| Title: | William McElderry, Lynchburg, Va. to Thomas McElderry, [Ballymoney?]. |
|---|---|
| ID | 1709 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | McElderry, William/34 |
| Year | 1853 |
| Sender | McElderry, William |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | bookkeeper (expecting to fill |
| Sender Religion | Presbyterian |
| Origin | Lynchburg, Virginia, USA |
| Destination | Ballymoney, Co. Antrim, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | McElderry, Thomas |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | brothers |
| Source | T 2414/13: Copied by Permission of Dr. Helen Megaw, c/o 66, Malone Road, Belfast, 9. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9007074 |
| Date | 17/12/1853 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by JM 03:09:1993. |
| Word Count | 928 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Lynchburg Dec [December?] 17th 1853 Dear Thomas I received yours of the 23 Nov [November?] on Monday the 12th Inst [Instant?] and was as glad to See yours as you were to see mine I would have written to you as soon as I had got the Situation but Robert said he would write and that was the reason you were so long of hearing about how I was getting along. I have been with McDaniel Hurt & Preston now four weeks and like the place very well I am not set to work right yet as the place that I am to fill will be Receiving Clerk in the Commission business and the young man is not left yet but is expected to leave about the first of the year and then I will get into office fully then In the meantime I am working in the Counting Room with the books that I will have to keep they are the Receiving blotter Rough Sales, Produse [Produce?] & Commission Sales Book that will be all the Books that I will have to work with and then coppy [copy?] all the letters that are written and mail them we sometimes send off about 60 letters in the day and never less them about 30 It is the larges [largest?] grocery and Commission house in this place and is very well situated as the Rail Road Depot is very near us we can see the cars come in & go out every day out of the office windows and the Council is near us to [too?] so that we have the nicest part of the town (or City) to live in I have always Slept with Robert as yet as there is not a bed for me in the Store that I am in untill [until?] the young man goes away and then I will have a bed to myself I board at the same Hotel as Robert which costs about 150 Dollars a year I like it very well as we have nothing to do but go at the Hours and sit down and then there are blenty [plenty?] of Negroes to wait on us, we get every thing of the best that any person could wish except Tea and that I have not tasted since I came here I always take Coffee in preference Robert thinks I might have brought some tea with me and you can tell Jane that was one thing she forgot to send to him. I had no idea that slavery was what it realy [really?] is nor will you untill [until] you come and see for yourself I do not mean to advocate it but if you were here on a Sabath [Sabbath?] day and see them coming from church as they have a church here for themselves and a White minister to preach to them you would see them dressed in silks & the men watches [any?] gold guards it would surprise you there is one that attends Mr Peters and makes the Beds and the washing of shirts and making of fires he belongs to some old Lady here and he pays her 150 Dollars a year for himself and can make money. Mother wanted to know how we spent our sabaths [sabbaths?] well in #PAGE 2 the morning we dress and go to breakfast and then come back and read to 11 Oclock [o'clock?] and then go to Church and after dinner we sometimes take a walk and then go to Church at night I intend to join the same Church as Robert the parsons name is Mr Baughan I like him very well but he is not as good a preacher as Mr McDonald I have gon [gone?] to prayer meeting with a young man of Mr Peters his name is John Miller I like the folks here very well In the office of McD H & P [McDaniel Hurt & Preston?] there are two young men one of them a brother Irish man and he is first Clerk in the establishment and the other a Scotch man so that that I am not altogether among strangers. I was sorry to hear that Thomas Lyle and so many of my friend [friends?] in Coleraine had been unwell but I hope that all are well long before now and you can remember me to them & Portstewart friends and let them now that I have not forgot Coleraine. You can inform Elizabeth the seed has not taken root yet but that was not the fault of the parties that sowed it as they have don [done?] all in their power and am obliged to them We have got the gas in this town and commenced to it this week and it is thought a great curiosity here to see it burn we have it in our office 2 Burners to evry [every?] desk and it is as good as the light you have at home. I would like to send you newspapers but I cannot get one yet that is worth sending but I would like you would send the Standard to me regular as in it I could get all the news, I seen in it you had the Soree [Soiree?] in Ballymoney and Anne's name at the head of the list of Tea Makers and I hope she made it good to please the young men she had at her table Remember me to all my friends and acquaintances and tell them that I am well and doing well like the folks in America I remain Your Affectionate Brother William McElderry PS. Write Soon & Direct Care Messrs McDaniel Hurt & Preston} Lynchburg, Va.} |
