| Title: | John Henderson, Agnesville to William [Wightman?], Alabama. |
|---|---|
| ID | 1416 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Henderson, John/54 |
| Year | 1823 |
| Sender | Henderson, John |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | unknown |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Agnesville, Ireland |
| Destination | Alabama, USA |
| Recipient | Wightman, William |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | uncle-nephew |
| Source | T 1475/1 p23: Copied by Permission of Miss A. McKisack, 9 Mount Pleasant, Belfast. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9404167 |
| Date | 10/11/1823 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 20:04:1994. |
| Word Count | 1159 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Agnesville 10th Novr. 1823 Dear William, I wrote you last July, and Nancy in the same month. I trust both letters reached their destination safe, and found you all in the full enjoyment of good health, one of the great blessings bestowed by a kind Providence. To the numerous list I gave you of old friends called to their long home, I lament to add the names of a few more. That of your old neighbour Sam Hughs in a few hours illness, Revd [Reverend?] Birch Black, equally as sudden, Mrs Alex Hunter, the Philanthropic John Handcock has also paid the great debt at nature. The old as well as the young are cut off and as pious Job says "When a few more days are past and gone, we shall all go the way whence we shall never return". Yes my Dear William a few more days or say even years, must remove many of your relatives to another world, but in this removal the survivors are not to sorrow as those without hope, the way is brightened in the mercy of God, through a crucified redeemer, the separation is short, the union eternal. What glory, adoration and praise is due to our great Creator who has provided such a rest to his creatures, a Heaven of happiness were [where?] the nearest and dearest relatives may meet and sing the praises of God and of the Lamb for ever and ever. Perhaps it was not necessary to enter on a subject of this nature to you, whose religious principles I know to be firmly established. I now hasten to detail what will give you and my poor Dear Nancy more grief of heart than any occurrence that has come across either since the death of your lamented Mother. When I wrote to Florence I always made a point to give every imformation in my power respecting Henderson - the last advice to you I recollect was that he was staying for some months in a Gentleman's family Nr. [near?] Glasgow of the name of McKean. He returned with the family to town about the 15th of July as he stated in a letter, the last one he addressed to his Aunt Nancy, it was dated 15th August, in it he complains of the bad effect the Glasgow air had on him since his return from the country, and that he must soon leave it to seek a purer air - Alas! my Dear William how can I write what must rend your breast that day never will arrive. The best of Sons, brothers, friends is now no more. A few of the leading particulars prior to this most afflicting event, must be interesting to you all. About the month of May last Henderson became ecquainted with a Mr. Brown a Merchant of Glasgow, in rather as he afterwards expressed to me "a strange sort of way". On the 20th August this Mr. Brown took Henderson to spend the evening with the family of Mr. King. On the eve of their taking leave Henderson was suddenly taken ill and a most violent vomiting of blood ensued, which continued at intervals through the night, being unable to leave Mr. King's. In the same bed into which he was put in the same bed he resigned his soul into the hands of its Almighty Creator on the 26th October at 1/4 past 9 in the morning our dear friend joined the blessed Spirits in Heaven there to enjoy a reward great as his wishes and lasting as eternity. During his long confinement everything that the best medical aid could do was not wanting. The most copious bleedings had no effect a most severe pain on the side and a cough of that dry kind stuck to him to his latest moments. Of the attention paid to him by those wonderful strangers I might take up many a sheet of paper to speak of. It surpasses anything I ever heard of - suffice to say that had he been in Florence with his dearest friends, it would not have exceeded the tender sympathy, the unceasing solicitude the delicate regards shown by Mr. Brown, Mr and Mrs. King and the amiable family of Mr McKean. In this we may all see and admire the inscruitable [inscrutable?] ways of a Merciful God, who raises up friends to his servants, no matter in what country their lott [lot?] may be cast. Mr. B [Brown?] wrote me about ten days after Henderson's illness and expressing a wish that some of his relatives would go over to see him. However much I might have been gratified to have performed this act of friendship I did not feel quite able to accomplish it. Bess McAlister took the Jaunt on herself. I gave her six guineas to pay her expenses but the good creature left the greatest part behind where it was more needed. She was two weeks away and came back in pretty good Spirits, Henderson being thought by the Doctor in a way of recovery. From her I had a greater part of what I have detailed. After her return, Mr. B's [Brown's?] letters brought worse and worse accounts until the Melancholy close. Your Uncle Dr. W [Wightman?] was written to and his reply, Bess told me was most friendly, desiring Mr. B [Brown?] to draw for any money that was necessary. You may conclude a heavy expense has been incurred by Drs., Medicine, Nurse tenders, Funeral etc. which can be paid, but how the debt of gratitude due to the friends I have enumerated can be paid I know not. Yours affectly, [affectionately?] (signed) John Henderson. P.S. I wrote to Mr. Brown a few days ago requesting to hear how the expenses had been settled, whether he had drawn on Dr. Wightman for the entire or if any account remained unpaid, that I would be your Banker in the meantime, well knowing how it would hurt your feelings should a single sixpence be due to such worthy people. I shall advice [advise?] you on this head again as the Edward Downes will be sailing from Belfast between now and Xmas [Christmas?]. I shall avail myself of that vessel and Bess McAlister means to write Nancy and so does Ann McAlister. I shall recommend them to wait till then as I should like that this should reach you first which I trust it will. There is no vessel at present from Belfast. I will likely try Liverpool. I shall not seal this with black to prevent too great surprise. Your communication to Nancy will require the utmost care. I dread the result. Having now little to spare I may just say that your friends and relatives in this part continue much in the same way as when I last wrote to Florence - with the warmest sentiments of love to you all, believe me Yours affect. [affectionately?] Uncle. J.H. [John Henderson?] |
