| Title: | [William Faris, Cape Fear?] to [Arthur Dobbs, Carrickfergus?] |
|---|---|
| ID | 1019 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Faris, William/1 |
| Year | 1749 |
| Sender | Faris, William |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | plantation owner |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Wilmington, Cape Fear, N. Carolina, USA |
| Destination | Carrickfergus, Co. Antrim, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Dobbs, Arthur |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | friends? |
| Source | D 162/48: Items used in Exhibition erected in conjunction with a Bicentennial Symposium, N.U.U. 1976. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9405185 |
| Date | 18/02/1749 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 09:05:1994. |
| Word Count | 1441 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | William Faris Capefear [Cape Fear?] Wilmington Feby 18th 1749/50 Sir I have often thought myself to blame in not keeping up a more constant Correspondance [Correspondence?] with you, to which you were so kind to give me a fair Oponity [Opportunity?]; but it was a long time before I thought myself sufficiently Instructed in the History of our upper Country, so that what Intelligence I received, I Communicated to sundry of your Acquaintances I had occasion to write to for Information; besides that for two or three years I was so sickly I could scarcely write my Name, and it is but a few Months past that my Health is again confirmed which I hope wil [will?] be an Apology for me; as no Man can have a higher Esteem, than I have Entertained even before I had the Honour of knowing you personally, and which has long Increased from the many Instances of your Generosity to several of my Acquaintances, I'm afraid you'l [you will?] think this too much; but as I find you was [were?] Informed that I had spoke [spoken?] of you in a different Manner, I cou'd [could?] not refrain taking notice of it in a letter or two to Mr Bruce and to the late Mr Orr, as it gave me the utmost Uneasiness; but to one who knows the Authors [Temper?] it wou'd [would?] not appear at all surprising where any the least [view?] of Interest is at Bottom. I heard you had thoughts of seeing this country this year yourself; but I fear the settlement is yet too much in its Infancy to give you much satisfaction, and the Accomodations [Accommodation?] in many parts so bad, that I doubt you would soon tire of it. The Fall is the best time to atemp [attempt?] it, Octbr [October?] particularly, and your arriving just to that time is precarious, in so long a Voyage, and in the two preceeding Months Agues are Rife. I am sensible if you were here a little time you would be better able to form a judgement than you can by any Description, and should you send over a Numbr [Number?] of People and they meet with Disapointments [Disappointments?] and become Unhappy I know it would give you great Uneasiness; so that whether you come or Send, I wou'd [would?] by no means have you settle many at first; let a few wel [well?] chosen Industrious Farmers, either Irish or Germans (The latter to chuse [choose?] in my Opinion) be settled with necessary Provisions etc and in two or three years your own Tenants wil [will?] have plenty to Spare for those you may send after. Whereas Provisions, that is Corn and rice are very dear, this is a plentiful year, Occasioned by the number of shippg [shipping?] and our naval Stores so high that those who have most Negroes Imploy [employ?] them in Burning Tar and buy Corn which is now 2s [St?] per Bushel even 100 Miles up the N. Wst [North West?] river, where they keep up the price of their Produce higher in general than in Town and all advantages are taken of New comers [Newcomers?]. The Germans are frugal and Industrious and not so ready to complain and be Uneasy as most others; besides they Usually come with pretty great plenty of cloathing [clothing?], Utensils &c as I see by some Accidentally put in here this Winter who make choice Servants, and at Philadelphia they prefer them to any other - You can Send nothing which wil [will?] sel [sell?] better here than Irish linens of all sorts as high as 2s/ p yd [per yard?] and a few ps [pieces?] @ 2s/6d to 3s/ [&?] Dublin Sheets [?] of yd [yard?] 1/8 & [Elwyde?] and some course tabling may purchase Provisions and other Necessarys [Necessaries?] with advantage. German Familys [Families?] I see are often to be met with at London and