| Title: | John Parks, Ireland to John Caldwell, New York. |
|---|---|
| ID | 2070 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Parks, John/35 |
| Year | 1799 |
| Sender | Parks, John |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | businessman |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Dublin, Ireland |
| Destination | New York, USA |
| Recipient | Caldwell, John Sr |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | friends, business |
| Source | T 3541/1/12: Photocopied by courtesy of Mrs R. V. T. Edie. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9103138 |
| Date | 10/09/1799 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Action By Date Document added by B.W. 04:01:1993 |
| Word Count | 2956 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | To: John Caldwell Senr [Senior?] [New York?] [U.S.A.?]. From: John Parks, Harmonyhill, [County Antrim?] [Ireland?] 10th September 1799. My Dr [Dear?] Sir Long before this, I hope and trust you are safely arrived in a country worthy of you, and in the arms of your family, in a week we will begin to look for the welcome tidings of your safety. Since you left us, we have been unremitting employed in the discharge of our trust, and you will be able to Judge when the long looked for moment of our meeting arrives, whether we have been successful, we have met with much success, and something of Adversity, in the management but I have the strongest hope that on the whole face of the business, matters will wind up full better than could reasonably be expected at some periods of your Latter difficultys [difficulties?] After advertising the green, and distributing the Printed rental, and feeling the pulse of every man in any way inclined to purchase, Messrs. Allen, Boyd, Calderwood, and I met in Ballymoney 5th September Inst. being big market day, & Messrs Allen & Boyd, (Mr. Calderwood & I deferring to them) closed with Mr. Josiah Bryan of Coleraine & Mr. Wm [William?] Caldwell of McCleary for the whole quarter Land as offered for Sale at 3850. payable as follows one half down in guineas on perfection of the deeds, the other half to be paid in guineas, in eight, sixteen & twenty four months, in three equal payments, with Interest at six per cent, to be paid in guineas in half yearly payments, & to be secured by Mortgage of the Concerns, and their three Joint & several Bonds & Warrts [Warrants?]., No 1. payle. [payable?] in 8 months, No2, in 16 months & No 3 in 24 months , the Young men owe no bond debt whatever, the lands must go to them clear, consequently you will percieve the Security is the very best possible, as it blends both real & personal, In case it is an object to you, I think the money may be had on apt. of the Securitys [securities?] with respect to the mode of taking out the property you will advise, also whether a small premium offered on the disct. [discount?] of the Securitys [securities?], incase it c'd [could?] not be got done without it, w'd [would?] meet yr [your?] approbation. A #PAGE 2 [Case?] on the [sitter?] & indeed on the power of the Common Pleas to order the amendment, as it was an Unusal Case, But of the result I have little fear, however, I would not have you draw for any money until you hear from me [--?] Packet, as I will write by that conveyance if no other offers, as soon as matters are completely arranged, Mrs. Bailey must be paid her £300, Aunt Ball hers, & perhaps Calderwood & Henry w'd [would?] let theirs lie until one of the bonds became due, if you w'd [would?], write to that effect; whether Aunt Ball will go to America or not I cannot even guess according to yr. [your?] particular orders. After the water had fallen low enough to admit a beginning the Carry was begun, and three or four days had work on it, previous to which a Sufficiency of Sods were cut & drawn to the spot, but a most dreadful flood, which Indeed surpassed I am told anything of the kind in the memory of man, totally Swept away the beginning, and from that hour, so extremely unfavourable has been the weather, that John Ross would not undertake another beginning, thus circumstanced yr [your?] Trustees thought it the most prudent plan to allow Messrs Bryan & Caldwell £15 on to make the Carry themselves, and they have contracted with Harrick the Engineer at £30 _ & they propose making it, with a very gentle Slope, both front & tail, glacis [?] like, & in Luck a manner to be entirely out of the power of future floods _ Caldwell is son to your old Bleacher Caldwell, I wrote John Joseph for yr [your?] Information that I had procured a Reconvey'ce [reconveyance?] of Hyde & Harrison's Mortgage, at an expense of two guineas, I am sorry I cannot speak so favourably of Ker's business. Mr Robt [Robert?] Allen Boyd of London has returned me the paper. Mr Ker refusing to execute until he comes to Ireland & consults his Attorney. He is expected every hour, & if once arrived, I make no doubt of getting the needful done. This business is of the more consequence as you know, Forrester will not give a [-----?] in full for the rent, until the Judg'ts [Judgments?] vested in Ker be satisified I beg you will both to James Henry, & John Calderwood, to join me in any Guaranty [Guarantee?] against James Hamilton's old Judg'ts [Judgments?] which may be necessary. We have been endeavouring to get off the Ballymoney mill concern, & had almost closed with two people at £250, for the whole, but owing to the State it is in, they were off, we are thinking of taking the whole into our own hands, as at present the rent is running on without her making anything, she has not even a cog wheel We sold the whole crop safe [save?] about ten Cockes of hay, made up by ourselves, at Auction for Notes, two joined, payable 1st January, it was sold tolerably well We cut grass seeds #PAGE 3 meadows, ourselves threshed it. & have I think 12 bobs of right good well saved hayseed. On these various points I think matters have been as well brought forward as if you yourself were present Fletcher Shaw & Darlington have found Acct [account?] Current, bal'ce [balance?] yr [your?] favor £ [33n6n6?] Brit. [British?]