| Title: | Samuel Brown, Philadelphia to Nephew James [Brown?], Belfast. |
|---|---|
| ID | 355 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Brown, Samuel/69 |
| Year | 1816 |
| Sender | Brown, Samuel |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | mentions giving up the painting business |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Philadelphia, Penn., USA |
| Destination | Belfast, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Brown, James |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | uncle-nephew |
| Source | D 3688/F/9: Deposited by C. MacLaughlin Esq. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9102110 |
| Date | 30/12/1816 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by JM 07:09:1993. |
| Word Count | 1274 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Philadelphia Dec [December?] 30 1816 Dear Nephew I recieved [received?] your letter Dated 20th July last, which gave me a great deal of satisfaction to hear that you and all the family was in good health and also your Brother William giving up the idea of coming to this country as the interest of his father so much depended on him in the business, indeed I was always against him coming but James Brown wished him and himself wrote pressing letters to come. But it is an old creed of mine never to insist on any one of my Relations to come here But if they do come they shall not want a friend. Dear James you mentioned in your letter your mind was unsettled and had a thought of coming to America I should be glad to see you and could be of service to you. But not withstanding if you have good propects [prospects?] in Belfast was I in your place I would not risk a change for this country is altred [altered?] very much, all the young men that has come here lately would be glad they had not come here. But your coming would be very different as you mentioned you could be supplied with goods from your friends and even then your mind would be uneasy in making safe sales but I hope the time will soon be better Mr Creighton and myself has many studys he often comes to me to find out people before he makes a sale, he is a fine young man and has been very fortunate since he come here. But I have often pitied him seeing him so much concerned in getting in his money, he has made very few bad debts, Bussiness [business?] in this city is very bad and has been so these years back But our Failures has not been so great as in New-York we look much for the opening of the United States bank for relief goods from England of all kinds is sold here at vandue [vendue?] and hardly brings Currency for sterling in many things, the reason is thus, Merchants before they fail sends them vandue [vendue?] and forces sales to get Cash but that business will soon be done and I think in the spring we will have old times and goods will bring a fare [fair?] price the Caligoes [Calicoes?] you sent me as a sample is not much [looked?] for this would bring 18 to 20 Cents [per?] yard the Country is so stock[ed?] with all Kinds of Dry good[s?] it would be hard to say what would answer next Spring Linen is very Steap [steep?] at Present but still in Demand and I understand from Mr Creighton the safest article as th[is?] Mus[t?] Rise in price in Spring Table linen is all so [also?] a good #PAGE 2 article if [f----?] your Friend Mr Young stopped Here an [on?] his Return from Baltimore to N. [New?] York and took [Breakfast?] I had his Company but a short time But understood his Prospects was not good he mentioned being unesy [uneasy?] being out of Buisness [Business?] and hints that takin[g?] good[s?] to the Country was Profitable such as [pudding?] I amediately [immediately?] proposed to [let?] him have 3 or 4 Hundred Dollars and find him credit which he [seemed?] [would?] answer but must go to New York to see his friend and after he arived [arrived?] [he?] wrote me that he had an offer from the English Counsal [Counsul?] of a grant of 1000 Acres Land in Cannidy [Canada?] but to [commence?] the making of [Pot?] [Ash?] [potash?] and allso [also?] proposed to me to suply [supply?] him with 1500 Dolls [Dollars?] which would be Registered to carry the Buisness [Business?] on but I Could not Comply With the Demand from being Inguaged [engaged?] in the U.S [United States?] Bank. I had subscribed 16 or 17 thousand Dollars and to meet the installments I could not comply I have not heard from him since I wrote to him he must have seen a great part of the Country as he said he walked above 1000 miles on foot, this will be put in your hand by Captain Coan [Cohen?] a much respected friend of mine and a worthy Honest man and a man of Good information he has been Intemate [Intimate?] with me this 9 months Ever since he came from South america he will give you a full Acct [Acccount?] of all your friend[s?] from Belfast that has come here Latly [lately?] and some of them is not [doing] well he has some bank stock and other property Here which he has left me the Power of Atorney [Attorney?] to manage for him if he should want Any information you Will oblige me in Giving him Such, he is a Man of truth and Trust, you mentioned about the money Mrs Cary was to Get Please let Mr Coats know she Receivd [Received?] it Long ago Mrs Hull is in this City and I believe Doing Well your Uncle Thomas is allso [also?] Well and Doing very Well James Brown is Very Well and Does Well. I shall give up all the Painting th[is?] nex [next?] Month to [?] the beginning of this letter is my [I?]an Williams writing a very promising boy 11 years old N.B. You must ask Capt. [Captain?] Coan [Cohen?] any news as he is not of much words he will give you More Information than I Can by Writing of our frinds [friends?] you Wish to Know the Price of Beef Pork [etc?] #PAGE 3 Mr Creighton had 24 Barrels consigned to him which he sold @ [14 dollars?] [per] Barrel @ 4 months Pork is 20 dollars [per?] barrel Hams or Gammon in Spring if [?] would Bring 18 cents [per] pound if well cut and safe but should be smoked and dryed. and [Saltpetered?] butter if sweet and Good in firkins would bring 28 to 30 cents [per?] pound here now I cant say how It might [Do?] in spring you might Risk a few firkins if you Chuse [Choose?] Linen bought in your market from 15 d to 3s 3d would would [sic] answer here if sold in Cheap our Meat Markets is Cheaper than in Sumer [Summer?] Beef now is from 8 cents to 12 1/2 [per] pound. Pork 8 1/2 and 9 Dollars [per?] Hundred say the [Hog?] in market Butter fresh 37p cents to 40 [per?] pound Mutton [7?] and 8 cents Potatoes plenty but something [Dear?] say 62p to 75 [per?] Bushel the [they?] will be about one dollar in spring flour is on the Rise the [?] asks from 13 to 14 dollars [per?] Barrel 0ur Wheat Crop has not been very good and India [Indian?] Corn still worse which is the cause of Pork and Potatoes being Dear Pork I think will be High in Spring and the [Cause?] of the butter being so High was the failor [failure?] of our Hay in Sumers [Summers?] not more than half Quantity, Dear James give my Kind Love to all my Brothers and sisters and Hoping these lines May find them all in good Health is my Wish I Hope you Will not forget your Promise of Writing to me often Dear James I Remain your afectionte [affectionate?] Uncle Sam [Samuel?] Brown Excuse Bad Writing NB I wish you could find out the year I was born ask Brother Robert I think he knows. I Have sent [?] to Coan a spy glass for Brother Hugh in the [Country?] James says he has one |
