| Title: | Matthew Wetherby, New York to John Wilson, Malone, Near Belfast |
|---|---|
| ID | 3291 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Wetherby, Matthew/10 |
| Year | 1774 |
| Sender | Wetherby, Matthew |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | carpenter |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | New York, USA |
| Destination | Malone, near Belfast, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Wilson, John |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | friends, colleagues |
| Source | The Belfast News-Letter, Friday 25 to Tuesday 29 March, 1774 |
| Archive | The Central Library, Belfast |
| Doc. No. | 1200265 |
| Date | 25/03/1774 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 19:12:00. |
| Word Count | 690 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | A Letter from Matthew Wetherby, Carpenter, who last season went to New-York, from Malone near Belfast, to his friend John Wilson of Malone, Carpenter. New-York, Jan. 25th, 1774. Dear Jack, After a passage of eight weeks I arrived at New-York: we had some hard gales of wind, but in particular one about eight days before we landed, when even sailors and Captain thought all to be lost: all the rigging was tore, and our mainmast broke and carried away. Then you may be assured that all on board would have been glad never to have a notion of coming to America. Notwithstanding the distress that people must undergo at sea, they think if they get to America they will be happy, but it is there their calamities and anxiety of mind comes on. It is a bad time to come here nigh the beginning of winter, for the two seasons of the year runs to extremes; the one is cold, that it makes business very dull; therefore strangers coming in then has hard getting into business, as poverty is the word. Any that comes ought to be here 1st of April, then carpenters and masons will have 6 or 7s. per day, a labourer 3s. 6d. or 4s. per day. I had when I came 5s. till the day shortened, then 4s. 6d. I pay 10s. per week for boarding; a shilling here is 7d. at home. I must confess my ambition inspired me with some sentiments at home above working, but here I would be glad to get work to do; altho' [although?] I had tolerable wages at first, I would now engage to work from beginning this month January to 1st April for a little more than my meat, and several beside me; then from that till 1st of December am not afraid of getting 6 shillings per day, but then the winter eats up the summer. Beef, mutton, pork and bread and potatoes and butter is cheaper than at home a little; wearing apparel of all sorts is very dear. In regard of farming, what can a man do with a piece of thick wood, unless he has got a good stock of money to support him for at least two years, and hire men bred in this country to clear and chop the wood; for our countrymen cannot do half as they can; for their way of working is quite different. After all the trouble and expence [expense?] that one is at to clear a piece of land they can only just make their living out of it; but they in general live well. The people of Ireland entertains a mistaken notion of this place; there is some makes it out better than at home, but there is many that does not. I have wrote letters for some of my countrymen who was selling their cloaths [clothes?] to support themselves, and at the same time they would write home they were never better, and what a fine country this was. It will take 7 or 8 acres to graze one cow, and one cow at home will give as much milk as four or five here. I have had good success by severals I fee [feel?]. There is now three or four men going home again who came in the same vessel with me, and there is many if they were able to pay their passage would accompany them; it is 5l. from this that is only 2l.18s. at home. I am sorry even to think that so many of my dear countrymen involves themselves into distress and calamities that they are strangers to at home: I have got no clerkship as yet; I intend in a few days to set out for Baltimore. Remember me to all friends, in particular to my dear good friend Mr. James Hudson and family, and if convenient shew him this my letter, and I am your sincere well-wisher, MAT. WETHERBY. P.S. I sent Christopher Hudson his book sealed up, which I took away in mistake, and a letter by a sailor, who I am sure will deliver it. If you write direct to the care of Hugh Bryans in Horse and Cart-street, New- York. Remember me to Edward Liddy, who once relieved me, and Bridget Gillespy's family. |
