| Title: | John McBride, Watertown, NY to James McBride, Co. Antrim. |
|---|---|
| ID | 3743 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | mcbride, john/68 |
| Year | 1825 |
| Sender | McBride, John |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | weaver |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Watertown, NY, USA |
| Destination | Lisburn, Co. Antrim, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | McBride, James Jr |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | brothers |
| Source | T 2613/12: Copied by Permission of Mrs Emily McLister, Mosside Cottage, Dunmurry, Co. Antrim. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9007106 |
| Date | 26/06/1825 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by JM 25:02:1994. |
| Word Count | 1880 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Watertown June 26th 1825 Dear Brother Your Letter of Feby 27th came to hand on the 22nd [Apl?] I am glad to hear it left you all in good health This leaves us all well. Thank God I enjoy as good health now as I ever did in my life Lydia and the Children are also well. I would have Ansrd [Answered?] your Letter sooner, but I did not know how things were going to be here, Wm [William?] Gilbert was in New York, and on acct [account?] of the great rise on Cotton (it is nearly double the price it was three Months ago) I did not know when Gilbert would come home, but he would stop the Factory - he did stop one third of the Machinery but Twillen [Twill?] is rising in New York and we are kept going and I expect things will just go on as Usual. Trade is brisker in this Country than when I wrote last and is expected to be better still I see by the News papers [Newspapers?] that there is a great improvement in Trade of all [--nds?] in the three Kingdoms. I dont see where the improvement is when the prices are as low as you mention in your last Letter I see by late accts [accounts?] that the Catholic bill has passed the Commons and was once read in the House of Lords (may it never get [?]) our Editors think it will pass but indeed they know little about it - they speak as they would with all [folks?] being on a level [in?] this Country the [they?] think it should be so with you. They seem to forget how the Catholics have acted in every Age and in every Country where popery is the established religion, look at france [?] Day and Priest Ridden Spain - where no Crime is too bad to be commited [committed?] Yesterday I read an acct [account?] of the French Kings Coronation, and to us plain people who live in this Country, it is in fact Disgusting only but one of our Presidents have such a pompous parade - every Old Farmer would pull up his Breeches and Scratch his head exclaiming "this must be put down next election" and every press from Maine to Missouri would be railing at their elected servants - but such cannot be the case here. The Great Canal which will Unite the Water's of Lake Erie and the Hudson River will be finished this Sumer [Summer?] it is 362 Miles long; and has given employment and good wages to Thousands - a vast number of them Irishmen. It was begun in 1817 and will Cost about Seven Millions of Dollars, it is thought that the Tolls [ar--ing?] [?] on it will defray the expence [expense?] in Ten Years, and after that we will have a Million of Dollars Annually arising from Tolls Duties on Salt &c &c all for the benefit of this State who has finished this great Work herself - the Trade on the Canal is immense it is even thought by some that another of equal Magnitude will have to be cut alongside the present one. I was sorry to hear of the Dispute Between you and J: [John?] Craig as John was one of my best Friends when I was leaving Ireland he done more for me then (perhaps) than any one [anyone?] knows of except him & me and I never will forget his kind conduct towards me at that time. I dont see how either you or him could be led away so by the warmth of your feelings as to express yourselves #PAGE 2 as you did to each other mens veiws [views?] of Religion are as different as their features some may agree in some particulars, but taken as a whole the differences is as great as the Features of one Man differs from another, and the fact is, there none but GOD can examine the hearts of Men and it lies between him and them whether they are right or wrong but I will not for my part fall out with one I [reckon?] my Friend on acct [account?] of his Religious opinions whether those opinions are in accordance with mine or not. I hope when this reaches you all things will be as the [they?] need to be between you and John - he never named it in his Letter which I got with yours - he says in it he had sent me three Newspapers all of which I have recd [received?] his Letter as Usual is filled with Friendship and Politics. The last Letter I had from Robt [Robert?] Craig was dated April 25th it was in Ansr [Answer?] to one I had sent to Wm [William?] he says they are all well and Wm [William?] is well satisfied with his situation - he apologises for not beig [being?] more punctual in writing to me, and says, "I can say honestly that I feel as lively and [torn] in your health and happiness as I do for any relation I have" this I cannot dispute as I cant know his thoughts. You said John Dunlop spoke hard of