Mitilda Ferguson, Philadelphia to Elisa Jane

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Document ID 201001022
Date 10-08-1811
Document Type Letters (Emigrants)
Archive Mellon Centre for Migration Studies
Citation Mitilda Ferguson, Philadelphia to Elisa Jane;Dermot Lyttle; CMSIED 201001022
41182
[Page 1]

Philadelphia
    August 10th 1811

Dear Elisa Jane I sit down for the
first time to right[write?] to you it is with
a tribled [troubled?] hart [heart?] it is to let you know
that your father is dead he died on
Thursday night ten minutes past
one oclock and was buried on
Sunday the 5th   he had a nice funeral
he belongs to a society they call the
Epeas? they escorted him to the
grave and had a nice sermon
we had the minister and his daughter
and the superintend [superintendent?]  of our Church
we had three Doctors with him
but the doctor graham that
attended to him last summer
attended him every day he
says his disease was 
chronic gastriles [gastritis?]  Johnny is
very sick and the doctor bids
him stop work that does not 

[Page 2]

suit people in this country if
the [they?] do not work the [they?] will want
it is by work the [they?]make their living
so he has went to the doctor this
eving [evening?] I hope he will soon get better
he was very hard worked since
he came to this country but
the [there?] are so many diseases in
this country that it is hard to
escape but the Lords will must
be done  David is out in the country
with a truck his wages is sound
but the [there?] are ten men idle for
one that is working   Thomas is
very kind to us, had Martha now
had a young son it is two weeks
old so he could not attend
the store himself and he took
Samuel as boy he is a good
obedient good child  

[Page 3]

Dear Elisa your aunt Elisa
Carson was over for to [two?] months
She went home to [two?] weeks before
your father died but we did not
expect Death to the last week for
him the Soity [Society?] failed and the [they?]
maide [made?] a new regulation
that the [they?] would give no help
to any of the members for one
year to the [they?] would get strong
again so I do not know whether
we will get anything or not
but I will soon wright [write?] to 
your aunt Mary Ann and I 
might know then you can let 
uncle Jamey know that aunt Betty
and cousin Elisa and Margrat [Margaret?]
huchison was at your fathers funeral
and your uncle Samuels brothers  
daughters  Dear Elisa you would 
strange to see me going with the bare head  

[Page 4]

  Saragh [Sara?] is at home this three
months she left a good place she
had three and a half dollars [dollars?] a week
She was foolish to do so Mary Ann
is sowing [sewing?] in a store she would
not make more than her board
So Willy is not working this
summer the times is so dull here
the men went all on a strike
and that caused great trouble
in the city  I keep the store in
myself for it keeps me from
thinking long  it is very 
useful besides  Dear Elisa I am so
much slaved these 5 weeks I 
am hardly able to go my
 around [around?] so I am afraid my
truble [trouble?] is not over the  the doctor
is afraid that Johnny will have
the thifhard  [diphtheria?] fever but I trust in
the Lord that he will not for it
is very  is smitle [contagious?]

Written at the side and across top of page 4
Dear Elisa send my best
Regards to Joseph and you and the children and to
your grandmother  and aunt  and uncle and Willy Excuse me 
                     for my bad righting [Writing?] as I am
                                          in trouble


Written along side and across top of page 3
if it was not for the store I do not know what we would do
your father worked to a man
this summer and he did not pay
him he owes him 50 dolars [dollars?]
                 it was to [too?] much to lose