Letter from David Evans to
Children
Dowlais April 29, 1872;
Dear Children and Grandchildren ve)
I received your letter dated Feb. 27 the 29 of March and it
made me very glad when I had it because I thought that you had forgot your old Father
entirely for I had no letter from you so long a time, before nor here any thing
from you any other way whether you were alive or dead, I have had a very
troublesome winter this last winter for I have been lodging in the same house
and with the same family this last 18 years and the last week of last year my
old Mise died, her husband died 5 years ago and I
remained with the old widow to the last, and you may know that I had made my
home with her, she was 75 years of age and I can say that I have lost my home
once again, and I cannot be without feeling after I have been there so long,
and that's the way it is with your old Father at present, and I am sure that I
shall never lodge so long in any house again this side of the grave, but my
wish is now if I could any way is to see you and your family before I shall be
called from this world the same as every other Man to pay the debt of Nature---
I have been to Hirwaun Easter sunday and monday I wrote a
letter for Morgan to his Children, they are most of them well except The Morgans, Rachel your cousin's husband he is lingering this
18 months have not been at work all that time and there is no hope of his
recovery to work no more--- There is a good prospect there at present they are
repairing the Iron Works very busy now 2 blast Furneses
are ready to be blown in already and they have repair'd
most part of the Forges the same and they do expect them to begin to work every
week there and then they can expect a new life there once more as it has been
before for a long time.
You enquired in your letter about Morgan Humphrey's Family,
old Morgan is alive and is doing well but he is the same as myself he is going
old, Barbara and Bees and their Children 7 in number are all doing well, one or
two of the children is doing something in the works, as to Mary she is Dead
this 12 years as I sent you then she did not live long after her Mother. Davis
is married this long time and have a child, Elizabeth
is married and has a child, Laura Anne is married since Christmas, you did not
meet one of them last girls for they were born after you left this country.
Morgan is in Smouen his 2
daughters is with their Grandmother here, he don't mind nothing of kins---
We have had a very wet winter here this last winter all
through and some diseases do follow that especially the small pox do make a
great havoc most among young people more than children is carried away with it,
most dayly in Dowlais and neighborhood
and most other places the same but we have had a change in the weather last
week and have a good weather now which we had not this last 4 months but rain continually
but if it will continue as it is this last few days there is some hope again to
people to have dry weather to sow different seed in the earth again.
I have no account to send you about Anne my sister's
children I have not seen one of them this three years nor their Father neither,
the last account I from them that they were and their Father at Mountain Ash
they care but very little about their old Uncle now as they did when he had a
little to share for them as I was foolish then when Anne was alive I did not
like to see them in want when their Father neglected them and their Mother, it
is to late to repent now? things are very dear here now especially meat of all
sorts and cheese and Butter which is fifteen pence a pound, mutton 10 pence a
pound and beef and Pork the same, the works are going on everywhere about here
very good and a little advance in the wages, and spring begines
to open upon us now to keep us in hope of better times for sometime;
You see that I have wrote you an answer in less time than
you do write to me? Please to write back in a short time for I shall expect a
letter from you in a short time! I have no more to write to you at present because
I have wrote you the whole account I have now! I have not seen any account
lately in the news papers about Brigam Young and his
actions and then I will not say any thing about him this time-
You may tell Thomas Jones's widow that her Father in law is
dead this long time the old woman is alive and sends her best respect to her
and her Children; Now I must conclude at present in hope that you will be so
kind as to write back as soon as you can.
From your old and Affectionate homeless
Father. Direct as before at Thd Samuel No 72 Wele street
David Evans
