The following is a transcription - the best I can do considering the quality of what I had to work with - of a letter from Wm. Cherry of Carnlea, Co. Antrim, N. Ireland to Agnes McClintock formerly of Co. Antrim living in Illinois. I believe Agnes, her mother Elizabeth Peters McClintock and her two brothers, James and John, went to America in 1866, the same year that my gr. Gr. Grandparents William and Lydia Morton Stevenson went to Michigan. Agnes 8 years later married Adam Stevenson son of William and Lydia in Illinois. I know a little about a couple of the other names and places mentioned in the letter if it is of interest to anyone. Anne Klintworth Transcription of William Cherry letter to Agnes McClintock, possibly about 1866. (Page one) Carnlea September ... Miss McClintock I rec'd your long wished for and welcome letter on Thursday last being date Augt. 25th which gave us great pleasure to hear you were all com--paritively well. This also leaves us in a similar state of health for which we have reason to thank God. I rec'd a letter and newspaper from Derry and was sorry to hear you had to wait so long. We thought James might have came home and stopped here or you all as you had so long to wait, also sorry to hear of your being so long on sea. The company aught to be applyed to for the loss and disappointment you sustained. (written in the border of the first page "____ weather is very wet. The avin____________ doing well _____ of twelve hundred ________ It will be Nov___________all the corn be out") ----- (Page two) There's ? little of importance I have to write. Mr. Dowey is in Dublin at the training school, that day month Wm. Stevenson left his own place he sat down on his new farm in the SE? of Michigan. There is 60 acres of it. ______and 20 of it in a state of nature there was 14 acres of it in hay? crop when he got it. He had to pay between six and seven hundred pounds for it. His health is good and he likes the country well. They live near Robt. and James Boyd, the Herbisions, the Kerrs, Macook and a great many of his old neighbours is near him. Geo. Mcollough is home some time ago, your Uncle Peter Peters wrote to you about two weeks ago. They are all well. They rec'd. your letter. (Page three) Robt. J and Adam (Robert John Cherry?? And Adam Cherry or Stevenson?) are often? talking of James and John. The five eggs? J? gave them all came out, and if he comes back at Christmas they will give him one a piece, & eggs to eat. The? They? Will not let the whi____ John gave them be used. The __________________comes back they will keep him till he gets better, (childrens talk) You wish to know who lives in Purgatory, here goes Joe Develin with Nancy McIlratty, Peggy Ann Colvill with others, Dan Davison and family, one Montgomery, Jakh? Marshal and some others I don't know. You can guess the rest. It is now a cage of unclean birds that needs to be purified. There was a great deal? of talk about the taking down of the loft and other affairs, I stopped the water that ran through the (Page four) ditch. There is not a good agreement betwixt Adam and us since you left. I sumoned them and Wm.? _noor? came and I got all the way I wanted. I need not write you all, it would take whole sheet to hold it. Matilda Wilson is not expected to be long living . Robt. Morrison and his __________________ them. She is still saying against Herbisons, there is little odds on A. H. ?ston. All in the fourthstown are well. I am the Observer to James and will for sometime. I think he might have wrote before this, tell him I was afraid as there was one of the chief banks in England broke which made the bankage so high, twelve per hundred. I will write your mother some other time, you talk of sweet heart and true loving. I am too far off to do anything for you but my advice to you is to choose a kind and affectionate husband. Molly they?the? children and Francis joins me in sending ? their ? love to you all. Wm. Cherry Transcribed by Anne Shier Klintworth, Nancy Shier Crocetti and Judy Rogers Some punctuation added. December, 2006