| Title: | Wm Montgomery, New Orleans to his Cousin, Philadelphia, USA |
|---|---|
| ID | 1811 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Montgomery, William/14 |
| Year | 1849 |
| Sender | Montgomery, William |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | bookkeeper for cotton and coffee merchants |
| Sender Religion | Protestant |
| Origin | New Orleans, Louisiana, USA |
| Destination | Philadelphia, Penn., USA |
| Recipient | Searight, Joseph |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | cousins |
| Source | D 2784/1/2/39: Presented by H.H. Montgomery, 4 Kensington Gardens, Belfast 5 |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland |
| Doc. No. | 9504022 |
| Date | 16/04/1849 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 04:04:1995. |
| Word Count | 983 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | New Orleans April 16th 1849 Dear Joseph Your letter of 6th March is duly to hand and now lies before me. I was already in possession of your news from Portadown and David Ferguson from being 'holy hypocrite' has turned barefaced to God. My last letter from home are under date March 8th but do not contain any news of any importance Miss Robinson niece to Mrs Paul had departed this life some short time before from Inflammation and as a matter of course deeply regretted by all who had the honor of her acquaintance meaning all who are not under ban by the amiable intelligent Mrs P [Paul?] I was without the pale and therefore cannot commence telling of her death by saying "I deeply regret to inform you of the death of Mrs R." I do sincerely regret though to have to inform you that Dr Disdale who was for 4 or 5 years with Dr Brendan died in Hospital in this City a few days since partly I think from Cholera and partly I am afraid from HARD LIVING on a/c of an ill assorted and unfortunate marriage. He was one of the number who superintended the amputation of my arm. Of the 5 who were then present 2 are now dead, 2 in Australia and 1 (Dr Sturgeon) somewhere in Canada. Life in this City is hardly worth living for. During life no enjoyment & in death in 3/4 of the cases neither happiness nor comfort - Here today away tomorrow and never heard of more - On Saturday afternoon last I was very much surprised to hear of the Death of a Cotton broker here long a resident of the city who died at 3 in the morning and at the same hour in the afternoon I attended his funeral. They cannot dig any graves here and consequently they build tombs & vaults or 'long narrow ovens' in the walls of the burying ground into which the coffin is stored and the entrance built up in 5 minutes after, there to await the final resurrection of the dead. A passing thought is never given to the welfare of the soul. I am indeed deeply sorry to hear of Uncle Joe's conduct and therefore shall not trouble him with anything in the way of a letter. For my part they may criticise every thought word action and everything else connected with me and it cannot do me any hurt. I have always been told I bore a strong personal resenblance to Uncle Joe even by his own sisters but here I hope the resemblance stops and for Rachel Massey [?] or any one else to deduce any conclusions from this fact only shows a narrow mind that cannot expand beyond the vulgar prejudices the lower orders are so much addicted to. However this is so CHARACTERISTIC of the Dutch that Rachel being of a Dutch mother is excusable. When I next visit Philad [Philadelphia?] I will astonish their weak minds by letting them know a piece of my mind on their criticisms upon one who has never received any form at their hands and who by the blessing of God will never ask them for any. You must remember when I reached Phil [Philadelphia?] Uncle wanted me to go and stop at Massey's and for refusing to do so talked about my [....?] college education to her. Thank Providence I have received an education none of his American relations ever received & although Rachel & the consequent expenses was paraded so frequently in his letters to Ireland. Just let them know when you hear my name thus brought up. I have never taken anything from them & would be obliged to them to let me alone. I suppose however you dont want to quarrel with them. Chapman & Mercer were joint proprietors in A Vinegar manufactory & Bakery neither of which succeeded but I do not think Chapman lost much. The Bakery is now in Mercers hands. Chapman leaves St Louis for California about 1st May overland - My employers are Commission Merchants - Shipping Cotton Exchange & Coffee are the articles we purchase [......?] remit & sell. This year has been but a poor one principally owing to the business being divided last summer. I do not think you would like this place at all but if you even have a wish to come here your plan would be to get introduced to some of the dry goods men when purchasing goods in Philada [Philadelphia?] / thro the Stewarts & [.....?] and make an engagement there on no account would I advise you to come out on the strength of letters of Introduction & you would find it the most difficult situation you were ever placed in and might wait here 6 mos [months?]; certain to be 3 mos [months?] idle. Again I think a young man can have as much in New York or Philada [Philadelphia?] as he can here. His expenses here cannot be less than 50 dollars a month and that with a good deal of economy - How much more they [there?] may be remains with himself - I know them (i.e. young men) who pay $45 a month for room & board. The heavy business season is now over and a long gloomy summer is in prospect - gloomy in as much as it is expected to be very sickly.. I will remain till July when I leave and go across Mobile Bay and owing to peculiar circumstances have been obliged to ask Father for the loan of œ25 for summer expenses. I had a letter a short time ago from Thos [Thomas?] Lockhart. His father fell on the ice on New Years night and was very severely hurt so much as likely to be lame for the rest of his life. Mrs L. [Lockhart?] poorly, family well I remain Your Affectionate Cousin Wm [William?] Montgomery |