. they sold yr. [your?] Linens 1/6 per yard, below invoice, Beggs & Co have not even yet [----?] Sales tho' repeatedly wrote to - thus far tolerably well, but a matter has taken place which has given me more vexation & and concern than the whole of yr [your?] other affairs: whilst you and I were in Dublin Soliciting your extension of time, a pack of Brown Cloth was washed & bettled [beetled?] at the green under Andrew's Superintendance for Mr James Moore of Ballymoney. These linens on their arrival via the St. Patrick into the hands of Fletcher Shaw & Darlington London, were found to be entirely rotted, the cause being "in their opinion" that they were made up too damp. Mr Moore made an application to yr [your?] Trustees for remuneration, previous to his recieving an Ans'r [Answer?] Mr. Birnie wrote to a wholesale Linen Draper in London, his friend, to view the goods in the hands of Fletcher & Co. [Company?], as if he intended buying, & to report his opinion. I wrote the letter to Robert Jameson, both gentlemen agreed that the damage arose from their being made up too damp, & supposed the average loss w'd [would?] be 75Pcts [Packets?]. We wrote to Belfast requiring Information whether the St. Patrick, had got bad weather, & made any water that voyage & are Informed she had a prosperous trip, and delivered all her Cargo in the best order, thus Circumstanced, Mr Allen, the rest of your trustees deferring, offered a rifference [reference?], this the young man refused, Insisting that the Linens being taken off his hands, or that he w'd [would?] apply to the Board for relief against the Securitys [securities?] passed on yr [your?] Seal this yr [your?] Trustees c'd [could?] by no means Submit to, consequently he is left to his remedy. I most feared his proceeding by attachment, & making his claim a Lien on the works. Nevertheless if the loss took place by improper treatment at the green the Young man is entitled in honor to recompence, but this must arise necessarily from a full & formal Investigation for yr [your?] Satisfaction I have not entered very minutely into this transaction, nor into every circumstance of Management, about the produce of the concern, as Andy will no doubt inform you as to these matters I need not tell you how much he is chagrined at the loss arising from Moore's Cloth. It appears to me a very great pity he has taken such a dislike to a Learned profession, he has #PAGE 4 excellent, nay noble talents, but not such as are Just fitted for the bustle of minute circumstances in busy life his mind is too enlarged, & his Ideas too considerable, easily to adapt themselves in a moment, to the little nothings, which are of so much consequence in trade - but anything is better than forcing a young person to adopt a Line of Life, which is contrary to his Inclination Poor James Parkes has got up to the Ears with yr [your?] old Enemies. McNaughton got the Grand Jury at the last Assizes to petition the Chambr, [Chamber?] to remove him from his office of Coroner, & the Lord Lieutt. [Lieutenant?] to discharge him from the Yeomanry, stating that "he is a disaffected person, James published the enclosed defense & challenged McNaughton, Henry Wray carrying it, but the wretch w'd [would?] not fight - but took the Law, Lodged Exam[-?]n [examination?] agt [against?] him & his second, both were taken into custody by the Civil power, Wray gave Bail himself £800, & two Securities 400 each, but James preferred giving Bail in Carrickfergus & was taken in Custody there, & gave bail in 500 himself & 250, each two Securities Wray was anxious also to go to Cfergus [Carrickfergus?] but I dissuaded him from it,. in Consequence of some disrepectful terms used by McNaughton to Henry Wray, young Jackson Wray challenged him a few days ago. Young Ezekial Boyd delivered the Messages, but the Wretch denied the words, and gave fair warning to Boyd, that finding there was a run made at him on James's business, he was determined not to fight anybody but to take the Law of every one who challenged him - had it not been for this business James w'd [would?] have seen you all in York this winter, but he obliged to attend the next ass's [assizes?] to be prosecuted for Libel & Challenge he will there have to fight thro' some difficulty but I trust will in the end keep his wretched Enemy in that dirt into which publick [public?] Opinion has flung him Every Body almost is now in favor of the Union, or totally indifferent about it, even the City of Dublin is beginning to retreat__ Upon the whole the Country seems come to it's (sic) Senses, and to see in the Union their refuge from their Tyrants & their feuds__ next to Reform, it is all they have for it, Some change is neccessary, and you know what the present system is__ Great changes in the Antrim affairs, Hunter has lost the Seneschalship, which is conferred on by Hutchinson. My Uncles have lost Sir Harry Vane's half of the Law Agency, but have continued by Lord Mark Ker as to his half, & Hunter is Immedy [immediately?] to lose the Receivership, which is to be given to Mr. James Stuart, your worthy friend - and there is going to be the devil to agt [against?] Lady Antrim for mismanagement__ Your #PAGE 5 old friend James Given was one of the bidders for