A Mother’s 1897 Letter from Scotland

The following letter was written by Margaret Bennett Bald to her daughter and son-in-law, William and Ellen Bald Muir, having immigrated to Missouri around 1853. Margaret Bennett was born 16 Oct 1807 in Logie Parish, Perthshire, Scotland and married Alexander Bald there on 06 Dec 1828. She lived to the ripe old of 97, dieing on 25 Mar 1905.

The letter copied verbatim is as follows:

17^th September 1897

My Dear Elen & William

Janet wrote me yesterday asking if I had ever written you till then I did not know she expected me to do so because she knew all the circumstances connected with our dear Maggie’s sudden death which sad and mysterious event has left me without one of my own to cheer in the evening of life, however I am thankful to our Father in Heaven that he has given me [unreadable on fold of letter] andresignation to his will in this painful bereavement. I think I need not rehearse her sufferings at last as I suppose Janet would be able to tell you; that she was dead to the world for several days being quite unconscious not a word could we get to cheer or sustain, in our great affliction --, her family of seven I daresay you will be interested to hear about, the eldest Robert Blair generally called Bert who along with his brother Alex Bennet was seized with lung complaint.. Alex as you know succumbed to it Bert is still not Strong he is in England with your Aunt Elen’s eldest daughter whose husband has a large farm 7 he is employed at any light work and they his friends think his health is improving in that warmer climate and the fine fresh country air – he seems very happy with them & always liked country work, although he was bred a compositon--------

Then James was 5 years in Glasgow University obtained his degree of M.A. there and is in Carnoustie assistant in a large school now; at a salary of L 80 a year it is not a great thing but not a bad beginning I suppose---

Mina is the next she is 18 has been saleswoman in a stationers shope in town is a sensible girl and is her Fathers housekeeper proper, but Nellie who is 16 calls herself housekeeper because she has the work to do she is a strong girl but far too wise to take any advice and sometimes displays a very violent temper--- the next is Ella a fragile looking girl but smart and wiry and rather pretty; I would not get on very well without her I am very lame cannot move about the house without a staff or rather a strong armbody she (Ella) is at school but she comes to my room morning and night and assists me. She is 12 but small for her age but can do a good deal in the way of sewing, knitting and also working in the house. Nellie makes by bed. Janet says she is greatly honored for no body could do that but myself & nobody could yet is I was able; Ah Elen nobody knows what old age is till they come to it themselves—Nellie cooks what I need, but woe betide me if I find any fault with it.

The next is Charlie a little spirited fellow with swelled tonsils has had a lump on each side of his neck and had them both lanced I fear they will leave an ugly mark I think they are healing and he keeps quite well now; but about the time Alex died we thought he was just going the same way----

Then Willie Lang the baby boy who was named Lang after a late Wesleyan Minister he is 4 past goes to school with Charlie Is my pupil at night is too young to learn much poor little man he will never know a Mothers love, he is the picture of health and a clever little chap. Now this would not be complete without a word or two about their Father. He is industrious & constant at work a foreman joiner but Maggie, I am sorry to say now that she is away, was too ambitious and got (the two of them) involved in debt and you know I daresay how difficult it is to get out of it: but he says he will do his utmost to get out of it now. & I daresay Jim will endeavour to assist—none of the friends will come forward for if they know all they are too sure to believe that it ought not to have been—and now I have just to request that you will give me a letter on receipt of this and tell me all your joys and sorrows. I was very pleased to see by your last that your daughters were being so kind and considerate to you and that Williams health seemed to be improving this may be my last letter for you know in the nature of things I can’t expect to be much longer spared but let us keep up a correspondence as long as a measure of health and strength is granted and in the mean time May God send down his best blessing on you &yours is the prayer of you ever affect Mother

Explanatory notes as to the people and places referred to in the above letter:

According to the 1841 Census of Scotland, Alexander and Margaret Bennett Bald had five children. One was Margaret, age three. In the 1851 census, it appears something had happened to this Margaret. A child named Margaret Ann, age 10 months does appear. Margaret, the mother, is shown as 43 while the father, Alexander, is 50. Margaret Ann, referred to as Maggie in the letter, seems to be the last child and appears as such in the 1861 census. Margaret Ann was married to William B. Wilson and they were living with Alexander and Margaret Bald in the 1871 census of Stirlingshire. By the 1881 census Alexander, the father had died and Margaret, listed as mother-in-law, was living with William B. and Margaret Ann Wilson and five Wilson children. In 1891 there were seven children. By 1901, Margaret Ann Bald Wilson had died and only four children remained at home by this time, so there is William B. Wilson, Margaret Bennett, age 91, Wilhelmina, Ella, Charles and William Lang Wilson, all still at home along with a Bella Potter.

The children of Margaret Ann and William B. Wilson were:

Robert Blair (Bert) Wilson, b. abt. 1872

Alexander B. Wilson, b. abt. 1874 died of lung complaint

James B. Wilson, b. abt. 1876

Wilhelmina (Mina) Wilson, b. abt. 1878

Nellie F. Wilson, b. abt. 1881

Ella Wilson, b. abt. 1886

Charles Wilson, b. abt 1889

William Lang Wilson, b. abt. 1893

These are the grandchildren of Margaret Bennett Bald referred to in the above letter.

The Carnostie referred to in the letter is located East Northeast of Dundee about 10 miles on the North Sea.