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Title: Thomas Cather, New York to David Cather, Limavady.
ID597
CollectionIrish Emigration Database
FileCather, Thomas/58
Year1836
SenderCather, Thomas
Sender Gendermale
Sender Occupationunknown
Sender Religionunknown
OriginNew York, USA
DestinationLimavady, Co. Derry, N.Ireland
RecipientCather, David
Recipient Gendermale
Relationshipson-father
SourceD/3220/5/6: Deposited by the late Lady Tyler.
ArchiveThe Public Record Office, Northern Ireland.
Doc. No.9807602
Date15/03/1836
Partial Date
Doc. TypeEMG
LogDocument added by LT, 21:07:98.
Word Count1602
Genre
Note
TranscriptNew York. March. 15th. 1836

My dear Father.
Just as we arrived in sight of
American land, we were boarded by a [___?] boat,
to the [___?] in charge of which I gave a letter
for you, he promised faithfully to leave
at the office of the Packet that was to sail next
day. so I conclude you have heard ere this of our
having crossed the Altantic, & arrived safely off
the American Coast. Our voyage was pleasant enough.
We had rather a heavy gale for two or three days, which
had only the effect of shivering two of our sails, -
affording us the [___?] spectale of the ocean We a
[___?] & di[___?] to a very uncomfortable degree the
stomachs of some of the Passengers. Our vessel must
be a good craft, for he got eleven & half knots
out of her sailing on a kind, & we over carried sail
spurned a vessel that was obliged to lie to. There were
only three cabin passengers beside ourselves. one of
them an American gentleman who was returning from a
3 years Tour through Europe was a very pleasant,
well informed person, and a great acquisition to our
society he visited Philadelphia, and on leaving this,
requested that we would not pass through that city
without letting him know. when he said he should be
happy to do anything in his power to serve us.
The Evening of the day after the date of my last
letter we arrived here & not being able to get rooms
at Buukles which is rekowd [renowned?] the best House
we put up at the City Hotel in Broadway (it should
rather be called Long Way) a street that the New Yorkers
pride themselves very much on, though it is nothing
to talk of we found the streets covered with snow
in some places three & four feet deep. hard frost &
the weather intensely cold - thermeter [therometer?]
at zero - they say here it has been the most severe
winter since the Revolutionary War there has been
continued frost & snow for the last 3 months & the
cold weather has continued much longer than usual,
by arriving here [___?] we have some Idea what an
American Winter is - more cool than comfortable,
though fine clear h[___?] weather just the time for
taking plenty of exercise.- they have abundance
of coal & keep good fires in all their rooms. however
unfortunately the second night I was here, the warm fire
in my room had the effect of drawing out the bugs from
their winter [___?] - & the Amercian bugs seem to be of
a peculiar breed, about the size of small clocks, bloody
minded sharp toothed, strong jawed vessels I had scarely
got into bed, when they attacked me in force, & so worried &
bedevilled me that I was obilged to ring for a fresh
supply of baudles, and remain up the rest of the night but
as I have discontinued having a fire I have escaped their
attack though when the warm weather sets in we may
expect to be devoured.
The Hotels here are enormously large at this one,
about 200 persons dine every day in one long room, and
such scenes of scrambling and devouring I never witnessed
every person eats as if his salavation depended on the
speed with which he can bolt his dinner in the course
of ten minutes, then half of the company are up and
away. The Amercians are great Economizers of time, they
do every thing in a hurry ,and are constantly on the run.-
House rent here is extravagantly high - this Hotel pays
12000, Dollars a year & there is another now being
finished, that will be able to accommodate five hundred
people, & the rent of it is upwards of thirty thousand
dollars we have seen Mr. Sampson several times, spent the
other evening at his house, & have a general invitation to go
there whenever we are disposed. Mr. S. [Sampson?] is very
kind and attentive so is Mrs. S. [Sampson?] she is a fine
old lady, their daughter Mrs. Tone & her little daughter
(the only grand child of Theobald Wolf Tone) live with
them - Mr. Sampson has been in delicate health for some
time, he is now recovering & able to be out of doors.-
I think I should have known him from his resemblance
to his brother - but his spirits are not so lively -
We met Dr. Mac Kenize there, he is a fine old Irishman
with animated manners, that cordiality & warmth of
feeling and is enthusastic in the cause of his country
as [___?] was in his youth - he called on us the next
day, and invited us to his house.- yesterday morning
we spent there, we were received with a "cead Mile
Failteagh [Failte?]" - a more pleasant Evening never
spent, a more pleasant engaging family I never met.
Mr. Sampson and Mr. Tone were then to meet us - & the
Recorder of New York, he has invited us to visit his
Court today - & has promised us a letter of introduction
to General Jackson. Dr. Mc & Mrs. S. [Sampson?] say they
are not on good terms with the President, on account of
opposing him on the Bauk question -
The other day a Gentleman called on us, said he had seen
my name announced in the list of arrivals, asked if I was
a son of Mr Cather of N. Lvady [Newtown Limavady?] and
introduced himself as Mr Cochran [Cochrane?] - he said
you would recollect him very well, as he had lived with
you some 27 years ago, he is a very respectable looking man &
seems to know every one here he says he resides in Virginia,
but generally passes three or four months each year
in New York.
The day after he arrived we went to see Harry Hasson. I
addressed him but he did not know me, [He?] said he had never
seen either of us before, & when I did assure him that " I
was "Myself" - he kept gazing at me for some time before
he was quite satisfied, it seemed to puzzle him very
much how I came there - Poor Harry does not look well,
he says the climate does not agree with him, he talks
of going home next Autumn. I dont think he could weather it
another year - he was anxious to come with me as
sevt [servant?] to travel - but in the south & the west
a servant would rather be an incumbrance than otherwise -
his brother Pat has got married. I had the honor of a
first visit the other day from Mr. Ned Murray - formerly
of the Reddish Hotel - N. [Newtown?] Limavady he told me
he saw me in a Virginia Newspaper, on account of a new
Market being opened in Newtown by John Hunter, you see
how News travels - Tone Eaton's daughters are well -
I promise to enquire about [___?] Lynchs brother about
whose safety he was uneasy - he arrived in this country
safe and is well - I think they are all the enquires
promised to make.
With love to all. your affect [affectionate?]
Thomas Cather