this Country, since he went to Scotland his Father has had several Letters from him, in the last he says if his father does not come home they may expect him here next spring - he says he can make good wages where he is but the work is so hard & the Tyranny of the Master so great that he can't bear it, the truth is when some people are well they don't know it. I wrote to John Craig in Novr last and to my Father in April. I will ansr [answer?] J [John?] Craigs Letter shortly You said something about Wm [William?] Brady but I dont like to say anything about him & some other you mentioned before because I might be blamed by them for sending him word which they did not like, if [torn] send false accounts home to their Friends it is what I never done, and if any of their Friends comes here they will know the truth of it, but say you nothing to their Friends about what I say Just tell them if they ask you that I said they were well. Send me word what John & Edwd [Edward?] Phillips are doing I wrote to them above two Years ago but never got an Ansr [Answer?]. Provisions are about the same as usual the Crops look well, I had Peas to my Dinner the 24th June & they were not [?] [?], but they come on very rapid. The last I heard of Edwd [Edward?] Jones he had put his Children out and was paying for them. I expect him to see me but he has not yet come. Our last New York papers state that a Vessel called the Louisa from Belfast to N [New?] York with 150 passengers, had anchored at the Quarantine Ground having got the Smallpox among them Two had Died and a great many others were Sick the papers advise great precaution to keep the disease from spreading how does Old John Phillips get on now are none of the Girls Married yet. Does my Father often talk about me, if he does what does he say does he think I am better here than in Ireland. Do you ever see my Uncle John Johnson now, how is he making off a [--ing?] James Hunter and family are well, he is writing to send with this, I wish you to mention Robt [Robert?] Hunters Family any time you write to me as James & me are always on terms of Friendship. Three Week ago, I had a Letter nearly #PAGE 3 finished but happening to leave it on the Table when I went out, Catherine unpercieved [unperceived?] by her mother went in and scribbled over one page from top to bottom. I will send by a Young Man to New York. I hear there are a great number coming to Canada from Ireland this Summer, to be sent out by the British Government. I was delighted with the account you gave of Sally and Esther and [Ch-?] [Charlotte?] if that day was come when I could see them how happy I should then feel, perhaps such a time may come yet, is nobody looking after Charlotte and how does she do now I want in your next you would ask me plenty of questions as I find it difficult to get this Letter filled. I sometimes think it was wrong to write of my health to you as I did but Indeed for some time I thought I would be taken out the World by the same disease my Mother Died of but Oh! what [?] do I owe my Kind and Benevolent Heavenly Father who has restored me to Good Health may I offer my Humble praise to his Name Forevermore. Give my Love and Lydia's to my Father and Sisters, Wm [William?] & Jane Phillips, John & Betty Bleak [Blake?] John Craig & Nancy and all my Uncles and Aunts Indiscriminately July 4th This is the anniversary of our National Independence or separation from Great Britain The People are Flocking past my Door to Sackets Harbour (Ten Miles from this) where the Day is to be celebrated in great Style. [?] a Canal is be commenced in Ohio to connect the Water of the Ohio River and Lake Erie. The Governor of the State, who broke the Ground of our Canal Eight Years ago is there to Day [today?], his name is De Witt Clinton - he is the Son of an Irishman and is Called the Father of the Canals in this Country, he is truly a Scientific Man. I would have sent this Letter sooner but waited to send it with the Young Man mentioned above he starts for N [New?] York tomorrow. On the 17th of June the Corner Stone of a Monument to stand on Bunkers Hill (where a Battle was fought fifty Years ago) was Laid by General Lafayette, it is calculated there were 150,000 People on the Ground, there were Four Thousand plates laid for Dinner which were all occupied - you hear all this I suppose by the Papers I Just mention it to fill my paper. You say you are discontented with your situation and perhaps if you were here you might be more so, there are some here who are as much so as you possibly can be let us my Dear Brother make oursilves [ourselves?] as as contented as we can hoping that the time is not far distant when when we may see each other, and if in the Dispensation of Providence it should never happen let us live so that we may meet in a World above where parting shall be no more Write as soon as conveniant [convenient?] after you get this and tell me what you think will be satisfactory, and ask plenty of Questions. And with my wish & prayers for your Welfare I am Dear Brother Yours Affectionately John McBride Lydia sends her Love to you all. [addressed to:] [stamped:] June 26th 1825 SHP LETTER AUG 7 Mr James McBride Junr GREENOCK 1825 Derriaghy #PAGE 4 Care of Mr Wm [William?] Phillips Innkeeper Lisburn 2/2 Ireland August the 9th 1825 |
