| Title: | J. Montgomery, Portadown, to J. Searight Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| ID | 1799 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Montgomery, John/64 |
| Year | 1848 |
| Sender | Montgomery, John |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | baker |
| Sender Religion | Protestant (prob. Methodist) |
| Origin | Portadown, Co. Armagh, N.Ireland |
| Destination | Philadelphia, Penn., USA |
| Recipient | Searight, Joseph |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | cousins |
| Source | D 2794/1/2/16: Presented by H.H. Montgomery, 4 Kensington Gardens, Belfast 5 |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland |
| Doc. No. | 9509130 |
| Date | 08/03/1848 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | LET |
| Log | Document added by LT, 29:09:95. |
| Word Count | 904 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | 8th March Portadown 24th February 1848 Dear Joseph, I received yours of the last mail and am thankful for all the information it contained and hope you will still continue to instruct me about America and that I may give you all the information I can about this place and as William says the "old country" one would think to read his letters he had been in america almost half a centuary [century?] There have been some changes here Sampson Quinn who I excepted would have been long a faithful man in this [concern?] has been taken home he was home for two weeks in the shop and then took fever & died after a months illness. He died as he lived in peace. There has been a [deal?] of work about D. Ferguson of late. He bought a quantity of butter from a person who is known to be a pickpocket his name is McLaughlin this butter was stolen from Peter Clarke & sold to D. F @ 4d [per lb?] it was not he [best?] but worth 3d [per lb?] more. This circumstances caused much talk in Town and country and was talked of in the leaders Meeting and eventually led to his expulsion from the Methodist Society, not for the butter, but for buying stolen yarn which he admitted & Said he would continue to do so, so long as Mr Clarke /Jackson wished him. On the first of March the railway was opened to Armagh, there was a good stir on this street which continues. Thomas Atkinson that lived opposite you is dead his widow is leaving our house, and Mrs Little & Serg [Sergeant?] Graham all leaving our houses Ser [Sergeant?] for America; I believe Harry Robb is going in Spring. There was a fire near David Ewens mill not more than fifty pounds worth burnt. David Hill is in full work for some time. [Mr?] Langtry is erecting a large steam mill where the distillery was. [Mr.?] Shillington has the mason work of his done but is not in a hurry. Stewart Munro had fever but is better. Edwd.[Edward?] Coyle took the "benefit" & paid all that way Wm. Kershaw is talking of going to America or Australia. Miss S.A. Jackson as before sits at the Window but no Joe to talk to, nor any "Day". There is nothing particular about anyone else in town. Shillingtons, Pauls, Matthews, Cowans, all as when you left. Wm. John has wished me to become secretary to the Sabbath School. J. Carey is librarian. Ham. [Hamilton?] Robb is superintendant of Miss Stranly school in Derry-hale [Derryhale?]. The Family here is the same. F. Jackson has left & we have a son of Tom Henry's in the Bakehouse. We have much cause of thankfulness for the business we have considering the unprecedented want of employment & means of earning money we have had a fair share of business. The linen trade has been very dull almost no weaving, hundreds of looms idle. It is said things are looking better only provisions are cheap. [we?] would be worse than last year. J. Capper got the I.O.U. the other day & I suppose has written you by this post. The Revolution in Paris has caused a great excitement among all classes in these kingdoms we cannot see the end as regards France, & the effect it may have on other nations around. I will note your remarks about the paper. I have send one this time about the Revolution you may know all about it before this reaches you. In Glasgow there was some disturbance, perhaps I be in Belfast tomorrow & send you a paper about it. Repealers expect that the state of things now will bring about great changes for them the Revolution has given them such courage. I did not mention that Rob Levinem has commenced selling whiskey or in other keeps a "public House" & has no connection with Methodism. Sad change. D Sinnamon is going on still here, but will I think not do well. he has no place among us, but sells drink on Saturday & preaches on Sunday in the country. Chas. Finney is drinking hard & if he keeps going at the same rate, will soon loose all he has. That was a sad account of Uncle & his wife I may write to him intemperance is an awful evil, it leads man quickly to destruction. Since the Special Commission in Limerick, [--?] there have been [few?] murders. Some twenty have been executed or will be. Rob Moore and Jane & family are well We have had much rain here & the floods have been higher than for twenty or thirty years but not so bad as on the Ohio, I would like a book giving an account of America if an opportunity arises send it & charge me & a good map I mean one that would inform a person well about it. The cities rivers, towns, [previous populations the latest out?] If any vessels for Belfast I would like you to send five or ten barrls [barrells?] flour. I bot [bought?] [superfin?] Baltimore [---?] Belfast @28s per bll [barrel?] your letter is dated 28 inst. 1848 I see by this mor [morning?] why riots in London & Glasgow. We are all well thank mercy. The money affairs next time a paper came [----?] Yours sincerely yours mor [morning?] [9?] Mar [March?] 1848 John Montgom |
