| Title: | James MacNamara, Virginia, to Vere Foster. |
|---|---|
| ID | 3661 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | macnamara, james/21 |
| Year | 1880 |
| Sender | MacNamara, James |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | manual worker |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Mechums River, Virginia, USA |
| Destination | prob. Belfast, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Foster, Vere |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | unknown |
| Source | T2111/10/A-E: The Vere Foster Exibition Manuscripts. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9510136 |
| Date | 01/01/1880 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 13:10:95. |
| Word Count | 440 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Machums River, Albernarle County, State of Virginia I have received your welcome letter ....we are in good health and earning considerable wages. The labouring class of men where I am with farmers are from 12 to 15 dollars (50 to 63 shillings sterling) per month and [found--?] works one dollar (4/2) per day; board and washing 10 dollars per month; but I have heard of other places which tells of 1¬ dollars per day. Mechanics of different trades Blacksmiths wages are from 1¬ the 2 dollars per day; stone masons the same; carpenters in like manner; bricklayers from 1« to 2 « dollars per day; stone cutters the same Tailors wages for sewing of a suit of clothes from 6 to 10 dollars. As for journeymen I don't know how they are employed. I mean to tell you concerning the female sex. Girls employed by farmers in town or country generally have from 4 to 6 dollars per month and found; in factories from 6 to 12 dollars per month, and board themselves, that is 5 dollars. Milliners I can't tell you anything about, not much about dressmakers any more than we pay ourselves from hhalf a dollar to one dollar for making a shirt, working shirts 25 cents. The wages of all classes are generally paid in cash. Price of land is from 10 to 15 dollars per acre. About where I am near towns and cities sell high, from 30 to 50 dollars per acre. Further South or West can buy it I am told very cheap. The produce of crops in my neighbourhood are low this year, the farmers says the grain is good but it grew very thin. Market prices is not very high. Flour is from 3 to 3« dollars per barrel; Beef 6 cents per lb; mutton in like manner; bacon from 10 to 12« cents per lb; sugar is from 6 to 7 cents per lb; coffee from 10 to 12 cents p. lb; tea from 50 to 75 cents per lb; butter from 12 to 16 cents p. lb; eggs from 10 to 12 cents p. dozen. Public works are in operation very high all through this State, likewise in Tennessee, Ohio, and Kentucky, North and South Carolina in like manner The prospects of emigrants are rapidly increasing each day; that is as much as I know about them at present. I have sent home to my wife about six weeks ago œ7-British which I wanted her to come out to me..... James Macnamara Vere Foster Esqr N.B. A Dollar is equal to 4/2 Sterling; being composed of 100 cents each of which exactly equals a halfpenny. V.F. |