Dear Jane -
I expect that you and George at least
will write after - & I promise to write you all
letters in rotation - firing a full & true account
of our wanderings the [___?] an a Sheet set - but I
must not form a Hasty opinion - as far as I have seen
the ladies are gawkies, with a [___ ____ ___?] love
for fine bonnets - if they have a gay bonnet with
abundance of feathers & artifical flowers, they are not
very particluar about the other part of their dress-
yesterday evening we met some enchanting young ladies
the daughters of Dr. McNevise - & a cousin of theirs
one of the prettiest girls I ever saw, with [___?]
large black eyes which I think have quite bothered Henry
Tyler, and foud [found?] a big hole in his heart - he is at
my elbow teasing me to leave done writing, & go with him
to pay a visit at Dr. McNevise so as a matter of safety,
we must soon leave this - I think we will go to Philadelphia
in a few days when you write direct to the care of Mr.
John Gihow, & Co 166 Pearl St New York - Henry is putting
on his gloves & [___?] about to be off - I must finish -
love to Ritter - Dear Jane - from very aff [affectionate?]
Thomas

Mrs McNevise has give me a lock of General Jackson's
hair for you - it will be an addition to your [___?]
to have a relic of "old Hickory" - I must get his
autograph for you - I have a letter of introduction to
Byrant - but most unfortunately he is at present in
Europe but I hope to see him when I return home & also
Washington Irving & Cooper This is carried by Mr
Davison & cousin of the Ruokboy family, his family
lives in the county Monaghan. Soon after his return to
Ireland, he will pass through Newtown [Newtown Limivady?]
on his way to Mr McClellan of Larch mount - & will perhaps
call - tell George to be attentive to him he says he met
George at Knockboy -
T C [Thomas Cather?]