| Title: | James Williamson, California, to John Williamson, England |
|---|---|
| ID | 3353 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Williamson, James/24 |
| Year | 1858 |
| Sender | Williamson, James |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | shop assistant |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | California, USA |
| Destination | England |
| Recipient | Williamson, John |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | brothers |
| Source | T 2680/2/12: Copied by Permission of W. P. Williamson , Esq., Ahorey House, Richhill, County Armagh. #TYPE EMG James Williamson, San Jose, California, U.S.A., to John Williamson, Manchester, England, 3 October 1858. |
| Archive | Public Record Office, Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9007152 |
| Date | 03/10/1858 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | 31:07:1990 S.C. #CREATE created 31:10:1990 GC inpu |
| Word Count | 1105 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Ian Ford October 3rd 1858 Dear John According to promise I now will try to give a few items that I have picked up since I last wrote to you I went down to San Francisco to the Mechanics Fair Last month I was well pleased with what I saw there, a great deal of the articles on exhibition were imported still there was a good sprinkling of Col Manufacture of which agricultural implements formed the greater past A Machine for reaping & threshing at the same time which I think but susceptible of great improvement. Another for sowing & harrowing which is a new invention but required a great deal of power to work it. A patient gang plow cutting 3 furrows worked by 4 horses and does ground work I cannot go into detail in describing all the various implements from a churn to a steam engine there was machines for almost anytime of work that you could think of another part of the exhibition was fruit flowers GC carriages buggies & harness of all kinds model ships pianos guns potato fiddles steam wagons & lots of other things We had a great celebration in San Francisco last Monday in honor of the Atlantic Telegraph Every body appears well pleased that such a neat work has been completed both here & in the Atlantic States I went down with the few companys of Ian Ford & joined in the torch light procession in the evening. I send you a paper printed in the procession during the day which contains a programme of the provision. I stood over an hour 8 1/2 while it was passing so you may guess how long it was Every branch of Industry was represented Telegraph lines from one carriage to another in working order Blacksmith shops Steam Engines working, Carpenter shops, Wagon shops, Water casts, the first cast carried the flag of the niagara the last that of the Agamemmion [Agamemnon?] and all connected by a line. A team of 5 yoke of men with covered wagon on one side of the wagon was printed on the cover 120 days from it had on the other side Give us a pacific railroad Dont wait for the wagon, at the back one was an old camp Rattle & a half starved cow tied by the neck and it looked droll enough Adams of the Pacific Museum had two small Grissliers [Grizzlies?] in the wagon & one big fellow was was behind but the prettiest sight of all was a big wagons and an Omniber [Omnibus?] filled, little goats each one bearing a little white flag with the name of some country state on territory printed on it they were all about one size dressed in white with a wreath of flowers on their head the ceremonies of the day was opened by 3000 children singing a song which I enclose for your perusal now I might fill several pages on the same subject but I hardly think it would pay so Ill [I'll?] try something else When I last wrote to you I stated that Bill was about moving to the Pajard rally & last night I got a letter from him for the first time since he went there Arty has been sick but was recovering rapidly Bill has been busy thrashing moving his house & building a corall [corral?] for his cattle busy busy at something all the time I expect he will do well there and if he has good luck I shall have no doubt but what he will When I saw him last he had 17 or 18 head of cattle besides a span of mules wagon & so he has got a fair start in the farming line. I am going to have a clipper built for cutting grain Ive calculated to run a next season. Together if succesful I shall quit the shop entirely turn my attention to something more profitable I begin to think that it is no use for me to work for others all my life and have nothing or die is my motto & you use [used?] to say a gold chain or a wooden leg I'm after the chain I may possibly get the leg. Tell Robert that I sent by last mail 5th Sept [September?] for to have a copy of the Scientific American forwarded from New York to him which will continue for a year. I have taken it for a year past & I know it will suit him How is mother & all the folks in old Ireland I hope she continues in good health & spirits. Have you ever heard anything of Bill Birch. How does Ben get along with his trap manufactory. How is Mrs Con is she perfectly recovered from the effects of that accident I expect Hugh & Sally are still on the Rock enjoying themselves Long may they live Give my best respects to Sarah Joe Lammy & I dont know how many more & Ill remain your affectionate Bill Williamson Brother Jim Williamson Watsonlee Yah, hooh Santa Cruz Your last reached me in 41 days Cal. O, Columbia, the gem of the Ocean, The home of the brave and the free! The shrine of each patriot's devotion, A world offers homage to thee: Thy mandates make heroes assemble, When Liberty's form stands in view, Thy banners make tyranny tremble, When borne by the red, white and blue, When borne by the red, white and blue, When borne by the red, white and blue, Thy banners make tyranny tremble, When borne by the red, white and blue. II When war winged its wide desolation, And threatened the land to deform, The ark then of Freedom's salvation, Columbia, rode safe through the storm. Weave bright garlands of vict'ry for her, Since so proudly she bore her brave crew; With her flag proudly floating before her, Hurrah for the red, white and blue. Hurrah for the red, white and blue, Hurrah for the red, white and blue, With her flag proudly floating before her, Hurrah for the red, white and blue. And the cable, the cable bring hither, And bind you it firm to our soil: May the wreaths they have won never wither, Who have laid it thro' tempest and toil; May the countries united ne'er sever, But both to their union prove true. The Telegraph Cable forever! Three cheers for the red, white and blue! Three cheers for the red, white and blue! Three cheers for the red, white and blue! The Telegraph Cable forever! Three cheers for the red, white and blue! |
