| Title: | Andrew Greenlees, Plattsburg, New York, to his Brother. |
|---|---|
| ID | 1248 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Greenlees, Andrew/17 |
| Year | 1853 |
| Sender | Greenlees, Andrew |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | furnace worker |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Plattsburgh, New York, USA |
| Destination | Magheramore, Co. Wicklow, Ireland |
| Recipient | Greenlees, John |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | brothers |
| Source | T 2046/3: Copied by Permission of Aiken McClelland Esq. 3 Beechill Pk Ave., Saintfield Rd. Belfast 8. #TYPE EMG Emigrant Letter from Andrew Greenlees, Plattsburg, New York, to his Brother, May 27 1853. |
| Archive | Public Record Office, N. Ireland |
| Doc. No. | 8911021 |
| Date | 27/05/1853 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | 13:11:1989 LT created 02:07:1990 JMR input 02:07:1 |
| Word Count | 1120 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Platsburgh [Plattsburgh?] May 27th /53 My dear brother their [there?] is a mistake in your last which I wish to correct, that is your opinion about the usage of farm servants, you think they are treated hard but not so, the customs of this country are quite different from that of the old and strangers coming here think it quite odd until the [they?] get initatied [initiated?] into the rules of the yankess, [yankees?] but after the [they?] get civilized and knows how to take right hold to any piece of work and do it up in Yankee fashion then they get along well and feels quite at home, to be sure there are some bad masters in all countrys [countries?] but these are exceptions, and I believe my first master was one of them, this is a free country Jack's as good as his master, if he dont [sic] like one then go to another plenty of work and plenty of wages plenty to eat and no landlords, thats enough what more does a man want farming operations are going on quite [brisk?] here the ground is rich and easier laboured than in the old country for instance planting pottatoes [potatoes?] two men will plant two acres per day the ground is first ploughed and if it be rough harrowed a little but as a general rule it aint [is not?] harrowed two men then go out and plant; one takes a hoe the other takes the pottatoes [potatoes?] whole one the bigger the better puts them three foot assunder [asunder?] each way no use for any manure, just scratch a hole drop the potattoe [potato?] in and cover it up thr[ee?] of these hills or holes where the potattoe [potato?] is put yield a bushel as an average crop I find by your last that you have been very successful at Colledge [College?] I hope you will continue to be so I'm ready to rejoice with you in all your honours; you have no friend more anxious to hear of your welfare than I am though I can't make much fuss about it. may God in his providence continue to bless you in all your ways as He has done heretofore. when I take a retrospective glance at the past years, since you and I parted, and meditate for a little on God's dealings with me, truly he has dealt mercifully with me also; and enabled me to sing with the Psalmist both of mercy and of judgement; as respects my health it never was better and my trade I'm getting master of it quite fast, and am very comfortably fixed in other respects I don't have so long hours to work as on a farm we commence in the morning at half past six, as for quitting we can't be regular if we have a heavy [melt?] we're later and a light half past five. I must give you a little insight about how moulders works here, tis [it is?] by the piece on a stove plate so much a stove or so much a plate this is the way Robert Brown and Wm [William?] Rea works or used to work and take in a helper with them commence in the morning at two or three o clock and put up three or four dollars worth of work per day but these stove plates foundings I mean each moulder takes a helper, thats the way I wrought with Wm [William?] Rea last fall only run nine months in the year so the [they?] have got to make enough in the summer to keep them through winter the furnace I'm in runs all year but the [there?] aint [is not?] as good a chance to make money in her [here?] to work by the piece as in [Troy?] for we don't make a great deal of stoves, still running all year makes it come out in the end as good as in Troy those that work by the day there [their?] wages are 1 1/2 dollars per day to give you an idea about the coin, eight shillings one dollar 12 1/2 cents one shilling twenty two cents are equal to our shilling I received Fathers letter in due time I'm glad to here [hear?] that they are all well and times a little brisker I hope the [they?] will continue to be so for there is much needed for improvement if the [they?] be ought like what the [they?] used to I understand there is some changes taking place amongst the young folks lately I hope it is all for the best I wish Mr & Mrs Foster a great deal of joy and happiness when Samuel Temple comes here tell him he can have his choice of all kinds he need not let his life hang any thing about what is passed; if I have said any thing here that will hurt any persons feelings I hope to be forgiven I intended it only for a joke. Father & Mother thinks I was long of answering there [their?] letter I hope they will forgive me if they count up they'll find I've wrote home no less than ten or 11 letters besides five news papers in the inside of eleven months give my kind love to Father & mother Brother & sisters and all who may enquire for me be[ck?]men town friends are well John Rea is married again he has got a very prudent woman [taken?] to his wife. I had a letter from John Temple a few days ago he is well he says if you know the rights of man in Magheramorne [Magheramore?] you would stay it no longer than you could get a ship to take you off I must now draw to a close I hope these few lines will find you all well if I have calculated right this will catch you at home or at least on the eve of coming may both of us be enabled to remember that we must soon go to our long home from whence no traveler [traveller?] returns we ought therefore to be dilligent [diligent?] in making our calling and [elec?]tion sure laying up for ourselves, treasure in heaven where the moth does not corrupt nor thieves break through and steal, for we must soon lay off this earthly tabernacle of clay and obey the summons of death if we therefore have the full assurance that Paul had when he said I'm in a great strait betwixt two having a desire to depart and be with Christ which is far better suerly [surely?] then we can meet death as a friend and not as the king of terror for dying is but going home your brother very affectionately Andrew Greenlees ________________ from Andrew Greenlees June 14th 1853 |
