Langholm Oct. 9, 1862 Dear Father and Mother, (Helen and Walter Hotson) I am sorry to inform you that my grandmother (Janet Murray) died this morning about a quarter to nine o'clock, it is nearly seventeen weeks since she took the bed. William
Murray, John's eldest son went away to Otago New Zealand at that time
and she had a shock of palsy the next day which was Saturday the 14th
of June, and has never been able to do any thing for herself since then. Your sister Janet has been living with your mother since Whitsunday 1861, her
husband having died the March previous. Before that they had a little
girl burned to death and a boy died a natural death. She is left with
two, a boy and a girl; the girl about 8 and the boy about 6 years of
age. She
has had everything to do for her mother for she could not so much as
take a meal of meat but had to be fed all the time of her illness, but
she was well waited on for her whole family were all close at hand.
John and his wife are living in the other end and Mary at the foot of
the Well close, while Jeanie is at the head of the Kirk Wynd and
likewise myself, for I am married now and have two daughters, one named
after you and the other named after her who was a mother both to you
and me. My wife is a daughter of Thomas Borthwick, New Town. It
is now between 9 and 10 years since your mother took her trouble first,
and during that time she has had a great deal of ill turns. At one
time, rather more than a year since, having been confined to bed for
about four months with a sore leg, being a large sore as large as your
hand and all growing up with proud flesh which had to be burnt down
with some stuff which we got from the doctor every day. But it healed up and she got so well that she could go about the house again, till she took this last
shock, since which there has been no prospect of a recovery, but she
has been always getting weaker and weaker till the end, which we trust
was a happy change for herself for she has had a great deal of trouble
and suffering and was always patient and contented under all her
trials. May God grant us the same strength to bear our burden when our
time of trial comes. We
are all enjoying good health at present except John's wife who had a
child in December last and was very bad after, so bad that few thought
she would get better but she has recovered in a great measure but is
still in a very weak state and unable to stand any fatigue. There
have been great changes in Langholm within this last 8 years--then we
had no power looms now we have 60 and other branches of Manufacturing
greatly improved. Messrs
Reid & Taylor, for whom both John and me work have gained a medal
for their Tweeds at the Exhibition. Now the Border Union Railway is
open between Carlisle and Hawick via Copsha with a branch going off at
Riccarton joining on to the Border counties and running right
through to Newcastle and the branch for Langholm is set and about to be
made so that it is likely we will have a railway running to Langholm
next summer. Our branch joins on to the main line below the Coal pits. Write soon and let us know that you have received this. James Ritchie
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