This is a section of the passenger list for the ship Denovia. Ismena Burrows, aged 30, arrived in New York on 1 May 1889 and eventually took work as a house servant. (New York U.S. Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists 1820-1957 for Ismena Burrows Ancestry.com).
A year later she was back in County Leitrim, staying at WhiteHall, which was the home of her older sister Jane Burrows White. She wrote this letter to her brother Alexander several days before her sister Jane wrote to Alexander (see post from 20 March, 2022). These two letters may have been sent to California together. The transcription follows the letters.
Alexander Burrows of Drum (their father) had passed away on 9 August, 1889. Ismena needed to come back home to claim her part of the will. She also took the opportunity to write her brother "after many years silence".
Transcription.....
(Page 1 front, right side)
WhiteHall
June 24th
"90"
My Dear Brother,
I take the opportunity of writing you these few lines, after many years of silence. No doubt you have heard of the many changes that has taken place in Drum this last 12 months, that dear old place is now almost left alone.
(Page 1 back, right side)
Poor Father is no more [it?] has pleased the Lord to take him home, after his long battle with this weary world. I have been to America for 12 months[.] Had to earn my bread hard but honest. I had to come home to see after my 3 hundred lb [pounds] Father willed me when dieing [sic]. I can not tell you my sufferings in Drum, but only suffered as my poor mother did which you are well aware of.
(Page 1 back, left side, written vertically)
I suppose you have had a letter from Rev Mr. Molsdale, as I gave him your address. He could not get it from any of your friends, till I came home, although [Mrs.?] Porteus had it[.] it was very unkind of her not to give it to him[.] did Jane White write to you. She got your address from me. Tom acted badly both to Father & me. I hope the Lord will forgive him.
(Page 1 front, left side)
Mr. Molsdale is very kind to me[.] he wants me stay home and not goe to America[?] [?] to get a little farm for myself and Adam. He is left Manorhamilton. Mrs. Porteus wants to get him into the asylumn [sic]. I dont wish him to goe there[.] poor fellow would die with grief. He ain't so foolish [now?] as he was[.] He is well cared for since Father died.
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End of first letter. I believe the next was an insert to this letter, but I am not 100% sure. The paper and folds are the same. She writes the right hand side vertically as in the last letter. This letter is signed, whereas the above letter was not. I believe the content fits also.
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(Insert front, right side)
I gess [guess?] Jane White has told you all the news to tell. I am in very delicate health presently, attending the Doc. My heart is broke[.] often I wish I was dead. Drum is to be sold [for?] Tom ain't coming home. He is far out in America. got married to his second cousin Georgina Foster, daughter of George Foster,
(Insert back, right side,)
Granddaughter to Johnston Burrows Carrowcrin. She had no fortune & was only 17 years of age.
I would buy Drum if I got it cheap [cheap crossed out]. Will you kindly write to the Rev Mr. [?] Molsdale & ask him to sell it to me as he has the sale of it. I am tossed about at present, having no home on earth but a bright one in heaven.
(Insert back, left side, written vertically)
I am staying for a short time here. Of course you have heard how Father's will ran. You are left one hundred, Tom was left as much as all his childerin [sic] although he never had a child caused him so much trouble[.] I gess [sic] he brought[t] him to his grave[.] If you write to me I will
(Insert front, left side)
write you a long letter and tell you all [?] of news[.] if you write to me please send it in care of the Rev. Mr. Molsdale
Ballysumaghen Rect.
Colloony
Co Sligo
I must go bye bye_____
Hoping you are quite well
With warmest love
From your fond sister
Ismena Burrows
Write Tom
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We hear from Ismena (called "Emy" in subsequent letters) in this letter. She had just spent a year in America, and had returned to Ireland to claim her inheritance. She seemed adrift, having "no home on earth". Should she stay and try to buy the family home and take care of her brother? Should she buy a little farm as the Reverend Moulsdale suggested? She was certainly very unhappy with how the will ended up being written, intimating that Tom unfairly received more than all the others despite his poor behavior towards his family. Is she being overly dramatic about her health and her feelings of despondency? It is hard to tell. Alexander Burrows (my Great Great Grandfather) committed suicide in 1904. Perhaps there was a tendency towards melancholy on the Burrows side....
My DNA cousins and I are still working on place names, locations, old and current maps of the area as well as research on neighbors and acquaintances to fill out the details of these letters. One cousin, a descendent of Jane White, will be taking an upcoming trip to Ireland to visit the area where WhiteHall once stood. Supposedly there are a few outbuildings left standing, but the main house is gone. I can't wait to see what she finds!
I am adding Georgina Foster to the Burrows working tree. Her parents were George Foster and Mary Ann Moysten Burrows. Mary Ann's father was Johnston Burrows who was possibly the brother of Alexander Burrows of Drum. There was a 15 year difference in ages between Tom and Georgina.
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The following tree is our "working tree". It will change as we do more research, fit more pieces together and verify family members. This is the basic tree as of now.
Alexander Burrows of Carrowcrin (based on his will of 1834) father to....
*
Johnston Burrows m. Mary Moysten parents of Mary Anne Burrows (m. George Foster) parents of Georgina Foster (see Thomas Burrows below)
Alexander Burrows of Drum (based on his will of 1889) m. Francis "Fanny" Elliot (based on the marriage registration of John Burrows and Margaret O'Leary) parents of.....
*
1. Margaret Burrows Porteus (married Robert Porteus) of Clara
*daughter Francis "Fanny" Burrows Graham
2. Jane Burrows (married Adam Elliott White) of Sligo. The White family lived at WhiteHall, County Leitrim, Ireland.
*son Robert Alexander White born at Whitehall, County Leitrim, Ireland.
3. Adam Burrows (was living in Drum in 1890; lived at the asylum in Sligo sometime after that. )
4. Alexander Burrows (married Elizabeth Jane Hurd in America) my G G Grandparents; they lived in Grass Valley, California.
5. John Elliott Burrows (came to America) m. Margaret O'Leary in St. Louis. Children Francis Burrows Riley and Thomas A. Burrows.
6. Thomas Burrows (bequeathed house and land in Drum and was to look after Adam per will of 1889. Left for America shortly after his father's death). M. Georgina Foster b. 1871 d. 1890. Per marriage index Ireland, Civil Registration of Marriage, she married Thomas in 1888.
7. Ismena "Emy" Burrows (spent time in America but went back home to Ireland to claim her inheritance.)
8. Elizabeth Burrows (came to America) and married Hermann Bucher in 1892 in New York; was called Emma (based on letters written by Hermann Bucher)
This is the marriage registration of Adam White and Jane Burrows from 11 January 1866. Adam White was from WhiteHall, in the parish of Killenummery. They were married in the parish church of Ballysumaghan, a short distance away from WhiteHall.
Ireland Select Marriages 1619-1898 Ancestry.com
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