Letter from John Ferguson, Philadelphia, to Friends
[Page1]
Philadelphia April 12th 1874
Dear friends I received your kind letter
on the 10th and one from Elisa Jane we
are glad to hear of your being well
with the exception of little Willy
you mentioned of him being sick for
some time but I hope he has it
all over and likewise Elisa Janes
baby We understand it is but poorly
but children has got to have so
many kinds of diseases that makes
their parents often feel troubled
I rote [wrote?] a letter to Elisa Jane the day
after Samuel and Magy [Maggie?] came here
I told her to let you see it as soon
as she could and that I was intend
to rite [write?] to you soon I would have
rote [wrote?] sooner but waiting a little
for some more news but a letter
as large as a newspaper would not
hold what news I have but I will
give you some of the particulars
[Page 2]
We were surely glad to see Magy [Maggie?]
and that she has got out of rusky [Rousky?]
but she has not much pleasure
hear[here?]yet no more than there but
I have told her how to do and if
she dose [does?] what is right for herself
she will not be trampled over
with the fool Mc Nickles when she
can better herself now not like
when she was in rusky [Rousky?] if they
had left that dirty laisy [lazy?] hussy
Mary Ann at home instead of bringing
her hear [here?] to breed disturbance by lies
as in rusky [Rousky?] it would be a great dale [deal?]
better they got a place to live out here
but she was back home again in
a few days of course she is not fit
for any gentlemans house she never
saw anything better than dunging
pig houses and telling lies I cannot
see what he brought her heer [here?] for
[Page 3]
when the[they?] came here we treated them
decently in every respect and got
them a house next door to myself
at 10 Dollars per month the [they?] could
done well and Magy [Maggie?] could done
our washing and that would been
2 dollars a week but Samuel
did not want to work all he was
inclined was to drink whisky in the
taverns and play cards and gamble
and then ridicule his wife and her
friends he thought he was in Rusky [Rousky?]
he had 180 dollars when he came here
but he soon spent it he then went
and rented a corner house to start
a store at 20 dollars per month I
believe he has not 5 dollars as he
thought we should get a store filled
for him and let him drink it out
as he done in rusky [Rousky?] but I am glad
to have Magy [ Maggie?] where I can have justice done
to her
[Page 4]
He said he would take her away from
her own because he could not get
ridiculing her so convenient to us the [they?]
are living now about a mile from
us I must say it was the Devil drove
him here he induced David to card playing
gambling and all kinds of vice since he
came here and induced him to leave
us and to gow [go?] and live with him
We got no money from David since
he came here but 3 dollars but I will
be obliged to soon stop that Im
to gow [go?] to the alderman and have
him put up he never was fit to keep
himself since he came here so lately
he is working piece work in the barrel
factory he can make from 12 to 16
dollars a week when Sammy has
spent all his money he thinks to have
him now to keep him but I have done
too much for him at home and here
to let him run a blagrard [Blackguard?] with Samuel McNickle
[Page 5]
As regards ourselves we are all well
and at work but this is a very
dull summer the worst since I came
here all work is dull and the pay
is small I am only getting 3 dollars
per day were[where?] I always had 3 and
the [there?]are thousands here cannot get
any work Johnny is working now
but was idle for 8 or 9 weeks he has
2 dollars per day Mary Anne is in a nice
place child nurse in West Philadelphia
at 3 dollars per week that is a part
of the City occupied by gentlemen
and ladies living private and
Seragh [Sara?]is always in the same place
We sent Cathrin to Thomas to help
to attend to the baby for a few weeks
until the [they?] get another William and
Samuel is to school Mitilda has a
good bit to do and the early rising
is the worst we have to be up every
morning at 5 o'clock
[Page 6]
Yous [you?] need not be uneasy in mind
for the[there?] are a great many hard cases
in this country but when one
is hear [here?] awhile they do not think
much of it I will rite[write?] yous[you?]
another letter when I have got
some more news I know yous[you?]
will be uneasy I am glad to
hear of my mother having good health
give our best respects to Joseph and Elisa
I will soon rite [write?] to them you need not
be afraid to let anything be nown [known?]
that I rite [write?] in this letter to the
roosky [Rousky?] ruffins [ruffians?] for Maggy is not
there now thank God. but the more
I said that you need not say anything
to the McNickles for some time
Samuel has told the letter carrier to
leave any letter he will have for him
at a tavern where he will get them
so as Magy [Maggie?] or us would not now [know?]
[Page 7]
whither he would get either
money or letter from home
if it had not been for his
indifferent language to his wife
ridiculing her people here the same
as at home Thomas and I would
get him a store filed [filled?] but we new [knew?]
he was too mean ever to pay it
he says he will get ₤50 from home
but I have no confidence in that
thank God we are all well and
although the times was hard
in this country it did not come
our lenth [length?] Mr. Wilson and wife
and Mr.Adims & Family is well
Likewise Elisa Jane Park and Edward
is well Please excuse this short letter
perhaps I will rite [write?] a longer one next
Yrs very sincerely
John Ferguson
[Page 8]
I have some nosion [notion?] of moving
after this month but if I do
I will rite [write?] to yous [you?] so as yous [you?]
will now [know?] any adress [address?] the weather
is pretty cold here as yet I hope
yous [you?] will have favourable
weather there to get your crops
put down
Maggy is intend to
rite [write?] a letter to Elisa Jane
verry [very?] soon she came
to see us this evening
pleas [please? send this letter
back with your uncle
I wish to have it
