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Title: Andrew Robb, to Mrs David Robb, Newtownards.
ID2305
CollectionIrish Emigration Database
FileRobb, Andrew/26
Year1845
SenderRobb, Andrew
Sender Gendermale
Sender Occupationworks with leather, farmer
Sender Religionunknown
OriginHogtown, Florida, USA
DestinationNewtownards, Co. Down, N.Ireland
RecipientMrs David Robb
Recipient Genderfemale
Relationshipson-mother
SourceT 1454/3/1-12: Copied By Permission of Dr J.C.Robb Esq, M.B.E. M.D. M.C.H., 21Cambourne Pk., Belfast. #TYPE EMG Frank Robb, Australia, Also Alexander Robb, Nicola Lake, British Columbia, to the Robb Family, Dundonald and Ballysallagh, 3rd November 1805 to
ArchiveThe Public Record Office, N. Ireland
Doc. No.8816082
Date01/01/1845
Partial Date
Doc. TypeEMG
Log12:10:1989 LT created 07:06:1990 IH input 07:06:19
Word Count1695
Genre
Note
TranscriptTo
Mrs David Robb
Care of David Kennedy Esq
Newtownards Co down Ireland

came to hand February 21
pleas [please?] return thro [through?]

H[og?]town 1845

My Dear Mother
I received your letter of 10th August a few weeks since, the
letter you mention having sent me by Charleston I never received, I have
some reason to suspect although no positive proof that about the time
that letter should have arrived in Newransville the Postmaster at that place for[warded?] [to?] me and by some rascal who never delivered it, - I was not aware of C H Brysons death until I received your letter nor of
Andrews marriage, I was no way surprised at being informed of Cornelius's
death although I have known nothing I may say of his [career?] for the last
three years but previous to that I knew him very well, he enjoyed the
advantage or disadvantage of having a wealthy Father and one of much
political influence the consequence was that he did not feel dependant on
his own exertions he had always a home, he claimed a good deal of respect
from others more on acct [account?] of his Father than for any particular
merit of his own, he was naturally possessed of more [than?] usually falls
to the [lot?] of man but he was at first too indolent and afterwards I
believe to [too?] careless and never took advantage of his position I have
many a time went to his Bedroom and made him get up at eleven o clock in
the day to do some writing while he kept an attorneys office in Nassau
street - he very early became a politician this led to much company and
late hours, a continued repetition of which I suppose has been the cause
of his early death, he was a Mischevious [mischievous?] brat when a boy
as much so as any one I ever saw I had not been in New york many days
before he christened me the Irish Pady [Paddy?] I trounced him three of
four times soundly until his Father not liking the name interfered with us
both I have now in the pool the first lot of Hides, so I may say I have
began my New Tan yard at last and trouble enough it has cost me I got my
[?] water light at last by ca[ul?]king and paying them with pitch - like
a ships bottom now the [they?] dont Leak a drop. I learned how to made
the Tar then boiled the Tar in a large pot till it become pitch and
smeared the seams with it, I had no oakum but found a good substitute in
the fibrous stuff that grows on the [polmitte?], the [va?]ts now do very
well the [they?] all are upon conductors which lead to a resinous in
which will be a pump, but those are things which you do not understand
I will only add that what I have done is done on the most labour saving
plan, and the yard can be enlarged to any size, I have some Hides of my
own, and some yet to collect I have also some to tan for other people for
half and will have more on the same terms by and by, the present price of
Dry Hides is 8 cents pr [per?] lb in summer the [they?] are less, 8 cents
for prime dry Hides is a low price, the same article never cost me less
than 12 in the north, I would not [?] for people even for half if I could
stock my [vats?] on my own acct [account?], but it will pay pretty well,
I do not curry the leather for them but give it them Tanned in the rough,
I have yet some buildings to put up but will defer all but a barn shed
for the present it seems to be my fortune to no sooner work through one
piece of vexation than another immediately arises, or becoming a stale
Govmt [government?] has caused the owners of this Land which I live on to
have it surveyed and steps are now being taken to have it in markett
[market?] for sale, some people think we will either have to buy it or
rent next season, their [there?] are a great many owners to this tract of
land, where their [there?] are so many interests to be consulted it is
more than likely the [they?] will not all be satisfied with their portion,
should some demur Litigation will follow, if so their [there?] will
