In l993, while on vacation in New Brunswick, I stopped overnight in Bathurst. I went around to the various cemeteries looking for my Scott and Boyd ancestors. At one cemetery I met a couple who were visiting different graves. I asked them if I would find people from Janeville buried here. They said that there was another cemetery closer to Janeville where I might find my relatives. They asked me what name I was looking for . I said Scott. The man replied that I should stop in and see old Mrs. Scott. She was 91 and might be able to help. If not here son was staying in the cottage behind Mrs. Scott's house and he might be able to help me. I followed their car "downshore" and drove up the drive to Jim Scott's cottage. He met me and listened to my story. His first question when he heard the family had settled in Campbellton was " Do you know Laurence Scott ?" . I replied yes, that was my grandmother's brother. Jim knew my Uncle Laurence. I seemed to be on the right track. Jim took me up to his mother's house and introduced me. After a short while she said perhaps I would like to see the papers and family tree written up by her son Vaughn. I said of course I would. Vaughn had collected information that I did not know existed. Jim then took me for a ride up to the old church to see the graveyard. I did not find my elusive Francis Scott and Elizabeth Ann Good there. I do not know where they were buried.
Jim next took me up to the old Scott farm house built about 100 years ago. It was at this time that he told me about the letters. The present owners of the house, also Scotts, decided to insolate the attic a few years ago. As they prepared to lay the insolation down in the attic they found between the rafters, a shoe box. The box contained a series of old letters written by relatives to the patriarch of the Scott family, Charles Scott and his wife Ann (Irving) Scott. The letters were written between l826 and l887 by various family members still living in England.The home owners thought they might be valuable and kept them. They allowed Vaughn to photocopy the letters but he had to return them. The letters were written by a number of people. The oldest was written by William Scott, the father of Charles Scott. He wrote to thank his son for taking his mother in. William was feeling poorly and felt he couldn't take care of her. He died a few months later. The majority of letters were written by Francis Scott, Charles' brother. Francis did not stay put at home in England. He joined the Royal Artillery and eventually became a gunner. He served in South Africa, Brighton, England and St. Johns, Newfoundland. His letters are quite entertaining. Ann (Irving) Scott's brother Thomas and her neice, Bessie Irving also wrote.They were living in the Carlisle area of Cumberland in northwestern England.
I have transcribed the letters below using the original spelling. I changed the grammar to make them more understandable. Periods and commas were not used at all. Spelling was awful.Read them and enjoy.
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