James Dunlap, Philadelphia to Billy Rutherford, Strabane.

		                  Philadelphia May 12th 1785

Dr [Dear?] Billy your agreeable letter of last year come safe
to hand the account you there of your progress in learning
is very pleasing Education is the foundation on
which young Men must build there [their?] prospect of future
happiness If it is agreeable to you your father and Mother
that you should come to this country I will observe
their directions in having you taught any business you
may wish to learn after you have the education they think
sufficient for you which may be had here as well as in
Ireland if you intend coming to this country the sooner
the better, I am D [Dear?] Billy with my best wishes for
your happiness your affectionate uncle John Dunlap

      Mrs Mary Rutherford Strabane Ireland    [April?] 1785
                  Philadelphia - Pray Give my kind love
to my Dr [Dear?] Sister Molly & to Sister Sally I am sorry to
find I have no more to write as my brother tells me my
Sister Peggy is dead I am sorry for it I always loved
her in my heart but for sum [some?] reason has Considered
it.  I beg of you all to be as agreeable as possible and make
Everything as agreeable as possible My love to Brother Joshua
and family brother adam and family My brother says he
will write to you by the first oppertunity [opportunity?] is
for the afair [affair?] you would wish him to write about he
says he will put it to write I have onced Charged you to Make
William a good Schollar [Scholar?] I hope he will be a Good
boy and kindly to you if he is it will please me it will be
greatly to his advantage if he is a good boy and a good
scholar if he is that there may something turn out to his
advantage not to work at a trade I am apt to think Billy must
come over here if is a good boy and as for Bell you must let
her have as much schooling as is necessary and learn [teach?]
her to dance and tell her that if she would wish me to
Continue to love her that she must be a very good girl and not
give any one the least reason to say thing [anything?] against
her character if you mind this it will be much to your
advantage if you would think as I hope you do how valuable a
good Character is to a young woman you will strictly folly
[follow?] your father and mothers advice tell Sally she must
be as good as bell and as for mary I shall see her time
enough to make her be a good Girl but at the same time keep
her at school and as for John he will be i [I?] hope a stout
punching [pirly?] little fellow that wont be any trouble to
any one only to give him good Schooling for i [I?] expect the
Girls will take care of him And as for James i [I?] hope he
will be a fine boy but he is rather too young for me to form
my opinion of him but i [I?] hope he will be a fine child and
by the time he comes to think any thing of the world perhaps
they may something turn out to his Advantage you must write
to Adam and tell him to give his Children as much Schooling
as is Necessary give My love to Sally Erwin and Peggy Erwin
Mr Di--in [Dinnen?] & Sally I can not mention something of
my old Acquaintance in Strabane but I shall write to some or
other of them I am in so great a hurry you will have some
trouble to read this letter as it is badly wrote [written?]
when I come from Kentucky I shall write to you again this
Kentucky is a fine country I shall s [see?] sister Molly
soon beleive [believe?] me to be your sincere loving brother
James Dunlap