| Title: | Robert Smith [Smyth?], Philadelphia, to His Father James Smyth, Antrim. |
|---|---|
| ID | 2539 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Smith, Robert W/90 |
| Year | 1838 |
| Sender | Smith, Robert W |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | works at a distillery |
| 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 | D 1828/8: Presented by James Steele, The Whins, Mosside, Antrim. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland |
| Doc. No. | 9501031 |
| Date | 01(?)/06/1838 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT/JW, 04:01:1994. |
| Word Count | 1062 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | To: Mr. James Smyth Moycraig County of Antrim Parish of Billy Irlad [Ireland] From: Philadelphia June 17th 1838 Dear Parents Broathers [Brothers?] & Sisters -. I transmit these few lines to you hoping to find you in as good health as I am at present, thanks be to God, plea- [please?] to give my love to all inquiring friends. Especially to those of the female sex I have been in good health ever since I left you, and indeed have no cause to complain upon my fortune ac-ording [according?] to the times as the [they?] are very bad here & has no appearance of Getting better although we have a very pleasant spring as ever was experienced in this country. I intend if buisness [business?] does not get better here to go to the west and if James Montgomery on his return from Europe comes by way of Philadelphia I think I shall go back with him as you stated in your letter that he was going to pay Irland [Ireland?] a visit I never want any of my Brothers to come to this country please at my reques[t?] send Jonathan to a trade if it suits him to go, and he will be happier with the worst master in Irland [Ireland?] nor with the best in this Country I only wish that I had been sent to a trade while in Irland [Ireland?] it would saved both Soul and body from Danger. & again I say that it is good for them bot- [both?] Soul and body that never saw America. As the cheapness of grog and the numeresness [numerousness?] of bad woman [women?] are bot- [both?] bad snairs [snares?] for a Irishman but I myself through strict attention to my buisness [business?] together with the fear of God cept [kept?] me out of these snairs [snares?] which this country is subject to but the difference of my countrymens stations frrom [from?] the report that returns to Irland [Ireland?], renders me to say that if the[y?] had stayed in Irland [Ireland?] the- [they?] would led [lead?] a happier life. although some of them has a-quired [acquired?] riches but it yields no comfort to them Dear father I want fore [for?] if possible to move farther south and get a larger farm as I intend to spend the remender [remainder?] of my days in irland [Ireland?] if I can by strict endeavour gain a portion [?] that will induce me to return to the land [?] gave me birth as nothing in this world could yeald [yield?] to me my comfort but the hopes of returning to my friends and intended companion through life Dear Parents we expect a war between the canedians [Canadians?] and the british the negrews [Negroes?] in this city is getting so much liberty by the quakers that the[y?] are getting very savage and has committed several assassinations within this short time a few nights since the [they?] killed one of our Sity [City?] wach [watch?] and on the next morning as I was passing that way I saw part of his blood and brains laying on the place that he was murd-red [murdered?] on which struck me with awe. Dear Parents I received your letter I answered it immediately after With a friend of James McKains and if you did not get it Write Im-ediately [immediately?] & I wil- [will?] endeavour to answer both together be not deletary [dilatory?] in writing to me as it always pleases me to hear from kind and af[f?]ectionate Parents as you have ever been to me and for which I return you my sincere thanks is all the reward I have in my power to make to you I come now to let you know that My uncle Wm [William?] Smith ha[s?] another Daughter born to him by his wife Mary Ann Smith whose name is Isabella Wily for her Grand Mother who now lies inter-ed [interred?] in roseyards Buiring [Burying?] ground. I come now to let you know of a near miss that my uncle Wm [William?] & I had and that is the following on the 23rd of April we had A[?]der for a few pipes of liquer [liquor?] that required to be stilled over again and in like manner we filled our still and he put fire to her himself and went in to dinner meantime I was washing some pipes outside the stillhouse Door and as he was returning from Dinner the Liquer [Liquor?] began to penetrate through the paste betwixt the hea- [head?] and the worm which soon caught fire I went to try to get a piece of Carpet on it when my uncle pulled me out and by so doing saved my life but the bleasing [blazing?] liquor soon got in to the still and before Wee [we?] could make our escape he got badley [badly?] burned on the face and hands but he is got quite well I only got the hair of my head partly scorched when the head flew of- [off?] you would thought that it was a thounder [thunder?] Clap. it burned the still house and the up-er [upper?] part of the Citchen [Kitchen?] but he sustained but little loss as it was Insured, the pipes at thre- [three?] yards from the door caught fire, there was enough on there that consumed the fire I have not space to mention every one of my acquaintance But I will perform to Mrs Linsay my promise her son Thomas is well and is driving dray for a man in this city near to my uncle Roberts. he is also well James & Ritychard [Richard?] Scott is well in short my acquaintances is all well within my bounds & that is in both City & Country when you -rite [write?] let me know when there was my account from John McFadden or Andrew McClhose [Mcclose?] I could say more only my paper is filled up Give my respets to all my Friends & Acquaintances to Wm [William?] Campbell & Robert Mc Clhose [Mc Close?] and in short to all that enquire after these lines of bad -riting [writing?] & bad inditing [indicting?]. My uncle and all the family joins me in sending their love to my grandfather and to you all. I conclude with hoping to see you and all friends once more. I remain your affectionate Son Robert Smith Give my love to John White and his Wife Ann Neill |