the Quarter land, and was very much disappointed he did not get it for £3300, he offered me a bribe to sell it to him for that, & after it was sold he say'd [said?] if he had known, he w'd [would?] have given 100 1, but yr [your?] Trustees were afraid of him, they did not wish yr [your?] title to be involved in the Intrigues of Mr. Robert McNaughton & Mr.G. Hutchinson, & were pleased to close with those they did, - had Given got it, he w'd [would?] have been seeking ways to get off in 24 hours. Kyle they say is very much disappointed that any man in his Senses thought it worth more than £3200, one Ramsey of Tyrone offered £3300, & Moore the Tobacconist £3500 ABndrew is keeping perfect acc't [account?] of all outgoings & incomings, works done, etc., the Magazines were included in the Sale to Bryan & Caldwell, the turf were not, but to given at first Cost__ Poor George Campbell yr [your?] old [-----?] has got home. After his return, Stewart Imprisoned him, but Campbell having a discharge from Gen'l [General?] Fox, the Military people in Colerain [Coleraine?] [interred?][interned?] him --- In one of John's last letters he mentioned regarding the Calender [calenda?], that he thought one w'd [would?] do in New York, and bids you to take out a Model & perhaps the Cylinder. I beg yr [your?] attention to this. I believe Bryan & Caldwell w'd [would?] part with it, and I think I c'd [could?] get a model of the machinery easily out,. John Ross & family positively go with us in Spring. (in the evening) this moment I have got a letter from worthy Mrs. Boyd, that Daniel Boyd of Ballybrack had offered £105, the input for yr [your?] part of Ballymoney mill, & strenuously urging, a sale to him - so probably tomorrow will end that concern --- Some people are offering at the rate of 4 yr [years?] purchase for particular fields in Ballybrack, w'd [would?] you let them go at that you know there is no difficulty in ascertaining the yearly value --- My Little James thank God continues perfectly well, he eats like a little Cormorant, we propose again inoculating him next month, it will be a severe thing on his poor Uncle to part with him, he is at present his Chief Companion. The harvest in this Kingdom looks badly, very little barley yet cut, & the principle part of the Earliest Oats will not be ready till the middle of next month, & some of the mountain crop will not ripen at all. Great fears are entertained of a Scarcity, Meal is from 3/s to 3/3d a scow [score?] & in Belfast 19/6d [P cues?], little or no demand for Store Cattle, #PAGE 6 & Fodder has the prospect of being dear. I wrote John fully by the Bellona relative to myself. I am sure I need not entreat my dear friends will turn in their minds, relative to my future plans of life, in the Country which I propose making my own ---- various Circumstances have tended to moderate my wishes, all I seek is by my industry, to put my wife in possession of Substantial comfort, and my family in a situation to be Useful members of Society. I carry out a great horror of this Country, & great love and admiration for the Country I am going to --- but above all an Enthusiastic desire for the attainment of an Independance resulting from the Exercise of Industry, and if on Consultation with you all - I could find it prudent, to settle in some Town on the Hudson's River where I could buy and sell, and act as Notary Scrivener I think on my present view of the Subject, it is what would meet my own inclination - With my knowledge of Business, & the World, a very short experience w'd [would?] enable me to Buy Country produce, sent[ send?] it down the River, get up European goods in return - and also draw deeds, Instruments etc. I might begin with Some of the Simpler Operations of Traffick [Traffic?], & so on to the more complex --- but I again apply myself to all yr [your?] frienships [friendships?] to have me in yr [your?] Eye's that I may have the advantage of all yr [your?] Informations - I cannot hear [bear?] the Idea of being a moment Idle after my arrival, even tho' [though?] I sh'd [should?] be obliged to drive a pack horse for my Livelyhood [Livelihood?] I will again begin the world with great advantages --- 20th September - Moore on the Interference of his Uncle George has this day aquiesced in a Refference [Reference?], Mr. Birnie & Mr. Allen strenuously advise us to settle this way, as the trail [trial?] before the Board,or on a special action, w'd [would?] you --- know be attended with expence [expense?] & trouble - this of all yr [your?] affairs, has given yr [your?] trustees the greatest vexation - they are so fearful of not doing, as you yourself would if on the spot - the Refferes [Referees?] etc. is to be settled tomorrow --- 22nd September I am not able yet, to write anything decisive abt [about?] the Refference [Reference?], I understand Moore has proposed to lose on the Linens 21 guineas, & yr [your?] Trustees to take them at first cost, in London. What Mr. Allen & Mr. Boyd will determine as yet I know not --- but as I write Immed'y [Immediately?] on getting the opinion on t [the?] title, I will also state the end of this ill fated transaction. --- As to the Mill, John Calderwood owes Judg'ts [Judgements?] debts, so that even tho' [though?] any #PAGE 7 person was willing to buy all in consequence of the advertisement, his Judg'ts [Judgements?] has a sale of the whole - I fear Boyd must get it at the Input --- this is vexatious --- Give my love to all my dear friends around you, particularly my friend Richard - And believe me my Dr [Dear?] Sir Ever yrs [yours?] John Parks desperate fighting on the Continent - & poor Lippo Saife killed & his Country overrun by the British--- |
