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Title: Joseph Smith, Belfast, to Charles Wilson, New York
ID2528
CollectionIrish Emigration Database
FileSmith, Joseph/181
Year1817
SenderSmith, Joseph
Sender Gendermale
Sender Occupationmerchant
Sender Religionunknown
OriginBelfast, N.Ireland
DestinationNYC, USA
RecipientWilson, Charles
Recipient Gendermale
Relationshipfriends
SourceD2934/1/3: Presented and Lent for Copying by M.T. Orr, Esq., 37Marlborough Park, Belfast, BT 96 HJ.
ArchiveThe Public Record Office, N. Ireland.
Doc. No.9512031
Date30/06/1817
Partial Date
Doc. TypeLTE
LogDocument added by LT, 07:12:95.
Word Count711
Genre
Note
TranscriptBelfast 30th June 1817.

Dear Charles
According to promise I embrace this opportunity of
writing to you,and hope this letter will find you in good order
and well conditioned sitting in the far famed town of New York
and that your goods have come to a good market. I have nothing
new to communicate to you since you left this as things remain
in the same dull state, as when you left this - no business doing
of any consequence - the markets have been very high and the
distress among the poor has been very great. Meal was for some
time 40 [----?] and potatoes 13 to 15 per stone and all kinds of
grain in proportion and if it had not pleased providence to
change the season all the fruits of the earth must have been
parched [?] up & destroyed but we have had a succession of fine
wet warm weather which has made the rallies sing and clothed the
holy with [----?] has made the wilderness lyric and the desert
to blossom as the rose this is matter of great thankfulness as
had there been another season such as last, the talk of the
people must have been starved [?] - however it will be attended
with serious consequences to us as we have still the flour on
hand on which there will be a great loss. James Black sailed in
the Thomas Bouch for Quebec, the 29th May, I expect he is there by this
time - there have been an amazing set of adventurers
shipt [shipped?] off there from all parts of the country and
there are a number of vessels at present on the birth [berth?] for the
same quarter - I have shipt [shipped?] the Box of Cahiers on board
this vessel. I could not get an opportunity sooner. Your brother
David [---?] the prize vessel by auction for œ265 in company
with [Nash?] & Capt. [Captain?] McCormick she has been properly
repaired and Capt [--?] has proceeded on the original
destination to Norway in order to cancel the Bond for the Salt
she stands them in about œ350 - they intend to keep her constantly
going in some trade or other. I would not be surprised if they
backslide by degrees from their loyalty and go back to their
former illegal trade - I expect there will be a very minute search
made in all goods that come in from America, as well as all
vessels, it is said they intend to alter the law in this respect
so that you would do well to take care that what you had be
carefully put up - you were not telling me of the loss you
sustained in Liverpool, it was a [----?] thing in London and the
tobacconist both - but we cannot help these things they are sent
our way for good - the Meeting house is still in the Back
Ground, we have had all to advance our subscriptions to meet the
deficiency of the present year. Mr. Brown is going to [----?] to
see his friends, he will be away a month - Cotton is [----?] at
present than it was Tobacco is from 8 [?] - 10 [?] we expect some
every day from America Shares are pretty high = Pork
œ4.10 [stained?] reported to be œ5 - I enclose you a Glasgow [----
---?].I will try and get a Liverpool one. I also send two of the
last Taggarts & a [Chromick?] which I hope will give you
satisfaction - I am in good health & so are all the family, my
Mother is gone down the Shore - I have nothing worth writing to
say but wish you every happiness & prosperity that is attainable
[---?] & shall end with this text, "Seek first the Kingdom of God
& his rigteousness & all these things shall be added thereto, &
Godliness with contentment is great gain
Believe me, Yours with esteem
Joseph Smith.

Joseph Smith
30th June 1817
Belfast


I have only got payment for the 2 Boxes Linen shipt [shipped?] in
the first vessel say œ28,14,11 The other papers are gone
Dublin.I have written to a friend there I send them down as soon
as possible.