| Title: | Matthew Brooks, Philadelphia, to His Sister [Co Tyrone?]. |
|---|---|
| ID | 307 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Brooks, Matthew/6 |
| Year | 1863 |
| Sender | Brooks, Matthew |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | mentions having lost money to the economic crisis caused by |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Philadelphia, Penn., USA |
| Destination | Co.Tyrone, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Clark, Rebecca |
| Recipient Gender | female |
| Relationship | siblings |
| Source | T 2700/4: Copied by Permission of Reverend Canon J.H. Gebbie B.A., Newtownstewart, County Tyrone. #TYPE EMG Matthew Brooks, Philadelphia, U.S.A., to "Dear Sister", [Location?], 3 March 1863. |
| Archive | Public Record Office Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9007177 |
| Date | 03/03/1863 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | 07:08:1990 JM created 05:11:1990 CD input 05:11:19 |
| Word Count | 824 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Philadelphia March the 3rd 1863 Dear sister i now write you a few lines to inform you that i am enjoying reasonable good health at present and i hope that when you receive these few lines it will find James and you and the family enjoying the same blessing. Dear sister i received your last two letters in due time after the date which i was thankful to hear that you were all well Dear sister i would have wrote to you before now but i was in thoughts of not writing to this war would be over but you are so anxious to hear from me that i thought i would write you a few lines Altho[ugh?] it will not be very pleasant news Dear sister i met with serious losses since this war commenced the [there?] were no less than five of our Saving institutions burst up and i am sorry to inform you that i have lost several hundred dollars in one of them and more often than that two individuals whom i considered to be bosom friends that owed me considerable became insolvent between the three misfortunes i have lost the chief part of one thousand dollars the[re?] were ten thousand depsoitors [depositors?] in this institution and not one dollar is expected out of it both president and vice president of this institution died an untimely death since whis [which?] was remarked by every person the one died crasey [crazy?] and the other drop[p?]ed dead of[f?] his feet aboard of a steamship boat dear sister notwithstanding this loss i would have sent you a little money but the crash of paper money that we have now in sirculation [circulation?] now since the war commenced is of so little value that 50 dollars of it would only demand 5 pound sterling therefore it is throwing the one half away the banks has all suspendent [suspended?] paying spacy [specie?] since the war commenced and the brokers has bought up all the gold and silver that was out and there is not one dollar of gold or silver to be seen in Philadelphia more than if there was not one in the united states we have papper [paper?] mon[e?]y now as small as 5 per cent notes the expense of the war at present is calculated to be two mill[i?]on of dollars per day the united states has upwards of seven hundred thousand in the army at the present time we were in hopes some time ago that the war would been over before now but it is only on the increase the[y?] are now drafting all men from the age of 18 to 45 with very few exemptions the clergy is not exempt it appears that the united states has gained but little on the rebels yet the[y?] have been a great many of my acquaintance killed and wounded in this war it is grievious [grievous?] to see what men are going up and down the street on crutches and their legs shot of[f?] i met one James [?] the other day that lived with the reverand [Reverend?] clark when a boy going on crutches with one of his legs of[f?] David White of Cavendoragh [Cavendarragh?] went to the army and before he was 15 minutes in the first battle he got the half of his head blown of[f?] by the bursting of a shell and a great many others that is too dedious [tedious?] to mention there is a very weighty tax levied on every thing here now the triflingest article that is used here now is taxed even the very soap there is 3 cents to the pound of a tax on it and groceries is taxed very heavy and tobacco is three times the price it has formerly been Dear sister i had a letter from Matthew russel since he came backe from ireland he mentioned to me that he paid you a visit when he was in ireland he landed in ilionoise [Illinois?] 12 Dayes [Days?] after he left ireland John O'Neal that cal[l?]ed to see you when he was in ireland died last fall his old Mother is still living i saw her a few we[e?]ks ago Mrs Caldwell is well and sends her love to you i had a letter from Mary love some time ago she was then well i hear from John and nancy comins [Cummins?] occasionally the[y?] always live out in the country i took one of Margrets [Margaret's?] letteres [letters?] letters to Mrs Caldwell to let her see it and when she came to that part that mentioned about you spending an afternoon with her sister together it appeared to elivate [elevate?] her very much she declared she thought she knew every word of your conversation Dear sister i have nothing more to mention at present but i hope i will have better news to write the next time I write I always remain your affectionate brother Matthew Brooks |
