| Title: | John Neill, Kentucky to Samuel Neill, Co. Down |
|---|---|
| ID | 1954 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Neill, John/130 |
| Year | 1839 |
| Sender | Neill, John |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | works for a store owner |
| Sender Religion | Presbyterian |
| Origin | Louisville, Kentucky, USA |
| Destination | Co. Down, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Neill, Samuel |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | son-father |
| Source | Donated by Hilary Murphy, 45 Ava Avenue, Belfast BT7 3BP |
| Archive | Centre for Migration Studies |
| Doc. No. | 611003 |
| Date | 04/07/1839 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | unknown |
| Word Count | 850 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | [Page 1] Louisville, Ky.[Kentucky?] July 4th 1839 Dear Parents [faded], We received your favours of the 10th of April on the 19th of June And as it is now upwards of two years since I left Belfast and more than one since I wrote to you. I shall therefore give you a short detail of my transactions. I was one year with Mr Adams at Pittsburgh for which I recd [received?] 144 dollars boarding and washing, And we parted in good friendship although he wished me to stop on with him. And on the 24th August the river was low and I went on board a Keelboat bound for Louisville for which I recd [received?] 75 cents per day and found having a passage of 6 weeks. And on my arrival I found that at Mr McCrums request Henry had wrote for me to come to Louisville where I landed on the 17th of October and on the 8th I went up to Mr McCrums and agreed to stop for the same salary that he was giving Henry and that I would go whenever I had a mind And in five months after I gave notice that I did not intend to stop more than a month. And being requested to stop on, they advanced my salary to $20 dollars per month board and washing. And at the close of H hENTYS Henrys year he agreed to stop another year for $300 dollars. His employment is principally in the store and mine is both out and in. When at Mr Adams I joined the unionist Church in Allegheny which is a body of covenantors & seceedars [seceders?] joined of which the Revd Dr Pressly is Pastor. [Page 2] And in Louisville there is a number of Churches of different denominations and some in which great architecture is displayed. Henry and I [have joined?] the first Presbyterian of which the Revd Dr [stained] is pastor. On the 15th of June I had an introduction to the Revd Thomas Martin and on the 16th had the pleasure of hearing him preach he lives in the upper part of Virginia about 70 miles from Pittsburgh he is not a placed Minister but teaches Classical scholars in an Academy. he was also telling me that Mr Reids Son sailed from belfast for orleans [New Orleans?] about the time you mentioned in your letter. I had a letter from Cousin Cubbage on the 25 of June which stated that they were all well and we heard from Isabella Ringland, and James Dickson which [sic] is married to a young girl that lived in Mr [Yatses?] and living in Pittsburgh there is but few of our countrymen here in comparison to Pittsburgh. There is some of our neighbours here which you will recollect that is Dr Raverty two of the Fergusons of Ballynafarin [Ballynafern?] two Davisons from the Course. There is two of Crommies from Dromore all Doing well, likewise a young Mr Saul from Dromore lately. And in answer to your letter about a man settling on a farm I think the state of Missouri or Illinois would be the best as far as I can learn the land being much better than in many parts of the other states unimproved land can be bought for one Dollar and quarter per Acre and land with moderate improvements can be had for about five Dollars per Acre. [Page 3] In your letter to me while at Pitts [Pittsburgh?] you expressed a desire to know how dealing was carried on in the parts which I was acquainted with. It is much like Liverpool or large Citys [cities?] in the old country there is no fairs here but market days, and horses and cows is sold by Auction if not by private sale some time ago Mr McCrums Brotherinlaw bought two little Irish pigs a he and a she for two hundred Dollars which came by way of Orleans [New Orleans?] to Mr Bell and there was English Cows came here for which Mr Bell said there was two thousand Dollars offered in Orleans for a bull and a cow. You speak of Young Friday being a very fine colt such as he is sells very heigh [high?] in this country both in sale [and?] otherwise where there is a good pedigree. And as regards the climate it appears to agree verry [very?] well with us as we both enjoy the verry [very?] best of health for which we have great reason to be thankfull [thankful?] As I have not been one day sick since I landed in the United States. And hoping these few lines may find you and all my old friends and neighbours in the full enjoyment of the same Blessing. You speak of some [yackes?] that passed since we left Ireland. I therefore wish you to mention some of them in your next letter. This is a day which is kept up in this country which you know as well as I can tell you it being the 4th of July. Please write soon on receipt of this Once more Dear Father Farewell John Neill |
