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Title: John Orr, Chicago, To Margaret Orr, Portaferry.
ID2027
CollectionIrish Emigration Database
FileOrr, John M/33
Year1848
SenderOrr, John Malcolm
Sender Gendermale
Sender Occupationunknown
Sender Religionunknown
OriginChicago, Illinois, USA
DestinationPortaferry, Co. Down, USA
RecipientOrr, Margaret
Recipient Genderfemale
Relationshipsiblings
SourceCopyright Retained By John McCleery, 80 Circular Road, Belfast, BT4 2GD.
ArchiveThe Ulster American Folk Park.
Doc. No.9702140
Date28/09/1848
Partial Date
Doc. TypeEMG
LogDocument added by LT, 10:02:97
Word Count598
Genre
NoteN.B. John Malcolm died in 1851 (Did various jobs and decided to go west where he expected to do some kind of business)
TranscriptChicago, 28 September 1848


My Dear Margaret

On my return from Mendocia
where I wrote my last letter. I found two letters
written by you & father waiting for me, one of which
as you say gave one a small taste of a lecture for
not writing oftener and stating that you had not
received a letter for seven weeks from me and
that you were uneasy about me on that account
how this has happened I dont know unless there has
been some mistake in the mail as I never yet
have allowed seven weeks to pass without writing.
I know it must have caused you all some
uneasiness, as I myself would be a little so at
not hearing from you for that length of time
I wish the British and yankies would settle on
a cheap postage, again, I have got to pay 34 cts [cents?]
for all the letters I either get from or send to you
in place of 24 & 12 that used to be the rates.
I am going to Michigan first Boat tomorrow
to attend to some business on that side the lake,
the weather is beginning to get Coolish here.
I see by the New Orleans papers that there is quite
a panic in the city, on account of what you would
scarcely guess, it is the supply of Ice falling
in three or four days, you living in Ireland
can hardly form any idea of what keeping
Ice is in this climate, when the water is almost
luke warm, the quantity consumed is enormous
last season the supply was very small on
account of the mildness of the Northern winter
there was little saved last year over 4 or 6 Inches.
I had a letter from Willy [William?] McCleery from
Trieste and answered it a few days ago.
I expect the same mail will take both.
I am sorry to hear of the Potatoe [Potato?] not being
so extensive with you it just the same
here, 29th we had a small fire last night
here only one house burned as there was no wind
at the time, if there had, five or six houses
would have been burned. I see by this
mornings paper that the English news is better
markets a little lower, and not so much
fears of the entire destruction of the
Praties [Potatoes?]. Ireland quiet again so that
Mother wont have to take a trip across
the Ocean on account of the wars,
the grain trade is brisk at present large
lots arriving by Canal Boats and wagons
and shipping from this to Buffalo for
New York, the roads are being made from
the city so that wet weather wont hinder
the farmers coming in as it used to
in another month we will have winter navigation
closed, River frozen up and snow with
sleigh riding &c.
Thomas Warnock is well and intends writing
home next week, he has been waiting for a letter
from home for some time. Archy Warnock
has been ill but has recovered, he left
Warrenburg on the 20 for Cincinatti [Cincinnati?] and
New York, then has been no sickness here except
few epidemics such as dissinteries [dysentery?] and
Intermittent and bilious fevers and not much
of them. Mr Bentley has recovered but is still
weak. I have exhausted all my stock
of news so must conclude hoping that
all at home are well, grandmother you
speak of as having been subject to sudden
attack of sickness. I hope she has recovered
and will keep so. Remember me to her
and all other friends.

Yr [Your?] Brother

John M [Malcolm?] Orr

Miss Margaret Orr

Rev John Orr

Portaferry

Co. Down

Ireland