| Title: | N. Shanks, Illinois, U.S.A., to James Shanks, Co. Down. |
|---|---|
| ID | 2428 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Shanks, Nicholas/5 |
| Year | 1890 |
| Sender | Shanks, Nicholas |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | sailor |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Chicago, Illinois, USA |
| Destination | Co. Down, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Shanks, James |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | brothers |
| Source | D 2709/1/57: Presented by Miss Shanks, Ballyfounder, Portaferry, Co.Down. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, N.Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9601199 |
| Date | 09/02/1890 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 18:01:96. |
| Word Count | 936 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | 3028 Main St, Chicago, Feb 8, 1890. Dear James, I have received your long looked for letter and am glad to learn that you are all in good health. I had given up hope of hearing from you and had wondered what had befallen you. Mother was also thinking about you and thought you had sickness in the Family. We are all in good health. This has been a very mild winter, almost no snow, and resembles your Irish winter."La Grippe" was very common here. They are rebuilding the Ada Medora this winter Uncle Wm [William?] is quite well and so is Uncle Sam. Aunt and family are in good health. Wm [William?] and Mrs Shanks & family are also well. Yankee John is out seeing his Uncles & is having a good time so you can tell his father that he is doing well & saving money when he left here he made his will leaving all to our Wm [William?] in case an accident should happen to him on the way. I am doing nothing but having a good time, I work only 7 months in the year & live for the rest of the year on my money. I am not saving much money but then I have no one to keep but myself. Mother was over here and asked me to write to you, she would like to know how you are progressing now that you have full scope and she no longer keeps you back. She was much surprised to hear that the barn was not roofed, she says she will give you one more chance if you get the barn roofed and can show that you really have made up your mind to get along in a proper business - like manner she will forego whatever money has become due to her by you for the past two years and will send you a receipt. She desires also that Robert Shanks be at the work to superintend if it can be of any service to you. You are talking about getting a loan. I am not in favour of loans but if you are certain that such a loan will enable you to succeed in future, then I say get it by all means but if you cannot live on your farm after you have obtained the loan then you have made a mistake and the value of the farm will be depreciated and your family left in a ruinous condition. I would not advise you to sell out and come to America to farm, farmers here are no better off than in Ireland, if you should come here you would have to begin the world anew at some other occupation. You know McGifford who sold his farm in Lecale, he is out here in Chicago and has held good positions if he were steady enough to keep them. I have no doubt at all that if you became a master mason and came out here you would most assuredly obtain permanent employment and your family would be better off. Schooling is free and boys have numerous chances here which are never within their reach in Ireland. But if you cannot live in Ballyfounder you can live nowhere in America by farming. There are no fortunes here for the mere finding no more than in any other country but a man who does honest work can obtain an honest livelihood. You should consider now before you bind yourself by this contract. You need not expect prices to rise so long as this country is at your very doors so if you have taken any account of your business in the past year or so, you ought to know if you can afford to pay rent taxes, expenses and interest, etc. and live upon your farm. If you can do all this go ahead and get the loan, if you can't do all this you have no business to try it, you are not bound to try it. Don't assume that times will change for the better, the times may change but we can change the circumstances. You are working for yourself to the best end & I would be sorry to make you lay aside your plans for your own welfare. You have served Mick Magee with a notice to quit and put up a notice that the house is to rent. You will do all to the best of your ability. I have no idea as yet, where I shall settle down, but I guess if I ever go home it will be to sell out and clear off. I do not know how property rates but I suppose it is not high but that can not be helped. Money is valuable here 6% is the legal rate of interest & 8% may be obtained at the maximum. So a few thousand dollars here would help a fellow along. Your statement is correct and Will & I shall send you receipts in next letter. How is Hugh McKibben & Mrs McKibben & the Lennons. I have lost Wms [William's?] address & you might send it me. I would like to hear about all the folks. I saw James McGifford last winter & I must go out to see him he is doing well & much the same as ever. Pat McKee works in the Rolling Mills at very good wages he lives on Parnell Ave. and has two children. Yankee John will be home I guess & mother will go also. I am going to look out for a Yankee blade but I hate Home Rule & the women here are all Home Rulers. Hoping to hear from you I shall leave off, with kind love to all friends and neighbours. N. Shanks. |
