| Title: | John Lindsay, U. S. A. to William McCullough, Co. Londonderry. |
|---|---|
| ID | 3586 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | lindsay, john p/31 |
| Year | 1848 |
| Sender | Lindsay, John P. |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | supervisor at railway company |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Port Clinton, Penn., USA |
| Destination | Co. Derry, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | McCullough, William |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | prob. brothers-in-law |
| Source | D/3305/2/6: Deposited by Dr. K. A. Miller. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9805359 |
| Date | 24/10/1848 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 14:05:98. |
| Word Count | 1480 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Hamburg Berks [Berkshire ?] Co. Oct 24th 1848 Mr William McCullough Dear Sir I have many times proposed writing to you, but Matilda being generally anxious to writ, [write ?] I gave place, particularly as her opportunitys of replying to letters recieved are rather rare, the letters we receive, at least from Ireland, are as angels visits are said to be, few and far between and as Matildas letters generally contained anything of interest that one had to communicate. I usually found myself more or less at a loss for a subject on which to write, however I have at last ventured to address you lest you should think that I had forsworn writing, and although my letter may be altogether void of interest, I trust that it will be none the less acceptable on that account. Matilda had a letter from Jane a few days ago, from which we were glad to hear that you were all in good health. she speaks of the potatoe crop as promising very badly, but from accounts red [received ?] by the last steamer I see that the blight has not been so general as was at first supposed. I hope that your crop has not suffered so much as you anticipated. The potatoe crop in this country has also suffered severly from a similar cause, but not being very largely cultivated, its failure does not affect the community to such an extent as it does at home where the potatoe is in a great measure the sole food of the major portion of the population, we have many speculations here as to the cause of the blight, and numerous modes have been proposed for its prevention, but I have heard of none proving successful, I have no doubt however but that an efficient remedy will yet be discovered. We have many good farmers in this country but generally speaking they are very far inferior to our Irish farmers, I have often thought that if the land in this country was cultivated as it must necessarily be cultivated at home in order to produce a crop, the farmers would realize twice as much from the same number of acres as they do by the system in general use. I of course do not understand farming to any great extent, never having made it my study but I certainly think the American system of farming very imperfect I sometimes feel sorry that I do not know more about it, as there is no man can be more independant and comfortable , if he wishes to be so, than an America farmer, he has everything within himself except trifling luxuries which could easily be dispensed with, and the thing that troubles men most and which they struggle most to obtain, he can do without - I mean money - unless what is required to pay his taxes I can see no other use he has for money. It is within the reach of every man who wishes, to obtain a farm in this state lands can be bought out for $100 to $1 per acre, those lands situated in the immediate neighbourhood of large cities, such as Philadelphia De. [Delaware ?] generally command a very high price, but in a thickly populated country and convenient to good market towns, Ohia farms can be bought for $30 to $100 per acre according to their improvements and in terms as easy and accommodating as could be desired - An acquaintance of mine a few days ago bought a farm of 160 acres of prime land, nearly all cleared and fenced, with fine dwellings house, barns, stables &c, and plently of coal and wood on the property - for $1500 being the rate of about œ2 per acre, bought out forever, and had 15 years to pay it in, and within as convenient a distance from a good market as Ballyartan is from Derry. Those who wish to purchase cheaper, by going to a more remote locality can get excellent land but without any improvements, for $1 to $1.25 per acre or from 4 to 5 shillings, and by moderate labor [labour ?] in 21 years or less they can have as much cleared and under cultivation as will raise sufficient for the support of a larger family - they again who want farms but who have not the money to purchase, can get 160 acres for himself, 160 acres more if he has a wife and 160 acres for each of his children, provided he occupies and cultivates the land for five years, at the end of which term the government will give him a clear tithe or deed, and the land becomes his own forever, - this cannot be obtained in Pennysylvania nor in any of the old states, but several of the new Western and some of the Southern States have made this offer of lands in order to encourage emigration. The County in which we live is very populous and property of every description sells very high, last fall I bought a small piece of ground containing about an acre, for which I paid $150, or about œ30, but the situation is very handsome , and not over a gunshot from the town of Hamburg, a very pretty and flourishing town containing about 2000 inhabitants, and considering the value of property in the town (some of the lots containing only 1/8 of an acre, bringing $500.) I think I got it cheap - I bought it soley on the strength of the permanacy of my situation (in which it may be I acted unwisely) because it suited my business much better than Port Clinton, where we formerly lived, being more in the centre of the division of the Rail Road which I superintend and because it was healthier,as well as for several other advantages which gained in moving - Early this season I commenced building a house and on the 3rd of August we moved into it - the house is 33 feet front by 32 feet deep, and 2 stories high, on the first floor we have an entry or vestibule, a parlour, 2 bedrooms and a kitchen, the ceiling being 9 feet high, on the second floor we have 3 bedrooms and one room 20 feet by 12 feet , with ceiling 8 feet high, and over all a garret which we find very useful - it is very convenient and if everything goes right we will be very comfortable with Gods blessing - My fathers family who formerly lived in Philadelphia (that is all of them who are not engaged in business) I persuaded to come up and occupy a part of the house, as it is large enough to accommodate us all - they came up on the 5th of last month. I have just ground to make a good garden, but I have not been able to do much as it yet, it will require a great deal of labor [labour ?] and considerable outlay before [torn] can have it to my mind, and as it is not of very great importance, I must just work along with it as I am able, the property as it stands now I consider worth about $1600 and was I selling it I think I could get that sum for it - I had a letter from John a few days ago, he is now living in [Manaymant ?] (about 8 miles from Philda [Philadelphia ?] with Mr Quinton the gentleman he was engaged with before he went home, he is in good health , he has not been up to see us since last winter, but Matilda enjoys good health, she joins me in her kind love to all, and hopes that you will write often to her, our little Anna Ellen is now near 13 months old, she is a fine lively little thing and very interesting - I presume it was you who sent us the Beans and Canley seeds, if so please accept my kind thanks, and if not please thank the person who did, for me - I would be glad that I had an opportunity of sending to you and your father and Ian some little token of remembrance, but living so far from the city and being so seldom there, I can never meet with or hear of any person who is going to Derry by whom I could send anything - Please give my kind respects to your father and Jane and also to Hugh - I wrote to Hugh last March but never received an answer, - please say to Jane that I will write to her very soon, and hoping to hear from you soon and often - I remain Yours most sincerely Jno [John ?] P Lindsay might I sometimes receive an Irish paper from you - I hardly ever see one |