neither be land bought nor rent to pay for some time to come, I wish more
earnestly the [they?] would let me alone two or three years longer this
land is surveyed in sections of one mile square containing 640 acres my
section I suppose will sell high although their [there?] is not more
than about 100 acres of very prime land on it and that is contained within
the qr [quarter?] section (160 acres) which includes the Tan yard and
Mail [seat?] the [they?] are alrady beginning to talk of moving the site
of the Capital of the county at or near this place, Newransville is on one
edge of the county, the court House is [wanted?] more central all those
things combined make it evident that this land will sell high I do not
think anyone will want my Tan yard but the [they?] may very likely want
the qr [quarter?] section which it is on the yankee who lived with me
when I wrote you last used my House and made a field of Cotton but only
lived with me a little over four months he meddled with things that did not
belong to him and I made him board elsewhere he built me a house and split
Rails and done work of one kind and another to near the amount he owed me
he made of 10 acres about 3000 lbs of cotton in seed which he sold at
four cents pr [per?] lb making about $120 - less the expense of picking
when this sea Island Cotton is in fine bloom and the bowls well opened
one hand can pick from 50 to 60 lbs pr [per?] day but in the beginning
and latter part of the season about 30 lbs is as much as most of them do
gathering this crop you perceive is much more difficult than making it,
this yankee wants to make Cotton [?] on one of my fields, I will porbably
make a [?] with him for I have more land than I can [?] he d[?] not
make a good crop the land ought [?] brought 500 lbs to the acre, I planted
myself 10 [?] acres of land in corn and made 150 Bushels, I had some to
but last years this I think I have enough should the rail road ever be made
it will of course raise the value of land wherever it goes through, but
it cannot be made yet for years, while we were a Territory congress ordered
a survey for a route, but their action on the matter on their part rested
the [they?] do not make internal improvements and [S?]outhern statesm[e?]n
maintaining it unconstitutional to do so, if ever made it will have to be
done by the state and for sometime to come her citizens have more
important matters to mind - I got the six [Cows &?] Calves last spring I
wrote you of, not having any one to attend to them I gave them to a Widow
woman - to milk all summer. I will not sell those Cattle if I can help
it, in a few years the [they?] will be of much benefit, I gave an
indifferent one eyed grey mare for them. I have also aloud [allowed?]
fifty head of Hogs the [they?] will not stay at home but ranged on a large
Parerie [prairie?] three miles away this Parerie [prairie?] is from two
to four miles wide and about thirty in circumference it is a fine place
for Cattle and hogs I wrote the most of this letter two weeks ago, as I
am going tomorrow to-day [today?] I will finish it. I will send you an old
newspaper along with it a few Cotton seeds sister Jenny ceased to be fond
of flowers, if she will plant those seeds in good ground Early the [they?]
will grow till frost and maybe to you a curiosity I sent a few to John
murdock the [they?] grew on some corn hills before my [door?]. I wrote
Jane soon after receiving your letter she never amswered my previous
letter. I am affraid [afraid?] she has never forgave me for [jesting?]
about her children, if you have no use for the money you mention I will
accept it, although I would rather Borrow a larger sum if I could, but
here we have no Banks and I can not do so it would be folly to deny that I
do want money for I do want much and from the nature of my bussiness
[business?] I expect to be in want of money much for some years to come
but under all the crosses and dissapointments [disapointments?] I have
met with I have been and am still of opinion that I will yet make a
fortune in this country at my bussiness [business?] it cannot help paying
well when property underweigh I will make handsome leather and ship it
to new york and have it sold by the quantity almost every other Tanner on
this side of washington has got Rich, my turn must come next, if I do not
spend this mony [money?] for land I will buy Hides with it, it will fill
one [va?]t let Brother James manage it as he did before let him get a
check [cheque?] from a Banker and send it to Peter Bryson with a request
to Peter to advise me on its Receipt in N Y [New York?] my dear mother
I must close this long letter I have 30 miles to ride to-day [today?] and
some offaces [offices?] to attend to - give my affectionate love to all
the family your affectionate son
Andrew Robb