| Title: | William Wightman, Florence, Alabama to Mr McNeilly, [Ireland?]. |
|---|---|
| ID | 3337 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Wightman, William Jr/3 |
| Year | 1842 |
| Sender | Wightman, William Jr. |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | store keeper |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Florence, Alabama, USA |
| Destination | N.Ireland |
| Recipient | McNeilly, D.W. |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | Mr. McNeilly worked in the Wightman household (see |
| Source | T 1475/1 p.44: Copied by Permission of Miss A. McKisack, 9, Mount Pleasant, Belfast |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9006066 |
| Date | 19/03/1842 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by JM 01:09:1993. |
| Word Count | 1094 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Florence. 19th March 1842. My dear Mr McNeilly, I have been very much disappointed in not receiving any letter from you in answer to mine, particularly as I have not heard anything about you, or my other friends since I left Ireland. I hope soon however, to have the pleasure of hearing from you, all the news, and also that you all have enjoyed good health. I am happy to inform you that we and our friends here have enjoyed excellent health, the weather having continued delightful nearly all the time, it being the mildest winter known for a long time as there was scarcely any cold weather at all. I am at present in the store of Irvine & Co., Wholesale Grocers, Commission and Forwarding Merchants. They are the owners of two Steamboats, one called the "Sarah Bluden" and the other the "Melton". The first which cost $21,000 is one of the finest boats in the river, and runs between this and New Orleans, the second runs between this and Louisville. I suppose Mr. James received John's letter, and also the newspaper John sent him, with an account of the burning of the Eagle Tavern, and the Gazette Office. Since that, my Uncle Simpson's dwelling house was burned down about the middle of February, at 1 o'clock in the day. It is thought to have happened by their being some crack or hole in the chimney, through which the fire was communicated to the roof. Fortunately the house was insured at $5,000 and for damage on furniture, which was all saved, my Uncle received $800, so that I believe he did not lose anything by it. Nearly every person here has since got their house insured, so that I think the Insurance Company will ultimately be gainers by it, unless some very entensive fire happens. They remained with us till the last two weeks, when they went to their plantation, where they intend staying till their other dwelling house is got ready for them. It is the house in which I was born, they had rented it to Mr. Oneal an attorney, but as he had never paid them any rent, they did not feel much compunction in turning him out. My Uncle and Aunt Simpson with most of their family intend going eastward to spend the summer, but they have not determined on it yet. I like store keeping very well, and am generally kept very busy, but at present there are not very many people coming into town as they are busy ploughing or are otherwise engaged on their farms. Ploughs here are made quite light so that even women, or boys can use them; we had a small lot ploughed and sown with grass seed, but as it has not made its appearance we are going to have it sown with Clover seed. I am to get in Mr. Irvine's Store $100 for the first year. During the last month there has been a great deal of rain, thunder, and lightning in consequence of which our river rose higher than it was known to have done for the last 14 years. It rose so suddenly that it did a great deal of damage, by carrying away some #PAGE 2 flat boats, loaded with cotton which were not well fastened, also by carrying cotton from off the banks, and drowning a great many stock on the islands. Mr. Irvine lost sixty sheep on his island, which is seven miles long,all of it being covered with water. There was a large slough at the bottom of the hill, which was impossible to cross unless on horseback, or in a canoe. Mr. Irvine, John McAlester, and Uncle Gibson were returning from the river in a canoe, when it upset and they got a good ducking, to the great amusement of the lookers on. There was a temperance meeting held in the Court House a few days ago, when Perry E Brocchus a lawyer who came here about two months since, delivered an eloquent address to a larger audience, some of whom joined the society immediately after. The Cotton market is very dull at present, it is not bringing so high a price as was expected in the beginning of the season. We had a great Ball here on the 22nd February, in honour of Washington's birthday, on which day also the Militia marched through the town, and performed their evolutions, when an address was made to them by J. H. Viser. We have got very comfortably settled in our house, which answers us very well, having a good Garden, Yard and Well. In our Garden we have had some peas up for three weeks, we also have planted Irish potatoes, snaps, tongue-grass, tomatoes, turnips, carrots, parsnips, beets, Squashes, etc., etc., besides our Plum, Peach, Cherry and Apple trees, are all in blossom, which together with an Almond tree, and some very pretty flowers make our garden look very fine. We have also a very fine tree, and the finest Mimosa tree, in the whole country. My mother is very much pleased with her domestics, they consist of a hired man, and a women and a boy of six years old who belong to us. When there is anything in the Whig, or any other paper that you think would interest us, please send it to us, as we are always anxious to hear about Belfast. Mr. Pearsall the Proprietor of the Gazette has returned from Louisville, with a new press and type, and has commenced publishing it again. Oxen are very much used here, on the plantations as they are not near so expensive, but there are some very fine six horse teams, with fine covered waggons, used in hauling cotton or goods from one part of the country to another, owned by private individuals, who make their living by it. My Uncle Simpson and a Mr. Collier have a new boat nearly finished, called the Jenessee Valley, which they intend running in the New Orleans trade. Uncle and Aunt Simpson with all their family, John McAlester, and ourselves are quite well. I have no more news to communicate, and hoping soon to hear from you, Mother, John and Anne join me in love to you, Mrs. McNeilly, Miss. Waddell, Uncle and Aunt Henderson, Aunt Nancy, Aunt McAlester and Mary and Mr. James, Mrs. McAlester, Miss Mc. I remain, my dear Sir. Yours with sincere affection William Wightman. #PAGE 3 P.S. You will please remember Mother, Anne and I most kindly to Mr. & Mrs Murphy, the Miss. Murphys and Samuel. |
