FULTON COUNTY OHIO - LETTER HOME FROM SCOTLAND - Esther Converse (STONE) BROWN (1889) *************************************************************************** OHGENWEB NOTICE: All distribution rights to this electronic data are reserved by the submitter. Reproduction or re-presentation of copyrighted material will require the permission of the copyright owner. *************************************************************************** File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Maggie Brown Moerdyke DitsyMM@aol.com December 28, 1998 *************************************************************************** This letter maybe lengthy yet it is very colorful in describing the living conditions of Levi W. BROWN and his family while he was Consulate in Glasgow, Scotland - certainly brings to mind the movie GONE WITH THE WIND and the heavy drapes, high ceilings and large entry hallway - read on, it is fascinating! This most likely was the only letter sent home and described in great detail every nook and cranny!! Lillybank Terrace, Scotland Sept. 26, 1889 Dear Sister I can not realize that I am in Scotland. The long sea voyage and sickness seems like a dream. We are two miles out from the city proper so we do not hear any of the din and bustle. It is so quiet most of the time that I can hardly realize that I am not in my own farm home. You would laugh if you could see what they call a terrace - it is merely a rise of ground where we are, it is much broader than in some places. It is very pleasant. We have a better view of the city than our neighbors at the foot of the hill. We are one of four families living under the same roof. Aside from that at each house is a distinct building by itself. There are many here. Sometimes one roof will cover 12 houses. Everything is built of stone as Mr. Brown says "firm as the everlasting hills" our house is three stories with a basement. All the rooms very large. In the basement the floors are stone, also the stairs. In it is the kitchen with the largest range I ever saw - off from the kitchen are many closets. There are two bedrooms for servants, a washroom, laundry, larder, coal room, and water closet. We burn coal altogether, our water is brought from one of the many lakes near us. The same water is used for washing, cooking and drinking. Is very nice tasting water but is hard on one's skin especially when it is so grained all the time with coal dust. On the first floor is the large entrance hall. The dining room on one side and the parlor on the other. The ceilings are about 13 feet high. The windows are immense affairs. The parlor is furnished in green. Hung green curtains with very pretty lace curtains underneath. The furniture is upholstered in green leather. A very handy secretary and a very handsome bookcase of mahogany filled with some very good books, some nice paintings on the wall. A grate and mantle in this room. We breakfast at 8:30 and lunch at 1 p.m. Off from this are two nice closets. Across from the parlor is the dining room. I will say here that the house faces nearly west. We being the last house we have windows to the south. The dining room faces the south and west it is the largest and most stately one I ever was in. The windows are draped with nice lace curtains and heavy red ones over them. The furniture is upholster in red leather. A very large extension table, a handsome chandelier, a good sized square table of cherry. A small side board shut off from the table by a large leather screen. Also at the east end of the room is the largest sideboard I ever saw with beautiful mirrors, at each end are two narrow but high closets, a grate and mantle. The walls are covered with oil paintings some of them exceedingly finer at least they are to me, here as elsewhere the carpet is sisals. There are some fancy little stools, pretty bric a brac on the mantle. The hall floor is very pretty, it must be 12 feet wide and 28 feet long to where the marble pillars are which form an arch from the end of the parlor to end of dining room. Then it is 3 feet to the foot of the stairs. Then 10 feet to where we go down to the basement. The front of the hall is furnished with a small couch, some chairs, a table and an umbrella rack. Pictures on the wall here also at the end a speaking tube. You can speak to the floors above or to the basement. Southside of the hall is a large pantry with numerous cupboards and drawers, a sink with hot and cold water for dishwashings, a dumb waiter to communicate with the kitchen. Farther along is the spare bedroom facing the east and south, a very pleasant room furnished in red, a large wardrobe, commode, dresser, table, grate and mantle with mirror over it. The dresser has mirror, also. Some nice picture on the wall, an easy chair and two others, all upholstered. Several gas jets - across the hall from this door you go upstairs, running north from here is a narrow dark hall. To the right next to the stairs is the cloak room off from which is a toilet room. Next is a work room. On the opposite side of this hall is the wine vault and coal elevator. The stairs are very wide about 7 feet and are iron. They go part way up and there is a broad landing off from which is the storeroom and to the east the Conservatory. The stairs turn, go up a few steps and another landing, another turn, and more steps and you are in the hall above. Ella's room faces the east furnished in a mixture of green and red but is quite pretty facing the same way is Minnie's room furnished in dark blue. Our room faces the west and furnished in dark red. The drawing room is very large facing west and south furnished mostly in red. The lace curtains in this room are the finest ones I ever saw. There are pretty chairs, small tete tete, little tables, fancy things of all descriptions, a large mirror, footstools, the piano we heard about. A fancy little secretary and another very fancy piece of furniture I have not found a name for. In all these rooms is a grate and mantle. On this floor is a bathroom, linen closet, and coal elevator. Each bedroom has a large wardrobe, on the third floor are 2 bedrooms, nurses room, nursery, bathroom, billiard room, storeroom and closet. These rooms are furnished with a grate, the boys sleep on this floor, every room in the house has a call bell. Now may be I better tell you something of my servants. In the first place I never saw such. My cook can get up any dish you choose to ask for and it will be served in the nicest way you could imagine. The table or rather hour maid wears a bewitching white cap and apron she looks as nice as one could wish and waits upon the table in a charming manner. Our dinner we take in the dining room at six p.m. served in courses never less than three. Mr. Brown likes it as well as I. All I have to do is to order the meal and it comes to the table cooked in the most approved of style. I fear four years will spoil me entirely. I hardly feel at home in using strange things. I mix the girls up with my American ways and they do me with Scotch ways, Altogether I have had sort of a hard week so I will not try to write only this letter and you may send to Eliza. Here after I will try and do better. Am feeling pretty well. Walter is some what cross at being housed so closely. Much love to each and all. Esther Lovingly submitted by a great-great-granddaughter who can visibly see what your words describe! I only wish you knew that I had visited the exact home you lived in when teaching in England - a week was spent travelling about Scotland in 1975 and I was sure to find the house at the top of the terrace. The bathroom still stood as you mentioned and the stained glass window was still intact which your daughter and my great aunt Ruth Armstrong BROWN (who was born in that home in Glasgow in 1890) remembered so well. I even brought home a snapshot of the house and interior although it is now a school for girls. Thank you for writing! >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Maggie Brown Moerdyke ==== OH-FOOTSTEPS Mailing List ====