| Title: | Jonathan W. Smith, Philadelphia, USA to James Smith, Moycraig, Ireland |
|---|---|
| ID | 2520 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Smith, Jonathan W/8 |
| Year | 1847 |
| Sender | Smith, Jonathan W |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | distillery business, tavern keeping |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Philadelphia, Penn., USA |
| Destination | Moycraig, Co. Antrim, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Smith, James and Jane |
| Recipient Gender | male-female |
| Relationship | son-parents |
| Source | D 1828/40: Presented by James Steele, The Whins, Mosside, Ballymoney, Co Antrim |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland |
| Doc. No. | 9504021 |
| Date | 29/04/1847 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 04:04:1995. |
| Word Count | 1166 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | To: James Smith Moycraig County Antrim Ireland Mosside [Moss-side?] Post [Postmarks] 29 MY [MAY?] 1847 LIVERPOOL SHIP 3 MY [MAY?] 1847 C [LONDON?] DERRY MY [MAY?] 31 1847 M BALLYMONEY JU [JUNE?] 3 1847 From: Philadelphia April 29th 1847 Dear Mother and brothers to you I am indebted and not to my father, for anney [any?] letters that I received since I left my native home I have received 3 letters since I last wrote to you, I received yours and Wms [Williams?] on one day and Johns a fiew [few?] days agow [ago?] and I now haisten [hasten?] to answer them all in one, and I am sorrey [sorry?] to say that I cannot comply with your wishes and they are just what I promised in my last letter but you will not think that it is anney [any?] want of respect for you. when I tell you the way in whitch [which?] I am situated, my friends has caused me a great deal of trouble and cost they brought a suit against me for me being in debt situation to attend to the law and this day the Alderman gave Judgement against me for $8 and costs and I appealed to the court of common pleas, I had my lawyers fees to pay together with the Docters [Doctors?] bills for attendance during my sickness, left me with but light funds and the day before I left my situation the [they?] sold out their good will and fixtures of the place, and Jas [James?] Carrick bought it for me but funds being so mutch [much?] exhausted I was not able for to redeem it, but the small capital whitch [which?] I had I was able for to pay the one half of the input and enter into partnership with him he has acted a amost noble friend to me ever since I came to the Country his name is worthey [worthy?] if renown for his house was my home and his money at my command when ever I called upon it when the nearest relation that I had refused to aid me one single cent he was always my friend and I hope the Lord will enable me to prove faithful to him in all my dealings Since I commenced buisness [business?] I have no reason to complean [complain?] as to the fortune I have had but the place being out of repair and the customers falling away by bad management it will take some time before it will be got up again, the money received each day average from 5 to 10 dollars but not being able for to purchase more than $100 dollars worth of liquor at first the money is spent as fast as it comes in however I hope with the Lords blessing to get ahead and you may rest assured that as soon as the Lord will enable I will send you something for to enable you to procure the nessessaries [necessaries?] of life for there is nothing on this earth would give me more joy nor to hear of your welefare [welfare?] it has caused manney [many?] a tear to flow from my eyes since I red [read?] Johns letter for to think on my beloved Mother and helpless sisters and me after all my exertions not able to aid them and all through the rascallity [rascality?] of those who should [have?] been my warmest friends, as for John White the Lord will reward him for the oaths that he swore and the way in whitch [which?] he has tried to cheat me and all belonging to me it is him that I blame for al [all?] that has been done Dear Mother rest content and do not trouble yourself nor be uneasey [uneasy?] for it is the Lords doings and it is easey [easy?] for him to chainge [change?] every thing into prosperity, write to me as son [soon?] as this comes to hand and if I have not sent you something before that time should I sell my part of all and gow [go?] to hard work again I will send you the last cent that I have, I am sorrey [sorry?] to hear brother James metting [meeting?] with so mutch [much?] los [loss?] but I hope it will bee [be?] a warning to him with all so wild as I was I always kept clear of the girls but the Mc Curdays [Mc Curdys?] cracked his neck at first and they will break it out before they part him I do not throw the least insinuation to his wife for I respect her as mutch [much?] as I do my own sister but the rest I will let them gow [go?] for what they will fetch, I will now drop this subject and let you know of something else of rather more importance the trouble and anxiety of mind has drove Mrs Neil into a state of insenity [insanity?] for the 2 Months and it is laid to Jo Wh [John White?] charge for he caused her to take more upon hir [her?] than she was able to get along with and got strangers to gow [go?] their security and I am afraid that they will have to stand for the amount of it spent and then their security will have to answer, I have succeeded in getting the gold watch placed in Alderman Meyerses [Meyer's?] hand to be sent to my brother William it being proved to be the Dying words of both Robert and Rachel whether she will be placed in my hands or not I have not yet assertained [ascertained?], I have not yet received the power of Attorney yet and I sent 2 of them for father to sign, I may now say that I want for nothing to make me happey [happy?] except God's blessing and a good wife I will have the latter as soon as I can find one to suit me but I will not marrey [marry?] for nothing as my brothers has done I am now in as good health as ever I was hoping that you and all the family is enjoying the same blessing my friends as far as I know is all well, A Mc Kay left the Assilum [Asylum?] at the same time that I did and has not got a situation yet he has never received a Answer to anney [any?] of his letters as yet, give my Love in the kindest manner to the Revd R Mc Conaghie [Reverend R MacConaghy?] D S McKay and to D Onail [O'Neil?] I send my love to my father Brothers and sisters and to my little favourite R Smith and mother and tell him I wil [will?] send him the stock the first oppertuniry [opportunity?] no more but that the Lord may bless and prosper you and all the family and lead them in the way to happiness is the fervant [fervent?] prayer of your affectionate son Jonathan W Smith to my beloved Mother & brothers Wm [William?] & John an [and?] sister to all [..... ......?] Direct to the corner of Callowhill and Nixon Sts [Streets?] near Fairmount Philad [Philadelphia?] for me |
