| Title: | John Carse, Erie to "Dear Father, Mother & Brothers" |
|---|---|
| ID | 573 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Carse, John/49 |
| Year | 1857 |
| Sender | Carse, John |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | merchant |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Erie, Penn., USA |
| Destination | Co. Down, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Carse family |
| Recipient Gender | male-female |
| Relationship | unknown |
| Source | Donated by Mrs. I.J. Beattie, 120 Carsonstown Rd., Lisowen, Saintfield, Ballynahinch, Co. Down, BT24 7JN, N.Ireland |
| Archive | Ulster American Folk Park |
| Doc. No. | 9904101 |
| Date | 31/12/1857 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 09:04:99. |
| Word Count | 1770 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Erie Dec 31st 1857 Dear Father Mother and Brothers another year is nearly closed with many changes in and about Lisowen. I have read many letteres during the last twelve months and has written but four you may be under the impression that I have forgotten all my friends that favoured me with a letter time and distance may have a tendency to banish from the minds of some the thought of writing but I trust it will never be so with me I entend [intend?] now at the beggining [beginning?] of the new year to pay up all arears beginning first with you and if health permits will send my varous [various?] friends a few lines of Copperplate as usual during fall. I was unusual busy on account of Steamboats coming in more numerous and unregular [irregular?] but now all is over for a time every thing presents a winter like appearance the frost set in earlier than usual and with more severity than for the last twenty years there was three Steamboats left here in one morning the [they?] cut through the Ice with ease but the next morning horses could go on the same place with safety Mr Reed entented [intended?] leaving four of his Boats up here this winter but was deprived of it with the severe weather there is one of them frozen up in the Ice about a mile and a half from here the passengers was all taken of [off?] with safety on the Ice the Crew still aboard yet expect to get her into the Dock if a break up would take place if not Mr Reed entends [intends?] hireing [hiring?] a number of men to cut a channel from the Warehouse to where she lays and run her in the [they?] have a good load of frieght [freight?] from Buffalo it keeps snowing so thick there can be nothing done a great many folks frost bitten some frozen till D [Death?] the Clerks all left the office here at the Close of Navigation the [they?] keep there [their?] Office up town now I am left here alone takes charge of the Warehouse Delivers frieght [freight?] sells flour fish an [and?] coal flour $4 per Bll [bushel?] fish $6 Do [ditto?] Coal $5 per ton neither Mr Reed or any of his Clerks has been down here this ten days I go up town nearly every night some of them has scarcely got Cristmas [Christmas?] over yet them thats on the Lakes in summer or confined in Warehouses about it generally takes a good holiday When Navigation Closes I stop through the day in one of the vessels laying close to the Warehouse door has a good fire in the Cabin a fine Lounge to lay and rest myself upon thats my Office where I now write you these few lines I am always on hand from morning till night has plenty of Books to read and Newspapers Thomas comes down ocassionally [occasionally?] he was here yesterday all day to day he is writing for Mr Ring in the treasurer [treasurer's?] Office he went to school as soon as he got well now there is a vacation Thomas can go ahead of all the boys at the Acedamay [Academy?] learning I entend [intend?] haveing [having?] him a good scholar no matter what the cost be for my part I will be no better now but can get along pretty well without work with what few rules I have Thomas had a severe spell of sickness is now pretty lively but not a [as?] strong as in summer I understand he wrote you sometime ago and told you how he was affected it is [----ghly?] dies [stain] I have escaped it as yet and hopes will my good old friend A King has raised a large Malthouse ajoining [adjoining?] his Warehouse this fall he has new men on from Pittsburgh to commence Malting he sent for me the night before last till go up till his Office he wanted to engage Thomas one year from the first of January to take full charge of his Warehouse grainerey [granary?] & keep accounts and see to every thing he offered him twelve Dollars a month and board for the year I have not given him a desiding [deciding?] answer yet Thomas is so much taken on with Mr and Mrs King he would like to go but Mr Goodwin that had the experience of Thomas untill [until?] he grew sick he insist on him going till school till early in spring and learn bookeeping [book-keeping?] both double and single entry he will give him a chance in preferance [preference?] to any other young man in Erie I am proud to tell you there never