| Title: | John Montgomery, Portadown, to William Montgomery, U.S.A. |
|---|---|
| ID | 1800 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Montgomery, John/66 |
| Year | 1849 |
| Sender | Montgomery, John |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | baker |
| Sender Religion | Protestant (prob. Methodist) |
| Origin | Portadown, Co. Armagh, N.Ireland |
| Destination | USA |
| Recipient | Montgomery, William |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | brothers |
| Source | D 2794/1/2/43[a]: Presented by H.H. Montgomery, 4 Kensington Gardens, Belfast. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, N.Ireland |
| Doc. No. | 9602100 |
| Date | 08/11/1849 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | LET |
| Log | Document added by LT, 15:02:96. |
| Word Count | 974 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Portadown, 8th November, 1849 Dearest Brother, I received yours from New Orleans dated 6th Setr [September?] and now commence to reply. You wish to know Father's mind in reference to your coming home. I wish to be as plain as possible for the more candid and open we are the better. He wishes you to give the matter your prayerful consideration and upon your deciding to come home he will at once send the amount necessary to defray your expenses and give you as hearty a welcome as any of us ever received & in every respect you shall be as we are. He also says there is plenty of employment for you in attending to the Books. I am sure it will be a far heartier welcome than any of us ever received because you have been longer away. As to my mind on the suject I will fully and freely explain it as you wish and I trust the time will never come when you and I will be reserved. May we more than ever write and act as Brothers. My mind is that you would come home as soon as possible and stay for one year to keep the Books by double entry as you allude to that the gain or loss could be [told?] for a pound stg. There has been 33 Tons of wheat bought and sold to Mr. Langtry. I bought it on 3 Saturdays and last Saturday I got 11 Tons besides this I have bought this season above 40 tons of oats all of which is made or about to be made into Oatmeal. About 80 Tons of grain in all. Of course if you were here more could be done at it and prices are so low now there is no work. There is one subject I would also mention not that it has been spoken of by either Father or one of the family and that is if you return in safety as I pray you may that you would more than before make this your home and your Brothers and Sisters your companions one circumstance often grieved us your not being at home until pretty late?] It is true that neither you nor I are little boys or silly men but if we are in our Fathers house it is the very least we can do in every thing indifferent to comply with his desire. As a master of a family his authority is gone if we, even were we 40 years of age show our contempt of one rule of that family. Brother I know this may be against your notions of liberty but would you be pleased or otherwise with your child if he would disregard your wish even on trifling affairs? As your brother, as your friend, as one who has prayed for you, as one who thought of you and many times wept because of your absence and whose eyes are this moment filled with tears because of you being so far away I would in the most earnest manner possible beseech you to make this your home; not merely that you will board here and attend to business but that you will feel at home when in the company of Father and Sisters - they love you and you love them let us manifest it preferring their company to that of others. You ask me to be open don't blame me if I am so. I condemn myself in all these things more than I do you or anybody else. I don't for a moment imagine you are wanting in affection you have given a proof you are not as few have given I mean your faithfulness in writing [one?] too that will never be forgotten but if spared to come home I hope you will feel it as a home not a name but a reality. It will not be long most likely that we will be together, some of us may die and some may move to other places and soon all will leave this busy world to enter a new state of being. I should also think it better for you to return should you prefer a situation in Belfast or Liverpool to remaining in this town but of the [two?] I would say you would be sooner settled in life by attending for a time also to business here and there is money to be made by application, economy and perseverance and I would also say a decent amount would be settled here in one year by order and regularity; things I am sadly deficient in. If my father saw a round sum netted as the profit of one years work, he is not the man to withold the recompence to whom it would be due. As far as I know myself I have no interest to serve, no selfish feeling to gratify but on this sheet you have my heart and if spared I hope to change my life and seek a new home though not tired of this one. At present there is nothing of this kind on hand. One request I would urge upon you and I hope you will comply with it, that is to take your circumstances plainly and fully. If you require anything for remaining and coming it shall be sent you. I have felt more about you lately than ever and would say again COME HOME. Be it ever so humble there is no place like home. Dear Wm [William?] don't be offended at anything I have written. I would rather suffer myself than in the least pain your mind Oh! let us pray more for one another and seek peace where alone it is to be found in loving God. Write as soon as you receive this. Love from all. Your loving Brother, John Montgomery. |
