| Title: | W. & H. Brown, Belfast, to James Brown, Philadelphia. |
|---|---|
| ID | 362 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Brown, William/111 |
| Year | 1821 |
| Sender | Brown, William |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | painter & glazier |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Belfast, N.Ireland |
| Destination | Philadelphia, Penn., USA |
| Recipient | Brown, James |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | brothers |
| Source | D 3688/F/24: Deposited by C. MacLaughlin Esq. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland |
| Doc. No. | 9103006 |
| Date | 01/03/1821 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | LET |
| Log | Action By Date Document added by C.R., 02:12:1993. |
| Word Count | 1913 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | To: Mr James Brown Mercht [Merchant?] Care of Mr Samuel Brown No 73 Chestnut Street Philadelphia per Ship Ceres From: Belfast March 1821 Dear James, Your letter of the 9th Nov. via Liverpool came duly to hand, anouncing [announcing?] the return of brother Saml [Samuel?] per Ceres, but poor [J__ow?], he was at last to find a watery grave, as it appeared; when the vessel arrived, he had died on the 27th Dec., I need scarcely say, we were much dissapointed [disappointed?], but from your report of his health, we were afraid he would not be able to stand the sea, more especially in the winter time, the vessel was out 7 weeks & had a very severe voyage. Father as usual, has been complementing [complimenting?] us all about Sam & John he says they were transported &c, but however his tongue is no scandal (as the saying is) at least we never pay much attention to his encomiums, however I hope they are better provided for, & out of a world of troubles. We got Samls [Samuel's?] trunk, every article safe, the Capr [Captain?] had taken an inventory of all his clothes &c, there were 16 dollars, which George demanded, saying he had the best right to them, as he had been at so much expences [expenses?], I said they ought to go back, or something in return to you, but he appeared to talk of them behind my back to James, I thought it best to let him have them, this I mention, trusting you wont hint any thing, as he has blames [blamed?] me for writing concerning Mr Batt's affair & he says more, so I mentioned to you before not to even hint at any matter which I give you information of - any thing you wish to learn off me, if you would put an extra slip, inside your letter, as I always let them all read, in case they might think you & I were corresponding in the dark - I understand Geo. [George?] is not a pertner with Js. [James?] Gregg, but is to have £150 per year & 5 per cent on all sales of salt, but his other business he manages himself leaving Geo. [George?] to the fridom [freedom?] of his own will, Geo. [George?] says this is only for 1 year, untill [until?] they get matters arranged, for you never saw a concern like it, there is scarcely any trade but he has employment for, I believe I mentioned Geo. [George?] was to live on the Concern, but he #PAGE 2 is not yet gone as his rooms are not yet dry enough, it certainly is a very fine establishment, & they are enlarging it & going to erect two more pans, they cannot make the salt half fast enough, the Ceres got all was in their store, & they have 150 tons sold for the James Bailie, & not a pound made of it, the Jefferson had to get from Larne, as they would take none from Mr Batt, the fact is, if it was not for the Bank, he would not sell any salt, so you know what I mean. I wrote you about the failure of McCutcheon, he as not got his affairs settled yet, Nor is he likely, the securitys [securities?] have to finish the Buildings (I mean the Commercial), we have got the painting through the intrest [interest?] of Mr J. Batt, A.Moreland, & Maxwell Lipper, who are part of the security, we are to get £100 which is to [too?] little by 20, but considering the season of the year, when nothing was doing not is doing in town at present but by ourselver we had Gribbin & Hill on all winter at 12s/- per week from Nov. to May, which will help to make up the deficiency, this was the bargain between them & I if I would get the B[__?], we have two Boys who get 7/6 each for diet money & we are much better off than dieting them in the house, between the jobs which we have had during the winter (as the weather was very Open) our Men & Boys have not lost a day & we have not the Buildings finished, I can call them off when I think proper, & set them on when their job is done, & no remark made, so I think I was rather fortunate in getting the, although we will not have a death by them, the money will be shure [sure?] when they are finish'd, & will pay off Mr Shirly for what we got since Novr [November?], as we are clear of the spring accts [accounts?] we are not due him £70 - James Harper died 4th Jany [January?] - Old Mrs Malean [McLean?] died 1st July Mrs C. Gregg is also - Saml [Samuel?] Dawson is gone to London to be Agent for the N.E. [Northeast?] Traders - Thos [Thomas?] Geltston of P.Ferry [Portaferry?] has fail'd in an emense [immense?] Sum & will be a vary bad failure - Hu. [Hugh?] Johnston of the N. [Northern?] Bank ran away & took £1400 (he is now in Charlestown) since when they have had no peace in the Bank, they have 5 or 6 young men on trial, they have all to give up their cash at 3 o'clock, Henry Holmes who is in partnership with Jas [James?] Crawford is now cashier as Mr Sloan has lost his health, they say he has £300 a year, but the firm of Holmes and Crawford are always the same they have lost a great deal of money, J. [James?] Crawford was wishing he had been out of business yet- I had a letter out from Wm.