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Highland, Grove Mr. Thomas Moore: My much esteemed friend; after a long silence I sit down to write a few
lines, but it is so long since I wrote that hand and pen seem to be out
of the way of writing. It will soon be nine years since I promised to
write to you (but circumstances alter cases) and strange though it may
appear, it is not the less true I have not seen a creature since I left
from ( County Antrim) but one gentleman whose name is Johnson. He belongs
to Bally-men, and was once a member of Doctor Paul’s Church. He was
quite a stranger, but my heart warmed to him like a brother and he stayed
several nights with us. He has not been here since the ware commenced.
By this you will see that I have nothing satisfactory to write you, nor
any of my old friends about Ralco. Perhaps you will think me unkind in
not writing, but I can asure you that I have though of you with a friendly
devastation everyday of my life since I left the country, but I had nothing
interesting to communicate. (but enough of this) As a natural consequence you will be wondering how such an awkward family
as we are got along among strangers in a strange country where we had
to learn everything like children. I hasten to reply in as brief a way
as possible. Of course you heard of our voyage a safe arrival in this
side the Atlantic. From this point I shall start my narrative. The first
evening we set our foot on land our eldest little girl was taken to the
hospital sick with the small pox. We had what is called quarantine one
week in Staten Island, and then we crossed the river into New York where
we were received with great kindness by my Father and Sisters. This meeting
anyone could have enjoyed by myself, but also, the joy of meeting my folka
was overbalanced by my grief of leaving my child in the hospital among
strangers. Doctor would not allow me to speak o her through he window
before leaving. My spirit sank beyond measure; but here I must say a few words about
my Father and Sisters, not boastingly, but truthfully. Everything appeared
beyond anything anticipated. Everything appeared in the highest state
and conducted with economy and good order, accompanied with good taste.
We lived in a four-story house and had every room carpeted and furniture
of the best quality. Navy and Sarah played on the peana. Elisabeth’s
word was a law in the house. Whatever she said was done without grumble.
My father looked hearty and well; dressed like a gentlemen everyday with
his carpet slippers through the house, he made on little break before
we went there but he kept his room except for the first day. The girls
were grieved to the heart. [illegible] Brothers was all in California
and they have all moved there since then, but Jannet was married in New
York; Ann, being her twin sister, stayed with her. We stayed one week
there, and then took our journey to Iowa. We went by train as far as we
could. We took our passage clear through as far as Neck island, this cost
one hundred dollars and board our selfes. We were their ten days making
that trip. After going as far as we could by train, we took the stagecoach
and proceeded to a little town called Tipton. There we were disappointed in not seeing my Brother-in-Law, as that was
the place we expected to see him. The postmaster told us he had not been
there for six weeks, we tried to rent a house or even a room, but we could
not. There were only a few houses in town. It was dark by this time and
we got staying all night with enough to do; the owner of the hotel where
we stopped told us he expected my brother-in-law was on his farm 30 miles
from there. Next morning william and I started by sunrise- him to find
his brother, and me to see after our luggage, leaving the family in care
of the landlord of the house. I hired a man with a two horse wagon; the
stranger and I , as we had no load, rode very fast. We reached the junction
as mid day in good time to get our luggage it had just come). After feeding
and loading we returned to Tipton. William was there a few minutes before
me. Well, William looked around and was fortunate enough to get a house,
and then he engage a man to come right along with him and his team and
wagon, to bring all along, and was just in Tipton when I got there, so
the luggage was taken off the one wagon and put on the other. I was well
pleased with that day’s work, and after settling our bill in the
hotel, we started again at candlelighting, feeling more like going to
bed to rest than taking another journey; but the driver knew the road
well and we had no moonlight, we got along very well. We had only a few days then to work. I told James that Mr. Onstott had
sold and that we must get a house as soon as possible, as we could not
get a house in town; well, he said he would take William to a farm that
would please him the next morning they started to buy a farm. I did not
expect them back for two or three days, but to my great surprise they
both came home that evening of the same day. I inquired how it was they
got home so soon. Well, James said "We went by my farm and I had
hay out and I thought I better put it up before we would go away, it looked
like rain." William and I were beginning to lose patience with him,
and we told him just what we thought about him, but after all, they started
next morning. We had only two days then to work, the first morning of October Mr. Onstot
commented to move all his things out the house very early; he expected
the other folks there by noon. My men had never got back. I felt pretty
bad. I did not wish to give any trouble to Mr. Onstot as e had treated
us very well. I had no one to help me to move nor did not know where to
go; after thinking a little, I recollected a women named Bardoe giving
me an invitation to visit her. Her parents came from Ireland. I told my
little boys to try and hitch up our team that we bought a few days before.
