| Title: | N. [Nicholas?] Shanks, Chicago, To Dear Mother, Portaferry Co. Down |
|---|---|
| ID | 2429 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Shanks, Nicholas/13 |
| Year | 1899 |
| Sender | Shanks, Nicholas |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | unknown |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Chicago, Illinois, USA |
| Destination | Portaferry, Co. Down, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Mrs Shaw |
| Recipient Gender | female |
| Relationship | son-mother |
| Source | D2709/1/64: Presented by Miss Shanks, Ballyfounder, Portaferry |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland |
| Doc. No. | 9501328 |
| Date | 01/02/1899 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 26:01:1995. |
| Word Count | 412 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Chicago, Feb [February?] 1, 1899 Dear Mother, Your letter came here only yesterday and I was very glad to hear from you. I am well pleased to hear that times are not so bad as formerly and that a better condition of affairs exists. We are all first rate, Mrs Bailie has passed off, and Henry now lives next door to William. Grandma Brew is still able to go about, she often asks about you. There has been a great deal of sickness and very many deaths, mostly due to La Grippe & pneumonia. The weather of late has been severely cold, away down below zero, but it already begun to change and become somewhat warmer. I am glad to hear that Yankee John is doing well it seems to me he has as they say "a good enough America at home," because of late, times out here are very bad and not much prospect of permanent improvement is in sight. We wonder why John does not write much, but I guess he is busy nursing and attending babies and doing household duties. I suppose Hugh McKibben will retire. You did not speak of Miss McAlea, but of course you can hardly tell us about everybody. David Caughey is well and manages to get about fairly well, and James Cavan keeps right hard at work and will make money if anyone ever did. James is a good young man and deserves to get along well. Uncle Sam is well and aunt Sara is greatly troubled with rheumatism. Uncle William is first rate and was eager to hear the news, he was asking about John Smith & Yankee John. The Martins are first rate, Alice is strong and well and desires to go back to teach. I am sure many of the old people have passed away since I was there and new faces have risen up in a short space of time, I cannot say if ever it may be my good fortune to return but you may have visitors from Chicago next year, because a great many are going to Paris for the Exposition. I wrote a letter to Eliza and so I hope to hear soon about the folks over there. I am very glad to know you are in good health and that James & Mrs & family are, and as I have but little news to send I shall conclude with love & best regards to you and all. Yours affectionately, N. Shanks. |