[William?] Thompson, Archie is off to Columbus to look for land, Wm [William?] & sister remain in Washington all Winter, the #PAGE 3 Direction I have is, Care of Joseph Thompson Brick-layer, near the war office, City of Washington, I think it very strange they did not write you according to promise, they were all well & had a good passage - I forgot to mention, George Braddel is gone to the works in Geo's [George's?] place, he is not liked & and [sic] is the means of destroying their sales - You mentioned Mr. Creightion would call & so he told Geo. [George?], but he never thought as yet, he told Geo [George?], several times on charge he would be up, but he has been so much engaged with quality, I suppose our place would not be good enough for him, so if he calls before he leaves town he may, but Geo. [George?] is so piqued, he wont ask him- Captn. [Captain?] Catheson only once I asked him to Dine, but he could not come on a sunday as it is the Only day we can say is our own, I gave him the choice two Sundays, I asked him on friday for sunday, but he had to go Ballymena then I mentioned the next Sunday, but he was engaged to go to Carmoney [Carnmoney?] I went down another evng [evening?] & asked for tea, he promised to come next evening but dissapointed [disappointed?] us, so I never went near him since, I hear he is a very idle felow [fellow?], & and [?] has left the ship entirely to the mate, he was only once or twice down the since she came in, he is rather fond of Dancing & Jaunting - Mr Redfern would be Obliged to you if you could find his Brother, he is a saddler & formely [formerly?] lived 43 high Street, Robert is his name, if you find him I would thank you to call on him & sa [say?] what he is about & send me word, you can answer him any question relative to Joseph, he has the entire trade I may say of the town and Country - Uncle Hu [Hugh?] has got the Mountain again at £30 per year advance, Mr Thompson was offered more but he would not give it to any person else, he & his family are safe and well, Aunt Betty & David are as usual complaining Thomas Brown is married to a Daughter of Arthur Clarks, he got some money with her I believe £100, he is now living in town Keeping Cows- Uncle Andw [Andrew?] is always in good work making money, he has three cows & he gave Geo, [George?] £30 for Which Geo [George?] Gets him interest, his wife is a wonderful Slave - She has three children, the last were twins- Aunt Shaw is looking better, she has only one child & I think to all appearances she will have no more - Geo [George?], is quit notion of America & is doing very well I was up about 3 weeks ago, I went up the length of Mrs Iannhills, & Mrs Hu [Hugh?] Cromack family are well but the old woman is much fail.d [failed?] She can scarcely walk her legs are so bad, the Old man much the Old Cut - no appearance of Mary going off the #PAGE 4 stocks - Alex is driving all before time, he is a great farmer as well a provision Mirch [Merchant?], he bought all his beef in town this year, he was not up the country this year at all, he complains heavly upon James they have not had a letter from him 9 months, I think his remittance would be very acceptable, at least I can learn as much from young Arthur, Moreland & Dunn sent him a good many articles but I think they wont send any more speculations, for the returns have paid very badly, they have lost £100 lately by a house in derry [Londonderry?] which has made them Null in their homes - I took over your letter to Mr Ballantine, which was very acceptable, Miss Molly said if she was near you she would pull your ear for not writing of her, & likewise for not writing to her, however I called this Morning & Mr Ballantine has been very ill but is getting better, Miss Molly sends her compliments to you & hopes Mrs Ballantine will be able to write by the next vessel, I have no more word of her wanting the rest of her money, if she does it will not be well, I have been trying two places where they had advertised money to be but neither would take houses as security, I hear Mr. J. Batt is going to quit business, the timber trade is doing nothing - You mentioned giving up the land & it is no easy matter, however we are due a years rent, which I intend paying next week, I would have done so sooner, in order to have been able to send you word how or came on, but the money is very difficult to catch, the next letter I hope will carry better news, for I wish with all my heart, we had done with land - we have had 6 weeks of very dry weather a great many have done sowing, we have an Oats sower, & wife commence setting potatoes immediatley - this letter is very topsy - turvey, however, between sins & nonsense, it will divert away the time, & let you know some part of what is going on, I will write you by the first opportunity, hoping these may find you enjoying health, as we are at present - always remaining Dear James Yours truly William Brown Belfast March 1821 William Brown and Hugh Brown recd [received?] 4 May |
