| Title: | J. N. Houston, New Orleans to Mrs Houston, Larne. |
|---|---|
| ID | 1477 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Houston, J N/56 |
| Year | 1836 |
| Sender | Houston, John N. |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | shop assistant |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | New Orleans, Louisiana, USA |
| Destination | Larne, Co. Antrim, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Mrs Houston |
| Recipient Gender | female |
| Relationship | son-mother |
| Source | T 2581/7: Copied by Permission of J. Robson Esq., 140 Gilnahirk Road, Belfast. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9007112 |
| Date | 08/03/1836 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by JM 25:10:1993. |
| Word Count | 791 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | New Orleans 8th March 1836 My Dear Mother I wrote Sam on our arrival here a few days ago. We had a fine passage out, No storms or contrary winds; in fact when the wind was not fair we had a dead calm. After the first 8 days from Belfast Lough it became so mild & warm that all the men on Board were going without shoes, stockings or coats. In 10 days more we had thrown all the Blankets off our Beds at nights & I myself lay without a night shirt & only the quilt over me. When we neared the Coast, of the Continent of America the Weather again became cold. The nights here now are as cold as MARCH nights at home. the days like JUNE at home No person in the OLD COUNTRY can have any idea of the immense trade & business in this City without seeing it. I have no doubt but in some time it will be the largest City in America or perhaps the World Besides its trade by sea; Steam Boats double the size of the "VENTURE" come down the "MISSISIPI" [Mississippi?] 1400 Miles, from the interior with all manner of goods & produe [produce?] There are 800 ships & Steam Boats here at the present moment with mulitudes [multitudes?] of Traders & Strangers from all Nations The River is about 140 feet deep here & continues so 500 Miles from the sea NEW ORLEANS is near 100 Miles from the sea I am living on Board, as lodgings can scarcely be had for love or money in the City there would no respectable place take me under £3 pr [per?] week & even at that rate no comfort in them from the way they are crowded. Rents of Houses & Shops are so amasingly high here that I am sure you will scarce credit what is a fact A House Yard & Concern like ours at the CURRAN, if on the Quay at NEW ORLEANS would set for above £1,000 pr [per?] year I have been in a mans shop of the name of McCracken from Larne, it is in one of the best steets & is just about the size of our Gateway, not larger I am sure, no back door or Room off it & nothing above or below #PAGE 2 The Rent is 100 Dollors pr [per?] month or near £250 pr [per?] year in consequence of such high Rents & living so high, every article is 3 or 4 times the price it is in Ireland, except some produce of the Country which the STORE or SHOP KEEPERS can get very Cheap as they lay on 100 @ 150 p [per?] cent profit at the least Money is very plenty and nobody thinks of saving but all of making it. There is no Copper money, the smallest coin being 1/16 of a Dollar or 3d of our money. I many a time think my AUNT ALLIN should have been born in "NEW ORLEANS" Tell MATILDA there is no SUNDAY here. The only difference between it & other days is that the people shut shops in Afternoon & amuse themselves the rest of the day` The Churches are open but so are THE CIRC[torn] [circus?] THE THEATRES THE COCKPITS THE GAMING HOUSES [stained] and the Markets are larger & [torn] [stained] & more bought & sold in them [torn] Shops on Sunday than any other day of Week Dear Mother I am sorry my paper is'nt double the size or I would tell you as much more of this strange place; people who are long here forget home but I will no do so as in my opinion we live as comfortable in LARNE as most families in "NEW ORLEANS" The Ladies here are BLACK TAWNEY & WHITE, all dress uncommon gay, if happen to fall in love and marry any of them here she will either be a PINE FRENCH WHITE or a REAL BLACK, many of the LATTER are very good looking & fine Figures. I dont like the ORANGE TAWNEYS at all. Remember me Mary & Matilda all the McCullochs, Mrs & Robert Nelson with other well wishers also the Linns &c, &c. I will be home in September & trust the House & Garden will be very neat & to find you all Well & Happy I am your affectionate son Jno [John?] Houston The "CAMBRIAN" of Belfast sailed last night & I intended to send some Newspapers home by her but was told it may be a fortnight ere [before?] she gets over the Barr & that this will reach you 15 @ 18 days by NEW YORK sooner which is the reason I did not write by her #PAGE 3 J.H. [John Houston?] [nb. words in capitals in above text were underlined in the original letter] via "Ship John" Baving 2 Mrs Houston care of Mr Sam Houston Larne Co Antrim Ireland LIVERPOOL SHIP [?] |
