Letter from David Evans to Children

Dowlais March 9 1874

Anusyl Blant)

Dear Children)              Please to write as soon as you can.

I have taken this opportunity of writing these few lines to you in hope that they will find you all in a good state of health as this leaves me at present.

I have received your letter dated Nov. 28 the 22 of Dec. and it made me very glad to hear from you and that you were all well and doing well.

I received a letter from Elizabeth dated 7 of August and I was very glad to have it from her, But I was in changing my Master and some other things, that had no time to answer it then, but I hope that she is not offended for that and that she will write again when she can have time, for I do expect now that she have plenty of work in domestic affairs after she have arrived at the age she is now at home with such a family---

As to me and my affairs they are just the same still I do get my living now my old age better than many that, so many years younger than I am, But the worst thing against me now is that there is something growing over my right eye that makes it quit use- less this last year, But it is not hopeless in my site yet I hope, it is under treatment since I seen the deficiency in it and through it is not going worst than when first I took notice of it, but it is a great hinderance to me in my work, it is not quite dark but it is useless to do any thing with it but I hope that it will come again in this world too---

I have been at Hirwaun Christmas time and they were all well there as usual and inquiring about you and your family., and it happen then I have your letter in my pocket that they might know all the account I had about you all and were very glad all of them to hear from you and that you and your family are doing well in this world---

You have send to me some time ago to send you some account concerning my Genealogy my Pedigrees which I shall do as far as I do know---

My Great Grandfather's name was David Evans he was a Colier living at a place called Cwm Bychan in the lower part of this County and Cutting Coal for country use then and it is very likely that by that occupation that he in time came possed of little money and took to a farm in a Parish called Lanoyfodwg in the country and there had many children one of whom was my Grandfather named Evan, after he came of age married to one named Mary Morgans and kept on the farm after his father and had three children by his wife, two daughters and a son named David who was my father, and my grandmother died when my father was young, and his father married a second time and at the age of 17 David could not agree with his stepmother and through that he left home and came to Sberdar [Aberdare] where he remained till his death, after he had 9 childern of whom the old Shoemaker is the first born and so much of my pedigrees by my fatherside.

As to my Mothers side she have decended by her Mother side from a family called Cadogan and by her Father of Morgans both in the Parish of Uanwone and there I have given an account of my ancestors as far as I so know, but as to your Mother's side I have nothing to say more than they were natives of Carmarthen County all of them.

And there I took the trouble to get you these things as far as I could--so I have no more at present to send to you but thank God that I am sitting at the table writing these times as healthy as ever when you did see me and I hope that you can say the same every one of you, they are all well as at Hirwaun and send their kind love to you all,

Good-bye at present

From your Old Father

David Evans (shoemaker)

Direct as usual.