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Carbon copy, letter to Robert Grier Torrence.

1.10.79

Dear Bob

I trust that your daughter has responded to treatment and is now
restored to health. It must have been a great worry to you during these few
months. Having to watch others and not being able to help much must have been
a strain for you. It is regretful that there is not a national Health Service
over there, as here treatment would have been free. I trust that you have
not been too disturbed with all the mental strain which you have suffered.

I hope that you have been able to examine your father's notes, and
I enclose a note od the documents I would like to have, four in all. As these
may have some detail which would be helpful in finding the connection with
Scotland. I have found eight Torrens in Ireland about the middle of the
17th Cent., including two Hughs. One of the later came from Hairmyers near
Glasgow (this is now the site of a large Hospital). In 1928 the first of the
'New Towns' was developed at East Kilbride, and this has resulted in the
obliteration of most of the ancient landmarks. I am trying to get an old
Ordinance map before this date, but theses are almost unobtainable.

The book I managed to get a copy of Torrens. 1786-1934, by Mrs.
Frank S Torrens is interesting as it details a family previously unrecorded
which came from Letterkenny. There is only one copy in any American library,
and that is at Tacoma. I have a friend at Seattle who got me a copy. This I
found in the lists of Torrens books in the National Union Catalog of Pre 1956
Imprints. There are nearly 600 volumes and the Torrens one was only published
early this year. The other books mentioned on enclosed list are not mentioned.
So I hope you can help with any of them.

I found confirmation of the loss of the Estate in John Anderson,
Memoirs of the House of Hamilton, 1825, p. 386. The date was 1486, so the
only connection we have with the old estate is the name. Your father's book
p.11 extract from Burke. There is as far as I can find no record
of the gift of land aforesaid. But this confirms that there might have been
some truth in the legend.

The reason that I want these books is that possibly some clue may be
found which will direct the research to the connection. For example from
the Jared book and your father's I found wills which gave Hugh of Aghadowey
and Alexander of Carnroe Northern Ireland were brothers and the tatter
was known in Lanark in 1668. From here I hope to trace the Scottish family
in the notes of Richard of Edinburgh. So far I have not had time. Retirement
is supposed to give plenty of time, but that is not so in my case.

Anyway if you can help with any of the copies I would be very grateful
and if there is any information you would like please let me know.

I have had my name included in the Guild of One Name researchers
which has recently been formed and hope that this will lead to other contacts.

That is about all this tine, and when you are ready I will have
a number of questions about items in your father's book on which I would
like further information, but these can wait till you are ready.

With all best wishes, and hoping that your troubles are now at
an end, and that happier times are coming to you.

With thanks in anticipation of your reply

Yours sincerely

Bob

R G Torrens


Attached to this letter is the following list:

Information required about the following:

Miss Elizabeth Hannah Kier Torrance of Punxsatawney, Pennsylvania, born 1860,
died 1934, her history of the descendants of her ancestor Hugh Torrance,
brother of Albert Torrance, was published by Frank M Torrence of State College,
Pennsylvania, 1926.

This history is mentioned by Robert M Torrence in his book, Torrence and
Allied Families, 1938, Genealogical Soc of Pennsylvania, Page 30.

Frank was a teacher of engineering drawing at Penn State 1911 to 1942, he
died in 1958. His daughter married Harry H Balthaser in 1935, and his daughter
Barbara married a Nelson. The addresses of these daughters would be appreciated.

Kernohan's notes on the Torrens Family These are mentioned on page 297 of the
book by Jared Sidney Torrance, The Descendants of Lewis Hart and Ann Elliott,
This note says that J W Kernohan was a reliable professional genealogical
researcher residing at Part Row. Belfast, N. Ireland, and this data would be
furnished to any of the Torrence desiring to trace their Irish Ancestors free.
Jared died about 1921 and his wife died at Pasadena in 1940. She had two
children by her first marriage, and the addresses of these would be helpful.
Her son Herbert H Childs and the daughter Mrs. Roydon Vosburgh. The executor
of Mrs Helena Childs Torrance was Security Pacific National
Bank, Passadena District Trust Office, 230E Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. Cal. 91101
and they should have these.

Xerox copies would be gladly received and cost refunded. Otherwise any
information leading to the finding of these documents would be welcome.


Kernohan's Notes were also in possession of Isabel Sarah Torrance Henderson
who died in 1937, was wife of Dr. William Robert Henderson of Randolph, N.Y.
she lent this data to Robert M. compiler or T & Allied Families. Her daughter
Dorothy Gibson married Harold Browning a graduate of Michigan University in 1913.
She married later, 1922, Natt Frederick Jamieson of Field Artillery.



Copy of the Torrence Family, by Frank L. Torrance, of Abingdon, Illinois
and Fred A Torrance, of Ausable Forks, New York. Frank was born in 1869.
Ref. Allied Families page 40.

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