt has some things she would like very well if she could get them over to you there is some of uncles books and some other things and she has a pair of blue and white checked blankets she would like Marion to get them, David Williamson is talking about going away and if he goes we will get them with him, uncle Joseph has been speaking about writting but may be he will talk a long time befor he begins but he has been very well this hay time and he has got another addition to his family in July it is a daughter this time and her name is Agnes and all the rest of his family is well and uncle William's family is well but his wife had a still born son about three weeks since but she is wonderful well again and going about. there is not much new here just now but James Young of Knockenhair is going to be married to one Agnes Broadfoot she has been serving with him for seven years and she is only 26 and he is above sixty the folk says. I am very proud over Marion's carte she is a stout looking girl and she will can help you with your household work now and Aunt joins with me in kind love to you both and if you don't write yourself Marion has to write and let us know how you are getting on and I will say goodbye hopping this will find you both in good health as it leaves us all in a moderate state at present from your affectionate niece Marion Brown