| Title: | W. H. McCleery, Quebec to John Orr [Chicago?]. |
|---|---|
| ID | 3759 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | mccleery, w.h/21 |
| Year | 1847 |
| Sender | McCleery, William H. |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | ship captain |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Quebec, Canada |
| Destination | prob. Chicago, Illinois, USA |
| Recipient | Orr, John M |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | friends |
| Source | Copyright Retained by John McCleery, 80 Circular Road, Belfast, BT4 2GD. |
| Archive | Ulster American Folk Park. |
| Doc. No. | 9702050 |
| Date | 01/07/1847 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 31:01:97. |
| Word Count | 637 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | [Anonymous genealogical notes inserted in transcript of original letter: From Wm. [William?] H. McCleery, 1825-61, son of Hamilton McC [McCleery?] and Maria Johnston of Portaferry who (a) [who as?] Captain & drowned en route to Calcutta on the "Hilton", also Captain on the "Ulidia" for 4 years. Brother of Hamilton McCleery, who m [married?] Margaret Orr (Margaret Orr being Jane Ellen, and John Orr's sister)] Quebec July 1847 My Dear John According to promise I now write you. I arrived here on the evg [evening?] of the 10th after being 5 days in quarantine, 30 miles from Quebec. We brought out 310 passengers out of which 14 died principally children & discharged 13 into the hospital at the quarantine quarters. There were several cases of fever and all the young children had measles. We did not leave Belfast till the 26th May & had in general a fine passage across. We had a splendid lot of girls & perhaps I did not have some fun among them. I used to rouse them up in the mess, pull the clothes of them & run away with their clothes - I should liked much you had been here. I am very comfortably situated & the Capt.[captain?] is as nice a man as could walk, I was offered a mates berth in her before we left Belfast but I declined never being in the passenger or timber trade before. I now would not exchange the mates situation for mine. I understand I am to get a schooner or brig from Mr Saussen when I go home again, from what they were telling my father & they hints I got from Mr W. Saussen when leaving I believe the vessel is in the Mediterranean trade. Thos. [Thomas?] Warnock left home the day or so after you & was in Belfast when I left & was to leave for Liverpool the day after I saw him last. He was to stop in Liverpool about a month before leaving for Rio. He told me he would willingly have turned back home again only for shame - he appeared greatly downcast. I expect to be here about 14 days & then we go for Belfast again. I had a letter from Robt. [Robert?] since my arrival but nothing in it of any importance- 20th July - I was in Quebec yesterday & posted a paper for you which no doubt you will have recd [received?] if you called at the office. I expected a letter from you on my arrival here but as yet none to hand so I suppose you have forgot your promise. I have nothing particular to say, only that I expect to be off for home in a week or ten days. Fever is raging in Quebec at present. There is scarcely a ship but what their crews' & Capt. [captain?] &c are in the Hospital. Capt. Harper of the Independence died last week of Fever & Harry Dorman his steward was lying bad in the hospital same time. Five of our men runaway the night after we came here & there is just one man, Cook, carpenter & boys left. I have been employed towing timber since we commenced to load & I can tell you it is not a nice job, as there is such a strong tide runs here, and if we should miss the ship we might haul our wind and take a sea cruise. We are lying at the opposite side of the river from Quebec & 8 miles further up the St. Lawrence. My walks here are very much like the ones we used to have at home on a Sunday but they are rather more solitary & the scenes more rustic & natural. I have nothing more worth communicating at present, but I hope in my next, when I hear of you being properly settled, to have a longer and more interesting yarn to spin. Wishing you every success & comfort - I am My dear John Your Sincere Friend Wm. [William?] H. McCleery How would you like to be backing & filling about the corners again? - Keep from the Yankee lasses, for they are not to be trifled with. W. [William?] H. MC [McCleery?]. |
