| Title: | John McBride, Paterson, Jersey to James McBride, Derriaghy. |
|---|---|
| ID | 3747 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | mcbride, john/91 |
| Year | 1819 |
| Sender | McBride, John |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | weaver |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Paterson, New Jersey, USA |
| Destination | Lisburn, Co. Antrim, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | McBride, James Sr |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | son-father |
| Source | T 2613/2: Copied by Permission of Mrs Emily McLister, Mosside Cottage, Dunmurry, County Antrim. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9007096 |
| Date | 08/08/1819 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by JM 06:09:1993. |
| Word Count | 1340 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Essex County State of Jersey Patterson [Paterson?] My Dear Father Aug [August?] 8th 1819 I take this opportunity of writing to you by a man who is going to Ireland from this place, I would have written to you sooner but did not like till I could give some satisfaction. I arrived in N: [New?] York on the 7th of July but did not go to my Aunts that night. I went to her house next day she was glad to see me, and told me she had sent an Ansr [Answer?] to my letter containing very best encouragement. Indeed I think no wonder she did as times are very hard here at present, it is almost impossible to get work of any kind, I staid [stayed?] with my Aunt a Fortnight and was looking for employment nearly all that time but could get none. I went to see Francis Huddleson who keeps a store (or Public House) in N: [New?] York he was very friendly with me, his brothers Saml [Samual?] & Thos [Thomas?] are carrying numbers of Books, they called at my Aunts to see me, and they said they were going out the next day to a Town called Newark in the State of Jersey nine miles from N:Y: [New York?] they said I might have a chance of falling into employment some place out there so I went with them and try'd all I could to get work but in vain. I heard at Newark of some Factorys [factories?] at a place called Bloomfield four miles farther on, and as I had a letter to a man in Patterson [Paterson?] called Wm [William?] Tinsley I thought I wold [would?] go and see what I could do on the road from Newark to Patterson [Paterson?], I set off for Bloomfield & called at all the Factorys [factories?] I could hear of but none of them could employ me as they were turning off most of their hands, the owner of one of those Factorys [factories?] very kindly took me home with him and kept me all night he [?] me very kindly his name is [Cockfair?]. Next morning I continued my journey to Patterson [Paterson?]. Indeed I now have travelled 100 miles in this country and I have not seen any good Land yet it is quite [?] upon when I came to Patterson [Paterson?] I went to Wm [William?] Tinsley and he went with me to a man who engaged me to Weave Cotton the kind I am at present weaving [?] a twill (or [H--sey?] as tis here called) it is a 700 [&?] is about as broad as the Calico with you I have 4 cents a yd: [yard?] for it last yr: [year?] it was 7 1/2 cents a yd: [yard?]. I pay 2 1/4 Dollars (11..3 Sterling) a week for my board and lodging and 5 cents for each shirt stockings or [?] I get washed and 60 cents a week for Winding, the number of the yarn I am weaving is, the Warp 9 skain [skein?] and the Weft 10 to the lb [pound?] it is not Dressed I cannot say how much I can make as I have not been long here. there are in this Town of Cotton mills / Duck (or Sail Cloth) Mill / Nail Factory A Saw Mill / Tow Mill/ Paper Mill; There is no Protestant Church here there is a Presbytarian [Presbyterian?] Church a Dutch Reformed Church & a house where Methodists meet, The People here and all places of America I have seen Dress very fine (in particular the Ladies who are foolish in that Article) I have seen the Mill Girls dressed all in their silks with veils over their faces & sun fans in their hands They are in general most shamefully Proud. #PAGE 2 When they work in the Mills you`ll scarce see them for frills with their frocks & their Tippets so gay There is English and Scotch French Irish and Dutch Thus to pride great attention they pay In their dress they are neat but they're still not complete They wish to dress well as the best No Caps they do wear but will stick in their hair As many Combs as theres in a Wasps Nest. There are Six Stores and a Bank in this town, it is 21 Miles from N:Y: [New York?] There is a stage which goes to N:Y: [New York?] one day & comes back the next. the fare is 1 Dol: [dollar?] there & 1 Back again Before I left my Aunts there were men there who had been at Pittsburgh the [they?] said Times were even more Dull there than here I believe it is the case over all America, Dr [Dear?] Father the People of Ireland are sorely mistaken about this Country, from, what I have seen & heard of it I would not allow any one to come here unless they had some friend before them who would have a place ready for them, If times are not a great deal worse than the [they?] were when I left it there is no man if he would be as Industrious at home as he has to be here but would be a great deal better, It is true those who are in good employment here make a great deal of money but when they pay from 5 to 7 Dol: [Dollars?] for making a Coat and 3/4 Sterling for making a Shirt it takes it all to do. Weavers here all work in Cellars which answer well in this Warm Climate There are Five of us who work in this Shop Three of whom are Irish one [torn] and one English, the man I live with is from Ballymena [torn] name is James Close. Thank God I have had the best health since I left home I never was better than I am at present Jas [James] Hunter left me at Lubec [Lubeck?] to go to Boston he was to write to me to the care of my Aunt but I have not heard from him yet, Give my love to Wm [William?] Philips and Jane & tell Wm [William?] I will send him a letter soon, Give my Love to my Aunt Betty to my Uncle J [Gi-tiland?] & his Wife and tell them I hope to spend some happy hours with them yet in Ireland; give my love to J McHenry and tell him his trade is not doing well here this year give my love to John Bleak and tell him to give over his notion of coming here as he is better than he could think to be here. give my kind love to Ann Hall her father & Uncle tell her I heard of her friends in Nova Scotia which I will tell her of soon Dear Father give my love to my Brother & Sisters and write to me as soon as you can. I am your affectionate son John McBride Dr [dear?] Father I trust in GOD this will find you all in good health, Write to the care of my Aunt 28 Henry St [street?] & write soon tell me of any thing Strange that has happened in the neighbourhood since I left it. And now Dr [Dear?] Father may the great giver of health Bless you all with it as the Prayers of J [John?] McBride The price of Rye Flour is 12/6 sterl: [sterling?] per Cwts [hundred weights?] #PAGE 3 Wheat flour 6 to 7 1/2 Dol: [dollars?] per Barrel of 196 Indian Meal 2 Dol: [dollars?] per Cwt [hundred weights?] Beef 10 to 12 cents per lb [pound?] Mutton the same Butter 22 to 24 cents per lb [pound?] Sugar 12 to 15 cents per lb [pound?] Tea 5/0 to 8/4 per lb [pound?] Potatoes 2/6 sterling per Bushil [bushel?]; I am in a fine Country and with the help of GOD & my own Industry I am not afraid till things are become better I hope the first is the [?] To Mr James McBride Derrighy [Derriaghy] Care of Mr Wm [William?] Philip Innkeeper Lisburn October 2nd 1819 Ireland Augt [August?] 8th 1819 |
