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Title: Thomas Grey, New York to Mrs McCleery, Portaferry
ID1273
CollectionIrish Emigration Database
FileGrey, Thomas/99
Year1829
SenderGrey, Thomas
Sender Gendermale
Sender Occupationunknown
Sender Religionunknown
OriginNew York, USA
DestinationPortaferry, Co. Down, N.Ireland
RecipientMrs McCleery
Recipient Genderfemale
Relationshipfriends
SourceT 2476/1: Deposited by Hugh McNamara, Esq., 15 The Square, Portaferry, County Down
ArchiveThe Public Record Office, Northern Ireland.
Doc. No.9309330
Date01/09/1829
Partial Date
Doc. TypeEMG
LogAction By Date Document added by C. R., 01:09:1993
Word Count765
Genre
Note
TranscriptNew York 1st Sept. 1829
My Dear Mrs. McCleery
I do not know if I was ever more agreeably surprised than by the receipt
of your kind letter to me by Miss Rogers accompanied also by some more
tangible gifts than mere good wishes, and for which I beg you will accept my
best and warmest thanks, & I assure you that I shall not easily forget your
thoughtfulness and friendship to me, formerly as well as in the present
instance. -
It gave me great pleasure to hear some time since of your having got an
addition to your family in James Edwards (by the by I think you have given
him a very handsome name) and I desired Roseanne to give my congratulations to
you on the subject, which I hope she has not neglected to do, indeed I always
beg her to remember me to you, when I write home.
I was sorry to hear of your Sarah having been ill but I hope long ere this
she is in her usual state of health, what I would give to have Maria & Willy
with me here, to enliven the sometimes dull hours with their innocent & lively
prattle. I think if I had the opportunity I could find in my heart to steal
them from you, for they were always my favourites; if ever it shall be my lot
to enter into the blessed state of Matrimony & I should be so fortunate as to
have a couple of such children, I guess I would be a proud Man. -
Poor Mrs. Despond how she must envy you, I am sorry to hear that she is so
ill, you did not mention what state of health YOU enjoyed, but I suppose you
were well or you would have said something to the contrary. -
Tell Mr. McCleery that it gave me great pleasure to hear that he had got the
Mill into his own hands and that she was doing so well, I hope she may still
continue to do so. I told the Portaferry people out here, that if they would
go home they would hardly the [----?] Mill-hill again, the Mill being so much
improved. -
You wish to know what I think of the Girls here, and I must say they are not
to my taste, they generally have pretty good features but they are all so PALE
and THIN, indeed you have no idea how WHITE they are in the face, some say it
is the Sun that bleaches them, but I think it is in their nature and
constitution, not but I think and always did so that a slightly pale face is
very interesting and I always admired it, but HERE they are like an alablaster
[alabaster?] Bust or rather like a piece of bleached linen, quite different
from what we would call pale at home and I can safely say I have seen none I
would like better than myself such pills would need to be well GILT before I
would swallow them . I have not very much society live indeed I do not wish
for it at present nor seek it the Americans live [---?] gay in New York and
love all things [---?] fond of thriving on the [----?] good will hardly go
into a house but [--------------------------------?] an attempt at playing, it
puts [---- ----- -------?] the happy times I used to have when listening to
you [---?] but the contrast is as great as between a Nightingale and a Raven,
THEY are such wretched bad musicians. -
I must beg of you to remember me to all my acquaintances in Portaferry, I
mean [--- ----- --------?] know them all and also to Mr. McCleery and all the
children. I suppose Tommy McKibbin is still with you, remember me to him &
#PAGE 2
Mick Burns if you should see him. I suppose when I go home again that Eliza
Ann will be grown up the BELLE of Portaferry and I will hardly be able to
recognize in Maria the lovely little imp who used to play such tricks upon me.
I do think there is hardly a [--------------------------------------?] had not
you a pull at. I am quite well at present and pretty contented. I need not
beg of you [---?] all and see poor Roseanne sometimes and I [----- --- --
----?] kind feelings will prompt you to do so. - Adieu and believe me your
Grateful and Sincere friend
Thos [Thomas?] McGrey