| Title: | William Montgomery, Cincinnati, to Joseph Searight, [Pennsylvania?] |
|---|---|
| ID | 1840 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Montgomery, William/56 |
| Year | 1848 |
| Sender | Montgomery, William |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | bookkeeper for a bakery businessman |
| Sender Religion | Protestant |
| Origin | Cincinnati, Ohio, USA |
| Destination | Philadelphia, Penn., USA |
| Recipient | Searight, Joseph |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | cousins |
| Source | D 2794/1/2/15: Presented by H.H.Montgomery, 4 Kensington Gardens, Belfast 5 |
| Archive | The Public Record Office,Northern Ireland |
| Doc. No. | 9509129 |
| Date | 11/01/1848 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 29:09:95. |
| Word Count | 738 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Cincinnati January 11 1848 My dear Joe, Your letter of December 28th duly to hand I wrote you after receiving welcomed you from home and directed to the Post Office spose [I suppose] you didn't get it. I would have written sooner but as the arrival of a steamer has been some days telegraphed I have been waiting for letters which are not yet to hand. You are in possession of all the Portadown news received by me. Mrs M. says Dada was like another man after he heard John & Wm [William?] were recovering Your 1st letter from Philad [Philadelphia?] about my ilness [illness?] gave them a desperate fright, and many an anxious thought till the arrival of the next mail, I wrote during my ilness [illness?] by Mrs Lockharts Partner Mr Roberts who was lost in the "Stephen Whitney" My last letters are dated 30 [Nov?] and John and Lizzy were to go home that week so that probably the family circle is again made up except myself. You are not forgotten at home [Anne Jane?] received your letter and sends her love to you. It is rather roundabout to send it by Cincinnati. The great rise in the River Ohio region about the 6th of December and continued rising till the [17th?] when it took a [turn?] to fall. It was then 61ft above the watermark and all the houses on the lower part of the city flooded some 6 and some 10 ft on their first floors. W. Chapmans house was flooded with about 6ft on his shop floor and was obliged to suspend work for two weeks. We moved up stairs and were thus cooped up for about 1 week. A during that time we went up to the city we had to climb over the tops of [Frendies Housesite?] or else get into a small boat out of some of the windows, and sail 3 or 4 yards. Steam boats were up in the principal streets and canal boats went from one end of the city to the other thro' [through?] the streets. Some small homes down the river, were nearly covered the inhabitants having fled to the hills. I saw whole houses shacks corn cribs etc going down the with the general mass. Immense numbers of hogs and cattle were drowned and enormous quantities of timber floated away. The coverage is estimated about 3,000,000.dols [dollars] We had a heavy fall of snow on Friday last and sleighing is again the order of the day but which conveyances are still used. An old theatre was burned down on Saturday night last [built of wood]. I have not as yet made any arrangements with regards to myself and am still staying with U.C. I hope something will soon turn up. You were very fortunate in staying in Philada [Philadelphia?] as I am sure you would not at all have liked the West. It is the hardest place for drinking and swearing I ever was in [very?] little respect paid to Sunday than another day and more liquor drank that day than any other day in the week. If this city is though [thought?] a place of business and young men got good salaries. If I had the half of what [Smart?] was paid on the "[Henry War Burten?] out here I could make a very decent salary for myself opening a [flour?] store but this you are [aware?] I have not. I believe altogether I would rather live in NY [New York?] or Philad [Philadelphia?] and were I sure I could get a situation in either would go there in July or March. Folks at home would rather I were there and on this a/c [account?] I do not wish you to say anything in writing home of what I tell you in this letter as they might think I was not content and therefore he and ohio Deane boat explosions are very common 3 within the last 2 weeks and another wrecked, one "lost her [biles?], yesterday 20 or 30 killed the Blue Ridge". I am in excellent health I weigh 160[lbs?] Write soon and let me know your opinion on my going East in spring. If I get engaged here I could not go. Love to Rachel and I remain Your affectionate cousin William Montgomey W. Chapmans address Columbia St Bakery bt [between?] Ludlow & Lawrence [Sts?] Mercer and Co have [dissolved?] some [time?], Mercer is gone down to Orleans to sell Vinegar as he took that concern [---?] the Building |
