Mr Robt [Robert?] [Taylor?]
[Near Dromore?]
County Down
Ireland
[Written above address]
Paid [?]
[Written on left of address]
2/5
[Stamped]
[----SLE?]
[June 6 --?]
[Written in bottom left corner]
[Care of?]
[Mr T W Battersby?]
[-unke-er?]
[Dromore?]
[Stamped upside down on top left]
LIVERPOOL
SHIP LETTER
[Written upside down on top right]
James Brown [met?] Sarah Mc Mahon
in Baltimore who informed him of the
[particulars?] of Margarets wedding
[Page 1]
Cumberland County Pennsylvania
June 2nd 1823
Dear Mother Brother and Sister
I take up my pen
to inform you that I am still in the land of the
living and enjoying a very good state of health at present
thanks be to him who is the giver of all good for his
mercies, anticipating that these few lines may find you
in the same condition your kind letter of March 9th I recd
[received?] June 7th 1821 likewise yours of April 27th 1822
an [and?] July 7th which afforded me great consolation to
hear you all being well. But very sorry to hear of the death
of cousin Hugh And aunts troubles, but a persons life never
pass long in a uniform train they have always disappointments
and difficulties to annoy or trouble them. Oh pardon my
ingratitude for not writing before this time I must
confess I have been an undutiful son and an ungrateful
Brother for neglecting to discharge that duty which is
incumbent on me but for the future I shall be mindful
of it. The reason why I neglected it was I expected there
would [sic] some changes take place among us which
prevented me and accordingly there has we are scattered
now like a flock of sheep having no Sheherd and never expect
all to meet again. Last July I went to Baltimore to see my
old friend James Brown and staid [stayed?] a week with him
he was working in quarry nigh [near?] the city and making
money fast I seen [sic] all my old neighbers [neighbours?]
and James Doyles daughter that had just arrived she could
give me very little information about you I staid [stayed?]
at Hugh Moneys [Mooneys?] who treated me with the
greatest respect and kindness; James Brown came up in
January and staid [stayed?] here untill March he was well
and returned to Baltimore again Betsy [Megaverin?] left
this in February for New York and I have not heard of her
since, she expected to get higher wages there I expect a
letter from her every day.
[Page 2]
Nathaniel and family left this April to go to Philadelphia
they arrived safe and well there, but had commenced no
buisiness [business?] the last account; they were all well when
I parted with them Thos [Thomas?] Brown is living with W
Woods again about seven miles from here he has ninety
dollars for the year and found, he is well and I see
him every week Peter McCavit is living with a
farmer about twenty miles from here and is well
and I myself expected to have removed from here but
they would not let me; the owner of these Iron Works
promised me a good situation in a short time if I would
stay I removed here in December 1821 and has continued
since I have now the largest school in the country.
I have been the starter of a sunday school society at
this place at which we have one hundred and ten scholars
they are plenty in [Towns?] but this is the first in the
country, and I have received the thanks of the neighbourhood
for commencing it; it is gratis we have public worship
performed twice a day [at it.?]. These were the changes
that I knew would take place and which prevented me from
writing until I could send you some [word?] about them
we spent a part of last winter very [pleasant?] with
James knowing it would be the last we would all
meet together but now I am bereft of all my friends
only Thos [Thomas?] although I have acquaintances plenty
of the best sort for since I came here I have never
associated with any other [as?] they seem to [acr---?]
my friendship and invite me to all their parties
and I must say I spend the time very agreeable [sic]
considering [sic] a [strange?] country, but the thoughts of
home rush in my mind and I long to see the country
that gave me birth, and I hope I shall before long.
I intend going from here to Edinburgh to graduate
in the [university?] a few years if I am spared I can one
half cheaper there than here.
[Page 3]
In my last I mentioned that my health was much
impaired last spring I was reduced to a mere skeleton
with the same complaint, and the only remedy I found
was [Tar?] water of wich [which?] I drank for several
months with good effects this spring I have only felt
very slight symptoms of it. I shall give you a brief
account of the climate last summer we experienced an
unusual [unusual?] drouth [drought?] [---?] [---ssed?]
heat for ten weeks we had [no?] rain I knew people to have
their water five miles all vegetable substances were
dried up a great many of the trees withered away I could
not describe the sufferings of some people and the
[clergymen?] set a day apart each week for fasting and
prayer the winter was long and very cold but little [survived?].
The times in this country are very little better but we
expect a change shortly: by the last news from Europe we
heard of the Declaration of [war?] between France and Spain
and if it is [protracted?] we expect better markets for
flower [flour?] and it is [b---?] flower [flour?] all
other markets are regulated I cannot give you any account
of the country in this but in my next I shall give you a
full account of manners, customs &c which will be in
three months I hope you will write as soon as you
receive this for I am very [uneasy/] to hear from
you and of the changes in the country - since I began
to write this I saw a man that seen Nathaniel in Philadelphia
he had got a [horse?] [and?] cart and was earning [two?]
[dollars?] per day so I think he [made?] agood [a good?]
change I intend writing him tomorrow.
I send my kind love to all my old acquaintances
and neighbours
I am with the greatest respect
your affectionate son and brother
N. B. John Taylor
please write as soon
as you receive this
and oblige me
JT. [John Taylor?]
