| Title: | John Parks, Harmony hill to John Caldwell, New York |
|---|---|
| ID | 2069 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Parks, John/34 |
| Year | 1799 |
| Sender | Parks, John and Flora |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | businessman |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Dublin, Ireland |
| Destination | New York, USA |
| Recipient | Caldwell, John Jr |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | friends, business |
| Source | T 3541/2/3: Deposited by R.V. T. Edie |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9309354 |
| Date | 11/08/1799 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Action By Date Document added by C. R., 30:09:1993 |
| Word Count | 1264 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Letter addresses to "John Caldwell, Junr. [Junior?] Care of Messrs John & Joseph Stevenson Merchants PEEKSKILL, NEW YORK " MARKED "John Parks 11 Aug [August?] 1799" "Cylander" also "Harmony Hill 11 Aug [August?] 1799 Jn [John?] Parks rec'd [received?] 11th Octo. [October?]" And on the address side: "Rec'd [received?] Dublin 15th August 1799 & forwarded to Ship Joseph Cap't [Captain?] Ropes for N York [New York?] by Mr. J. Wilson" Harmony hill 11th August 1799. My Dr [Dear?] John I wrote you [?] Packet under date 4th & 5th Inst, to which I refer. I shall only say we rec'd [received?] yrs. [yours?] of the 12th 13th 14th & 15th June, & my ever Dear Mary's of the 15th -Aunt Ball rec'd [received?] Anne Caldwell's same date. In my last I mentioned all friends well, this continued but for a short time, for your Grandmother after a few minutes of IMMEDIATE Illness departed yesterday (Saturday 10th) without any Appearance of Pain. Flora was sent for, & tho' [although?] she used every expedition was too late.-her dissolution took pace [place?] at W. Dinsmore's, poor Matty is as everything to her- She is to be interred privately tomorrow morning - Save this event, nothing since my last has changed, farming matters going on vigorously - & Carry got forwards - but for it, everything is easy to us - Plenty of turf cut, some stacked, & the rest nearly ready - No offers for the Green- brown Linen cloth getting still cheaper & cheaper- John Orr has given Security to go for Life to America - I scarcely need again say that your Father, sailed from Larne 7th of July on the Prosperity, Joughan, with a roomy Ship, no crowd, & fine accomodations [accommodations?] in every respect - The Marshalls have not come to us. I have got the Manchester Mortgage reconveyed- Yr [your?] money not yet got from Boyd, but proceedings going on, & hope to get it soon - Oats will be thin this year & dreadfully late- Potatoes late- for news I refer you to mine above mentioned Andrew's & Flora's Ever my Dr [dear?] friend Yrs [yours?] with warmest Love to all John Parks My little James is growing a glorious fellow & will make an excellent American Citizen. I am procuring all the documents in my power to Identify myself in America as Son to Andrew Parks late Saptain [Captain?] in the ( I believe Pennsylvania) Line, during the Revolutionary War #PAGE 2 Continuation in another handwriting: Green 11 August 1799 My Dear John- girls - etc. Since the news of your arrival came -which was yesterday three weeks I have experienced something nearer to happiness than I had felt for fourteen Months before- we had not an expectation of hearing so soon & the surprisse [surprise?] still added to the satisfaction. Mary's letter & Anne's to my Aunt, came a fortnight after- tho [although?] not of a later date- but my Dear Mary' descriptions was indeed very very pleasing- How fortunate you were all in Health - & I was not sorry todhear [to hear?] that you had been sick at first- as it is wholesome. John says you areeall [are all?] improved in looks- which indeed I would expect- being so much free from the state of anxiety you had suffered- I am sure you will be thankful to find that our good Grandmother is released from all the suffering of this World- She Died yesterday morning at Mr. Dinsmore's after having been just a fortnight there- she grew extremely weak towards the last- but got off very easily without seeming to suffer any pain- her recollection seemed to be totally gone for some weeks past - both Matty and her husband treated her with the greatest tenderness while they had her- but if wh t [what?] has happened had been foreseen she need not have been removed from [( sycone)? ?] My Aunt and John and Andy & I stayed at Dinsmours all night and as my head is confused with sitting up I am affrraid [afraid?] my letter must be rather unconnected but you will excuse it- my Aunt is going to return this evening again- the funeral will be tomorrow morning- Uncle Jack was greatly affected - but he is thankful too.- he has now nothing to prevent his going to America- but I dont think he would have energy enough to get his affairs so settled as that he could go- he still continues ar [at?] High [Hugh?] Orr's- & still speaks of getting a place of his own- but its [it is?] hard to tell when he may accomplish it. My Dearest Father has been this day five weeks at sea - when you receive this I hope and trust that you will all be happy together- & that he will be fine and Healthy after his voyage- Oh but that I but heard of his arrival and of your happy meeting- It is pleasant to hear of Richard's doing so well - I flatter myself long ere this you have had the Comfort of seeing him- & perhaps John Richard - What an unspeakable blessing our dear brother John as [is?] to you all and to many others- there are certainly very few to equal him- I would fain flatter myself that you girls will have greater advantages where you are than you could have had here at the best of times- I think your minds which are really comprehensive will bemuch [be much?] improved by all you have seen and met with- and my Dear Mary and Catherine your cesation [cessation?] from your former occupation will certainly make you appear to greater advantage- John thought even while you were in Belfast you appeared Different Creatures- many in particular he was quite in love with- I wonder what about my Dear Margaret and Elizabeth- the latter I would fain hope is behaving well-I beg you will give me a true account of her- and I will anticipate a pleasing one- and I long #PAGE 3 to know about your situation in all respects- indeed I wont be satisfied if you are not very very minute- if there is any thing you want to confide to myself alone- that you wont want to meet tno [no?] enes [eyes?] eye- put it in a cover unconnected with the other part of yre [your?] letter- and just enclose it- you might know how interesting to me the slightest particular would be- and your situation and comforts- is now one of my principal objects tell me if any of you got any sweet Hearts- equal to the despairing lovers you have left behind - poor John s---- thas [has?] been very ill- but is better. Does Margaret draw any?and si [see?] her performance in repute?- If it is possible Andy will write to Rose from Dinsmours where he is now- but as the letter must go by this night post to be ready for the Joseph I rather fear he wont accomplish it - and uncle Jack's situation will prevent him- How is Rose situated- I suppose you know all about her- my Aunt being at Dinsmours will prevent her writing to the girls, which she would do but for that- her blessing & mine to them. My Aunt is wonderfully well in health- and spirits too- none of the Marshalls came yet- I am sometimes at Bushbank but not so much as they wish on account of having my Aunt - Poor Mr(s?) Hamilton is declining greatly- she [the?] poor woman is in low spirits- my Darling Child stays with them- and is delightful company- Andy has wrote- I have no more news of any kind- everybody almost remain just as you left them- it was only today we heard of the ship going so as to send our letters by tonights post- lest I should be late- I must bid adieu God forever bless you all F P (Flora Parks) |
