| Title: | Margaret Orr, Portaferry, to John M. Orr, [Chicago?]. |
|---|---|
| ID | 2032 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Orr, Margaret/97 |
| Year | 1848 |
| Sender | Orr, Margaret |
| Sender Gender | female |
| Sender Occupation | unknown |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Portaferry, Co. Down, N.Ireland |
| Destination | USA |
| Recipient | Orr, John M |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | siblings |
| Source | Copyright retained by John McCleery, 80 Circular Road, Belfast,BT4 2GD. |
| Archive | Ulster American Folk Park. |
| Doc. No. | 9702150 |
| Date | 31/05/1848 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | LTE |
| Log | Document added by LT, 10:02:97. |
| Word Count | 1011 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Portaferry May 31st 1848 My Dear John Your last welcome letter arrived safe on the 18th of this month. We were very glad to hear that you were quite well. I hope you continue so. We are thinking great long to taste your ham. I am sure it is very nice. Jane Ellen and I returned from Belfast on Tuesday the 16th. we had a most delightful time. We saw a great many of your old friends Miss Gowan and Robert McCullough are to be down in Dr. Filson's this summer. Did Tom Warnock go to Chicago If he is with you tell him that Jane Ellen and Miss Jessie had a long conversation one evening about him & old times. We were up at Dunadry for two days Miss L McCleery, Mary Shaw and Franklin are all quite well and desired to be remembered to you. The children are come down to their fathers for the summer. I suppose Dada told you in his last that poor Tom Maxwell was coming home on account of his health. He got to Portaferry on the 16th March. I am sorry to say only lived till the next Sunday after. Mr William and Mr Edwin Blow have dissolved partnerships. There is a sad scattering among Mr William's sons. William went to sea with his brother James while we were in town; and Alexander is either gone or going away very soon to the Brazils and whenever Henry has served his time he is going after him - Miss Blow and the rest are quite well. We are going to have a great wedding here. I am sure you would never guess who it is. Two old friends of yours - To keep you no longer in suspense, Margaretta Bowden and Doctor Tom are going to get buckled together on Thursday the 8th of June. Jane Ellen is to be one the bridesmaids. there are to be six Miss Allen Miss McKibbin The Misses [IGuener?] Sarah Anne Bowden & Jane Ellen. I think that two thirds of the town will be in the meeting house on that day. Jane Ellen will write & give you a description of it. They are to be married about 12 o'clock, there is to be a lunch afterwards. George Bowden is home from Glasgow with an M.D. stuck to his name It is said that he and Miss Allen are to be married after sometime. Maria McCleery [William's wife?] was over. Last Wednesday we were over in Mr McCleery's for tea and of course you and Tom Warnock were on the carpet. Maria is leaving Mr [Mackies?] at August I think. They are expecting letters from William from Trieste every day. I suppose you saw by the papers sent you an account of the disturbance in Dublin. Three of the principal leaders Mr Mitchell Mr Meagher & Mr Smith O'Brien were tried for sedition. The jury could not agree about the two latter but Mr Mitchell is transported for fourteen years. He is the son of a Unitarian clergyman from Newry. Mary Ann Seed it is said, is going to be married to a Mr Walmsley of Mourne in a month or two. I believe it is quite true. We came down from Dunadry in the train with Uncle Matthew His young daughter must be a most extraordinary wain. It can do things (by all accounts) that would be wonderful in a common child twice the age. It must be a prodigy sure enough. Miss Margaret Warnock is better, she and Mamma and your three sisters are turned gooseberry sellers. We sold 16 quarts yesterday out of Mr Gelston's old garden where the schoolhouse is to be built; the bushes are loaded and we thought we might as well make a few shillings to help to raise the money for building. Uncle William bid me tell you that you promised to send a newspaper to him now & again but he supposed you have forgotten. Margaret Orr is quite well, Miss Pollock is got quite frail. I think she will not be long alive. Margaret desired to be remembered to you. Will you be able to get bathing in Chicago. I suppose the weather is warm there by this time. The last month has been very fine & warm here. They [the?] farmers about this have a great many potatoes planted. They look very well for so far. I hope they will not be blighted this year. We are rising [raising?] very nice ones every day I believe we got them from Mr James Warnock. Do you get any? Isabella Filson is quite well & looks well. Mary is still at Miss Morris's school in Ardglass. All the rest of your friends in Portaferry are well. Dr. Tom will be once more off the list of beaux. John McCleery will soon be the only one. I saw Robert very often in Belfast and met James & Hamilton once or twice. They are all alive & thriving. Among other weddings I believe Isabella Dalzell of Glasgow is to be married in time but I forget who it is too [Surely to the Rev. Malcolm Orr, brother of the Rev. John Orr, the writer's father (Taken From Transcript)?] Now I think my dear John I have given you a true and full account of what is going on in the green isle. Mamma was rather disappointed that you did not say more about your business in your last letter. She is very anxious to hear how you are succeeding and if according to your expectations. She wishes to know if you attend public worship every Sabbath. We thought it rather strange that you did not say whether Tom Warnock went to Chicago or not as he mentioned in his letters home that he intended to go. If he is with you give him the love of all here. Mrs Walsh Mrs Donnan & Mrs McKibbin and all your friends unite with us in love to you. Fare well for the present Your attached sister Margaret |
