Transcription of a letter from Cornelia Wingrove (nee Galbreath) to her brother John in 1835. We have punctuated the transcription to make it more easily read.

The letter refers to property in America. Cornelia & John's mother Cornelia (nee Stites) was an American and there was a dispute between the two sides of the family regarding the inheritance of her father John Stites. Also their father David Galbreath speculated in and owned various properties in New York State and Ohio -  see his page. The after mentioned property and deeds could refer to either.

To
Mr. John Galbreath,
at Mr. Philipps Wine Merchants
Black raven Court
Seething Lane
London

Wooburn
May 9 1835

I think now Aunt Katherine might write to me to the day of my death and I cannot forget her and would now if it were in my power make her comfortable, but at present it is not as for Mrs. Fiddes. I will not care, perhaps there may come a day when she will for me.

My Dear Brother,

I received your letter both of yesterday and today which not a little surprised me at your cool way of writing. If I had been a common prostitute you could not have written in a less affectionate way. I suppose by your first you thought I had deceived you by writing you in the summer saying I intend going to America in two or three months which was the case, and it was agreed by all the respectable inhabitance to advance William twenty pound to help defray our passage knowing that William for nearly a twelvemonth was ill and unable to work. Which if such a circumstance was to happen to yourself would I daresay through (throw?) yourself and family back. But a man of the name of Nash who was once in Aylesbury jail and afterwards kept the workhouse here and had to collect the rates robbed the parish of above a hundred pounds, came forward to say he considered it unjust to advance William Wingrove £20 as he did not belong to Wooburn Parish as his grandfather Wingrove was a certificate man to Penn, about 5 miles from this. William’s father was not married when his father died yet the lawyer of Wooburn Parish thinks we belong to Penn, and Penn say as William’s father was not married therefore it is impossible for the certificate to descend to the grandchildren. Therefore it is going to be tried out. Penn Parish are quite as willing to give us the money if we belong to them but they consider it unjust and also robbing the Parish if we do not. Mr. Knowles the clergyman of Penn, he will do all he can to forward it for us and we are determined upon going as soon as it is decided, for William will have work immediately from a gentleman that once lived at Wycomb for himself and boys. He came from America last autumn to see his mother and returned again, and wished us greatly to go with him. He is a man of considerable property . I told Mr. Du Pree our clergyman I was determined upon going for I always had a great wish to go.

As for the papers you gave to me, I am quite willing to forward to you. As for a memorandum book I have never seen. I have a copy of the receipt of deeds that David signed. I can show you a letter you wrote to me at Brighton to know if I was willing to let David have the papers which I told you I thought would be very wrong in you to do. And some time after that you assured me in another letter you had not sent David the deeds, considering if he could not be trusted here he could not in America, and this was after David left London for America. But by your account now you gave them to him before he left. As for the papers being of any use to me if I had gone to America, I did not consider they would as there were no real deeds to produce and at any rate it must have been done in a most quiet way, and to have got information by degrees which would likely take a considerable time. Sir Giffin Wilson is a most clever man and has been a Counseller. I showed him the papers, he seemed to think it more than likely you had the deeds but was unwilling to give them up. He told whatever I did must be done in a most quiet way. And if I had but one penny you should have the half. I sincerely trust my feelings towards you are those of a sisterly affection both for yourself and family. I thought it most unkind when you were in a chase and met a woman of the name of Pincher and enquired of her if she knew of a person of the name of William Wingrove, and if his wife was living and if I had not been ill. You then stopped old Dean the gardener and asked him several questions. He then asked you to give him your name which you told him was not of any consequence, this was between Wycomb and Wooburn and I knew by the description it to be my brother John. Oh I immediately said how cruel and unkind to be that short distance from my house. I suppose it was pride, he considered myself(sic) above me, but really John I do not think so, you did not marry higher than myself. I well know that both my husband and self would have done all we could to have entertained you, your wife and children.

Oh if my dear father could but look out of his grave and know only the cruelty I have met with from relations. I do not for one moment consider I am under the least obligation to them, and but cruelty, but they will have to answer for it. Did I not sign my hand at the bank before I was of age, I knew not for what, but I will know. I sent a friend of mine to Mrs. Fiddes to enquire for Aunt Galbreath’s address as I sent a letter to Brighton and it was returned. I thought she might be dead and no one thought it worth their trouble to let me know. I never thought Aunt Galbreath would have treated me so, for when Mrs. Martin called a young man in the counting house said she was upstairs at Fiddeses and Mrs. F treated her more like a dog than anything else. I wanted nothing of Mrs. Fiddes or of Aunt Galbreath and she merely asked for Aunt’s address. I can safely say I have received more kindness from friends than relations and thank God I have a most affectionate husband, and I can say with the greatest of truth he always gives me every penny he takes and never thinks of entering a public house from six months to six months and always fond of his children.

Respecting the property in America we are willing to share with you in expenses to try to recover the property. Of course you will not run to any great expense unless you feel sure of reclaiming it. When you come this way if you are not above coming to see me, I wish extremely to see you upon particular business which I think will be to your advantage as well as my own. I think it not unlikely I shall be in town myself in a few weeks, at any rate, write and tell me the particulars as soon as you can.

I have had several letters from Uncle Mitchel’s family since I have seen you. David is sure enough dead, he died at Sandy Hook in a schooner vessel and his body committed to the deep. Respecting the papers, I will forward them tomorrow morning by the Wycomb coach which leaves this at eleven o'clock, James Kay is the coachman’s name. I know he will take care of them for you, to be left at the Bell in Holborn till called for which will be in town a little after three. Give my love to your wife and tell her if she will come and spend a week or two with me when you are in the country we will make her most welcome of what we have got, or send little Ann, the country now tell her is most pleasant. William joins me in love to you and your wife and believe me dear John your truly attached sister,

Cornelia Wingrove.

Be sure you come and see us when you come this way and be sure and let me know how you go on in the American affair. If I am wanted in London let me know as soon as you can. I was out yesterday at Marlow therefore did not have your letter till night.

Kind acknowledgments to Kay Clarke for providing me with this letter.