| Title: | James Williamson, California to John Williamson, England. |
|---|---|
| ID | 3354 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Williamson, James/27 |
| Year | 1850 |
| Sender | Williamson, James |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | starting a new job taking care of tools in construction site |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | California, USA |
| Destination | England |
| Recipient | Williamson, John |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | brothers |
| Source | T 2680/2/4: Copied by Permission of W. P. Williamson Esq., Ahorey House, Richhill, Co. Armagh. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9007145 |
| Date | 02/10/1850 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by JM 09:11:1993. |
| Word Count | 630 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | North Fork Hill Oct 2nd/50 [2nd 1850?] Dear John I have received both of your letters & would have answered both of them before this but I have been knocking around from one place to another so that I could not get a good opportunity to write. I have made enquiries about that water ditch & farm what I can learn it will either be a humbug or else it will never pay for itself but dont you buy any stock in it nor your friends until I hear something more about it I have written to a friend of mine in Mesada about it but have got no information as yet & as the Mail leaves S [San?] Francisco on Friday It would detain this letter 2 weeks If I waited any longer for it. Wm [William?] & his family are well they have gone back to Deadwood last August I am to work fixing pick drills [&?] they are building a new line of Road around the face of a Mountain & I have to keep the tools in order. I have received letters from Mary & Harriet. I will be Obliged if you will tell them that I was glad to hear from them & that I will answer there [their?] letters as soon as I possibly can. Auburn was burned last June & in August there was 40 houses more than there was before the fire. I have some Idea of leaving this in the Spring but a person cant tell a week ahead what he will do I have made nothing the past year & wages are getting very low they pay only $45.10 p month on the Road & I know of men that hires hands from 25 to $30.00 I have been up in the Mountains about 70 miles north of this place there is some rich Claims in that section it runs in ranges & it can be traced for Miles! I am glad to hear that the folks in Ahory [Aghory?] are all right [alright] & that you & your family are in good health I have not had a letter from Robert in a long time. there has been a great many #PAGE 2 deaths on one of the Steamers on this side On the Uncle Sam there was over 300 died of Cholera on her trip to san Francisco. What wages do they pay in the shops in Manchester for a good workman at the anvil & what Chance is there to get work. I have half a notion of going there sometimes & I would like to know something about it. I have not heard from Tom McClure since last December & I never have had a scrape of a pen from Benn- [Benny?] I dont know what I shall go at next winter but I suppose I will have to try the Mines again there is no show to work in a shop the County is full of tradesmen of all kinds & one half of them cant get work. there are a great many going home nearly every man you talk to is going home in the spring if he can raise enough to take him. I will write to you again as soon as I can learn something more about that dich [ditch?] but there are so many humbugs in this country that a man is fortunate if he can keep his money in his pocket I wish to know if you get the Belvedere Standard for one year I paid for it before I came to Cal [California?] I gave the Editor your adress [address?] & I dont know whether you got it or not Give my love to Sarah and all enquiring friends & believe me to be you affectionate. Brother Jim Williamson Direct Auburn Placer Co Cal [California?] Excuse this scrall & all mistakes if you Please 2nd Oct 1850 Mr John Williamson 43 George St Manchester England Arrived 12th Novbr |
