| Title: | James Reford, U.S.A. to Miss Frances Reford, Antrim. |
|---|---|
| ID | 2259 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Reford, James A/18 |
| Year | 1866 |
| Sender | Reford, James A. |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | store owner |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Bloomfield, New Jersey, USA |
| Destination | Co. Antrim, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Reford, Frances |
| Recipient Gender | female |
| Relationship | siblings |
| Source | T 3028/B/10: Permisssion to Copy From W. Reford Esq., 81 Islandmagee Rd., Whitehead, Co. Antrim. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, N. Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9802474 |
| Date | 20/05/1866 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 09:02:98. |
| Word Count | 1202 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | From : James A. Reford Bloomfield New Jersey. To : Miss Frances Reford Antrim. Bloomfield New Jersey May 20th 1866 Dear Sister and all I read your letter of May 1st on the 14th inst and was greatly glad to hear from you all, but it was a surprise [---?] to hear of My Sister Fannys death but it is the load that we all must bear Sooner or later and the only thing that we can do is to prepare to meet our Lord, so that we are Separated on earth so that we may meet in Heaven. It also surprised me to hear of you being married you did not tell me when you were Married therefore when you write again let me know all the particulars And state how many children James has And what is the name of his wife and Francis how many children he has and also the name of his wife And Susanna and how many children they have got and all news that pertains to Antrim as Such fortification is a Satisfaction to me And I hope that you are all well and happy I will tell you of the war that we have just passed through it was dreadful that so many brave young men got Slaughtered the North Sent into the field Over 15 hundred Thousand men and the [they?] lost alone over « million of men it was 24 hours by Rail Road from where we lived to the Seat of War, it brought a scourge on our Country which was once so prosperous and happy I saw the President twice after he was assassinated And once before Provision has got to Fabulous prices beef 35c per lb Pork 30c Veal 40c Butter 65c Cheese 24c flour 16 Dollars per barrel Potatoes 2« Dollars per Bushel Hay 1« Dollars per 100 cwt [hundredweight?] the present price is 5 times what they were 10 years ago wages for the labouring men was about 8s [shillings?] British per day And Presently have much to do to live Rent for about 3 single rooms from 48 to 100œ per year And Calico 2 & 6 [two shillings six pence?] per yard Muslin 3s [shillings?] per yr [yard?] Boots œ3.00 per pair Hats œ2.00 Cloth œ2.10 per yard And taxes enormous the tax on one house and 2 Acres of land last year was œ10 British before the war to [it?] was only 5 shillings So much for the works of the Devil, Dear Sister I left of Papa nearly 7 years ago I wrote my Sister Fanny all about the trouble that I had with the Pasture that I had, I have been in New York for the last 4 Years Buying new Shirt cuttings from the Shirt factories at 22 to 30 [cents?] [per?] lb new woolens [woollens?] rags for shoddy 50 to 60 cents per lb I bought lands on commission and some times (sic) on a salary. I also sold papers Some times (sic) attended to the books on the 9th May the company took me into PartnerShip with them it was my birth day (sic) in 2 Respects our [St---?] is No 22 I'm in New York I leave Blomfield [Bloomfield?] every morning by rail road for the city and was back every evening at 5 o'C [o'clock?] I get home at 6 o'c [o'clock?] So I have 34 miles a day of ride for the good of my health, it is very pleasant in good weather I have only about ¬ of a mile to walk Dear Sister I am getting old and my joints are getting stiff but thanks be to the lord he has always given me good health I am not as Smart as I used to be but you could not find one man in a thousand that can go through what I can Joseph has come back from the State of Wisconsin and lives in Bloomfield he is a Book Keeper to the Great American News Company New York we always [go?] to the City together every morning we get there at 8 o'C [o'clock?] we leave home at 7 o'c [o'clock?], Joseph has got three sons James George and Charles they are fine boys. Elizabeths 4 children are all alive Fannys so generous Willie & Joseph Spearman have Married again Fanny is quite a young monster also George and Willie is at School also Josey, My Fanny is there too in the Publick [Public?] School at a Salary of 2œ per Month Anne goes out to The State of Florida on the Gulf of Mexico on next Saturday for teacher for the Freedman's Association for a Salary for [-----?] [----?] we studied [---?] and Lands her Passage paid both Ways and in the [years?] She had 2 Months vacation And for the 3 Girls Annie Fannie & Sarah is [-----?] a Master of the Piano & Mialodin [Melodeon?] Also George can play and Sarah can teach them [-----?] [Social?] Music heretofore Annie had Music Scholars in New York before that she was Governess for Mrs Adairs in the State of Pensylvana [Pennsylvania?] Elizabeths Husband has Married again, Josephs health is not very good he suffers a great deal from the rheumatism And the [----?] positions at the Desk does not agree with him, when you write let me know if Father has met James Mc[-----?] whose Team marched long side of [Nathaniel?] and James of Irishtown above Birchill and also let me know what Lewis and Francis are working at I do not know what more to say but give my love to Mary Ann Sarah Lewis From us Susanna And Matilda yourself Lewis & Francis does not care for me or she would have wrote to me in 34 years Mother is well considering her age And one thing we thank God for we live happy and contented together although we have come through Many sore trials As we have only 5 Children left out of 12 Yet I thank God for that that (sic) they have got out of a troublesome world And has gave so much of their friends who has gave before for I know we shall know each other their [there?] in the Land of life and Glory often I think of the days of my childhood And is almost tempted to say bright days of my youth come again come again, When you write Direct your letter To James A. Reford Bloomfield New Jersey Also let me know all about the old people of Antrim who were young when I was in the days of my boy hood let know I am old And Grey Headed And they must be also I can not think of Any more to write you As I do not know what to say to you now that would interest you New York is a lage [large?] place you have no conception of the business that is done here the company that has taken me into Partnership is C Mc [M-------?] has [-----?] [--?] for the month of April was One Hundred and three Thousand dollars for the month I done all the banking business for the last 12 months. [Your?] affectionate Brother James A. Reford. |
