| Title: | John Duff, Co. Tyrone to James Duff, Philadelphia. |
|---|---|
| ID | 887 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Duff, John/158 |
| Year | 1819 |
| Sender | Duff, John |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | hopes to auction his crop, |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Co. Tyrone, N.Ireland |
| Destination | Philadelphia, Penn., USA |
| Recipient | Duff, James |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | father-children |
| Source | T 2252/2: Copied by Permission of Mrs H. Gibson, 4 Harberton Avenue, Belfast 9. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, Northern Ireland. |
| Doc. No. | 9403200 |
| Date | 21/03/1819 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | LET |
| Log | Document added by LT, 15:03:1994. |
| Word Count | 894 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | The letter reproduced below was typed by the late Wm [William?] D. McIlroy of Pittsburgh and is presumably a copy of the original letter which has been lost. This typed copy WDM [William D. McIlroy?] had sent to Martha Duff Atkinson, Magherafelt, County Derry. She and her sister Sarah Duff Whitehead were both at the home of their brother Tommy Duff, near Coagh, County Tyrone, when I visited there last August (1959). - J C D Drumconvis 21 March 1819 Dr [Dear?] Children This I hope I will have the pleasure of sending with Mr Stitt so that with gods help I may expect you to get it in safety or any fear of miscarriage to inform you that through the mercies of god all our family & your friends in [Noble?] are all in the usual state of health but Thos [Thomas?] Dickson has had a sore turn of sickness but is got better, times here are still growing worse and trading is gone to nothing. Lands are not much better for the best farm in Drumconvis would not get a purchaser at any money, nor from Saml [Samuel?] Kenny's to Coagh there is not a Cow but my own so that you may guess by this what state the country is in. We all recd [received?] your kind presents with great thanks to the giver only the tea which we are told was lost & the present from Thos [Thomas?] McLernon was never heard of till it was mentioned in Samuel's letter & I suppose wont be got now. Mrs McLernon hopes Jas. [James?] will be a friend to her with her husband as his friends have put her out of her house & her father had to fetch her home & they wont let her see a letter that he writes. Dont neglect giving my best respects & sincere love to Joseph Lawson & tell him that I hope to have the pleasure of a pleasant night with him yet give my love to Wm [William?] Brown & family also. Your Mother although very frail still hopes to see you all together yet. Dr [Dear?] Saml [Samuel?] We recd [received?] your very welcome letter & were very happy to hear of your safety but has a grudge that you did not give us satisfaction enough about how you done on the passage and in your meeting with your brother &c &c Jno. [John?] Ledlie is waiting with great impatience for your promise of sending for him as indeed the whole family is impatient to be there only I wish him to go first. Robt [Robert?] is home to the house & has a son named for you but nothing that you know would be of more use, there is no alterations in Cookstown your Uncle is just well & thats enough all your friends in [Maghadone?] all well also when you write next let us know what you know of Kane. Wm [William?] Duff is left this town but whether to America or Scotland we know not Will [William?] Vance thinks long to hear your opinion how his business would do there as all the boys in general about this place are going next week with Jno [John?] Brown to Quebec all intending for philadelphia as soon as possible. Chas. [Charles?] George Jas. [James?] Malavery, Copland &c &c in all 150 about this place goes together I'm Sorry to have to inform you of the following circumstance. you may remember the door was stolen off the School house before you & Tom repaired it & the door was lately found on Jas. [James?] Dunlop's house and he strove to cast the blame on you as you were away but the steps I took & the good opinion of the congregation had of you it fell on himself. And the consequence was that he is turned out of being Clerk on that account with scandal, so I would have you the first time you write to return your thanks to the whole congregation for their good opinion of you and vindicating your character in your absence Jas. [James?] Ferguson's family are all in health, old Mr Ledlie of [Ballygonny?] is dead. Gabl. [Gabriel?] Ekin is despaired of this 3 Months & is expected to die Wm [William?] Slemons has had a sore turn of Sickness but is recovering he is out of Coagh now. I intend please God to auction the crop and all that I have this year & the place also if I can get it done, when [----?] writes again let him give us more satisfaction of affairs for Mattie wants to know how her namesake does & if she got her baby &c & let us know how Cathrine McGaw is doing for I have reasons for enquiring, I am also writing this day by Copland to your Sister Anne & I hope shortly to see you all together yet, & your Uncle Duff wishes that you may not be found out by too many friends but I am still happy to hear that you can befriend an old neighbour. Our whole family send their loves to you all & hopes that if we dont meet there we may all meet in heaven, this is the wish of your loving father &c Jno. [John?] Duff Margt [Margaret?] [Mc--one?] send her love to you all & hopes by next year she will be able to see you & hopes Sam will have some tea for her as she has quit smoaking [smoking?] her sister is living with Robt [Robert?] Jno. [John?] Boyd is going out next week, Saml's [Samuel's?] girl & all the girls in Coagh & Aghaves [Aghaveagh?] are all as he left them & Mary Caufield is married to Jas. [James?] Duff of Kilsally [Kilsalley?]. (Address: Mr Jas. [James?] Duff, Tallow Chandler No 13 between 5 & 6 South Ally Philad------- [Philadelphia?]) |
