| Title: | John Hall, Pennsylvania, USA, to Maggie Black, Dungannon, Co Tyrone. |
|---|---|
| ID | 1309 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Hall, John L/35 |
| Year | 1888 |
| Sender | Hall, John L. |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | unemployed (operated machines on a steamboat) |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | McDonald, Pennsylvania, USA |
| Destination | Dungannon, Co. Tyrone, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Black, Maggie |
| Recipient Gender | female |
| Relationship | siblings |
| Source | D 2041/13: Purchased from J.A. Gamble, 44 Taunton Ave., Belfast 15. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, N. Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9403033 |
| Date | 27/11/1888 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 08:03:1994. |
| Word Count | 833 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | To: Maggie Black (nee Hall) [Ranfurly Terrace?] [Dungannon?] [County Tyrone?] [Ireland?] From: John Hall McDonald Washington County, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. November 27, 1888 McDonald Washington Co [County?] pa [Pennsylvania?] 27th Novr [November?] 1888 My Dear Maggie I received your letter enclosed in Annie's and indeed I was extremely glad to hear from you both. Susan and Florrie wrote me a day or two ago told me how ill [she?] had been but am glad to hear she is so well again and am sure the change to Dungannon will do her a lot of good Dada also wrote me and told me about Lytle's situation and illness which was very unfortunate just when he was getting into work, but I suppose he will be going back to work soon now that he has so far improved but it is well he did not think so seriously of coming out here so far as I know for no matter what others think my impression is that the ideas of people at home about America are all a mistake __ you ask me how I like this country and for my candid opinion as to your coming out here Well to the first I answer that I do not like it at all and to the second I say that any person who can live at home at all had better stay there for in this country I can neither see comfort nor pleasure You would have more benefit out of 5/- in the old country than out of $5.00 here, and as a proof of how much I think of this country I tell you that as soon as I can raise my passage back this country will mourn my loss __ all you can earn no matter how one works goes to pay the boarding mistress; but there is one thing that I will say that this is a good place for men who do manual labour and who never feasted on anything better than "Indian Buck" or a two eyed beef steak for he will get his fill and good stuff at that (when he gets any) but men such as clerks, Book-keepers &c are not paid accordingly __ There is one thing certain that if I worked half as hard at home (if it was only gathering rags) as I have to do here it would be a good deal better for me __ but of course if people writing home won't tell the truth but will give glowing accounts of everthing __ don't believe a word of it for life here is not a bit romantic __ it is painfully real __ of course there may be some parts of it better but I have to see them yet. we have had a great fall of snow these last two days and the weather is miserably cold but of course one cannot expect anything else at this season of the year and I tell you when one of those blizzards comes it makes you wish you were at the fireside __ People here know what winter is and make preparation for its approach for when it comes it comes suddenly; but what makes the weather here so unpleasant and unhealthy is the sudden change __ one might go to bed and be so warm the [that?] he could't (sic) sleep and before morning all the clothes in the house wouldn't put heat in him If you saw me now you wouldn't say I was extra stout. I've come down to fit my harness wonderfully The time I went down South I lost over 50 pounds in six weeks so that wasn't bad for a start but then of course I'd been ill during that time and got my back hurt by a fall from the gangway of the steam Boat to the bottom of a [fuel?] [flat?] but am glad to say am all right now with the exception of a cold for the last ten days or so and have not been working during that time. I was working at the "Compressor" that is the engine which manufactures the air to drive the cutting machines in the mine the work was indeed pretty hard and not much for the job either but it was better than nothing so I am out of a job at present but hope to get an inside one for the winter very soon. I have not seen any of the Wilson or Cherry family since I came out here in fact any persons whom I knew at home but I know a young fellow comes from between Dungannon & Benburb named John Carson his wife is living with her own people somwhere round there yet. I think by this time (when you have read this) you will be tired of this uninteresting scrawl so must draw this to a close with Hoping you Lytle, Tom, Florrie, [N?]ana are all well and with the request that you will write me often if you can find time Your affectionate brother John P.S. I send Florrie a specimen of writing to show you Irish the good pensmen we Yankees are. |
