| Title: | J. M.[Montgomery?], Warrenpoint to J. [Searight?], Philadelphia. |
|---|---|
| ID | 1804 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Montgomery, John/84 |
| Year | 1847 |
| 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 2794/1/2/11: Presented by H.H Montgomery, 4 Kensington Gardens, Belfast 5. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9508154 |
| Date | 30/11/1847 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | LET |
| Log | Document added by LT, 14:08:95. |
| Word Count | 1419 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Warrenpoint 30 Nov 1847 Dear Joseph. Many a time you may have thought it strange and ungrateful of me not to write to you, but perhaps you know ere [before?] this reaches you, the cause, if not, I will tell you. after you left Liverpool, I remained Monday and Tuesday untill [until?] evening when I went to Dr Bamber's. I felt unwell before you left & it increased while in Liverpool, but never prevented me there from walking about. when I came to Barton I felt very poorly, kept my bed next day. the day after was up: which did me no good. from that for near a fortnight I was confined to bed of what the Dr called Gast- [Gastric?] Fever I was up a little every day while the bed was made & the room aired. it was the little back room I was in. Dr wished me to take his bed, but I would not. both he & his sister were as kind to me as they could be, they were afraid if I grew worse it might be fatal & wished alicia to come over. which she did, she was a fortnight from home. Blessed be God for his mercy & goodness to me in sparing my life. I was able to come this far, (W.Point [Warrenpoint?]) with Alicia. I was able to go home too, but it was thought better for me to stay some time here. when I arrived here I was very weak. & would not have came at that time, but alicia was returning. we left Barton on Tuesday morning the 20th Octr. [October?] & sailed by the "Sea Nymph" at five that evening I arrived here next morning I was sick & could not sleep well, some Gents eight or ten in the cabin kept such a noise, singing & making speeches. complimenting one another on their good qualities. to be sure, they had the grand moving spring for all this & more whiskey, wine etc. If my power at the time had been equal to my will, I think I would have gagged some of them, unless they had given over. on the 21st Octr. [October?] then Alicia & I came to Mrs Kelly's. Lizzy & she had been here some time before. I was glad to have my feet again on "Old Ireland". I continued to get stronger every day for some time, I felt unwell on Thursday the 29th Octr. [October?] this increased untill [until?] Sunday exactly the same way I felt in Liverpool. I was down strais [stairs?] on Sunday, but very ill for fiveteen [fifteen?] day [days?] after that I was not down again. Lizzy wrote home on Sunday & Mrs Montgomery came on Monday. Dr Ross had been with me on Saturday but now Dr & all felt alarmed. I was far weaker than I had been at Barton. now althought [although?] not very strong, I am able to walk two or three miles. I have abundant cause for gratitude to God for his continued goodness. so far my affliction has been beneficial to my soul. "it has been good for me to be afflicted". God's word has been more read & more thought on since then, than for I believe many months before. I also have some delight in prayer & pray to be made like unto Jesus Christ to have the same mind that was also in him. I think (I may be wrong) it was taking too much stewed apples after my dinner that brought on my last sickness. The length of this personal history if I may call it so, may be tiresome to you but it will be my excuse for not writing sooner your letter came to Portadown that was directed to me, dated 14th Octr. [October?] & those at home would not send as I was lying when it arrived, it is not long sent us. they did not wish to make us uneasy about Wm [William?] Lizzy continues here still as you know from herself. we are expecting the car here this week to go home. They all continue well as usual at home. & as for home news. it is impossible for me to tell, neither having nor knowing myself. one or two things I do know I will mention. Jas. [James?] Armstrong & Mr Robt [Robert?] Waddell are dead. & strange to tell D'Arcy Sinnamon has a public house with the sign above D Sinnamon & Son. from the pulpit to the [dram?] shop. I rec' [received?] your first short note, also your letter & [same?] the on to my father. I am glad you are so well satisfied with your situation. & that you got one so soon. I like your description of Philadelphia so far as you go, but I hope you will find time to enlarge considerably. & give a minute decription [description?] of Uncle Joe, his person, mind & manners also if he attends public worship & his opinions. tho of his wife & cousin Massey & her mate. your opinions of the methodists there & particulars what kind of [class?] meetings &c. [etc.?] write close on fine paper. & don't let government wrong you, but make up the half once. also habits of the people, houses of dining etc. how they fare. & fifty other things, as is often said "too numerious [numerous?] to mention" now here is work for you, in unemployed time. I am quite serious. I would like to know all. If fares fall very much & plenty of money, I would like in a year or two to spend a week or two with you & your better half all being well to them. I go on the supposition that you get a help mate, a wife, & I wish you as good a one as in all Philadelphia. from some hints in Lizzy's note, it will not surprise me very much hear some day not far hence, the happy event is over. & while we be reading of it, you may be enjoying the honeymoon I am reading a book, I would recommend to you. Mrs Ellis's "Wives of England". The other parts "Woman" & "Daughters" are good too - [I?] have heard, but as yet have not read them. "Poetry of Life" is another [scope?] I may never be an old bachelor. You may have heard of the dreadful loss of life & property connected with the shipwreck of the splendid packet ship "Stephen Whitney". ninety two lives lost. every one expected soon to see friends & home there was no warning. she came against the rocks of the West Calf Island, five miles from Cape Clear near Skibereen. & in ten minutes every one had ceased to exist save eighteen who got up the rocks, near sixty feet high. I am very sorry to say Mr Lochart's partner Mr. Roberts there met a watery grave. political news of this country you will see after the mail arrives copied into your own papers. dreadful murders have been committed in some counties very frequently of late. In those places combination of Ribbonism is (in my opinion) awfully prevalant. all the powers of present laws avails nothing to stop them or bring to justice the guilty. government is determined to use all their power & make such laws as will be a terror to evil doers such as these. Mr Willis & Mr Woodhouse have great squabbling public meetings called & great excitement amoung the people it is about money which Mr Willis got. & Mr Woodhouse says he ought to account for, (above œ1.000) it as he got it being chairman of the relief [committee?] ever since I left home ten weeks. I am sure there are many changes in Portadown. when there I will, (all well) write you all. I send you inclosed [enclosed?] pieces of a paper (to add to the posted) after having read, please send to Brother William. I wish he had remained with you, but do not know what is best for him. send me some papers & I will send you when I go home, all well. don't forget but write long close letters. Your affect [affectionate?] cousin John Montgomery. I am not sure, but the pieces cut out of the paper may make it too weighty in that case, I won't send them if not inside is the loss of the "Stephen Whitney" & the other "Young Ireland" visit to Belfast. Jm [John Montgomery?] |