Vessels coming out empty to this River would doubtless make the Freight easy. Mr John Rutherford the bearer of this is a very worthy Neighbour of mine and returns in the Fall, probably with a Vessel of his own, wou'd [would?] be a fine Opportunity; as she is a good Vessel and his Commandr [Commander?] a remarkably good Temper'd [Tempered?] Sobar [Sober?] Man, which is of no smal [small?] Importance so many of them turn out Insolent and Illnatured to Passengers. Mr Rutherford wil [will?] be heard of at Mr James Croker's or at Mr Dunwoodys, he wil [will?] be in Edinburgh two or three Months, where he is wel [well?] known as Laird of Boulogn [Boulogne?], which I mention as you may chuse [choose?] to write to him and he may have a Vessel coming from Clyde. I had thoughts of leaving this Country; but find it almost Impracticable, and as Mrs Faris gives me hopes of seeing her here, determines my setling [settling?] for life, and as all our Produce bear a higher Price since the Peace, I have given up Trade and am setled [settled?] near the Town with a few Hands on our Plantation and keep a Saw Miln [Mill?] & Grist Miln [Mill?] under my own Oversight, which promises tollerably [tolerably?] at present & sutes [suits?] me better than Trade, in which I have had little success during the War. As several places of Profit are lately become [vacant?] in this governmt [government?] I have applied to my good Freind [Friend?] Mr Adair for his Interest to be made Collector of Port Brunswick in this River, which is likely to be Valuable now that our Trade Increases, and as this may possibly meet you in London, I take leave to Request your Interest on this Occasion, which I shal [shall?] ever acknowledge with the utmost Gratitude. The Collection of a Place called Bath is also Vacant at 150 miles distance would sute [suit?] with the Liberty of keeping a Deputy tho' [though?] not near so profitable as the other. The Posts of Surveyr [Surveyor?] and Receiver Generals are also Vacant, if either cou'd [could?] be obtained I could get security for the latter; but the Collection of this post wou'd [would?] be the most agreeable. I fear there wil [will?] be many making Interest for it; but I must leave it to my Freinds [Friends?] among whom I take leave to place you. Mr Robt [Robert?] Macky I hope wil [will?] wait [upon?] you and advance what may be necessary; as he has given me many Instances of a more Disinterested Freindship [Friendship?] I hope Our Govnt [Government?] wil [will?] be continued and the Measures confirmed which have been taken in Assembly these two years past, which I can't help thinking to be the best on the whole, from what I know by being a Member for Six years before that time Hower [However?] should there be a Change, I would be glad to be of [off?] the Council as it wil [will?] be free of Fees; but on any other terms I would not chuse [choose?] it, in which I would also request your Interest. Yr [Your?] Lands on Black River would be very fit for Stock to raise a Supply for your Upper Country when setled [settled?]. I have two places not far from your Lands, with Tennants [Tenants?] on Shares with what we cal [call?] Cowe [Cow?] Penns [Pens?], in which way Cattle & Hogs are easily raised under careful Industrious People. The Necessary Tools of Hoes, [?] &c are easily got here if you don't send them from London, with a few for a Carpenter & Blacksmith which are Useful Hands in a new Settlement, wth [with?] Nails, hinges &c and a few Coopers tools. Course striped duffil [duffle?] Blankets & course Bed Ticks wil [will?] be necessary, with any lowe [low?] priced Clothg [clothing?] or House furniture, viz, Potts [pots?], Panns [Pans?] &c. I doubt not Capt [Captain?] Rowan has mentioned most of these things, possibly some might Escape him, Course Shoes, and cheap Pumps or Brogues with Stockings Hatts [Hats?] &c wil [will?] all be wanted and if you send many People, plenty of Oatmeal & Gritts [Grits?] may be Useful even [over?] here after they Arrive, I need not say much of the Usefulness of Ventilators aboard, to you who are so Curious in everything so Useful to Mankind I heartily wish you Success in all your Laudable undertakings and be ashured [assured?] I am with great Esteem and Respect, Dear Sir yr [your?] most obedient humble Servt [Servant?] William Faris P.S. poor Mr Pettigrew is still living and chearful [cheerful?] among his old neighbours, where he teaches as a Schoolmaster- Capefear [Cape Fear?] Wilmington Feby 18th 1749/50 |
