| Title: | R.W. Smith, Philadelpia, to James Smith, Moycraig, Co. Antrim |
|---|---|
| ID | 2543 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Smith, Robert W/145 |
| Year | 1840 |
| Sender | Smith, Robert W |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | unknown |
| Sender Religion | Presbyterian Check Jonathan And Jon. W, Robert And Robert W Presbyterian |
| Origin | Philadelphia, Penn., USA |
| Destination | Moycraig, Co. Antrim, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Smith, James Sr |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | son-father |
| Source | D1828/18: Presented by James Steele, The Whins, Mosside, Ballymoney. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland |
| Doc. No. | 9504032 |
| Date | 02/06/1840 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 04:04:1995. |
| Word Count | 1248 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | To: Mr. James Smith Moycraig County of Antrim parish of Billy in Care of the Mosside Postmaster County of Antrim parish of Ballymoney Derryceighen [Derrykeighan?] Ireland From: Philada [Philadelphia?] June 2nd 1840 Dear Parent I am in receipt of your letter of the first of April 1840 which was handed to me on the 29th May by the bearer Joseph Chestnut which found me in good health thanks be to god and these few lines leaves me in the same hoping that the [they?] may find you enjoying the same blessing which is one of the greatest blessings that you could enjoy I have little to mention to you in this letter as it is but a short time since I wrote to you with my friend James Scott of Carncullough I expect you to have received it before this time together with his own company if you get him in a fresh gale all sails set with a good helmsman you may get as much news from him as you may desire respecting my welfare but he knows something of my mind that I do not want him to make known to any althoug [although?] you may title him the American agent the same almost as the man that brought the news of the Queen Victorias principal minister offering a new treaty with Governer forsith [Forsythe?] touching the boundry [boundary?] question the british Government has to pull in their hornes [horns?] at this time I deputised James Scott to act as my minister until my return to Europe although I do not wish him to make eny [any?] treaties with eny [any?] person without my Signature it may be of some servace [service?] to you or your friends to know that the European Vessals [Vessels?] arriving at the different ports in this Country this season is in a dredful [dreadful?] condition with sickness it may satisfy those that has friends on board to mention some of these vessals [vessels?] names there is too that came into our Channel with the small pocks [smallpox?] board one is the [------------?] from Liverpool and another [Onknowatome?] from Derry the [they?] lay for a long time at the lazarette the following vessals [vessels?] at Gross Isle below Quebec at last account with sickness on board barque Independance [Independence?] from Liverpool 270 passengers 11 deaths and 18 sick of the smal pox [smallpox?]; barque Helen from Belfast, 161 passengers 3 deaths and 10 Sick of the smal pox [smallpox?]; barque Nelson Villag [Village?] from Belfast 280 passengers 16 Deaths and 30 Sick of the smal pox [smallpox?] Barque Champlain from Youaghal [Youghal?] 120 passengers 6 deaths and 8 in hospital of typhis [typhus?] fever I would not have mentioned eny [any?] thing of this but to satisfy those that might have friends on board of them there is dealy [daily?] ariving [arriving?] a great meny [many?] of my countrymen into this country and on account of the hard times the general Cry is by those that is favourable to old country men God help them what is going to become of them the natural borns that abhor the name of Irish change the tune to dam [damn?] them if it was not for them our country would not be in so alarming a situation these words I have heared them express and at the same time [-----?] a Irish potato to the back of ther [their?] neck times her [here?] is very dul [dull?] on account of the preasure [pressure?] of the money market although there is the appearance of a bountiful Crop all over the land and as fine growing moist weather as ever I experienced although it is now getting very warm I am glad to hear that my Brother has taken my advice and stayed at home this season and I am also well satisfied to hear such a good word of my Brother James & John learning to bee [be?] smart I dont mean where the [they?] [-----?] is off account I have by the last live stock from that place You wish me to mention the time when I will return home I intend if the Lord spares me or as the fellow said if no on see [unseen?] thing happens you may when you are drinking each others health on Mosside May fair Eavening [evening?] 1841 expect me to be sailing out of the sandy banks of the river Deleware [Delaware?] which I long to view on my return home if eny [any?] of my brothers gets Merired [Married?] it will terminate my abode in this Country I hope you will be so kind as to let Samuel McElhose & Thomas McFadden know that I had a letter from Messers McElhose McFadden & Co. [Company?] on the 20th of May last giving me general satisfaction to hear that the [they?] were well since my last correspodance with them by letter as I always keep it up I answered their letter immediately for I am not both bad and lazy at writing it would be to hard to be both although [-----?] I must admit the [they?] rote [wrote?] to me to hear from their parents and from all about that neighbourhood as the [they?] had no account from home for 12 Months onely [only?] what I furnished them with the [they?] wanted my advice and oppinion [opinion?] that if the [they?] could not make a living in Philada [Philadelphia?] I gave them a history of the hole [whole?] and have it as my oppinion [opinion?] that if they could not make a living in Philada [Philadelphia?] the could not do it in the United States of America I would not be surprised if some of this [torn] when I am not with my Dray I would see them coming in rear of a smoaking [smoking?] horse along the Columbia Railroad the [they?] are working on a Cannall [canal?] in in Picua [Piqua?] County Ohio it is worck [work?] for corks own dear town I think they will take my advice and leave it their address is to Either of them in Care of Mr. Randalls Duffin in Picua [Piqua?] Post office Mamia [Miami?] County Ohio I expected it to bee [be?] before long Wm [William?] Smith Distiller N East [Northeast?] Corner of 12th and Lombard Street Philada [Philadelphia?] Joseph Crawford gave me a letter for James Burnside I forwarded to him immediately about 20 miles in the Country Joseph Crawford is well Joseph Chestnut and Wife is well John White and Widow Neills Fameley [family?] is all well and all his family I see him every day he drives Cart I expect the few words that was underlined in the commencement of your letter was the workmanship of the person that they named the latter page of your letter was the same handwriting I was very sorry to hear of the death of my accqiaintans [acquaintance?] John McConoughty although it was what I expected for I got no answer to the letter that I sent him Thos. [Thomas?] Linsey is well the McKinneys is well all the people that is in this City or County & John to have a good horse well trained under the Saddle at my arrival of the [they?] should make any hard struggles in getting him I will pay them well for him Give my love to Wm. [William?] Campbell and to all that Enquire after me or my few lines of scrall [scrawl?] I must conclude with hoping to see you all once more in happiness I remain your affectionate and faithful Son with Respect R W Smith |
