| Title: | Joseph Witherow, Louisiana to Rev John Witherow, Co. Derry. |
|---|---|
| ID | 3389 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Witherow, Joseph/16 |
| Year | 1878 |
| Sender | Witherow, Joseph |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | oversees stores for his boss |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Milliken's Bend, Louisiana, USA |
| Destination | Co. Derry, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Rev John Witherow |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | cousins |
| Source | T 3631/2: Photocopied by Courtesy of Mrs W. Shannon. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9405011 |
| Date | 11/06/1878 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 27:04:1994. |
| Word Count | 1027 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Millikins [Milliken?] Bend, Rev John Witherow June 11, 1878 My Dear Couisin [Cousin?] as I am all alone and has [have?] a little Leisure time and as I am Studding [Studying?] and pondering over the days that are past long ago and thinking on they [the?] days I spent on the Banks and Brays [Braes?] of Galleney [Gallany?] Watter [Water?] and also thinking of my old friends O [Oh?] it makes me feel so sorryfull [sorrowful?] to think of the Days of my youth to think the [they?] are gon [gone?] by and cannot come no more though a greater part of my [youthful?] days I had to work hard particular [particularly?] in Galleney [Gallany?] [Still?] it never hurt much at that time The pleasures and pastimes that I had with my old friends and playmates made it that it did not feel so hard but when I think on old times it makes me feel like it is my Duty to write home this impression of calling Galleny [Gallany?] and Aughlish my Home looks will never leave my mind particular [particularly?] on Satuarday [Saturday?] Evening like this when my Buisness [Business?] is Done [an-?] get to studing [studying?] I allways [always?] call it home But Dear Cousin John as I know you will be anxious to hear of how I am getting along since the war as I know you are [?] [?] that the previous war left me flat without five cents but thank God I am getting along tolerable [tolerably?] well now the [sixty?] [five?] I got into Buisness [Business?] managing for a lady what we call overseeing here in the [first?] of 67 this Lady built me a house and started me in a small buisness [business?] and I mad [made?] a little money and got along so well she then give [gave?] me an Interest in the buisness [business?] we now have two Stores and doing a pretty good buisness [business?] the Stores is nine miles apart and I Stop 3 days in the week at each one our buisness [business?] is pretty much on nine months credit when the [?] is made but we run a great risk if there is a failur [failure?] in the crop we do not do so well but if we make a good crop we make it pay. My Business [Buisness?] is very confining and I am not as stout and as [hardy?] as I was though I cannot say I am in bad health but the Doctor says I stick too close to buisness [business?] and will have to stop it or I will hurt my Constitution but the reason I am sticking so close I am trying to do with as few clerks as possible and to make a little money so [?] as I can live independent I always thought long to see the day I could do so but I think I will soon see the day now Brother James and me sent £31.19S sterling home a few days ago to my Brothers and Sisters at Knockcloaghram [Knockloghrim?] and Ballinderry I am in hope it will Reach them safe I expect it will help them a little as I expect times is Hard their [there?] now and I understand the [they?] are in need of it particular [particularly?] my half Brother & Sister I hop [hope?] the [they?] will have sense enough to put it to a good use times is a heap harder here since the war and money hard to get at but a sober industrous [industrious?] man can always make a living here and not work hard either if he only conducts himself right I expect you will like to hear about couisin [cousin?] Ramsey's Estate It is just like it was when Mr Miller was here I have kept it from been [being?] sold for taxes for the last three years thinking that land would increase in value so as I might get some of my own out of it it would not sell for one fortyeth [fortieth?] part of the claims that is against it now if it was to be sold tomorrow, the [there?] never has been any one [anyone?] living on it since everything has gon [gone?] to [?] [on it?] and it overflowes [overflows?] every year [?] is the [?] it is so valueless the [levees?] has never been [?] up since the war and untill [until?] the [they?] do be put up it will never be worth a cent and God knowes [knows?] when that will be, I have paid out over a thousand Dollars for it since Mr Miller was here and has never received a Dollar out of it yet it the only consolation I have if it ever will be worth any thing [anything?] and me lives to to [sic] see it I will stand a good chance to get [mine?] but I am afraid it will cost more than I ever will gain by it for hate to see it sold and so does Brother James as we both spent many a hard days work on it besides it owes us both about ten thousand Dollars but we would give it all now for twenty five hundred Dollars [besides?] what we spent on it since the war so you may see the prospect we have for our money so I will not say much more about it this time but the next time I write I will give the particulars more fully you will please remember me to all my old friends and relations remember me to Uncle George & aunt Isabell [Isabella?] & family aunt Mary Ann and family Jake Robinson & family Jamey [James?] [?] and family and all my relations that thinks worth there [their?] while to enquire about me when you write let me know all about uncle Joseph & family and all about aunt Fanny's children let me know how couisin [cousin?] Mary Ann Moore & family is in Feeny let me know if you got in good terms yet give me all the news that you think will interest me Please write soon your Couisin [Cousin?] till death Jos [Joseph?] Witherow. |
