John & Matilda Ferguson, Philadelphia to Joseph & Elisa Jane

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Document ID 200912007
Date 19-09-1875
Document Type Letters (Emigrants)
Archive Mellon Centre for Migration Studies
Citation John & Matilda Ferguson, Philadelphia to Joseph & Elisa Jane;Dermot Lyttle; CMSIED 200912007
25527
[Page 1]

Philadelphia  September 19th 1875

Dear Joseph & Elisa Jane I once more take
the opportunity of sending these few lines
to yous [you?] to let yous [you] know we are all well
at present thank God for his kindness to
us hoping this will reach yous [you?] all the 
same I had a letter from my sister
some time back she told me yous [you?] was
about to rite [write?] soon but I think
perhaps yous [you?] must have forgot we 
feel happy to hear of yous [you?] living well
and likewise of having a good promising
crop this season I hope you will have
a good harvest to procure it your aunt
said in her letter that she heard that
Samuel McNickle had got home the week
before she rote [wrote?] but I understand he is
in America yet your aunt Elisa Carson
was on to see us for a week the first of 
this month She told us he was out some
where in the County she sent his
sister Mary Anne 2 dolars [dollars?] to pay his fair [fare?]out

[Page 2]

and he wrote a letter to Mary Anne to send
him money to buy some clothing but she 
would not she said she thought so much
shame of him when he was in the city
but it is not worth to say anything
of him any more as regards ourselves
we are all at work although business
is very dull this summer I had plenty
to do this summer I had a job that
lasted for five months it was finished
 the 1st August I then got another 
that continued for one month & the man
I was working the first has started to 
build 26 houses and I am with him
again I work by the foot and that is
better than day work I can make
from 25 to 30 dollars per week  I leave
home about 7 o'clock in the morning
and it takes one hour and a half to go
 to where I work in the street cars and
the same in the evening that costs 13 cents
per day Johnny is always in the same
work and David and Willy is working


[Page 3]

in a box factory Mary Anne is making
shirts and her  mother Seragh is 
in the same place She went to
New York with her aunt and enjoyed
herself for 8 days she came back last
week and went to her place again
She told us she red [read?] a letter that you
sent to your aunt Elisa and we were
glad to hear of your being well  Little
Willy is verry [very?] sausy [saucy?]  [sonsy?] coming home every Saturday
with his pay 3 dollars per week his work is
light it was over 200 dollars loss to me
by McNickle ever coming to this country but
the Lord was favourable to me I had the 
best job ever I had for making money
this summer at the same time it is hard
to work for money to pay it away for
another we wish yous[you?] much happiness
of your young son hoping he will grow
in grace We think a great dale [deal?] of
long to have a leter from yous [you?] please
rite [write?] us a letter as soon as you receive this
I have a mind to move  before the winter
further up in the city so as to be nearer to
my work but we will always get your letter 

[Page 4]

Thomas and wife & child is well he comes
to see us every Sunday we send our best 
respects to Mother I am glad to hear of
her having prety [pretty?] good health owing to her
age in this world and to Samuel and 
Mary Anne and little Willy I suppose he
is not little now he is getting to be
useful to Father & Mother your mother
and I stands out pretty well but our
hair is getting pretty grey but that is in
regards to the climate  we had a nice
summer here it was not extreme hot
except some weeks once in a while and
now the fall weather is pretty much
the same as yous [you?] have there  send us
a long letter and send all the news
I will rite [write?] a letter to my Mother soon
but when I rite [write?] to you they can get
the news and when I rite [write?] to them yous [you?]
can have the same No more at present
but remaining your affectionate Father & Mother
John & Mitilda Ferguson
As far as I can understand the laidy [lady?]
in New York Mrs Blackers has Maggies little laidy[lady?]