The Oldest Item in the Archives Collection

AN 1823 LETTER TO EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND

Comments by: Joan Hyslop, Transcribed by Joan Hyslop and Nancy Seiler

William Douglas (b. 1799) attended Scotland’s Edinburgh University as a student in the Faculty of Arts for three years (1816-1818).  He became a schoolmaster in Edinburgh and lived in the parish of St. George.  He married Miss Margaret Usher [eldest daughter of John Usher] in 1819.  Their first child was James Douglas [b. Aug. 27, 1820, at Edinburgh].  Another son, John Douglas, was born shortly after.

For some unknown reason, William had to leave Scotland.  In 1823, he was in America, working as a schoolteacher at Lexington, and wrote home to Edinburgh, missing his wife and young sons and friends.  The letter reminds us of how difficult it was for emigrants to keep in communication with their loved ones “at Home.” The letter is addressed to Mrs. William Douglas, who was staying at the home of her brother, Mr. James Usher, Esquire, at Edinburgh. Below is an excerpt, the first page of four.

Lexington, May 30^th 1823

It was not always thus with my adored Margaret that I had always to write without having the inexpressible pleasure of an answer.  Can it be possible that after withstanding an unnecessary tide of misfortune which could not even shake the sincerity of your affection – you can now forget to love him whom in every circumstance of fortune you have known to love?  Are not the two dear pledges of our mutual love a bond of union which no power can ever dissolve & which external circumstances should never actuate.  It is true, that our morn arose with that cloudless luster [lustre] which promised more, than it is generally the lot of mortals to enjoy, and that that bright day was soon enveloped in the darkest Cloud.  That, however, you endured with a fortitude and fidelity which have few examples, but now that I am gone perhaps the inveteracy of malice may have instigated your naturally unsuspecting heart that a sinister motive influenced me to the connexion but surely you know better.  Are you unconvinced that the most inspired love was the mutual feeling in my mind as it was in yours.  Alas! how oft [often] does goodness wound itself & sweet affection prove the spring of woe.  The faith I had in the honour of a villain from the romantic & sanguine hopes of a youth of 21 were the unfortunate causes of all the misery we have been doomed to suffer.  But now is it time to despair when better things have … and when we are not past that age when it may be said saving knowledge begins to operate?  You will wonder why all these complainings but think, only think that of all my letters which I have sent to you, not one has been answered but one, which was dated 1^st January 1823.  We agreed that we should write every month whether the receipt of letters, regularly, took place or not.  I have fulfilled my engagement but assuredly you have not yours, otherwise I should have received more than I have received.

 June 1^st 1823.   This my dear dear wife is Sabbath morning & I have spent much of it, since recommending myself to god on thinking of you & our dear children.  I have tried to conjecture what you are doing & I have had the picture of the beloved group before my mind for a long while.

The silent thought gives me pleasure, I may say my only pleasure; but in silence too must I endure the heartrending thought that you are distant 4000 Miles for I do not complain   Telling all my misery could not awake sympathy in others unless they love as I do & had experienced all the misery which a separation from the most beloved, produces.  The moaning which no ear hears & the tears which no eye sees are the greatest sources of relief to my gloomy mind.  How unlike ourselves four years ago   all was gay & pleasure & joy –never met but with transports and only parted with hope that we would in a few weeks from this time, meet to part no more till the cold grave should part us for a little season.  O god what a romantic dream–what a delusive hope.

I have written several letters to my Father but had no return.  I have not nor will I write to any other of my relations.  Put not off one minute after receiving this writing & believe me, my adored wife, your unchangeably affectionate Husband Wm. Douglas

Another letter in the Grey Roots collection, dated Jan. 9, 1830, was sent to Margaret by her brother-in-law, John Douglas, who conducted a corn mill at Ashkirk, in the County of Selkirk, Scotland.  He had received a letter about his brother and needed to inform her that her husband had died the previous November.

At the time of his death, William Douglas, had been residing at the home of a Mr. Roberts at Wallingford, Rutland County, Vermont.  He had been working as a schoolteacher at a town called Tinmouth since 1827, but had caught a severe cold, which apparently progressed into a deadly pneumonia.  He knew he was dying, and therefore had Mr. Roberts promise to contact his family after his death.

Therefore, Margaret was left a widow in Edinburgh, with two sons to raise.  She remarried, and her second husband was Mr. Thomas Lunn.

The Lunn family left Scotland in 1842 and arrived at Owen Sound, Upper Canada in May, 1843 aboard the schooner “Otter”, along with John and James Douglas.   At the time, there were only three log cabins built in the settlement.   The Lunns settled one mile northeast of Leith, planning to farm.  Their dwelling was a log shanty, which reportedly had a passageway connection to the barn.  Living in the backwoods might have been somewhat of a hardship for Mrs. Lunn, as her family, the Ushers, had been “well-to-do” in Edinburgh, and there is a hint that perhaps her family did not approve of her marrying beneath her station.

Her John Douglas had a store for some years at Guelph, but moved back to Owen Sound in the 1860s.  John’s son Thomas W. Douglas (b. June 24, 1859) later had a drygoods store, which he opened in Owen Sound in 1881.  T. W. Douglas’ sons, John, Wilfred & Stewart, helped keep the Douglas store in operation for a long time.   Another descendent of Wm. & Margaret Douglas was John J.  Douglas, who became a manufacturing jeweler in Owen Sound.

Thomas Lunn became Reeve of the Township of Sydenham and chaired the first meeting of the provisional council of Grey County.  In 1852 the Lunns moved to Owen Sound when Mr. Lunn was appointed the County’s Registrar.  He also was an Owen Sound councillor and was elected as Mayor in 1862.

Margaret Usher Douglas Lunn died in 1863 and is buried at Greenwood Cemetery.  Thomas Lunn died Nov. 5, 1875.

The 1823 letter from Wm. Douglas, and other information about the Douglas family, can be found in the Grey Roots Archival Collection (PF34 Corbet/Douglas Collection).

The 1823 letter.