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Title: William McElderry, Lynchburg, Va. to Thomas McElderry, [Ballymoney?].
ID1709
CollectionIrish Emigration Database
FileMcElderry, William/34
Year1853
SenderMcElderry, William
Sender Gendermale
Sender Occupationbookkeeper (expecting to fill
Sender ReligionPresbyterian
OriginLynchburg, Virginia, USA
DestinationBallymoney, Co. Antrim, N.Ireland
RecipientMcElderry, Thomas
Recipient Gendermale
Relationshipbrothers
SourceT 2414/13: Copied by Permission of Dr. Helen Megaw, c/o 66, Malone Road, Belfast, 9.
ArchiveThe Public Record Office, Northern Ireland.
Doc. No.9007074
Date17/12/1853
Partial Date
Doc. TypeEMG
LogDocument added by JM 03:09:1993.
Word Count928
Genre
Note
TranscriptLynchburg Dec [December?] 17th 1853

Dear Thomas
I received yours of the 23 Nov [November?] on Monday
the 12th Inst [Instant?] and was as glad to See yours as you were to see
mine I would have written to you as soon as I had got the
Situation but Robert said he would write and that was the
reason you were so long of hearing about how I was getting along.
I have been with McDaniel Hurt & Preston now four weeks
and like the place very well I am not set to work right
yet as the place that I am to fill will be Receiving Clerk
in the Commission business and the young man is not
left yet but is expected to leave about the first of the year
and then I will get into office fully then In the meantime
I am working in the Counting Room with the books that
I will have to keep they are the Receiving blotter Rough Sales,
Produse [Produce?] & Commission Sales Book that will be all the Books
that I will have to work with and then coppy [copy?] all
the letters that are written and mail them we sometimes
send off about 60 letters in the day and never less
them about 30 It is the larges [largest?] grocery and Commission
house in this place and is very well situated as the
Rail Road Depot is very near us we can see the cars
come in & go out every day out of the office windows
and the Council is near us to [too?] so that we have the
nicest part of the town (or City) to live in
I have always Slept with Robert as yet as there is not
a bed for me in the Store that I am in untill [until?] the young man
goes away and then I will have a bed to myself I board at
the same Hotel as Robert which costs about 150 Dollars a
year I like it very well as we have nothing to do but go at
the Hours and sit down and then there are blenty [plenty?] of Negroes
to wait on us, we get every thing of the best that any person
could wish except Tea and that I have not tasted since I
came here I always take Coffee in preference Robert thinks I
might have brought some tea with me and you can tell
Jane that was one thing she forgot to send to him.
I had no idea that slavery was what it realy [really?] is nor
will you untill [until] you come and see for yourself I do not mean
to advocate it but if you were here on a Sabath [Sabbath?] day and see
them coming from church as they have a church here for
themselves and a White minister to preach to them you would
see them dressed in silks & the men watches [any?] gold guards
it would surprise you there is one that attends Mr Peters and
makes the Beds and the washing of shirts and making of fires he
belongs to some old Lady here and he pays her 150 Dollars a year
for himself and can make money.
Mother wanted to know how we spent our sabaths [sabbaths?] well in

#PAGE 2
the morning we dress and go to breakfast and then come back
and read to 11 Oclock [o'clock?] and then go to Church and after
dinner we sometimes take a walk and then go to Church at
night I intend to join the same Church as Robert the parsons
name is Mr Baughan I like him very well but he is not as
good a preacher as Mr McDonald I have gon [gone?] to prayer meeting
with a young man of Mr Peters his name is John Miller I like the folks
here very well In the office of McD H & P [McDaniel Hurt & Preston?]
there are two young men one of them a brother Irish man and he is first
Clerk in the establishment and the other a Scotch man so that
that I am not altogether among strangers.
I was sorry to hear that Thomas Lyle and so many of my
friend [friends?] in Coleraine had been unwell but I hope that all are
well long before now and you can remember me to them &
Portstewart friends and let them now that I have not forgot Coleraine.
You can inform Elizabeth the seed has not taken root
yet but that was not the fault of the parties that sowed it
as they have don [done?] all in their power and am obliged to them
We have got the gas in this town and commenced to
it this week and it is thought a great curiosity here to see it
burn we have it in our office 2 Burners to evry [every?] desk and it
is as good as the light you have at home.
I would like to send you newspapers but I cannot get one
yet that is worth sending but I would like you would send
the Standard to me regular as in it I could get all the news,
I seen in it you had the Soree [Soiree?] in Ballymoney and Anne's name
at the head of the list of Tea Makers and I hope she made it good
to please the young men she had at her table
Remember me to all my friends and acquaintances and tell them
that I am well and doing well like the folks in America
I remain Your Affectionate Brother
William McElderry
PS. Write Soon & Direct
Care Messrs McDaniel Hurt & Preston}
Lynchburg, Va.}