Home

CORVIZ

Main content

Title: W Richey, Pennsylvania, To Mrs J Heron, Killyleagh, Co Down
ID2280
CollectionIrish Emigration Database
FileRichey, William/37
Year1865
SenderRichey, William
Sender Gendermale
Sender Occupationfarmer
Sender Religionunknown
OriginPenn Township, Penn., USA
DestinationKillyleagh, Co. Down, N.Ireland
RecipientMrs James Herron
Recipient Genderfemale
Relationshipold friends
SourceT.1766/2/18: Photocopied by Courtesy of Mr N P Heron. #TYPE EMG Wm [William?] Richey, Pennsylvania, To Mrs J. Heron, Tullyveery House, Killyleagh, Co. Down, Ireland. 1st January 1865.
ArchivePublic Record Office Northern Ireland.
Doc. No.8911114
Date01/01/1865
Partial Date
Doc. TypeEMG
Log30:11:1989 GC created 22:06:1990 CD input 27:06:19
Word Count833
Genre
Note
TranscriptTo: Mrs James Herron, Tullyvery House, Killileagh, County Down, Ireland.
______________________________________________________________


Dear Mrs. Herron, Penn Township. Jan 1st 1865
It is with feelings of the kindest remembrance that I now venture
to write this note to you & I am still liveing [living?] and in good health
and I earnestly hope these lines may find you and your family enjoying the
same blessings. Time has rolled around over 17 years since I last saw you
yet I have not forgotten your kindness to me when I was a boy, in my
thoughts in my dreames [dreams?] I often revisit your house, your garden,
your fields and your beautiful landscape. There is no spot upon earth
dearer to me than where you dwell I have roamed a good deal over this great
land and on its mighty rivers and have seen beautiful dwellings, but yet if
I had the privelege [privilege?] of selecting where to dwell, before all I
have seen I would select that spot.
I have often intended to write to you but still neglected. A
few nights ago I dreamed that I was at your house, I walked in by the
kitchen door, the first I saw was Matty Wood and Ann McConnell. Everything
looked as usual and I saw your son James. He knew me and we embraced each
other, I enquired for his mother and he said she was dead and we both wept
bitterly until my sobbing awoke me and Lo it was a dream and I was relieved
from my trouble. So I have resolved to write and see how matters are, it
will do me good to hear from the place of my boyhood. In my memory
everything remains the same as when I last beheld them in June 1847, but
with myself times and circumstances are changed indeed. I married a wife on 18th. Sept. [September?] 1856 since we have 5 children, 3 girls, two boys. I have followed the business of Agriculture and have been moderatley
successful. I rented a small farm at first but I now occupy one of 100 acres (80 clear). My father is liveing [living?] on a farm adjoining, they are all in good health, sister Mary is married and has 4 children. George is married had 4 children. James is in the union Army. Margaret Ann is
lately married to a Mr David Herron. Except James, we all reside adjoining
each other in a beautiful locality 10 miles North of the City of Pittsburg
in a very fertile valley on the East bank of the Allegheny River, a
navigable river for steamboats of large size. Also a rail road runs through our premises, we can go to market in twenty minutes. Thier [there?] is no denieing [denying?] but this is a Great and good Country and Americans a Great People.
I suppose you have already heard of our Gigantic Rebellion. It is a
calamity indeed although we in the North are not suffering it everything
seems prospering although we miss many of our former associates and friends. I visited one of our armies after a battle and recovered the dead body of a young brother to my wife, she has two more still in the service, and there I saw the desolation of war that african slavery has brought upon this land, but slavery is now dead and it will be for ever buried with the end of this rebellion. Slavery was the curse and cause and it is right it should die.
I am a naturalised Citisen [Citizen?] of these united states and a
supporter of the present Administration having voted for the election and
re-election of our present President, therefore I am subject to be drafted
into the armies of the united states. I have escaped so far, but there is
another appointed for the 15th. of Feb [February?], if my lot is drawn I
will serve. Our Cause is good and just and with the help of the God of
Nations we will come out of this contest purified and better fitted to be
called a Free People. All we ask of Europeans is moral sympathy and
nonintervention.
I believe England has acted unfriendly in many respects, thier
[there?] are many bitter feelings here against Her. I would mourn it as the greatest calamity that could befall Civilisation [civilization?] if war
should break out between England and this Country. Let your influence your
prayers be for friendship between these two countries and sympathy for our
cause.
You will please remember me to those of your house who knew me in
other days. I wish you to write to me and I wish a letter from James or any other member of your family. My sincere wish is that these few lines may safely reach you and find all as well as I wish you.
As it is getting late in the night and my paper getting full I will
bid you Good Bye for the present and a merry new year.
I am with respect, yours
Wm [William?] M. Richey.
P.S. If you think this worth answering, please direct
Hulton Post Office,
Allegheny County,
Pennsylvania [Pennsylvania?],
America.
write soon.
(This letter is from an old Tullyveery servant domiciled in America.)