| Title: | John Taylor, Washington City to Robert Taylor, Shanrod |
|---|---|
| ID | 3091 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Taylor, John/2 |
| Year | 1831 |
| Sender | Taylor, John |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | unknown |
| Sender Religion | Presbyterian |
| Origin | Washington, D.C., USA |
| Destination | Shanrod, Co. Down, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Taylor, Robert |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | brothers |
| Source | The Taylors of Shanrod Co Down, Letters from America. Copyright retained by Heather Taylor, 46, Coolshinney Rd., Magherafelt, BT45 5JF, rookvale@hotmail.co.uk |
| Archive | The Centre For Migration Studies |
| Doc. No. | 701095 |
| Date | 17/06/1831 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by JM, 29/01/2007 |
| Word Count | 858 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | [A letter from John the following year describes life in Washington and gives details of his personal life much or all of which he seems to have withheld previously.] Mr Robert Taylor (Shanrod) Near Dromore County Down Ireland [Page 1] United States of North America Washington City, D.C. 17th June 1831 Dear Brother, Your kind letter of the [5th?] April last, forwarded to Baltimore by Mr Sprott was received the 4th Inst. It afforded me great pleasure to learn that you were all in the enjoyment of good health, which blessing, I pray may be long continued to you. I noticed the arrival lately of two vessels from Belfast at Baltimore, and would fain have went there to have seen the bearer of your letter, but could not make it convenient to go. I shall avail myself of the first leisure I have to go to Baltimore where I shall use every effort to have Thomas Browns business brought to a final close,- the result, be what it may, I will immediately communicate to his father. The accounts from Ireland are of a truly distressing character, but I fain hope much exaggerated. Something must be done, and that speedily, to ameliorate the condition or the result will be awful. There is a degree of oppression beyond which, Nations, as well as, individuals cannot endure, and from every appearance that ill fated country is on the brink of such a crisis. [Page 2] I have been favoured with good health since the date of my last, except, a slight attack this spring of Bilious fever, a disease prevalent in this climate, and one to which I am very subject. I was married in the Spring of 1823 at Carlisle Penna [Pennsylvania?] to a girl named Margaret OBrien, the daughter of an Irishman from Carlow, who died when she was an infant. We have had three daughters and two sons. My eldest daughter named Ann Elizabeth Paxton (after Mother and Nancy) is now 7 years old. The next, Mary Jane, was born in July 1825, and the next, Margaret was born 1st April 1827. They are all at school and are all the beauties and admiration of the city. I have been unfortunate with my sons. The eldest named John was born 15th of November 1828 and died at Carlisle the succeeding July, when I was living in this city and before my family had moved here. The next named Robert was born in this city last April and died when only five weeks old. They were both promising little babes, but it pleased the Almighty to deprive me of them. This brief history will, I trust, be satisfactory, and put to rest your anxiety on this score. I am still in the same situation and am doing well, but not saving any money. The expense of living here is enormous, I pay $200 a year for a neat Brick [Page 3] House in which I live. The tuition of my children costs about $30 per ann [annum?]. I pay $3 per month to each of two black servants. Slavery exists here to such a extent as to almost entirely exclude white persons from house or labouring employment. The Blacks are preferred for such services. I regret that the newspapers I sent cost so much postage. previous to the receipt of your last I had sent some more which I will now discontinue to do, unless I get an opportunity of sending them by hand. I posted one for you in March last which contained an account of a transaction in the post office Department, about which I was examined before a committee of the United States Senate - say if you got it. I have not heard from Nathaniel or James for sometime, the latter had a severe attack of sickness last Autumn, and Nathaniels twins both died last October. Last winter was very severe and cold, we had a deep snow of several weeks continuance, a thing unusual in this latitude. We are now all at sweatting [sweating?] with heat. Remember me most affectionately to my Mother and Sisters, Aunt and family and to all our old neighbours & friends. Accept yourself the assurance of my brotherly esteem and believe me yours affectionately John Taylor [The following is written across the letter in red ink] If I were to speak with the American Consul at Belfast he would probably enclose with his dispatches to the State Department your letters for me, when no other opportunity of sending them - he is a native of the State of Delaware but do not now recollect his name. Tell him I am personally known to Mr McLean our late Minister to London and with Mr Van Buren who succeeds him and with secretaries of the different Departments of the Government in this city. If he does do so direct them in the usual form and they and they will arrive safe. Tell him that I am a thorough going Jacksonman and that may induce him. This letter was written in considerable hurry so as to send it to Philadelphia before the 20th, the day the regular packet to Liverpool sails, which will account for its barrenness of news. I shall probably write soon and shall expect several letters from you this summer yet Our harvest has commenced and our markets have for some time been well supplied with new Potatoes and other vegetables and fruit of this seasons growth. [Nathaniel has not written for some time.] |
