| Title: | John Montgomery, Portadown, to J. M. Searight, Philadelphia |
|---|---|
| ID | 1801 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Montgomery, John/67 |
| Year | 1849 |
| 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 2794/1/2/44: Presented by H. H. Montgomery, 4 Kensington Gardens, Belfast 5. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, N. Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9510053 |
| Date | 08/11/1849 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | LET |
| Log | Document added by LT, 12:10:95. |
| Word Count | 918 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Portadown 8th Novr [November?] 1849 Dear Joseph I am very guilty in not writing long ago I have no excuse to make, no plea to urge in favour of forgiveness only your own mercy. & I intend not to transgress in future. Do you forgive me? There is no use in me attempting to describe Portadown to you or any of these places around you know them better than I do and could far beat me at description. Well I will tell you all the news I remember. One event which happened last week has been the constant subject of conversation ever since. What was that think you? no less than the marriage of Mrs Stanley to David Waugh son to John Waugh the preacher on Tuesday the 30 Oct [October?] this happy event took place. It was a splendid wedding everything was in the greatest style - there were six chaises at it. In Kilmore the ceremony was performed. The expenses were estimated by some who attended at more than œ50 that was tart after launch [lunch?] they started for Paris or London & no word of their return since. How it will turn out no-one knows: All sober thinking people condemn her extravagance. It far exceeds anything you were witness to. She never came to the Methodist chapel. The servant drives her to church & home. There has been great talking on the subject in this town & neighbourhood none of us were there nor any of her friends save her brother John & Kevin and his sister. I suppose you heard of Moses Paul's death in Petersborg and also of Wm [William?] Chapman's on his way to California about one hundred miles from St. Joseph. It should have occured [occurred?]on the 20th May. As to business I may tell you that the rent of your house had to be lowered to œ15 P [per?] annum there was a great many housas empty in Tandragee & if it had not been lowered Davies would have left & it might have remained long without a tenant. property of every kind has fallen very much since you left. The house Wm. [William?] Whitten lived in has been unoccupied almost a year I believe. I will send you the amount of "Advocate" continue to send it to my father but not to Mrs Kelly she thinks she has not received them regular. She may not have received them every one but nearly so I think. Please send when writing (& I would humbly ask let it be soon) the full account of both also put with the map & book I wrote to before about perhaps you will see some way of forwarding them put them in the account. Rob and Ann Law and family are well and I think he is doing a good business. The linen trade has been better this last year than for a long time plenty of money made at yarn and linen. Mr Paul and Cosn. [cousin?] John are all well and doing an increased business. Thos. [Thomas?] A. Shillington & family are well & making money fast I should say one day saturday week he bought on commission 130 tons of wheat, 3 P [per?] cent & charges on that would pay - [Averil?] [Averall?] & John well & families- Miss Jackson at home and miss-still- Mrs Kiernan had a daughter the other day that was Miss Cowan when you used to put her home - do you remember? I suppose you remember showing miss Stanley through your own house? what changes since then! Mrs Totton much the same. I am never in . Dr & miss Bamber were here for about six weeks this summer and got safe home again. You know Matty Matthews is married. Mary is in Dublin this good while. &madge was away at Ballyshannon but is home. Not much change or improvement in our Sunday School. Mr Cutter Librarian & our secretary in name but not fit or rather too idle- . Shillington & Co & Paul superintendants. The preacher's family supplies us with four teachers Mr Ball is his name, a good man and a good preacher. J. Fulton isdoing good business and not extravagant you may be sure. Wm. [William?] sent us from New Orlean's Maccaulay's History of England. It is very interesting and I wish when you write to him tell him of miss Stanley [Stanley's] marriage. When did you hear from him and was he doing anything? I have written again and again for him to come home and if Jn [John?] would be content here he would be better than anywhere else. If you know that he would needany money you might send him œ10 & I will on receiving advice from you remit it. He may want of a situation and in a strange place one cannot live on a trifle. I hope soon to hear from you and be plain as to Wm, [William?] All here send their most affectionate love to you and if you think of taking a trip over here in Summer we will be glad of your company for a month or two it would be as very nice out and you would not be long coming. John Montgomery A.J. Moore Joseph M Searight care of Messrs L. J. Levy & Co, Philadelphia M. S. America I have been on the sick list this week with a cold & have let slip away my time by day & am now writing at Midnight- near 2 what folly!!! will I never be wise? Do you ever think of P.S. at all? John Montgomery |
