| Title: | Jonathon Smith, Philadelphia to James Smith, Co. Antrim |
|---|---|
| ID | 2521 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Smith, Jonathan W/10 |
| Year | 1846 |
| Sender | Smith, Jonathan W |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | unknown |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Philadelphia, Penn., USA |
| Destination | Moycraig, Co. Antrim, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Smith, James and Jane |
| Recipient Gender | male-female |
| Relationship | son-parents |
| Source | D 1828/34: Presented by James Steele, Ballymoney, Co. Antrim |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland |
| Doc. No. | 9503237 |
| Date | 27/08/1846 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 27:03:1995. |
| Word Count | 1051 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | To: Mr James Smith Moycraig County of Antrim Ireland Dervock Mosside [Moss-side?] [Postmarks] PHILADELPHIA AUG [AUGUST?] 31 P [PENNSYLVANIA?] a PAID 10 [cents?] AMERICA LIVERPOOL SP [SEPTEMBER?] 30 1846 6B OC [OCTOBER?] 1 46 [1846?] 2G OC [OCTOBER?] 2 46 [1846?] BALLYMONEY OC [OCTOBER?] 3 1846 From: Philadelphia August the 27 1846 Dear father and Mother Brothers and Sisters I for the first time since I left my native home, have it in my power to to [sic] say that I have A sorrowful heart in writing to you, and the reason of that is the death of my beloved Brother he breathed his last on the morning of the 14 of July after lingering about one week, he was seized with A cramp and vomiting on the night of the 8 July and was continued with with [sic] several attacks of it unto the 12 when he was able to be about and expected he was well, but on the morning of th 14th he was up before sunrise and walked about unto about 9 oclock when he was again taken sick and went to bed and about 1/2 past 3 oc [oclock?] he began to waver in his talk and seemed as if Death was fast Approaching, then I was imediately [immediately?] sent for as soon as the man approached me I knew that there was something amiss, I immediately left my work and with all the sped [speed?] that the horses could gow [go?] I made for his house but what as my surprise when alighting from the coach to see the house closed and the mourning crape [crepe?] hung at the doore [door?] you may easily guess how I felt on entering his bed room to see the fac which a fiew [few?] days before smiled upon me with all the joy of nature laying cold and pale upon the bed of death his soul had departed to another world, I humbley [humbly?] hope that it would met [meet?] with a kind welcome at the gate of heaven he died on the 14 July at 10 oclock and was Interred on the eavenint [evening?] of the 16 in the grave yard of the 4 Presbyterian Church at the corner of 12 & Lombard sts [streets?] it was as respectable a funeral as ever marched the dead march on the streets of Philadelphia it was attended by a vast number of friends and acquaintances both of city and Country, there was upwards of 50 carriages 10 of which cost œ5 each, a mahogney [mahogany?] coffin and silver mounted, he is lamented by all who knew him for he was the poor mans friend the orphands [orphan's?] and the widdows [widows?] stay and the travvellers [traveller's?] guide his house was their house and his purse was redy open to relieve them Dear Mother I pittey [pity?] you when you hear of this but do not grieve for it was the will of the Lord, that he and you never should meet again in this world, therefore submit yourself to the Lord for he is our onley [only?] stay and in him [------?] would we put our trust and pray that we may all meet in heaven where we shall have neithr griefe [grief?] nor sorrow the Doctor said it was inflamation [inflammation?] of the brain was the cause of his death. Dear parents you will think it hard of me not riting [writing?] to you before this time but H Scott & R White both rote [wrote?] a fiew [few?] days after his death and I requested them to let you now [know?] and that I would not rite [write?] the [they?] were all agred [agreed?] to by by [sic] the advice of my uncle Wm [William?] but no sooner was the aggreement [agreement?] made and me settled to my work than John White advised them to administer in his mothers name whitch [which?] the [they?] did to try to keep me and my parents out of all I immediately paed [paid?] a counsel against them whitch [which?] cost me $20 and entered a suit against them for obtaining letters of admineristration [administration?] in a fraudulent [fraudulent?] way we had a hearing before the Register of wills and by their false swearing it was given against me, whitch [which?] caused me to appeal to court whitch wil [which will?] take place in the Course of 3 or 4 weeks I am sorrey [sorry?] to say that John White is so mutch [much?] of the rogue he is the first of the same breed that ever I new [knew?] he is equal to James Shaw for swearing he is a talk over the city for the oath he st [stained?] his [torn?] and you need nor get angery [angry?] about it for they cannot help it, I received your letter bearing date 13 May on the 15 July but did not see the bearer as yet I saw Miss Hunter and she informed me that you were all well Hugh Smith had a letter from his brother Jonathon whitch [which?] mentioned of your welefare [welfare?], Dear father since I commenced to rite [write?] I am informed that they are gowing [going?] to try to to [sic] make you the nearderest [nearest?] heir and that they will never receive one single cent, lest this should happen and you nor me never gain anney [any?] of his hard honest earned gain I will send you the power of attorney for you to sign giving me full power to act for you in the best manner that I may be directed to according to the law of the state for it differs from the law of Ireland, so soon as this reaches you write immediately and do not neglect to send the power of Attorney by the first post after it reaches you, there will be directions with it how to act, do not delay as it is A matter of great importance both to you and me as he died with as far as I can learn about $3000 dollars of whitel [withal?] they have onley [only?] filed in the regesters [register's?] office or will acknowledge onely [only?] $500 that plainley [plainly?] shows their roguish schemes, if I gain it will help both you and me and if I loose [lose?] it wil [will?] take me 6 months to earn what I have spent at it, I could say more but it is not necessary?] if I have neglected anney [any?] thing that you want to know mention it in your next letter |
