Home

CORVIZ

Main content

Title: John Montgomery Portadown to [Joseph Searight?] Philadelphia
ID1797
CollectionIrish Emigration Database
FileMontgomery, John/49
Year1849
SenderMontgomery, John
Sender Gendermale
Sender Occupationbaker
Sender ReligionProtestant (prob. Methodist)
OriginPortadown, Co. Armagh, N.Ireland
DestinationPhiladelphia, Penn., USA
RecipientSearight, Joseph
Recipient Gendermale
Relationshipcousins
SourceD 2794/1/2/32: Presented by H. H. Montgomery, 4 Kensington Gardens,Belfast 5.
ArchiveThe Public Record Office, N. Ireland.
Doc. No.9510054
Date25/01/1849
Partial Date
Doc. TypeLET
LogDocument added by LT, 12:10:95.
Word Count979
Genre
Note
TranscriptPortadown 25 January 1849

Dear Joseph
I have received all your kind letters and notes, the
last one yesterday morning. We had two letters from William
since he arrived in N.[New?] Orleans. We had none by this mail.
I hope we will by the next. I see by the papers there has been
great mortality in N. O. [New Orleans?] but it was decreasing. I
pray he may be preserved through all. There have been some cases
in Belfast, but not very many.
Matty Matthews has got married on Wednesday the 10 Jany
[January?] to a young man in Ballyshannon a Baker I believe it
is a good match. I know nothing of Mr Kiernan but that he came
here as one of Mr Groggan's Schoolmasters, he was here when I
retd [returned?] after being with you to L. pool [Liverpool?].
He is from the South & has a Southern tone. Mrs Kiernan and he
appear to love [one?] another and are very happy.
Miss Robinson who lived with Mrs Paul died after four days
sickness on Saturday morning last and was interred on Tuesday in
Drumcree. She died of inflamation [inflammation?], about 17 years
old. Mrs Paul had her heart in her and it wil be a great
affliction to her and other friends. She was a very amiable,
handsome young woman. I know not how to fill my sheet, the
weather has been very stormy and wet very little frost or
snow this winter, trade has been middling, the linen trade
I believe is better altho [although?] many in it have gone
down. the "Smith's" Banbridge,"Acheson" Tandragee, and others,
D. Ferguson has made a very bad turn out, he has gone down
again and offers 1/3 & œ1, not so bad, he owes us œ17. I got two decrees last week for kind but I am afraid they will be of little use as he set on "taking the act" he was as you know expelled [from?] the society about
nine months ago, there is nothing new in the methodist society
here, I told you if I remember right about I Kernaghan being put
out of the society for making unfair and untrue statements of
his affairs when he stopped payment, the Sunday school continues
doing well, Mr Cultra is Librarian, Miss Stanley has given up
collecting for the Missions. I seldom see her or hear anything
of her. The Matthew's Totton's, Jackson's Shillington's, Paul's
are all as usual. Robert Moore and Ann Jane and family are all
well, your sister thinks you might find time to write a scrap to
her. She feels very much when you do not so much as mention her.
No doubt you often think of her and it would be easy to send
your love or write two or three lines & she would feel you had
not forgotten her.
I am now writing by gas light. Small Farmers in this country
are nearly bankrupt, produce so low and taxes so high they
cannot live and all over the land there have been thousands of
ejectments taken out by the Landlords and hundreds of farms for
sale 5/0 to 5/3 for oats oatmeal 10/- P [per?] cwt wheat 8/6 to
9/6 - flour 15/6 in this place the depression is felt but there
are other parts of the land where it is much more so. Agitation
has died a natural death. The newest thing at present is an
association got up in England for the purpose of lessening the
expences [expenses?] of the army and navy by ten millions a bold
move but not more so than the idea at one time of free trade in corn
Richard Cabden is at the head of this affair, this day week all
duties will be off grain except a nominal one 1/- P [per?]
quarter on wheat and [__?] corn. 7« on 1 [__?] of flour. Same
day will parliament be opened. If the price with you is low so
that it would stand in Belfast 26/- and a vessel coming direct
you might send ten Barrels of prime flour extra. If you are
acquainted with any person in the flour trade I would be glad
[if?] you would get for me if it could be had the names of "good
brands" and "bad ones" so that when buying I would know them,
what expence [expense?] you would be at to procure this I will pay and be
much obliged besides. Mr Paul is manufacturing large quantities
of gingham, he send them to Dublin and some to America they are
cheaper than anything you could buy elsewhere if they would suit
your purposes or answer your business, they are very much worn
here and look very well & wear long . Say plainly where to
direct your letters to.
There have been in the neighbourhood of Belfast and round
about it a great many incendiary fires, Hay and corn stacks
frequently burned and what is singular no one can guess at the
cause or by whom it is done. Last week a young woman shot one
fellow but he fell and his comrades carried him off & no account
of him or them since. There have been a great many murders in
different parts of Ireland this winter Mrs Kelly has been here
for some time. She is poorly & my father is not quite well.
Business is dull. I received the papers and am much obliged. One
this week to my father, the "Advocate" we may send each other
more now as I believe the expence [expense?] is less. I could have
sent you more but as you receive the Watchman and from what you said I
thought you did not care for them unless something worth notice
in them. Write soon and send one paper in the week if you have
no postage to pay
your cousin
John Montgomery