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Title: Nancy & Samuel Laird, Philadelphia, to Mother and Family.
ID3548
CollectionIrish Emigration Database
Filelaird, samuel/15
Year1851
SenderLaird, Samuel
Sender Gendermale
Sender Occupationservice
Sender Religionunknown
OriginPhiladelphia, Penn., USA
DestinationIreland
Recipientunknown
Recipient Gendermale-female
Relationshipwrites to his family
SourceT 3683: Deposited by Rev. and Mrs. M. Crooks. #TYPE EMG Nancy and Samuel Laird, Philadelphia, 3 July, 1851, to Their Mother, Sister and Brothers.
ArchivePublic Record Office Northern Ireland.
Doc. No.9002008
Date03/07/1851
Partial Date
Doc. TypeEMG
Log14:02:1990 JM created 31:05:1991 OT input 05:06:19
Word Count1222
Genre
Note
TranscriptPhiladelphia 3 July 1851

Dear Mother Sister & Brothers
I received your kind letter of date 1st June in which I was
glad to find that you were all well I also received [?] and would have
wrote him some time ago [only?] expecting [this?] one from you you say that
sarah has a mind to come out again August but I agre [agree?] with you
on her not coming to the spring and it is likely that James might be
able to come along for it is far on in the season when the [they?] get out
here and places are more dificult [difficult?] to get also a girl
coming alone and no friend with her and gets sick the [?] very awkard
[awkward?] there and beside this I expect to have a house to myself
before that time that she could stop at for the [they?] dont give much
for nothing here with respect to it agreeing with her health that I
cannot say but this I can say that I see no want of it here [more?] than
Derry in comparison to the size of it, the old saying so far as I can
see is treu [true?] it is good country for females We are all on in
the same place Nancy and Eliza has one and a half a week with a Dr
[Doctor?] [Kitchen?] Nancy is sewing and Eliza is cook Martha Barnett is
in the same house My Masters name is R.D. Wood they are gone to the
country about 30 miles out and I have went along with them for about 2
months I have 14 Dollars per month for thes [these?] next two and
perhaps longer there is no doubt but this is a fine country as far as
I have seen of it the soil is fertile only it is very hot and will be
for about 2 months any man coming in her [here?] that is a single man or
woman when the [they?] got a place can do well the [they?] mostly all
have some trouble before the [they?] get themselves rightly fixed and
of course a man with a small helpless family is worse it would take
him to have some capital a [or?] else a good friend with some money
here before him it is a fine country for getting [your?] diet in you
cow [?] flesh 3 times [a?] day if you like but what use is it you cannot
eat it it is so hot the thermomoter [thermometer?] at the present is
about 98 in the shade the [they?] dont think much of the hot here the
[they?] dont like the rain we have not much here but when it does rain
it is very heavy for a short while and then over this is a beautifull
[beautiful?] city it is nicely laid out the streets runs straight
boths ways and quite level there is not the smallest hill in it and
generally good buildings there is scarcely a night but we have a fire
of house burning and more so on saturday and sunday night but we are
all well supplied with fire engines and men to work them and costs the
state nothing [they do?] it at their own free good will. When you write
again you can let me know how my Mother gets along and how her health
is for I am anxious to know how she is getting on as I know she will
not be so content as she was in a house of her own but let her content
herself for although her distant I do not forget her nor does not
intend you also can let me know how sister Rebecca is and how she gets
along and if she is able to square the yards always yet I am glad to
hear that Johnny and Eliza is stopping on and that Mary has got a
place to [too?] I hope that the [they?] will have some wit and stop in
their place and be attentive to their duty. Please Rebecca let me know
how the old heiffer [heifer?] is getting on I was very sory [sorry?]
to hear of sister Mary being [ill?] in the [fever?] but it is all
right when she is getting better which I was satisfied to hear and I
Hope that John and the children is all right and will be so I cannot
say much to Jane's [man?] as I sent a piece in Racheal Horner all I can
say is what I did say that is stop where you are and save all you can
and try and come out here next spring for I think you would do well
here any smart active fellow that takes care of himself can do well
here and as I have said before that it would be much better that Sarah
would wait to the spring and try and come both together, you will also
let me know how sister Mary of the hill is getting on with her small
family as I know it cannot be to [too?] well these times but she must
do as well as she can for some time untill [until?] some of the young
ones be able to go to service and as soon as they are able send them
out they will always be a help Nancy and Eliza and I James is sending
our best respects to My Mother in the kindest manner and sister
Rebecca and hopes that the [they?] will live happy together and also
to all our brothers and sisters. Give our best respects to Uncle and
Aunt Horner and family and that their daughters are both well and in
the same place also to John Burnside and family Wilm [William?]
[Muring?] and family aunt Rachael also and also My Uncle Wilm
[William?] and family also Uncle Burnside and his sons Walter and
Wilm [William?] and family's [families?] and all my old neighbours and
aquaintenaces [acquaintances?] [?] [?] [?] [?] I left. You will
please give my best respects in the kindest manner to Mr W. D. Porter
also to Mrs J. Porter and let me know how his health is in particular
also to Mrs Thompson and Miss Mary and also miss Isabella and also to
Mrs Baldrick and family and that I was sorry to hear of Mr Baldrick's
death and may the Lord prosper them all which will be the earnest
prayer M.D.L. you can let Uncle Patterson know that his son Wilm
[Willism?] is no more he was driving a cart and was at they warf for
a load of stones and in lifting one of them he lost his balance and the
stone carried him into the water and was drowned he was only 8 minutes
under the water he was taken to his brothers John's and waked one
night and and was buried the next day accompanied by a great number of
his old country folks. Give my best respects to John Wilson and John
Laird and I hope the [they?] will excuse me for not mentioning them
the last time the markets are much the same here as at home any thing
that I have forgot write in the next or anything you want to know
yours till death
Nancy & Saml [Samuel?] Laird