| Title: | Elizabeth P. Weir, Philadelphia, [U.S.A.?] to Her Uncle, James Weir, Belfast [Ireland?], Mentions Intension of Latter to Visit America in the Spring |
|---|---|
| ID | 809 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Cunningham, William/16 |
| Year | 1797 |
| Sender | Cunningham, William |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | unknown |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Philadelphia, Penn., USA |
| Destination | Belfast, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Barber, James |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | nephew-uncle |
| Source | D 1140/7: Presented by J.B. & R.H. Twigg, Solicitors Cookstown, County Tyrone |
| Archive | Public Record Office Northern Ireland |
| Doc. No. | 711001 |
| Date | 09/06/1797 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document Added by JoeMullan, 05/11/2007 |
| Word Count | 1449 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | To James Barber Esq[uire?] British Co[unty?] Antrim Ireland per ship B[?]house via Liverpool From: St Vincent 9th June 1797 My Dear Uncle I have had this pleasure several times from hence to which please refer The present is merely to enclose a copy of my late Brothers Will, as I fear much you have not received any of them yet although Mr G. has forwarded your severals, I have not got a scrape of a pen from you since I left Ireland, which hurts me a good deal still I think you have wrote frequently, but unfortunately none came to hand, my good Health continues God be thanked without intermission ever since I came to this Country, By a letter I received from my Brother lately, I perceive he has it in contemplation to go to America, and in consequence of which, I intend to remain here untill [until?] he comes to a determination on that head and have wrote him fully by this conveyance As my stay here is to be so long, I in company with a very respectable young man, have thought of having out an adventure, and not to lose so much time in this country without doing something, and as Linens constitutes the chief part of the abstract, has wrote my Brother James to Ship them immediately, and he assured my expectations of a large Proffit [Profit?] are very sanguine, For the present I will crave your particular attention to my letter of March 12th having forwarded both duplicate and triplicate so that of course it must have come to hand, and I now confirm all I have said in it and cannot express my self more fully. having wrote my Brother John frequently, and always informing him of every thing that happened new in the interval of which I suppose he would acquaint you with, There is a Packet now due which I hope will arrive soon, as I think some how or other I have not felt so anxious for any of them yet being almost certain of hearing fully from you and that John is sailed or on the point of doing so either for this country, or America, after forming good connections at home even permitting he would be so very unfortunate as not to be able to procure any, from what I have wrote him this late, I can almost answer for it that you will agree with me in opinion, that there is an absolute necessity for him coming out at all events, however should it so happen that you are of a different way of thinking, I am perfectly satisfied, and will set it down as best, hoping you will not think this flattery, I will say that I have always remarked , that when you do give an advice on any subject, it turns out in the end to be right, and would wish him to be guided solely by what you say on the present, as you will by the time this comes to hand, know equally as much of this business as I do, When you shall hear from me again is uncertain, not knowing of another opportunity. I suppose the Packet will be the first, should one offer sooner I will write, and has always made it a point, and will while I remain in this Country, to let no conveyance pass without letting some of my relations hear from me The first side of this letter is almost [--?]licate of what I had the pleasure of writing you 24th May (per Packet) and has now to request you to remember me Affectionately to my Aunt, and Cousins, tell the young Ladys [Ladies?] I refer them to my sister Mary for a little sketch of the manner we live here. And am my Dear Uncle Yours sincerely Will [William?] Cunningham P.S. I hope to receive a Power of Attorney soon although it is too late to sue People for any thing as there is not Law in the Colony, nor will be for a few Months to come, however your not authorizing me to Act as yet, may in the end be all for the best. The[ ?] are not settled. and to tell the truth it is hard for them, as there has been no attempt made lately W.C. Know all men by these presents that I, Samuel Cunningham at present of this Island, being thank god in perfect health but on the Eve of departing for Europe do make and declare this to be my last Will and Testament In the first place I give and bequeath to Six brothers, say, John, William, James, Thomas, Joshua, & Barber Cunningham. each and every one of them the sum of one Thousand Pounds Sterling of good and lawfull [lawful?] money of Great Britain to be paid to each of them at their attaining the age of twenty one years. Secondly, I will and bequeath to my sisters Mary and Betsey Cunningham the sum of five hundred Sterling good and lawfull [lawful?] money of Great Britain to be paid to each of them on their attaining the age of twenty five years, or sooner at the option of any three of my Executors in the mean time my Executors are to put my Brothers and Sisters money who are Minors to interest and account with them for the same till he or she attains the age before mentioned in Case of death of any of the above before arriving at foregoing age his or her legacy is to be divided equally amongst the then survivors. Thirdly I give and bequeath to my Father, the sum of Two hundred pounds sterling British to be paid him soon after my death as Convenient to my Dear Mother, I give and bequeath the sum of four hundred pounds British Stirling of which my Father or any other cannot or is never hereafter to have any right or Contract, and I recommend to my Worthy Executors to have the same put to interest on her Account, to my late Sister Sally Barbers Children or so many as may be living at the time of my Death, I bequeath the sum of one hundred pounds British Sterling, to Madamoiselle Marriette Leduff of this Town, I bequeath the sum of one hundred pounds British Sterling for pin money to be paid her immediately after my death To my four Executors I bequeath for Executing that office the sum of fifty pounds British stir[lin?]g each, to the sum in trust for the Poor of the Parish of Killead in the Country of Antrim the sum of Two hundred pounds British Sterling and to the Poor House of Belfast one hundred pounds Sterling, to James Campbell of Saint Vincent our Clerk I leave the sum of one hundred pounds British sterling. By the foregoing I have willed away the sum of eight thousand five hundred pounds British Sterling at the same time if matters goes on well in Saint Vincents and here I expect or a final statement of our Books I will be found to be worth upwards of Ten thousand pounds British Sterling on which case whatever I die possessed of more than the above sum of 8500 sterling be it in landed property, Houses, Slaves or otherwise I devise to be equally divided between my Brothers and Sisters on the Contrary should it happen that my estate is not worth the sum I have willed away by this Testament the defficiencies [deficiencies?] are to be deducted from the legacys [legacies?] in proportion to the sum Willed or left each and the sum defficient [deficient?]. Except that left my Mother and Madamoiselle Leduff these two are not to be Effected [Affected?] by any defficiencies [deficiencies?] neither the fifty pounds left each and every of my Executors nor the three hundred pounds Sterling left the Poor. For my Executors to see this my last Will and Testament put in full force I nominate and appoint my Father, my Uncle Jas [James?] Barber of British, Messrs. Thomas Rioron [Riordan?] & Jno [John?] Cunningham both Merchants and residing in the Town of Belfast, and to any three of whom I leave full power to settle all Controversies that may arrise [arise?] relative to any part of this will and I further recommend Writing to my Attorneys in this Country to make all possible dispatch in the settlement of Mr John Gordon and my Partnership. In Witness whereoff [whereof?] I have here unto put my hand and affixed by Seal at Saint Pierres Matrtinique this fourth day of October in the Year of our lord One thousand seven hundred and ninety six. (signed) Samuel Cunningham Present Ulyssus [Ulysses?]Burke Edward Griffin William McDowell Transcribed by PaulaTracey |
