| Title: | John Hall, Pennsylvania, to Moses Hall, Loughall, Ireland |
|---|---|
| ID | 1314 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Hall, John L/56 |
| Year | 1889 |
| Sender | Hall, John L. |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | night school teacher |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | McDonald, Pennsylvania, USA |
| Destination | Loughall, Co. Armagh, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Hall, Moses |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | brothers |
| Source | D 2041/13: Purchased From J.A Hall Esq., 44 Taunton Avenue, Belfast 15. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9310522 |
| Date | 08/11/1889 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Action By Date Document added by C.R., 15:10:1993. |
| Word Count | 800 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | To: Moses Hall, [Loughall?] [County Armagh?] [Ireland?] Mc Donald Washington Co [County?] Pa [Pennsylvania?] 8th Nov [November?] 1889 My Dear Moses I received your very welcome letter this morning with enclosed Photo which seems to me to be a very good likeness of you with the exception of the "[j?]ib" which does look a degree or so out of latitude, but otherwise is very well taken. I would have sent you more long ago but to tell you the truth it was pure poverty kept me from getting my photo taken and when I had the money I had not clothes fit to go in; but things do seem to grow a little brighter now although I am not earning much. Lytle wrote for me to go to him the other day; but not knowing when he was going to send for me I had a deputation of employees from a new coal pit opened about three miles out in the country from here who wanted me to go out there three evenings a week and teach Night School so I promised them I would go which I did and of course will have to continue it till the end of the month at any rate, so I thought when I was "in the business" I might as well start another here. I have not many pupils in either place yet but they are still coming and will probably will have two good schools before long. Of course I mean to get to Chicago as soon as I can make it __ This is my night at school out in the country and it is raining to beat __ but must tackle it and you could sail in the mud If the Smiddys were here they would have some work to do on the roads __ you wouldn't be able to see "February's" dunny hat above the ruts nor would you see a stone on the road for miles__nothing but mud! mud!!! mud!!! and then more mud and then you have a Township road in America; but hope to soon bid them all good bye and do better in a place where there is some chance of doing well__a chance which I never had here. You say you have decided to come out here__well I need not tell you I would be glad to see you once more but would have you consider well before you come out for I tell you once and for all that a man coming to this country without capital can only earn a salary tha same as he can in the old country and counter hands are not very well paid here and it doesn't make any difference who you are. Now remember I am not saying this to discourage you but to give you food for reflection__ #PAGE 2 you know if you had no money coming here all you could do would be to take a situation and work all the time and all your life and not be worth anything in the end, besides you are away from friends in a strange country which has very few pleasures and a great many disadvantages which you never think of until you have experienced them. I know for my part I would rather live and work hard for £1 a week than earn £5 a week here at my ease __ of course if you have made your mind to come out you can please yourself but I am not one to blow up things the way people here do every day when writing home misleading accounts of everything but I tell you that it is at home that life is worth the living and when you leave Ireland you leave a great lot that you do not get repaid for here; but yet if a person could save some money there are a great many channels to invest in this country. I had a letter from Susan a few days ago which gave me all the news around home. I get the Belfast News Letter pretty regularly from you. Did you get the paper I sent to you? I am sending one with this letter. It is a great pity Father did not get re-appointed on the Land Commission, but I suppose there is still a chance of him getting there again. I intend to make for Chicago as soon as I can get clothes fit to appear in for my wardrobe being run down very low in every direction it is pretty hard for me to renew it; but will let you know when I intend leaving here. All the Keenan folks are well and I am going up now to show them your photo. This is all I can think of __Write soon again and when I get to Chicago might have more encouragment for you. Your affectionate brother John. |
