| Title: | Nancy & Samuel Laird, Philadelphia, to Mother and Family. |
|---|---|
| ID | 3548 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | laird, samuel/15 |
| Year | 1851 |
| Sender | Laird, Samuel |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | service |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Philadelphia, Penn., USA |
| Destination | Ireland |
| Recipient | unknown |
| Recipient Gender | male-female |
| Relationship | writes to his family |
| Source | T 3683: Deposited by Rev. and Mrs. M. Crooks. #TYPE EMG Nancy and Samuel Laird, Philadelphia, 3 July, 1851, to Their Mother, Sister and Brothers. |
| Archive | Public Record Office Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9002008 |
| Date | 03/07/1851 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | 14:02:1990 JM created 31:05:1991 OT input 05:06:19 |
| Word Count | 1222 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Philadelphia 3 July 1851 Dear Mother Sister & Brothers I received your kind letter of date 1st June in which I was glad to find that you were all well I also received [?] and would have wrote him some time ago [only?] expecting [this?] one from you you say that sarah has a mind to come out again August but I agre [agree?] with you on her not coming to the spring and it is likely that James might be able to come along for it is far on in the season when the [they?] get out here and places are more dificult [difficult?] to get also a girl coming alone and no friend with her and gets sick the [?] very awkard [awkward?] there and beside this I expect to have a house to myself before that time that she could stop at for the [they?] dont give much for nothing here with respect to it agreeing with her health that I cannot say but this I can say that I see no want of it here [more?] than Derry in comparison to the size of it, the old saying so far as I can see is treu [true?] it is good country for females We are all on in the same place Nancy and Eliza has one and a half a week with a Dr [Doctor?] [Kitchen?] Nancy is sewing and Eliza is cook Martha Barnett is in the same house My Masters name is R.D. Wood they are gone to the country about 30 miles out and I have went along with them for about 2 months I have 14 Dollars per month for thes [these?] next two and perhaps longer there is no doubt but this is a fine country as far as I have seen of it the soil is fertile only it is very hot and will be for about 2 months any man coming in her [here?] that is a single man or woman when the [they?] got a place can do well the [they?] mostly all have some trouble before the [they?] get themselves rightly fixed and of course a man with a small helpless family is worse it would take him to have some capital a [or?] else a good friend with some money here before him it is a fine country for getting [your?] diet in you cow [?] flesh 3 times [a?] day if you like but what use is it you cannot eat it it is so hot the thermomoter [thermometer?] at the present is about 98 in the shade the [they?] dont think much of the hot here the [they?] dont like the rain we have not much here but when it does rain it is very heavy for a short while and then over this is a beautifull [beautiful?] city it is nicely laid out the streets runs straight boths ways and quite level there is not the smallest hill in it and generally good buildings there is scarcely a night but we have a fire of house burning and more so on saturday and sunday night but we are all well supplied with fire engines and men to work them and costs the state nothing [they do?] it at their own free good will. When you write again you can let me know how my Mother gets along and how her health is for I am anxious to know how she is getting on as I know she will not be so content as she was in a house of her own but let her content herself for although her distant I do not forget her nor does not intend you also can let me know how sister Rebecca is and how she gets along and if she is able to square the yards always yet I am glad to hear that Johnny and Eliza is stopping on and that Mary has got a place to [too?] I hope that the [they?] will have some wit and stop in their place and be attentive to their duty. Please Rebecca let me know how the old heiffer [heifer?] is getting on I was very sory [sorry?] to hear of sister Mary being [ill?] in the [fever?] but it is all right when she is getting better which I was satisfied to hear and I Hope that John and the children is all right and will be so I cannot say much to Jane's [man?] as I sent a piece in Racheal Horner all I can say is what I did say that is stop where you are and save all you can and try and come out here next spring for I think you would do well here any smart active fellow that takes care of himself can do well here and as I have said before that it would be much better that Sarah would wait to the spring and try and come both together, you will also let me know how sister Mary of the hill is getting on with her small family as I know it cannot be to [too?] well these times but she must do as well as she can for some time untill [until?] some of the young ones be able to go to service and as soon as they are able send them out they will always be a help Nancy and Eliza and I James is sending our best respects to My Mother in the kindest manner and sister Rebecca and hopes that the [they?] will live happy together and also to all our brothers and sisters. Give our best respects to Uncle and Aunt Horner and family and that their daughters are both well and in the same place also to John Burnside and family Wilm [William?] [Muring?] and family aunt Rachael also and also My Uncle Wilm [William?] and family also Uncle Burnside and his sons Walter and Wilm [William?] and family's [families?] and all my old neighbours and aquaintenaces [acquaintances?] [?] [?] [?] [?] I left. You will please give my best respects in the kindest manner to Mr W. D. Porter also to Mrs J. Porter and let me know how his health is in particular also to Mrs Thompson and Miss Mary and also miss Isabella and also to Mrs Baldrick and family and that I was sorry to hear of Mr Baldrick's death and may the Lord prosper them all which will be the earnest prayer M.D.L. you can let Uncle Patterson know that his son Wilm [Willism?] is no more he was driving a cart and was at they warf for a load of stones and in lifting one of them he lost his balance and the stone carried him into the water and was drowned he was only 8 minutes under the water he was taken to his brothers John's and waked one night and and was buried the next day accompanied by a great number of his old country folks. Give my best respects to John Wilson and John Laird and I hope the [they?] will excuse me for not mentioning them the last time the markets are much the same here as at home any thing that I have forgot write in the next or anything you want to know yours till death Nancy & Saml [Samuel?] Laird |