Although they had never done the like before, in a few minutes they and
the wagon at the door. As quick as possible we loaded. I hired a boy to
go along with my boys to show them the road. It was 4 or 5 miles and after
stating the circumstances as directed to the lady, they unloaded and came
right back for the balance of the luggage and the family. We loaded up again and reached Mrs. Bardoes by sunset. She made us very
welcome and laughed at the joke I had played on the two men, James and
William. Her house was small 16x16 ft. I shall never forget that night-she
had 8 of a family and ten of us. Don’t you think it was a well filled
house? You could not step inside of the door without trampling on one
of us. As soon as my men found us again (this they had done by inquiring a little),
we started with two teams to what we though was our new home, but the
gentlemen would not take our money- he wanted it all in gold. We did not
want to part with the gold first. We then made another purchase and it
turned out the same way- he would not take our paper money. There was
no way of saving ourselves from losing two thousand five hundred dollars
but deposit the paper money in the bank and hold on to the gold. With
the check for the money we bought 2 hundred and twenty acres of land which
we now live on. Please remember me in the kindest manner possible to all my old neighbors to numerous to mention about Raloo. Isabella McMurrin Mr if you can read this scrolling I would like you to write me a letter as soon as you receive this and let me know all the news you can. There’s a great many changes in life in nine years. Please let me know if you have got married again or if Mr. John Crawford id married, and all the Deaths and marriages around. If you know how anxious I am to have a letter you would not fall to write immedialty. Please give me David Sloans directions. I, McMurrin.
Viroqua, Sunday night My dear Mina; I am not a great talker on religion, but He knows the inner most recesses
of the heart and know that I am a deep thinker and a believer in god and
in His infinite goodness and meroy. I feel confident that the suffering
and trials that the human family is subject too is to wean us from this
world and all its allurements and to make us feel and see our need of
help from some thing stronger than human hand. I hope you will consider
this matter promptly and carefully knowing that time is on the wing and
nose its rapid course can stay. When I was about your age I got married and commended life with bright
prospects. We got along nicely and everything seemed to prosper with us
and in nine years we had six children, very healthy children, for your
pap and I was very healthy; neither of us seemed to think any trouble
of out little ones, in fact I was very proud of my four little boys and
my two little girls. At this time and in the midst of our prosperity your
uncle James wrote to us time and again saying that with such a family
of boys that we would be better in Iowa; so your pap made up his mind
to come. We settled down where we are now and got along very well, to
be a new country and everything new to us. In a few years our family had
increased to nine and just one week before out tenth child was born the
balance turned from prosperity to adversity. During our married lives
I must say with highest hearts and willing hands we worked hard early
and late until we got a home for ourselves and our family. My dear Mina, when I introduced this subject was to be brief and not
to trouble you with a history so long as this is for it is not, it cannot
be, interesting to you; however when I commenced it seems I did not know
when to quit, although I don’t often talk on the subject, it seems
to come all fresh to my mind, but what I want to be at; is to impress
on your mind that unless my lord conduct the plan our best contrived schemes
are vain. I could say a good deal more on this subject but I will stop
for fear I weary your patience. Tuesday 27th. |
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