| Title: | John Taylor, Pennsylvania to Robert Taylor, Co Down. |
|---|---|
| ID | 3098 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Taylor, John/48 |
| Year | 1823 |
| Sender | Taylor, John |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | school teacher |
| Sender Religion | Presbyterian |
| Origin | Cumberland, Penn., USA |
| Destination | Shanrod, Co. Down, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | |
| Recipient Gender | male-female |
| Relationship | writes to his family |
| Source | Copyright retained by Heather Taylor, 46, Coolshinney Rd., Magherafelt, BT45 5JF, rookvale@hotmail.co.uk |
| Archive | The Centre For Migration Studies |
| Doc. No. | 0702005 |
| Date | 02/06/1823 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document Added by JM, 07/02/2007 |
| Word Count | 1059 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Mr Robt [Robert?] [Taylor?] [Near Dromore?] County Down Ireland [Written above address] Paid [?] [Written on left of address] 2/5 [Stamped] [----SLE?] [June 6 --?] [Written in bottom left corner] [Care of?] [Mr T W Battersby?] [-unke-er?] [Dromore?] [Stamped upside down on top left] LIVERPOOL SHIP LETTER [Written upside down on top right] James Brown [met?] Sarah Mc Mahon in Baltimore who informed him of the [particulars?] of Margarets wedding [Page 1] Cumberland County Pennsylvania June 2nd 1823 Dear Mother Brother and Sister I take up my pen to inform you that I am still in the land of the living and enjoying a very good state of health at present thanks be to him who is the giver of all good for his mercies, anticipating that these few lines may find you in the same condition your kind letter of March 9th I recd [received?] June 7th 1821 likewise yours of April 27th 1822 an [and?] July 7th which afforded me great consolation to hear you all being well. But very sorry to hear of the death of cousin Hugh And aunts troubles, but a persons life never pass long in a uniform train they have always disappointments and difficulties to annoy or trouble them. Oh pardon my ingratitude for not writing before this time I must confess I have been an undutiful son and an ungrateful Brother for neglecting to discharge that duty which is incumbent on me but for the future I shall be mindful of it. The reason why I neglected it was I expected there would [sic] some changes take place among us which prevented me and accordingly there has we are scattered now like a flock of sheep having no Sheherd and never expect all to meet again. Last July I went to Baltimore to see my old friend James Brown and staid [stayed?] a week with him he was working in quarry nigh [near?] the city and making money fast I seen [sic] all my old neighbers [neighbours?] and James Doyles daughter that had just arrived she could give me very little information about you I staid [stayed?] at Hugh Moneys [Mooneys?] who treated me with the greatest respect and kindness; James Brown came up in January and staid [stayed?] here untill March he was well and returned to Baltimore again Betsy [Megaverin?] left this in February for New York and I have not heard of her since, she expected to get higher wages there I expect a letter from her every day. [Page 2] Nathaniel and family left this April to go to Philadelphia they arrived safe and well there, but had commenced no buisiness [business?] the last account; they were all well when I parted with them Thos [Thomas?] Brown is living with W Woods again about seven miles from here he has ninety dollars for the year and found, he is well and I see him every week Peter McCavit is living with a farmer about twenty miles from here and is well and I myself expected to have removed from here but they would not let me; the owner of these Iron Works promised me a good situation in a short time if I would stay I removed here in December 1821 and has continued since I have now the largest school in the country. I have been the starter of a sunday school society at this place at which we have one hundred and ten scholars they are plenty in [Towns?] but this is the first in the country, and I have received the thanks of the neighbourhood for commencing it; it is gratis we have public worship performed twice a day [at it.?]. These were the changes that I knew would take place and which prevented me from writing until I could send you some [word?] about them we spent a part of last winter very [pleasant?] with James knowing it would be the last we would all meet together but now I am bereft of all my friends only Thos [Thomas?] although I have acquaintances plenty of the best sort for since I came here I have never associated with any other [as?] they seem to [acr---?] my friendship and invite me to all their parties and I must say I spend the time very agreeable [sic] considering [sic] a [strange?] country, but the thoughts of home rush in my mind and I long to see the country that gave me birth, and I hope I shall before long. I intend going from here to Edinburgh to graduate in the [university?] a few years if I am spared I can one half cheaper there than here. [Page 3] In my last I mentioned that my health was much impaired last spring I was reduced to a mere skeleton with the same complaint, and the only remedy I found was [Tar?] water of wich [which?] I drank for several months with good effects this spring I have only felt very slight symptoms of it. I shall give you a brief account of the climate last summer we experienced an unusual [unusual?] drouth [drought?] [---?] [---ssed?] heat for ten weeks we had [no?] rain I knew people to have their water five miles all vegetable substances were dried up a great many of the trees withered away I could not describe the sufferings of some people and the [clergymen?] set a day apart each week for fasting and prayer the winter was long and very cold but little [survived?]. The times in this country are very little better but we expect a change shortly: by the last news from Europe we heard of the Declaration of [war?] between France and Spain and if it is [protracted?] we expect better markets for flower [flour?] and it is [b---?] flower [flour?] all other markets are regulated I cannot give you any account of the country in this but in my next I shall give you a full account of manners, customs &c which will be in three months I hope you will write as soon as you receive this for I am very [uneasy/] to hear from you and of the changes in the country - since I began to write this I saw a man that seen Nathaniel in Philadelphia he had got a [horse?] [and?] cart and was earning [two?] [dollars?] per day so I think he [made?] agood [a good?] change I intend writing him tomorrow. I send my kind love to all my old acquaintances and neighbours I am with the greatest respect your affectionate son and brother N. B. John Taylor please write as soon as you receive this and oblige me JT. [John Taylor?] |
