| Title: | Robert Smyth [Smith?], Philadelphia, to James Smyth [Smith?], Co. Antrim |
|---|---|
| ID | 2538 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Smith, Robert W/81 |
| Year | 1837 |
| Sender | Smith, Robert W |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | just arrived in the USA |
| Sender Religion | Presbyterian Check Jonathan And Jon. W, Robert And Robert W Presbyterian |
| Origin | Philadelphia, Penn., USA |
| Destination | Moycraig, Co. Antrim, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Smith, James Sr |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | son-father |
| Source | D1828/7: Presented by James Steele, Mosside, Ballymoney, Co.Antrim |
| Archive | The Public Record Office Belfast |
| Doc. No. | 9501015 |
| Date | 03/08/1837 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT/JW, 21:12:1994. |
| Word Count | 1270 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | To: Mr James Symth [Smith?] Moycraig County Antrim Parish of Billy Ireland From: Philadelphia August th[e?] 3rd 1837 Dear Father and Mother Brothers and sisters I take up my pen Embracing a very favourable opertunity [opportunity?] of sending you a few lines to let you know that I am in good health thanks be to God for it. in the first place I will write concerning passage which indeed was not very pleasant we left Londonderry on the 3rd of June and [torn] ed down the river by a steam bot [boat?] so far as Movile [Moville?] and we set sail on the fifth and for the first week had a pleasant gale but it soon changed and then there was for 5 weecks [weeks?] that we had not 4 hours fair wind at once and the decks were carecly [scarcely?] ever dry but on the 18th of June we all expected to meet with a watery grave the storm began on saturday and lasted to sunday eavening [evening?] but thanks be to the most high we were all allowed more time on this world, about 2 Oclock on sunday evening our vessel shipped a Sea which was great [?] it took the helamis man [helmsman?] from his post and as he was gowing [going?] over the bullwarks [bulwark?] our mate caught hold of him in his teeth and saved him, but the crying of the woman and children was very gr-evous [grievous?] when the water was 1 foot deep in our births [berths?] we expected nothing but Death all that I was heard to say was that I pitied parents when the[y?] wo[u?]ld hear of my untimely Death but we found that the Lord was Omniscient as well Omnipresent but I think that the 18th of June will be remembered by all that was aboard the Croackstown castle [?] very civil [?] mates but it was not so there was scarcely a day without a fight or a night without a rob-ery [robbery?] we were not in sight of Land on the morning of the 25th of July when the Pilet [Pilot?] boarded us but we saw it that day and on the 27th we landed in Philadelphia but while the vessel ly [lay?] on the stream I took a small boat and came to my uncles where I found a kind friend. I like both my Unckle [Uncle?] and my Ant [aunt?] well and I do assure you that I live in as well a furnished house as your landlord I have done no no (sic) work as yet but I can tel[l?] you that times is hard here and that it was good for me that I had a friend before me Dear parents I request that when you write to let me know how you are getting on in the world and what kind of summer you had and please let me know if Mr John Mackay Jun[io?]r came to this country also if Carncullaugh [Carncullagh?] boys got off at that time and if Wm. [William?] Hamilton be alive, I was sick for the space of eight days on our passage. I come know to let you know that the Franklin arrived only 2 days before us and had lost her [?] main yard arm, the same part of our vessel on the evening of the 18th of June when they [the?] wind began to slack was touching the water, the Careoughae that sailed 10 days before us landed on the 30th July and the Passengers fought on the warf [wharf?] to a great extent, I like this country pretty well so far as I have seen yet, But one thing I will say the [that?] I have seen more than if you were to travel in Ireland all our days there Curiosity in one street in this City than ever I saw in all my life, although times is hard and was slow there is a bountiful crop this season and I am told that this was not so extremely a hot summer a- [as?] has been seen in this country, You may let my cousin John White and my brother John know that if they do well in Ireland that they have no need to come here, for there is scarcely any person that comes here this summer that can find employment at their trade and if the [they?] would they would have to serve another apprenticeship Now last season I am told that there was no person that would work but I could get both work and money. I have not seem [seen?] my uncle Robert Smith yet but i hear that he is well and living up in the northern liberties and I intend to go and see him shortly, My Uncle Wm. [William?], cannot tell me any thing about my Uncle Samuel White at all you may let Robert Linzey [Linsay?] and family know that their son Thomas is well and boarded still in Mr Pattersons I have nothing particular to mention from him as I have seen him but once and I did not expect to write so soon but as Simeon Baird and Alexr [Alexander?] McCoy is going home I am not willing to let slip the oppertunity [opportunity?] and as this is the only way that the Lord has allot[t?]ed for us to hear from each other I hope you will be diligent in writing to me as often as you can as it will do me good still to hear of your wellfare [welfare?] I have seen some bad vices but the Lord has enabled me to shun them all and I trust he will do so evermore, I never wanted for anything since I left you for as soon as I parted my Father in London Derry the Lord took me up and now I have my Uncle to instruct me and I live in the fear of the Lord My Uncle had two very handsome children and he has got a great deal of both goods and money. Let Daniel Crawford know that his son is well also Thomas Hearty that his son and Daughter is well and John Stewart & John Anderson is well and living in the country John Brown is well and he is living with one Mcafersin [Macferson?] in the country and all the McKinney boys is well James Mccain [MacKain?] is well and is liveing [living?] next door to us he and Samuel Woodside and has a bottleing [bottling?] establishment Hugh Boyl [Boyle?] is well, As I have nothing particular to mention I come know to send my love to all friends but as I think it unnecessary to mention them seperate [separate?] as by my own neglect I might some of them of[f?]end by not mentioning their name that I respected as well as those that I would mention I will take it in a large scale, Give my love and best respect to all friends [?] Mcfin [Macfinn?] and along the ban [Bann?] shore also to all friends in Carncullaugh [Carncullagh?] and all that I respected going to school and to all in Mosside [Moss-side?] and Moycraig, give my love and best respects to Wm. [William?] Campbell and in short to all that think it propper [proper?] to enquire after my letter I come now to say that these few lines leaves us all in good health hoping to find you all in the same. I send my grandfather my love and my father and mother brothers and sisters, I must conclude with hoping to see you and all friends once more I add no more at present but remains your affectionate son Robert Smyth [Smith?] |
