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Title: James Williamson, California, to John Williamson, England
ID3353
CollectionIrish Emigration Database
FileWilliamson, James/24
Year1858
SenderWilliamson, James
Sender Gendermale
Sender Occupationshop assistant
Sender Religionunknown
OriginCalifornia, USA
DestinationEngland
RecipientWilliamson, John
Recipient Gendermale
Relationshipbrothers
SourceT 2680/2/12: Copied by Permission of W. P. Williamson , Esq., Ahorey House, Richhill, County Armagh. #TYPE EMG James Williamson, San Jose, California, U.S.A., to John Williamson, Manchester, England, 3 October 1858.
ArchivePublic Record Office, Northern Ireland.
Doc. No.9007152
Date03/10/1858
Partial Date
Doc. TypeEMG
Log31:07:1990 S.C. #CREATE created 31:10:1990 GC inpu
Word Count1105
Genre
Note
TranscriptIan Ford October 3rd 1858

Dear John
According to promise I now will try to give a few items that I
have picked up since I last wrote to you
I went down to San Francisco to the Mechanics Fair Last month I was
well pleased with what I saw there, a great deal of the articles on
exhibition were imported still there was a good sprinkling of Col
Manufacture of which agricultural implements formed the greater past A
Machine for reaping & threshing at the same time which I think but
susceptible of great improvement. Another for sowing & harrowing which is
a new invention but required a great deal of power to work it. A patient
gang plow cutting 3 furrows worked by 4 horses and does ground work I
cannot go into detail in describing all the various implements from a churn
to a steam engine there was machines for almost anytime of work that you
could think of
another part of the exhibition was fruit flowers GC carriages buggies &
harness of all kinds model ships pianos guns potato fiddles steam wagons
& lots of other things We had a great celebration in San Francisco last
Monday in honor of the Atlantic Telegraph Every body appears well pleased
that such a neat work has been completed both here & in the Atlantic States
I went down with the few companys of Ian Ford & joined in the torch light
procession in the evening. I send you a paper printed in the procession
during the day which contains a programme of the provision. I stood over an
hour 8 1/2 while it was passing so you may guess how long it was Every branch
of Industry was represented Telegraph lines from one carriage to another in
working order Blacksmith shops Steam Engines working, Carpenter shops, Wagon
shops, Water casts, the first cast carried the flag of the niagara the last
that of the Agamemmion [Agamemnon?] and all connected by a line. A team of 5
yoke of men with covered wagon on one side of the wagon was printed on the
cover 120 days from it had on the other side Give us a pacific railroad Dont
wait for the wagon, at the back one was an old camp Rattle & a half starved
cow tied by the neck and it looked droll enough Adams of the Pacific Museum
had two small Grissliers [Grizzlies?] in the wagon & one big fellow was
was behind but the prettiest sight of all was a big wagons and an
Omniber [Omnibus?] filled, little goats each one bearing a little white
flag with the name of some country state on territory printed on it
they were all about one size dressed in white with a wreath of flowers
on their head the ceremonies of the day was opened by 3000 children
singing a song which I enclose for your perusal now I might fill
several pages on the same subject but I hardly think it would pay so
Ill [I'll?] try something else When I last wrote to you I stated that
Bill was about moving to the Pajard rally & last night I got a letter
from him for the first time since he went there Arty has been sick
but was recovering rapidly Bill has been busy thrashing moving his house
& building a corall [corral?] for his cattle busy busy at something all the
time I expect he will do well there and if he has good luck I shall
have no doubt but what he will When I saw him last he had 17 or 18
head of cattle besides a span of mules wagon & so he has got a fair
start in the farming line. I am going to have a clipper built for
cutting grain Ive calculated to run a next season. Together if
succesful I shall quit the shop entirely turn my attention to something
more profitable I begin to think that it is no use for me to work for
others all my life and have nothing or die is my motto & you use [used?]
to say a gold chain or a wooden leg I'm after the chain I may possibly
get the leg. Tell Robert that I sent by last mail 5th Sept [September?] for
to have a copy of the Scientific American forwarded from New York to him which
will continue for a year. I have taken it for a year past & I know it will
suit him How is mother & all the folks in old Ireland I hope she continues
in good health & spirits. Have you ever heard anything of Bill Birch. How
does Ben get along with his trap manufactory. How is Mrs Con is she
perfectly recovered from the effects of that accident I expect Hugh & Sally
are still on the Rock enjoying themselves Long may they live
Give my best respects to Sarah Joe Lammy
& I dont know how many more
& Ill remain your affectionate Bill Williamson
Brother Jim Williamson Watsonlee
Yah, hooh Santa Cruz
Your last reached me in 41 days Cal.
O, Columbia, the gem of the Ocean,
The home of the brave and the free!
The shrine of each patriot's devotion,
A world offers homage to thee:
Thy mandates make heroes assemble,
When Liberty's form stands in view,
Thy banners make tyranny tremble,
When borne by the red, white and blue,
When borne by the red, white and blue,
When borne by the red, white and blue,
Thy banners make tyranny tremble,
When borne by the red, white and blue.
II
When war winged its wide desolation,
And threatened the land to deform,
The ark then of Freedom's salvation,
Columbia, rode safe through the storm.
Weave bright garlands of vict'ry for her,
Since so proudly she bore her brave crew;
With her flag proudly floating before her,
Hurrah for the red, white and blue.
Hurrah for the red, white and blue,
Hurrah for the red, white and blue,
With her flag proudly floating before her,
Hurrah for the red, white and blue.
And the cable, the cable bring hither,
And bind you it firm to our soil:
May the wreaths they have won never wither,
Who have laid it thro' tempest and toil;
May the countries united ne'er sever,
But both to their union prove true.
The Telegraph Cable forever!
Three cheers for the red, white and blue!
Three cheers for the red, white and blue!
Three cheers for the red, white and blue!
The Telegraph Cable forever!
Three cheers for the red, white and blue!