Letter: Celebrations around Declaration of Independence 250th anniversary made me recall my own warm family ties with USA

My father, who was reared outside the village of Clough, was one of four boys - three of whom emigrated to the USA (the fourth one who fought in the First World War did not venture in that direction).

One of the three, William Robert, went to Tecumseh in Michigan, Joseph (a carpenter) to Philadelphia and in 1930 my father along with a friend from Clough, Samuel Peacock, emigrated to Philadelphia, travelling by boat from Londonderry.

My father and Peacock obtained references from a local family named Robinson who had family living and in business in the Philadelphia area.

My father obtained a job with Robinson stores shortly after he arrived and as a family we heard of how life was different to living on a small farm outside Clough.

He clearly enjoyed the change and over the years we heard of Bill Campbell from the north coast, Archie McGowan from Dunloy and others.

The reason for his return was the pleading letters from his parents and eventually he capitulated to the pleas and returned to Northern Ireland.

We met some of his friends when they came back to visit family and inevitably they called to see him. We also met his brother Joe who came back for a visit.

In the light of the background my wife and I inevitably visited Philadelphia and met uncle Joe, Archie McGowan, Sam Peacock and other friends of my father and heard of how times had changed.

We also heard of the employers Robinsons and my uncle took us for a drive round their businesses.

The significance of this family to Ballymoney cannot be overemphasised.

The hospital in Ballymoney was for years known as the Robinson for a very simple reason namely the amount of money donated to it by the branch of the family in America.

Lyle Cubitt, Ballymena