This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: Tweed of Scammonden Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/iQTBAIB/137.2 Message Board Post: I have a family letter passed down to me from my grandfather who is the grandson of Samuel who commissioned the letter from Scammonden. The letter was sent to William who was one of the three brothers who emigrated to America. The letter mentions a George Henry whom you are looking for. I have copied and pasted the letter here. Sincerely. James Tweed P.S. You will find there are 17 children mentioned in the letter. (Note: Letter written to son, William, in the United States of America by his parents, Samuel and Mary. Original letter in the possession of James R. Tweed, of Salt Lake City, Utah (Great-Great Grandson of Samuel Tweed).) Stainland, Aug. “4” 1866 (Dear Son) I now take the opportunity of writing these few lines to you hopeing that they will find you in good health as it leaves us at present. We left Edgerton the old place where we have lived Thirty Two Years=Twelve Months since last May and removed to the place called Sower Newyard in Stainland near to Aunt Mary’s Crey so I will leave you to judge if you mother is not got home now = We were all very much rejoiced when we received your letter in February last to find that you were still in the land of the living and doing so well. We have often dureing the last Five years discoursed about you and wondered if you had got into the American War which caused you not to write but apparently you know nothing of it or you might have said something concerning the matter. It is a great blessing to your father & mother brothers & sisters that you have found a settled place living on your own farm & got so well stocked with cows oxen bull calfs & grey mare also chickens or by the time this reaches you I should say hens dogs cats & a nigger man to work for you & your riding animal which has got so good manners of comeing into your house to bid you good morning as you speak of but I am at a loss to know what kind of a animal this is = I have often told your mother since we received your letter that I would come and be man for you or otherwise go to the gold mines & dig for gold = according to your statement Hay is very dear with you at the rate of Two pence per pound which is rather surprising to me = Now I have to inform you that since you was over to England your sisters Hannah Maria & Mary Jane has got married, & your brother John Fred his dead he died on the 28th of Nov. 1862 leaving now at home with us seven & five of you married & fi! ve dead, makeing a total in number of seventeen children.. Ben is a Dyer at Broadbent Mill Longwood & has three children. John is a Cloth Milner at Victoria Mill Golcar, one child & buried one. Hannah Maria’s husband Bill a Tomy Lumbs perhaps you will know him best by that name is Blacksmithing at Royal George & has three children. Mary Jane & her husband William Henry Fairbanks is weaving & liveing in cottage belonging to the farm we occupy with one child, we have no weaving going on at home now they go to mill. Edward is a Slubber at Barkisland Mill for David Norcliffe. Whiteley is Parr Weaveing at Skyes’s Gosport, & Lucy is Parr Weaveing at Shauss Holywell Green. Walker is a Piecraer at Barkisland Mill. George Henry is a Bobbin Winder for Mary Jane & her husband. Ruth Annie & Eliza Ellin the two youngest is what we have to call players at home = Your dad is Farmer Man at home & your Mother has plenty of work yet, with cooking & following the h! ouse as usual = Therefore I think I have given you an understanding of all belonging to our family. I must not forget to tell you that your uncle John of Seyfield is dead four years ago = With regards to your wife relations they have written several times to me dureing the last four years to know if we had heard from you. I answered them stateing that when we received anything from you I would let them know. I forwarded your letter to Liverpool after peruseing it & they wrote back stateing they had received one from you the day before. Perhaps you might have had an answer from them before this = I think I ought not to forget to tell you that dureing the past winter there has been an illness running among the cattle called the Rinderspest or Cattle Plague nearly all over England & in our nieghbourhood it has swept all the stock of several farmers. But thanks be to God we have had the luck to miss it up to the present time = Now I conclude this little sermon with kindest respects from all your brothers & sisters & Gin & Old Fellow which is still living at the old! place Hey Lane hopeing that before this time you will have got well of your feet & made as you stated a race of it = And may God bless you your wife & your children, hopeing that if life permits you will not be so long between writing as you must know that we are advancing into years = So no more at present from your affectionate Father & Mother Samuel & Mary Tweed. Sower Neyward Stainland