| Title: | John Caldwell, New York to Robert Simms, Belfast. |
|---|---|
| ID | 430 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Caldwell, John Jr/12 |
| Year | 1802 |
| Sender | Caldwell, John Jr. |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | unknown |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | New York, USA |
| Destination | Belfast, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Simms, Robert |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | friends |
| Source | T 1815/2: Copied by Permission of the Presbyterian Historical Society, Church House, Fisherwick Place, Belfast. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 8809101 |
| Date | 18/10/1802 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by JM 09:11:1993. |
| Word Count | 2813 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Mr Robert Simms Merchant Belfast New York 18th October 1802 My Dear Friend I only received your letter dated in December a few days since by Docter Cummings, who seems to be a [very?] worthy man, [?] he will do well here an [eminent?] [original?] character strongly recommended & with good certificates from Edinburgh or elsewhere of his professional abilities could not fail of succeeding, a man may its true be a man of [merit?] without all there [their?] appendages, but there he has to struggle with perhaps the prejudice of strangers & if he is lucky he will [overcome?] them Doctor Johnston formerly of Downpatrick was an [emigrant?] Practitioner he was much encouraged to make this the [place?] of his settlement, but previous to coming here he had made an [engagement?] with Mr [Richard?] formerly of the Antrim [Militia?] to [visit?] & make a trial of the German country they there settled in the most beautiful [spot?] you can imagine [Briley Town?], on the west bank of Lake [Lenecca?] between that lake and Lake [?], 360 miles from this [island?] but not [withstanding?] the Doctor being a firm [?] of strong mind he had not within himself efficient reserves against [?] and being deprived of [?] the [pursuit?] of his [distilling?] having bother [?] if his industry could not make up for the void he felt in his heart & he litterally [literally?] became a victim to [despair?] & died a martyr in his own [obstinacy?] in [refusing?] the advice of his friends in a settlement in this place. I am the more particular in this narrative, [as you?] seems to wish me to [enter?] [?] into the everything that might be supposed to [?] on, to influence or to affect an Emigrant [coming?] to this country the United States do [undoubtedly?] promise much to emigrants of every description provided they are Industrious & well [educated?] but no country under Heaven [throws?] more [obstacles?] in the way of an Idle or [dissolute?] Man procuring a livelyhood [livelihood?]. We are too [?] when we approach these shores [that?] this land of liberty [hence?] to be too sanguine in [over expectations?], & as Doctor Franklin has [?] observed to expect the Dollars on the [sea-shore?] the Apple pies hopping down the Chimnie [chimney?] & the little birds perching on your shoulders crying come who'll eat me but in general every stranger coming here is inclined to increase his wealth by some means or other the misfortune is #PAGE 2 that many of us mistake the way the scotch farmer or Labourer on his arrival in a transatlantick [transatlantic?] [Town?] calls on his countrymen, advises with them goes back to the country and becomes a farmer & of course a respectable member of Society the Dutch & germans frequently with two & three hundred pounds Sterling of property will bind themselves to the Pensylvanian [Pennsylvanian?] farmer & while the husband attends his employer through his advocating the wife will be learning the more domestic business of the farm, as [suited?] to her sex when the engagement of the people expired they again emigrate to an uncleared piece of Land & set an example of industry by blessing the country with the fruit of their labour. I wish I could say so much for our own countrymen the labourer, the farmer, the weaver, on coming here, all inclined to live in Large Towns, this may arise from the known character of the Irish we are to use a [trite?] saying so warm hearted we wish to live together & to be in the way of hearing often from [our?] friends, but this disposition is often attended with [vision?] to Individuals and dishonour to our national character. I have often seen the Man who with his family might have made a figure 100 miles from town there [been?] respectable as a citizen & a man lose his little prosperity in the [Town?] shop he kept [?] his time by attending to Political controversy & matters that as an Alien did not concern him or at all events which his [interference?] could not better, & lose the respectability of himself & his family by the [consequences?] which [?] generally arise from such a line of conduct The general establishment of Banks, the easy means for people of good character tho [though?] of small Capital, to require accommodation of Money gives the industrious & careful Trades considerable advantage. Its true [?] and Speculative Man, have been ruined by availing themselves improperly of the credit offered them, but such people are closely watched & if your neighbours can hear of you doing any busines out of your line, your credit is at an end then a Hardware Merchant is hard looked at if he is known to speculate in [?] [?] [& we?] have withdrawn credit from [Houses?] in [our time?] whom we discovered to be dabbling in shipping