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Title: J. Montgomery, Portadown, to Joseph Searight, USA
ID1802
CollectionIrish Emigration Database
FileMontgomery, John/70
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 2794/1/2/35: Presented by H.H. Montgomery, 4 KensingtonGardens, Belfast 5
ArchiveThe Public Record Office, Northern Ireland
Doc. No.9509142
Date08/03/1849
Partial Date
Doc. TypeLTE
LogDocument added by LT, 29:09:95.
Word Count1189
Genre
Note
TranscriptPortadown 8th March 1849

Dear Joseph
I received yours dated 25 Dec 48 on the 24th
February and the note you sent by London with all the papers,
several anyway, we are obliged to you for all and as there is
a new regulation in reference to the postal charges it is likely
I will trouble you to send me books & pamphlets &c.
Had I thought of it this week I would have sent you an order to
pay for two copies of the "Christmas Advocate and Journal" one
directed to Mrs Kelly, Warrenpoint & the other H. Montgomery,
Portadown, I would be obliged if you would order & prepay
them and I will either send you the amount or account for it.
Mrs Kelly would like it from the commencement of this year if
they have copies on hand let them send these from first week in
Jan [January?] last.
There is very much information in your letters to me, now you
know far more about Ireland than I do, you have a guess what
kind of people the Irish are their manners and habits, the climate &
staple trade, how trade &c is carried on, Sunday schools
conducted &c &c. I am thankful for all your communication &
information about Sunday Schools, Hymns &c & shall be happy to
be further instructed. I am like you quite opposed to
instrumental music in public worship. I now commend & what to
say I know not. What a blessing is it that we are all spared and
in the enjoyment of health! many have been called away suddenly
in Belfast and other places by Cholera &c, and thanks be unto
God we are spared. I am not sure about informing you of Miss
Elizabeth Robinson's death after four days illness but I think
I did. she was considered very handsome and if spared had great
prospects before her as to this world. Mrs Paul had her heart
very much set on her. We should take cake about placing the
affections God has given us for himself on any earthly thing animate or
inanimate He requires us to love him supremely and how often
does he in mercy remove the idol, your memory can refer to many
illustrations of this from the Bible. David set his heart on the
number of his people, how soon were they cut down.
Nebuchadnezzar on his ability to rule & his great kingdom his
reason was taken away & also his kingdom, many more.
This province (of Ulster) has not suffered anything like the
south & west this year, there has been a good deal of work in
weaving & wages better, farmers especially small ones have felt
the pressure of the times the poor rates &c are so high and
produce so low that many of them cannot go on unless a change
comes somewhere, rents & rates lower or higher prices, wheat is
8/- to 9/6. oats 5/6 to 5/9. 1 st. flour 15/6. oatmeal 10/- to
10/6 per 112 lbs. but flour Belfast 27/- down feed meal œ7.10.0
to œ7.17.6 per Ton in Belfast or Newry. Potatoes up. seeds only
6/- to 9/ p [per?] cwt.
Robert Moore Anne Jane & all the children (three) are well.
If you have written this long time to Anne Jane, it must have
been lost or miscarried as she did not hear for many months, she
had a severe cold for some time & was confined to her room but
is now better .
I have something new to communicate to you & that is
(although no moment to you to us it is) my Father has entirely
given up the bread cart & what is cause for thankfulness we have
baked more since than before. the baking is doing well now, not
much profit on Indian meal yet other articles fair average
profit. J.D. Robinson is at home. there was nothing worthwhile
for him to do since Henry has come & he is gone home. Mr
Capper's nephew Johny [Johnny?] is here for some months and we
hope he will do well. Mr Cultra is now living in your house.
Lizzy is talking about writing a note to you soon. I have not
been in Glasgow since October & as yet have not made one step in
that affair. 1 Cor. 7:2. good advice what are you doing? Matty
Mathews is married to a baker John McDona of Ballyshannon. Frank
Saunderson is married
to Miss Jane Wilson of this town. Will I give you some account
of the folk here, Shillington's, Paul's, Mathew's, Totton's,
Jackson as before but older. Miss Stanly is still in Derryhall &
no talk of match making at all. If you have any thoughts that
way, the way is still open.
There is quite an agitation in the north now against a "rate
maid" as it is call, a new measure brot [brought?] into
parliament to make us pay 6d in the pound to support the unions
in the west and south of Ireland who will not pay anything at
all. There was a large meeting in Lurgan 4 or 5000 persons at
the meeting Col. [Colonel?] Blacker in the chair, in the mall.
There have been many meetings in different places on the subject
and petitions without end. How it will go I know not. most
likely Lord John Russell will yield to the pressure from without
or very much alter it.
There has been a terrible battle in India 5,000 lives lost
you will see all about it in your papers I suppose, I would be
glad you would write to William and tell him we have written
every mail since we received his first letter from New Orleans.
I think this mail will be the sixth letter or letters we have
sent him. He writes he has not received them but please say to
him we have regularly written by the mail.
Our Sunday School is doing pretty well. Mr Cultra has not
only got your house but your office. he is Librarian are you
connected with any? There has not been much of life in the
society of late deadness & coldness however we are hoping better
times and expect to see a good work going on. Do you have
revival meetings & how are they managed? Mrs Kelly has been
here for some time & this last week was very ill with her side
confined to bed but this evening able to be down in the parlour.
You can imagine how we are all sitting round the table at half
past eight- half past one & half past five - I cannot think of
the way you are never having seen it perhaps if spared I may go
over & see the land of liberty, I would like a tour through it
well but we know not what a day may bring forth. May we be
found ready when called. Excuse all that is amiss in this. I
desire your happiness & an interest in your prayers. Your cousin
Mr & Miss Bamber, well as in general. John Montgomery