was a young boy in Mr Reeds Office as much respected as Thomas and by all the Buiseyness [Business?] men in town the [they?] all now [know?] him and often talks of him Thomas can do well for himself here now if he had not a friend within 1000 miles of him we have friends here we made by good conduct and steady habits not such friends as uncle Jimmys faimly [family?] boasts of our friends will never tell us that the [they?] brought us from Ireland clothed and fed us when we did come as it will be told to uncle Jimmys faimly [family?] by there [their?] young yankee relitives [relatives?] this twenty years to come I never troubled my relations much in Ireland nor never entended [intended?] doing so in this country except calling to see them for mere consansity [consanguinity?] I am proud to say Thomas is much in my way of thinking I had a letter from uncle Samuel wants Th [Thomas?] out there to hunt this winter Thomas wrote back to him that going to school might pay better in the latter end than hunting and visiting I recieved [received?] a long letter yesterday from Cousin Jane McCann Dresden it was an answer to one I sent to James about two weeks ago I sent them one that opened all there [their?] eyes I am ceartian [certain?] Uncle Sam will never see it when James wrote to Thomas or I before the [they?] were as short as a telagraph [telegraph?] Despatch but Jane gave me a full sheet entends [intends?] writing to some of you soon answer it friendly I will take care of them the [they?] have got in large schools and no doubt will do well I wish they may but to stay in a school room in the hot summers day full of scholars and part of them Niggers [stained] I board now in a Hotel close by the man that keeps it is from Bellfast [Belfast?] his name is McClean Thomas stops where I formerly boarded when in Mr Kings the [they?] have got up a splendid dancing school there in the Ballroom Thomas is a scholar I understand he is learning fast I was up different times but could not get in no admittance except a scholar I wont learn now hard to learn an old dog new tricks but I advised Thomas well to join it what every young person ought till do and then the [they?] will not go into company head foremost over a chair as to [too?] many of the Irish have done I had a letter from John Jackson sometime ago he is getting better very slowly I wish he was home again he has been very unfourtunate [unfortunate?] and suffered much since he came here his misfourtune [misfortune?] has put me from ever advising any person whatever to come till this country as sure as any thing happens wrong the [they?] will lay the blame on the adviser let every person use there [their?] own pleasure as I done no person advised me I came unseen for and never rued it all other Mercer friends well I had a letter from Cousin Robert Martin he had been ill with fever and Auge [ague?] but was better he expected his Father with him soon Martha is in Pittsburgh I had a letter from Rev T [Cartney?] shortly after he arrived in New York he entends [intends?] making a visit here this winter the distance and cost I will write him this week he mentioned in his letter that old Mrs Blakely was dead I hope Miss Shaw Miss Mullan and all other friends are well I rejoiced to learn by every letter and Newspapers I recieve [receive?] that you all enjoyed good health as one faimy?] family we ought to rejoice and be thankfull [thankful?] for a long time of good health amongst us both at home and abroad riches is not to be compared with that great blessing which has been bestowed upon us I was surprized [surprised?] by Samuels letter when he told me Mother had no help but my old friend Betty Maxwell she seen the day she would be able for the work but not now Betty will do all she can I hope she is well I want you till do one thing which will give more pleasure than any of you may be aware of hire a good girl to help them both give 5 or ten shillings in the half year more than is now going and I will assure you will get one I will pay the difference myself with pleasure Father and Mother I hope yous are not vexing about us that gone for a time we want for nothing but word from you frequently yous are both old and frail you have reason to rejoice over your [large?] faimly [family?] that we have health and strength we can go where we choose through the world not afraid to return again no person can make us hing [hang?] our heads for anything that was done in the family by either young or old I that was the proflagate [profligate?] of all Carse go home again not afraid to meat [meet?] any person please remember me to all friends and Neighbours I must finish my scribble by wishing you all good health and a happy new year John Carse Thomas and I still get our washing done by Miss Stewart she can wash in good style we pay her 56 cents a dozen she sows [sews?] on all Buttons and into the bargain it is easy to now [know?] a man that has a yankee wife by the coular [colour?] of his shirt colar [collar?] Your son as ever John Carse |
