| Title: | Alex. Wilson, New York, to Mrs J. H. Denham, Antrim. |
|---|---|
| ID | 3369 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Wilson, Alexander/59 |
| Year | 1899 |
| Sender | Wilson, Alexander |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | unknown |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | NYC, USA |
| Destination | Co. Antrim, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Denham, J.H. |
| Recipient Gender | female |
| Relationship | siblings |
| Source | D 1921/3/13P: Presented by A. Fetridge Esq., Hardware Merchant, Church Street, Ballymena, County Antrim. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9311032 |
| Date | 12/10/1899 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Action By Date Document added by C McK., 03:11:199 |
| Word Count | 790 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | 1337, 55th Street Brooklyn 12th October 1899 My Dear Sister, Your kind letter just received today and indeed I am ashamed of myself at not writing to you before this in answer to your last, but I kept putting if [it?] off from time to time, thinking that perhaps I would have something better to write about, but I am sorry to say that I am just about were I was before. I have not found any better position than the one I had to take at ten dollars per week, (just half of what I had before) but half a loaf is better than no bread and as there is so many people out of work in and around here it makes it so much the harder to get any increase at all, as if you ask for any they very soon tell you that there are plenty more ready to do your work at even less than you get, so I suppose I ought to be thankful that I have anything to do at all, so you see every one has their troubles. You have had yours and are still having them and to think what you have come through in the last three years, if anyone had told I suppose like myself that you would not have believed them. And I sincerely trust and hope that now when you have been able to pay all so far that God will keep you now in your last payments and make everything come out all right, as he has said he will help. The widow and the fatherless in their time of trial and need and I know that you have faith to believe that he will do so, as he is bringing us through our trials for some good purpose of his own, that we don't see at present but will in the future. #PAGE 2 Lizzie and I often wish we could be of some use and help you but it seems as if we were fated to remain the way we are. I do hope and trust that Jack is trying to be of some use to you in your troubles and is helping to repay some of your kindness to him in the past. The war we have had with Spain raised the price of everything here only wages, and the war tax is still on everything that the poor people have to buy and is likely to remain so far for some time yet. Tea and coffee was taxed 10 cents per lb. and flour and now meat of all kinds has been raised in price and if the war with the Boers and England goes on things will go higher yet as they will be shipping all kinds of provisions for her army and that will make the poor people feel it more yet. But we trust in God and do the best we can. If things had only kept on the way they were for two years more as by that time Marion would have about finished all through high school and training school and would have been ready for a position as a teacher when she would get about fifty dollars per month to start on which would have been quite a help to us, and we are keeping her on at school and with God's help will let her finish and be a teacher as it will always be a good means for her to be able to get support and keep herself if any thing [anything?] should happen to us and also she will be getting an increase of salary every year or so according as she gets to be teaching the higher grades. Lloyd has two years more at school as he can't go to work before he is 16 according to the laws here - so I hope that things will turn out that we can do this and that I may chance to get something better to do with more money in it and that you will be able to pull your troubles in the money line and that God will help and bless us all in our trials. Poor Mother Nelson is not any better but she keeps wonderfully well in health, although her mind is gradually going, she thinks she #PAGE 3 sees all kinds of people and things were there is nothing at all and will not believe when you tell her so and we just let her have her way. I must now finish and hope that you will pull through all right and also that I may have better news when I write again. So with love and best wishes from Lizzie and us all I remain Your loving brother Alex Wilson |
