Dear Aunt Mary,

           I received your letter with the news of Uncle William's death and of the death of your son William. It was a severe trial one(?) on the back of another                you are now within a month or two of compleating your 80^th year, born in Wee Mossend(?) in the summer of 1782                I may now state that all your Sisters are widows as well as yourself                Andrew Hunter died in August 1860 and John Conner died 9 months ago           only Aunt Janet's man John Kerr is still alive yet and Elisabeth Borrowman is still with her son James in Roaston and able to come to church frequently only she is almost blind these several years by past           my sister Bell and I live together by ourselves and has done these 5 or 6 years           our brother David is Governor of Cuninghame Poor House at Irvine           his first wife Elis Smith's old and last daughter Agnes was married on Archibald Drummond had two children and they are left orphans as she died this time twelvemonth           her husband died 5 years ago their grandfather John Drummond left them by his will £100 each ?? only other sister alive Agnes still lives in Kilmarnock           her old Son is a Schoolmaster, her younger (son is)? a ???, her daughter is married on a Carpet Weaver           (Aunt)? Nelley lives with her Children now with one now with another all her daughters are married and has family           at present she lives near Girvan           Aunt Agness Hogg(?) lives in Kilmarnock these many years her children are there also, all married but the youngest son(?) and younges           Daughter Aunt Grace still lives in Dailly village Aunt Janet and husband reside at Monkton both frail           Aunt Bell (twenty months younger than yourself) has Red Cheeks and seems to attend her customers as she still keeps a small grocery and at church almost every Sunday          her daughter Bell lives with her also her son Joseph is a Bacholer like myself and ?? with her           her son Andrew lives in the House with her he has two grown up Daughters one a Dressmaker
          I need not write any thing of a public nature.           how that weaving trade is Dull to the brink of a Stand State and all conected with the cotton trade:           very much suffering is patiently borne by the workers.
          I may rather tell you of your old acquaintance who are dead and gone           first your Daughter Mary's old Master Captain McDermiot(?) in Aransow is Still alive and lives in Ayr  but your cousins Joseph Hunter John Hunter and Andrew Hunter and your Second Cousin Wm Hunter Trochain and his Sister Mary all died with in the past year exept Joe &? And^w who died a little before.
I am going to send this to my brother with a wish that he may add a few lines on next page.
I shall be very glad to hear (how?) you all get on. Tell Mrs Mc? that her brothers in law Thomas & John are both very frail but not bedfast.

Dear Aunt Mary

                    You cannot expect me to give you any news regarding Kirk michael as it is now 26 years since I left it, and I am now like yourself little aquainted in that quarter           after my wife Elira? Smith died I went to Glasgow and after 12 years I married my present [wife], a very excellent woman, from Stirlingshire, I have had my ups + downs.           Yet on the whole I have been very lucky regarding worldly affairs, Poor Houses in Scotland 30 years ago was scarce, no so now, this one was erected about 6 years ago, it stands near to the Eglinton Gates, it is for 12 parishes and the Building cost £15 000           My wife and myself has the charge, we have a good ???. But a good dale of responsibility. 

I would like very well if any of your family would write me + let me know when David your son died and if (James?) is living, and let me know about Mary + Margaret. I was about 18 years ago almost ready to go to Canada with the full intention to see you all, but ???.
      I have lately been at Kirkmichael placing a tombstone in memory of my Father, Mother, sisters, wife and children, who has now (all?) passed away. Such is the changing scenes(?), such is life, trusting this will reach you + that you are in ordnary(?) keeping, your convenent(?) Please let me have a few line           Remember me to Mary + Margaret.