Some additional information. The orphaned child was apparently Martha Sinclair (rather than St. Clair) according to this text:
Quote:
Martha Sinclair
Martha Sinclair 9 F SS Hibernian 1869 Oct 28 - Nov 8
PLACEMENTS FOR MARTHA
First Party Report - 1869 - Liverpool Workhouse Schools - # 9. Martha Sinclair; 13; orphan; workhouse 3 years; relations none known; Mrs. Amy E., Widow, Clinton, Hunterdon Co., New Jersey, U.S.; Bound for service; Farmer. Has 2 sons and a daughter grown up.
1870 United States Federal Census
Name:Martha Sinclar Estimated Birth Year:abt 1858 Age in 1870:12
Birthplace:Scotland (or England?)
Home in 1870:Union, Hunterdon, New Jersey
Race:White Gender:Female
Post Office:Clinton
Amy Exton 62
Jos E Exton 28
Henrietta L Exton 26
Charles H Carter 13
Martha Sinclar 12
Nelson Bunn 30
1878 Rye Report - #11 - US
1875 Letters - What The children Say about Canada - Kirkdale - pg 46/ (written to the Workhouse in Liverpool)
New Jersey, Union Farm,
February 7th, 1870
I now write these few lines to tell you that I like my place very much, and my mistress is very kind to me and gives me all I want, and it is a very nice place indeed, and I only got there on Saturday morning at 2 o'clock, and I was very glad to get there. And would you please tell me how you are getting on, and I like to know how the children are getting on. And would you please tell how Mrs. (surname not given) is getting on, for I like to know very much how your two children are, and I hope they are quiet well, and I hope all is well and would tell me how Catherine Travis is, for I like to know very much how she am, and I like to know how you are getting on, and would please tell Priscilla Elliot that I will soon send her a letter soon, and I send my kind love to Priscilla Elliot and Mary Hodson, and to Louisa Burden, and would you please tell me how George is getting on, for I like to know very much, and I thank him very much for carrying my box over, and I want to know how you are getting on, and I send my kind love to you, and I very happy, and I am very sorry to that I cannot write any better, for it is my first time in writing a letter to you and write it all myself, and I am going to put a few verses in this letter, is about it is well:
TIS WELL
BELOVED, IT IS WELL
GOD'S WAYS ARE ALWAYS RIGHT
AND PERFECT LOVE IS O'ER THEM ALL,
THO' FAR ABOVE OUR SIGHT.
BELOVED, IT IS WELL
THO' DEEP AND SORE THE SMART,
THE HAND THAT WOUNDS KNOWETH HOW TO BIND
AND HEAL THE BROKEN HEART
BELOVED, IT IS WELL
THO' SORROW CLOUD OUR WAY
TWILL ONLY MAKE THE JOY MORE DEAD
THAT USHERS IN THE DAY
So no more at present from your effectnate, - Signed: MARTHA SINCLAIR
1875 Letters -What the Children Say About Canada - -pg 29
Sunday, February 27th,
Union Farm. (1870) (New Jersey)
My Dear Friend: I write these few lines to tell you that I like my place very much and Mrs Exton is very kind to me and I like her very much, and Miss Louisia also is very kind to me and I like to tell you how I got along.I was very safe and they were all very kind to me and a gentleman taken me into his house and gave me my supper on the first day you had sent me and the same gentleman gave me pretty near three dollars and he was very kind to me indeed, and he put me into the sleeping car and I reached great bend very early and they were very kind to me at Great Bend and gave me all I wanted, and Mrs Howe gave me a pear of draws and I thanked her very much and a kind Gentleman at Great Bend gave me about 5 cents, and I stayed at Great Bend four day, and Mrs Exton sent for me at Great Bend on Friday night to tell them to send on Saturday morning and the Mrs Exton was to meet at Hampton Junction and I got to the house between 1 and 2 o=clock, and it is very nice place indeed, and a Gentleman was at Mrs Extons this morning and I think he wants a girl, and Mrs Exton thinks there are several good places for good girls in this neighbourhood, and Mrs Extons girl is going away on Monday morning to Virginia, and I would be very glad to hear from you very much, and please tell me how Lucy James is getting on. So no more from your affectionate Martha Sinclair.
1880 Annual Peckham Report - Letter #1
Clinton, New Jersey, 12th, October 1879
"Dear Miss Rye, - I write you these few lines to let you know that I have not I hav not forgotten you yet, - you are still in my mind. I hope I will not forget you. I am at Mrs. E.'s now, I expect to stay with her for awhile yet. I hope you are keeping well. I heard that you had been to England for some more children- I hope you had a pleasant time in bringing them over, and I am sure you are doing good for the poor children of England, and I believe they get good homes as far as I can hear. I myself had a good home, though Mrs. E. was very strict. I will soon be eleven years in America. We are having some nice weather now. I would be very glad to hear from you; I would like to see you very much. I have been confirmed going on over four years, and am very glad- I belong to a very old church, called St. Thomas,
it is somewhere about 112 years. Mrs. and Miss E. are both very well. I send my love to you." -Very truly yours - Martha S.
The text was taken from this website of British Home Children in Canada (letters from Maria Rye children). (The Martha Sinclair text is 2/3rds of the way down in column 1).
http://canadianbritishhomechildren....letters.html
Posted 06/29/2013 08:57 am
