| Title: | John Taylor, Pennsylvania to Robert Taylor, Shanrod |
|---|---|
| ID | 3099 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Taylor, John/79 |
| Year | 1827 |
| Sender | Taylor, John |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | school teacher |
| Sender Religion | Presbyterian |
| Origin | Carlisle, Penn., USA |
| Destination | Shanrod, Co. Down, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Taylor, Robert |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | brothers |
| Source | The Taylors of Shanrod Co Down, Letters from America. Copyright retained by Heather Taylor, 46, Coolshinney Rd., Magherafelt, BT45 5JF, rookvale@hotmail.co.uk |
| Archive | The Centre For Migration Studies |
| Doc. No. | 0701089 |
| Date | 18/02/1827 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by JM, 29/01/2007 |
| Word Count | 847 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | [John, Roberts older brother, writes the next two letters from Carlisle PA which is about 30 miles north of Gettysburg, a little farther from Harrisburg, and about 100 miles from Philadelphia. In 1827 Abraham Lincoln is 18 years old, and Gettysburg will not become famous until 36 years have passed.] Robert Taylor Shanrod Near Dromore County Down Ireland [Page 1] Carlisle Penna [Pennsylvania?] February 18th 1827 Dear Brother, With pleasure I avail myself of the opportunity of of [sic] writing you by a Mr William Moore whom I accidently [accidentally?] met with yesterday in this place on his way home to Ireland he is going within 6 miles of Nutnalumnavaddy [the old name for Limavady] [Newtownlimavady?] in the Parish of Ballykelly County Derry. You will not have an opportunity of seeing him, but what induces me to write is that it will save some postage to you. I have nothing of any importance to communicate you, having exhausted every subject in my letters by Mr Stuart [Stewart?] and of course drew a considerable tax on your patience. The articles I sent by Mr Stuart [Stewart?] I hope you recd [received?] safe, at least I am anxious to hear of them. I perceived by the Philadelphia papers of December that the ship in which he went arrived safely at Liverpool in about 25 days. I am well at present and have been in good health since I wrote you. I am still pursuing my old occupation and will for another year, having entered into a new contract with the Commissioners of the County a few days ago. The men appointed to visit my school reported in the most favourable terms of it and that in their opinion my salary was too little. I have got it raised for the ensuing year to seven hundred dollars, I am however to teach all the children of the borough that are entitled to a gratuitous education which will amount to upwards of one hundred scholars, or about twenty more than I had, to these I can attend myself with the aid of one assistant. [Page 2] My situation and salary may appear very encouraging to those who are disposed to come to this country, but let them not come with the vain hope of grasping at another such an one [sic] immediately, a situation of this kind is deemed even here an enviable one, and is only to be attained by a well established character, long acquaintance, strict attention to business, integrity and having been strictly scrutinised by the ordeal of public opinion and found not wanting. I assure you where a situation of this kind presents itself here, there are an [sic] hundred applicants for it, and men too who have been raised in the country would be glad to get it. The first winter I was in this country I was obliged to teach a school for six dollars per month, six years have now elapsed and I have increased it in a ratio nearly ten times as much, this I have accomplished by perseverance, by always secretly fixing my attention on something higher, and inspiring with an honest ambition until I obtained it, by being faithful to my friends and exercising forbearance towards my enemies. The news from Ireland is of a rather distressing cast, I hope exaggerated. The papers say famine and disease prevail in the west and that in some districts the people are in a state of rebellion, the latter is heartily prayed for by every republican, by every American, that the people of Ireland would rise in the power of their might and with one blow knock off the shackles of foreign oppression, thus they would have a name and rank among the nations of the earth, then would their native Geniusis [geniuses?] under the auspices of Liberty find at home sufficient room and scope for their expansion. Where Liberty dwells there is my country. [Page 3] When the news of war and the embarkation of British Troops to Portugal reached this country, it ruined business for some time, but we find it is all over. I heard from Nathaniel [his brother] and James Brown [second cousin] about a month ago they are all well. Peter and John McCavit are well, as is Robert McGowan and family and Hugh McGowan, Robert McIllwrath was with Hugh a few weeks ago but I did not see them. I can give Mr Samuel Brown no further account of his Thomas [sic] affairs than I did before more than that I got all the money that was owing him in this country and forward it to Baltimore to the Administrator, he has not got the other money collected yet and is doubtful if he ever will. If Mr Stuart [Stewart?] has not left Ireland when this arrives give my respects to him and tell him I am thinking the time very long until I see him in Carlisle again. Time will not permit me to add anything further at present. Give my respects to my Dear Mother, Sister, Sister in Law, my Aunt, and to all my friends and acquaintances. I intimated in my letter to you that I would probably write my old playmate Joseph Pattison a letter this winter, I was kept so busy that I could not find leisure to redeem my pledge if he does not come this spring or summer I will assuredly write him. I am Dear Brother Yours affectionately John Taylor |
