[John, Roberts older brother, writes the next two letters from Carlisle PA which is about 30 miles north of Gettysburg, a little farther from Harrisburg, and about 100 miles from Philadelphia. In 1827 Abraham Lincoln is 18 years old, and Gettysburg will not become famous until 36 years have passed.]
Robert Taylor
Shanrod
Near Dromore
County Down
Ireland
[Page 1]
Carlisle Penna [Pennsylvania?] February 18th 1827
Dear Brother,
With pleasure I avail myself
of the opportunity of of [sic] writing you by a Mr
William Moore whom I accidently [accidentally?] met
with yesterday in this place on his way home to
Ireland he is going within 6 miles of Nutnalumnavaddy
[the old name for Limavady] [Newtownlimavady?] in the
Parish of Ballykelly County Derry. You will not have an
opportunity of seeing him, but what induces me to write
is that it will save some postage to you. I have nothing
of any importance to communicate you, having exhausted
every subject in my letters by Mr Stuart [Stewart?] and
of course drew a considerable tax on your patience. The
articles I sent by Mr Stuart [Stewart?] I hope you recd
[received?] safe, at least I am anxious to hear of them.
I perceived by the Philadelphia papers of December that
the ship in which he went arrived safely at Liverpool in
about 25 days.
I am well at present and have been in good health since
I wrote you. I am still pursuing my old occupation and
will for another year, having entered into a new contract
with the Commissioners of the County a few days ago. The
men appointed to visit my school reported in the most
favourable terms of it and that in their opinion my salary
was too little. I have got it raised for the ensuing year
to seven hundred dollars, I am however to teach all the
children of the borough that are entitled to a gratuitous
education which will amount to upwards of one hundred
scholars, or about twenty more than I had, to these I
can attend myself with the aid of one assistant.
[Page 2]
My situation and salary may appear very encouraging to
those who are disposed to come to this country, but let
them not come with the vain hope of grasping at another
such an one [sic] immediately, a situation of this kind
is deemed even here an enviable one, and is only to be
attained by a well established character, long acquaintance,
strict attention to business, integrity and having been
strictly scrutinised by the ordeal of public opinion and
found not wanting. I assure you where a situation of this
kind presents itself here, there are an [sic] hundred
applicants for it, and men too who have been raised in
the country would be glad to get it. The first winter I was
in this country I was obliged to teach a school for six
dollars per month, six years have now elapsed and I have
increased it in a ratio nearly ten times as much, this I have
accomplished by perseverance, by always secretly fixing my
attention on something higher, and inspiring with an honest
ambition until I obtained it, by being faithful to my friends
and exercising forbearance towards my enemies. The news from
Ireland is of a rather distressing cast, I hope exaggerated.
The papers say famine and disease prevail in the west and that
in some districts the people are in a state of rebellion, the
latter is heartily prayed for by every republican, by every
American, that the people of Ireland would rise in the power
of their might and with one blow knock off the shackles of
foreign oppression, thus they would have a name and rank
among the nations of the earth, then would their native
Geniusis [geniuses?] under the auspices of Liberty find at
home sufficient room and scope for their expansion. Where
Liberty dwells there is my country.
[Page 3]
When the news of war and the embarkation of British Troops to
Portugal reached this country, it ruined business for some time,
but we find it is all over. I heard from Nathaniel [his brother]
and James Brown [second cousin] about a month ago they are all
well. Peter and John McCavit are well, as is Robert McGowan and
family and Hugh McGowan, Robert McIllwrath was with Hugh
a few weeks ago but I did not see them.
I can give Mr Samuel Brown no further account of his Thomas
[sic] affairs than I did before more than that I got all the
money that was owing him in this country and forward it to
Baltimore to the Administrator, he has not got the other money
collected yet and is doubtful if he ever will.
If Mr Stuart [Stewart?] has not left Ireland when this arrives
give my respects to him and tell him I am thinking the time very
long until I see him in Carlisle again.
Time will not permit me to add anything further at present.
Give my respects to my Dear Mother, Sister, Sister in Law,
my Aunt, and to all my friends and acquaintances. I intimated
in my letter to you that I would probably write my old playmate
Joseph Pattison a letter this winter, I was kept so busy that
I could not find leisure to redeem my pledge if he does not
come this spring or summer
I will assuredly write him.
I am Dear Brother
Yours affectionately
John Taylor
