| Title: | Jackson, John to Hughes, Laurence, 1848 |
|---|---|
| ID | 6420 |
| Collection | New Brunswick Letters |
| File | newbrunswick/55 |
| Year | 1848 |
| Sender | Jackson, John |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | unknown |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Monaghan, Ireland |
| Destination | St. John, N.Brunswick, Canada |
| Recipient | Hughes, Laurence |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | brothers-in-law |
| Source | |
| Archive | |
| Doc. No. | |
| Date | |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | |
| Log | unknown |
| Word Count | 1089 |
| Genre | family news, emigration, decease, note from his mother |
| Note | |
| Transcript | February 17, 1848 Sir I received your letter of the 12th of December which gives us a great comfort to hear that you and your wife and children are all in Good Health. Thank God we are all in the same. Tho this country is so much afflicted with Disorders, thank God we all got free yet if God was pleased to visit the Old Man and Michael Armstrong with sickness we had the pleasure of our neighbors about us. Michael Armstrong died by alcoholic in 2 days illness. A sore leg with age was the Old Man’s complaint. You may let Rosey know that her sister Catron husband is dead. That is Patt [Conoley]. Indeed she will not be very sorry for that. Nor neather are we for her and her 4 children is far better wanting him but you may guess my situation with the Old Woman and Margaret and her 3 children, Catron and her 4 children all depending on me for to give them [seporte] you may guess yourself how I am ins there is no one I feel for so much as the Olde Woman for at the Old Man’s death the(y) prompt him up to leave but very little in her power. She is the one iye think of moste and will do all I can for her. My dear friends, you are causious in giving me any encouragement to go out to america but I see I must go now for if I work as hard in America as I have to do hear I could give the old woman better living than I can now in this country for them that was to give her the seporte she was to get forgets their duty to her. Tho she holds the half of the place and I have to worke all the place for it was never divided as I was to get it all at his death tho he dun otherways. Now my dear sir, I think it better to go out when I am able than wish I had and then what I give to the olde woman will be her own. Sera would wish to go see you and Rosey and the little children but it would be two much out of our way to go that way as I intend going to [Illinois] but if I go I will write to you before I set out and when I settle be it where it may I will write to you that we may have the happiness to meet sometime for Sera thinks that if she woulde get one sight of Rosey and the children that all would be well. I would go to that country but it is not as good as the United States. As for my parte if I like the country I will settle there for life if I can get about 40 acres of land and can get as much of it in crop as will seporte me and Salley. Its all I want but if the country does not agree with me we will live otherways. My dear Mr. Hughes, when I write to you I will let you know all about the country that we may meet at some future pered of life if I can get the journey accomplished. For if Sera could but see a sight of Rosey she would dye content. This country is very much opressed by taxation and deaths every other day there is an inquest on the body of some poor creature dying of starvation and colde. There has been 4 dyes this last week in this visincty by hunger. Rosey wants to know if Michael Armstrong dyed in the true faith. Yes. He was crisened in the rites of the Catholick Church and had but 2 minutes to spare til he expired. My dear Mr Hughes if I could but write all the [th]reats of this Country 4 sheets of paper would Not contain every seen of misery ocurs every day. When I was writing I asked sally if she would go to see her sister. She leapt with joy and then s[h]e exclaimed My Mother what is she to do. I tolde her that we would be of more use to Her in america than at Home. In saying this the tears stole down her cheeks which made me stop the subject and say no more. My dear sir, the farm is so small that it will not seporte all the people that is left on it for when the old man was dying, he had no thought of Michael Armstrong death and when he dyed all fell on me. If he had to live some of the burden would fall on him. Rosey wants to know who has her Uncle Jame’s farm. Her Uncle John’s boys has it all and if the(y) could would [would] have more for Michael Armstrong purchased the [fiel] before John went to America and when they got him away the(y) went to the landlord and got it from him as he was no tenant. I was wanting him to go live in your Uncle James’ house but Margaret would not let him for fear of losing the half of her farm land, so she lost the sheep for the half penny worth of tare1. For if they had took my advice and been living in the house the landlord would not have put them out and if we had that field now we would be better off. My dear friends, we all join in sending our love to you and to Rosey and children. I remain, my dear sir, yours truley, John Jackson From your mother My dear child if John goes to america you will send me a little separt this iye thought I never would have to do. But if John does well in america he will not let me want. I send my blessing to you and your little children. Jame Lenard is the name of Helen McCloonns husband, a son to John Lenar of [Dreneeritten] Edward McCloon wishes that his 3 sisters would send him some Help as he stands in great need at present to ineable him to put in the crop. The wife looks to her [own hand.] 1: (she lost the ship for the hapenny worth of tar) Mr. Laurance Hughes North America St. Johns New Brunswick Fredericton to Mr Laurence Hughes Parish of Duglas 1/2 Franked Monaghan February 16 1848 |