business - In fact there is no Country [?] a president alien who has been brought up to a mercantile life can make a better livlyhood [livelihood?] particularly by avoiding all foreign [shipping?] [Specialisation?] The [Importing?] merchant offers his cargo for [sale?] ten or [twelve?] of us will call on him, purchase it & sell it [out?] to the Country or the retail [Grocers?] - [Our?] worthy, dear, & respected friend Joseph [Stevenson?] sailed a few days ago we most sincerely feel & sincerely lament being deprived of his Society you will be much #PAGE 3 gratified by an [hour or twos?] conversation with him on the variety of subjects which will occur to you respecting this Country - this [?] [?] [?] for a great part of the Emigrants both Vagabonds, Rebels, traitors & gentlemen, from an native land - for when a fellow turns out badly at home, the family [consult?] & according to their different grades in Society they determine if he is stupid or good natured to educate him for the Church if he is a devil for the Army, if he is a spendthrift to Sea with him but if he is a nere do well send him to [America?] tho' [though?] of all places in the world, it is where he is most unlikely to succeed the Tavern at the falls of Niagara is now kept by a "Gentleman" whom I have seen make a [conspicuous?] figure in the [out boxes?] of Crow Street & Belfast Theatre but here [?] himself, every [calling?] is honorable that is honest, every pursuit respectable that is reputable, here indeed People are subject to the like [fashions?] as elsewhere. We see too often [Malice?] Hatred, Revenge prevail here & we can only place it to the account of poor human virtue whom we blamed so often, & so unjustly [?] with certainty as happy a form of government & with laws administered at least as wisely, as elsewhere on the Globe prevails but you will not find discontent among the [farmers?] who certainly compose that body properly [?] the People - hit us more on this subject!!! My father since he came here has visited a farm at [Flushing Bayside?] in the county of Queens Long Island the situation is truly beautiful, but the land in general poor as you may suppose for the Rent of 200 Dollars [per?] annum within [17 miles?] of [?] but the home is good, they have plenty of [fuel?] for the cutting & a sufficient qty [quantity?] of Land [under?] grass and tillage for the purpose of raising [necessaries?] for the family. Cattle [?] [?] but notwithstanding all this, [silly?] father intends removing up the north River [as soon?] as he can get a place to purchase to his [liking?]. Our family is large every one of them inclined to industry a place just now offers it contains about 150 acres of tolerable land, with a [Merchant mill?] & a printing Mill, a good comfortable dwelling house, a large Store for the [reception?] of wheat, [barley?] etc., [?] offer the vending of Merchant goods or rather for their barter a Barl [barley?] Mill [?] [is my?] meat [Tom Marsh?] all within 60 Miles of this town eight Miles off the North River 4 from West Point & 8 from Newburgh 4 Miles from General Clinton in a full settled Country on an excellent Road & a plentiful supply of Water 15000 Dollars is asked for this place, but how much will be taken is another point. It comes up so every way to such a place as would have [awaited?] you had you come here that [I dwell?] on it #PAGE 4 perhaps too long. If my father gets it, [our?] great [end?] will be accomplished [?] to find full scope for the Industry of two branches of the family without wishing much Capital, [&?] without [grating?] [our?] feelings by parting or separating our family, at least to any distance, as between this Town Newburgh there is daily communication that little rising Town alone, 16 [Shops?] of from 60 [?] tons between this place & that every bit of Leather tanned at the farm Invention is [vended?] on the spot to the Country People Newburgh trades [?] your capital is [?] you may either take in the Rough hides & tan them for payment or purchase them & pay in [Ireland?] Leather [shoes?] you see [business?] can be carried on to good [need?] in a variety of methods, but still provided Speculation is kept in the background. I had planned in my mind just such a settlement as this for you, & for my friend Tennent a [bustling?] life of Town Trade In such a situation as I have described my friend Henry Jackson might have been happy but in his present place abode he has to combat the [preposession?] of his family in favor of their native Country & to lead a life of inactivity in as much as farming cannot be so congenial to his long settled habits & ways of thinking so the more active pursuits of Mechanical [profession?] or calling there is no Man of your acquaintance become a more [enthusiastic?] American than Doctor White, he has adopted their ways & manners & admits he [never?] felt real comfort & happiness to the [degree?] he now enjoys in the Land he left. He is held in high estimation & what extraordinary, by the very violent Political People of both parties [Cranston?] & Alexander are both respectable young Men & among our most intimate connections as is Wm [William?] Bailey we have too among the circle of our [existing?] & friendly acquaintances a great many others, as many that it is almost invidious to [particularize?] a few in [short?] from what I know of you & your willingness even to make the best of a bad situation you would have been [agreeably?] [?] nay you would have been highly delighted with the State of things in general here. As to Religion [?] own tho [though?] the People are strictly moral, yet I cannot discover much fervency of Devotion. We too often see either the most violent [Enthusiasm?], or a total Apathy in these in others there are a few but very few who [possess?] [?] there are I believe 30 [Churches?] & upwards in the Town most of them crowded twice every Sunday, & yet ask a single question to these [same?] godly People on the subject of what they heard & they will [profess?] their ignorance, or want of Memory. We have a seat in the Wall Street Meeting House & for [night?] I [reserve?] one of the Seats occupied by the Dragoon horses of his Imperial Britanic [Britannic?] Majesty [during?] the wars for they #PAGE 5 [converted?] this meeting house into a Stable for which we pay nine pounds or twenty three one half dollars $ [?] I do not implicity believe everything the Parson says tho [though?] they are men whom words or oaths could be taken in any [Court of Justice?] here or even with you, but I think it necessary to join my household or family at least once a week in publick [public?] offering of prayers of praise the [number of lawyers?] here [access belief?] & but few among them of bright or transcendant ability among [them?] however in this place is Hamilton & even he [?] have hoped of [?] exceeded by Emmett if he makes this his place of residence. It is said the period of Naturalization will yet be shortened perhaps to three years which will be a material point to men of Professional pursuits. In the [case?] of a Purchase of Lands made by my father John [Parks?] was obliged to put the Lawyers right in three or four very Capital instances & they were obliged to admit their being wrong - the little enquiry made by Purchasers becomes a source of [endless?] litigation & many, many, a Lawsuit is bought with a farm & the [averse?] [fit?] entailed as well as the Acres on Posterity. Joseph Cuthbert is here, I have little doubt of his doing well, he is industrious, attends to his [business?] & does not interfere with politicks [politics?] he has got already a good trade & I hope will be able to keep it. We have besides of Belfast People here Thomas [Torry?] the Quinns & Brysons of Newtownards, Nixon the apothecary gone to [?] Thos. [Thomas?] Kean, Robt. [Robert?] Wilson & a variety of others. Tom [Bashford?] went to [?] [?] de Cuba [disappointed?] soon back again. Robt. [Robert?] McFlinch is making money and adding respect to our National character, he is worthy of honourable mention. 31st October I have been as much & so [variously?] engaged since I began this Letter, that you will find it I fear [unconnected?] & I shall not [recorrect?] it so you must take it as it is for better for worse the News of the [conflagration?] at Liverpool has spread much consternation here, as it is not doubted but that there has been much American property destroyed, that & other accidents had caused a spurt in the Cotton Market, which is now 19th & [scarce?] for [Upland?] - I have said nothing yet of the domestic habits & amusements of the People of this Town the old settlers principally the decendants of Dutch, are [extremely?] cautious & [jealous?] of Strangers, but if your [character?] bears scrutiny, after a [pretty?] severe ordeal they become friendly & neighbourly [?] the european settings here in a degree of style & [splendor?] that would astonish you & the very poorest Man, if industrious can lie as comfortable & as well as the Mayor of the Town. there are #PAGE 6 [900 German?] here under licence. We employ one who keeps two horses & we have actually paid for [passages?] of goods in & out of our Store from 1200 to $ 1500$ [?] there is a very elegant Theatre & a tolerable set of Performers, but I have been very seldom one of the audience they have a [Museum?] [Circus?] There as with you repeated [exhibitions?] of mammoth Ox's - Monsters with two heads five feet extraordinary tails [etc., etc., etc.,?] The Publick [public?] [?] the Parks & the [Battery?] [but?] particularly the latter must I think [by?] the finest in the world there is elegant gravel walks, wood & water & the top of the [Battery?] has been by the present Mayor decorated with [?] & seats all round for the accommodation of the Citizens, to whom the property belongs. Last summer presented so Novel a scene at this spot, that the account of fair land or the Arabian Nights Entertainments came alone up to it. An [?] of at least 5000 well dressed people of both sexes would meet & walk about from eight till ten O'Clock, duing which they were entertained by the Mayors orders with a Band of Musick [music?] on shore while a [select?] party of Amateurs in highly decorated boats, followed by a train of boats all [superbly?] [illuminated?], entertained themselves & the Company on the battery by very exquisite performances the brightness of the clear & [unbounded?] hemisphere the view of the most beautiful Harbour in the world, the prospect of the opposite Banks of the Hudson & the Shores of Long Island, the happy look of the Multitude & the Personal independence of every individual made the scene most truly [enchanting?] this entertainment continued some weeks, but the Nights becoming moist, occasioned frequent colds & the good citizens were obliged to recreate [themselves?] otherwise Our home has written your [R & W?] [?] their Letter [?] you for mercantile news. Meanwhile I remain with best wishes for your [success?] in your [renovated?] firm & with afft [affectionate?] respects to Mrs. [Simms?] & family My Dear Sir Your [obliged?] & Aff [Affectionate?] friend John Caldwell |
