| Title: | Wm. Porter, Illinois, U.S.A. to his Family, Co.Down, Ireland. |
|---|---|
| ID | 2151 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Porter, William/7 |
| Year | 1868 |
| Sender | Porter, William |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | farmer |
| Sender Religion | Presbyterian |
| Origin | Chebanse, Illinois, N.Ireland |
| Destination | Co. Armagh? N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Porter, Robert L. |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | brothers |
| Source | D 1152/3/17: Presented by Mr. Charles Best, Mullaghglass, Bessbrook, Co.Armagh. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, N. Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9612184 |
| Date | 28/03/1868 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 03:12:96. |
| Word Count | 1297 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | P.S. I will send you a paper with this that will let you see how markets is here I sent you one some time ago let me know if Ardarragh is best to send your letters to I hope they [the?] Mullaghglass folks is all well remember me to them they [the?] ground is white with snow and I have not any seed in the ground yet WP [William Porter?] Chebanse March 28th 1868 To Mother & & Mr & Mrs Robt [Robert?] L.Porter Dear Friends I now sit down to write you a few lines as it is snowing and we canot [cannot?] work outside hoping they will find you all well as they leave us all well here Thank God I would have answered your note of the 25th Dec before now but on the 20th Dec I went to Chicago on buissness [business?] and a Duch [Dutch?] man neighbour that I have took up 6 head of my cattle to pound for trespass & I replevined them and we have been lawing ever since and it was only the other day it was finished at the court same as your Assizes 25 miles from where I live and I beat him and he has 175 dollars costs to pay and other expenses that will make it over 200 and it cost me 60 dollars for by over 400 miles travel back and forth and all for not 1 dollar only he is so full of law that no one can live beside him he has been taking money out of me every chance this two years so I thought I would stand it no longer for I always paid what he would demand and settle it but this time his demand was rather steep but I guess this will settle him one trouble brings on another what took me to Chicago was to try to collect some money from a man that left a house without paying the rent So in that case I will lose 250 dollars but with all I am still able to stand it only we have to go a little nearer to work I am not making anything for I have to pay for all my work and I am paying now for a boy 18 years of age 200 dollars a year so I calculate that will be about ¬ of all the crop then I have teams and seed & implements to find so you see I cannot make much for if I could work myself I could save that and his board would be about 400 a year so that would be an item for any one that has to hire work here cannot make much while a person that can do his own work can make money you say that with all your work you cannot hold your own there I think if you sow here & work like you do there you could live well and save money too now last year there was 4 of us and I killed 2 cows 1 ten the other 6 cwt. and a hog 3 cwt. weight this year one cow and 4 hogs and this will no more than do us now you cannot afford to do that and pay your rent for they [the?] rent must be paid live or die but here the living comes first for no man farmer can be broken out for they [the?] law leaves him a homisted [homestead?] worth 1000 dollars and cloths [clothes?] and cows worth 300 more so you see he is not so badly of [off?] even should his debt amount to thousands so all considered I think a better chance here than there for leaving his family after his decease although no person coming to this country can expect to have the comfort nor advantage that is enjoyed there in society or churches roads for there every one knows every one and here it is different for all are strangers and that makes selfishness more aparent [apparent?] and his fear of God amongst the community and that makes me mind what you say my mother says that I should bring my children under my eye but she forgets that society is different in this country and that a child is more independent here than there for when they are of age the parent has no more control over them and very little before so that if I had a mind to do so I could not but I think they are better as the [they?] are for Mary has a man that is not all that could be desired but still is not a bad man and I will mention just here that she had a little baby on the 16th of this month a little girl and no doubts but he will be a better man now when he sees a family to provide for Sarah is doeing [doing?] for herself her and another lady is partners at dressmaking and is doeing [doing?] prety [pretty?] well they will get as high as 25 & 30 dollars for making a dress but they are under great expence [expense?] as much as 60 or 70 dollars a month but makes it pay withal Joseph is in Chicago too on what is called merchants novice he is on duty from 7 to 2 oclock [o'clock?] at night and gets 40 dollars a month he is just returned to town after paying us a visit he is doeing [doing?] very well and they are all well my own health is none of the best for I am greatly troubled lately with the heart disease it is liable to come any minute and without any warning but is just like a shot and will flutter something for hours and other times 15 or 20 minutes but it disables me for the time being the worst time is in bed at night the doctors does not seem to understand it I am now taking medicine from what they call Homopathy [homoeopathy?] [Doe?] 5 little bottles about a spoonful in each and I am to take a drop from one of them every 2 hours until I go over the 5 so you see it must be powerful medicine or it is no use I have little faith in it myself Joseph's family is all well at present although he was very ill about 2 weeks since with something he takes like inflammation of they [the?] bowels same as Andy died of he was very bad but is now well again and at his work his family is all at home with him at present I may mention a curious case attached to a little boy 6 years old that we have keeping for a man from Armagh which came to this country 20 years ago an old acquaintance of him which got married to a woman here 15 years since and has made considerable property in Chicago what would keep them and two or three mouths since they had a difference and they agreed to separate and did so and divided the property and got divorced and each one is to get married again she to a man she says she likes better and him to such a one as he can get and he is to pay me 120 dollars a year for the child and cloth [clothe?] him a fine boy he is indeed so what think you of that I must close with my love to mother & you and Mrs. Porter and all enquiring friends I thought I would have had the pleasure of seeing you all once more but that is doubtful now and I will remain as ever your aff [affectionate?] Brother William Porter |
