James J. Wright, Santiago de Cuba, to Martha Wright, No. 108 Thomas Street, Dublin, Ireland
Item
Rights
Permission to publish from the Historical Library of the Religious Society of Friends in Dublin
Publisher
University of Galway
Format
JPG
Type
Manuscript
Number of pages
3
Source
Historical Library of the Religious Society of Friends in Dublin
Creator
James Jenkinson Wright
Identifier
Portfolio 35X_L23
Date
1842-10-21
Surname
Wright
Firstname
James Jenkinson
Title
James J. Wright, Santiago de Cuba, to Martha Wright, No. 108 Thomas Street, Dublin, Ireland
Translator
Kerby A. Miller, Patricia Miller
Description
James J. Wright, Santiago de Cuba, to Martha Wright, No. 108 Thomas Street, Dublin, Ireland
Transcript
001
Santiago de Cuba October 21, 1842
My dear aunt
I had the pleasure of writing to you on the 21st of July, exactly a quarter of a year ago, and it was my last, unless I have forgotten to make note of it, which I do not think has happened, at all events more than that period has elapsed, since I have had the satisfaction of receiving any of yours for your last date
is May 31st, however as I got a few lines from Jonathan of the 19th of July, I know that you were then well, and about moving to Thomas St. so that I shall direct this to your new domicile. It was grateful to
my feelings to be aware, that you were thinking of me upon reading the statement of the earthquake, an account of which if I mistake not I have already sent you.
I am really sorry to have to say, that my expectation of leaving this for Ohio, on my way to my beloved native land, appears to slip away from me, as I approach the goal, and goodness knows when I shall be able to fulfil it, for it cannot now be earlier than April 1844 or thereabouts, and thus my unfortunate disappointment has been brought about, that is to say last month we received advice from Mr. Dufourcq one of our capitalists now residing in France, informing us of his intention of commencing business for himself in Marseilles, and of his determination consequent thereon of retiring his means from our establishment - on the first instant, and within the same week information reached us that Mr. Shelton another of our capitalists was, melancholy to say, deranged so as to
002
make it requisite for his relatives to place him in an Asylum in the United States where he resides, which compelled us of necessity to repudiate his connection with the renewed firm, and consequently to prepare to pay up his capital and profits, now as these two retirements of means amounted to about £28.000 Stg say One hundred and forty thousand dollars, it became impracticable for me to withdraw – without bearing altogether too heavily upon Mr. Brooks the only remaining capitalist or breaking up the concern in toto, neither of which however desirous of retiring could I bring myself to effect – for the first would have been ungenerous to my remaining partner, and the latter – destructive of the hopes of two good worthy young men junior partners just fairly beginning life, therefore I felt myself called upon to continue my shoulder to the wheel for awhile longer, and agreed to further association for three years, undertaking the direction of the business for the first eighteen months, with a positive understanding that my time afterwards should be entirely at my own disposal, the house having no further claim upon it, and that it was entirely left to me, so to manage the concern, as to enable it to place at my disposition all my realized means, within the stipulated eighteen months, thus it must be my own fault if – I be not able to march then. I have felt the postponement of my departure much, especially as I had pledged myself to Nehemiah to be in Ohio with means to aid him without fail next spring, to remedy which all in my power. I have told him to call for all he wants, and that he shall have it – for it has been a very distressing time for the two past years in the States.
003
I was greatly pleased a short time since by a letter from father, in which he says, that his general health was very good, but that he continued to be troubled with his old complaint of the hip joint. He weighed 229 pounds, writes as free as I do, and in very good spirits. From Nehemiah my dates reach August 20th and it is extremely consolatory to know that he was then almost over the effects of his two unfortunate mishaps, entirely so as regarded his head, and his hip and shoulders only troubling somewhat during exercise, I feel deeply thankful that the Almighty has spared him to his large family. He states that
uncle William and all our relative were well, and says that John D. received your letter of May 18th, on the 8th of June which was very quick travelling indeed.
I am not myself as well as usual, having been affected latterly by an intermitting pulse, arising I presume from too full a habit, so I have put myself again upon a very spare diet, on the 10th instant when I began to do so I weighed 198½ pounds and this forenoon 189½ and I feel today somewhat relieved, but I intend to bring myself down to 175 and stay there for awhile, it is however no great
sufferance, and I attend business matters as usual, but one does not like to know that such an organ is out of tune.
I am dear aunt your affectionate nephew
James J. Wright
[KM/PM: noted on addressee side- answered 4 Mo 7th 1843 , also hand written name “Ellen Simson” and stamped Swansea Ship Letter]
Santiago de Cuba October 21, 1842
My dear aunt
I had the pleasure of writing to you on the 21st of July, exactly a quarter of a year ago, and it was my last, unless I have forgotten to make note of it, which I do not think has happened, at all events more than that period has elapsed, since I have had the satisfaction of receiving any of yours for your last date
is May 31st, however as I got a few lines from Jonathan of the 19th of July, I know that you were then well, and about moving to Thomas St. so that I shall direct this to your new domicile. It was grateful to
my feelings to be aware, that you were thinking of me upon reading the statement of the earthquake, an account of which if I mistake not I have already sent you.
I am really sorry to have to say, that my expectation of leaving this for Ohio, on my way to my beloved native land, appears to slip away from me, as I approach the goal, and goodness knows when I shall be able to fulfil it, for it cannot now be earlier than April 1844 or thereabouts, and thus my unfortunate disappointment has been brought about, that is to say last month we received advice from Mr. Dufourcq one of our capitalists now residing in France, informing us of his intention of commencing business for himself in Marseilles, and of his determination consequent thereon of retiring his means from our establishment - on the first instant, and within the same week information reached us that Mr. Shelton another of our capitalists was, melancholy to say, deranged so as to
002
make it requisite for his relatives to place him in an Asylum in the United States where he resides, which compelled us of necessity to repudiate his connection with the renewed firm, and consequently to prepare to pay up his capital and profits, now as these two retirements of means amounted to about £28.000 Stg say One hundred and forty thousand dollars, it became impracticable for me to withdraw – without bearing altogether too heavily upon Mr. Brooks the only remaining capitalist or breaking up the concern in toto, neither of which however desirous of retiring could I bring myself to effect – for the first would have been ungenerous to my remaining partner, and the latter – destructive of the hopes of two good worthy young men junior partners just fairly beginning life, therefore I felt myself called upon to continue my shoulder to the wheel for awhile longer, and agreed to further association for three years, undertaking the direction of the business for the first eighteen months, with a positive understanding that my time afterwards should be entirely at my own disposal, the house having no further claim upon it, and that it was entirely left to me, so to manage the concern, as to enable it to place at my disposition all my realized means, within the stipulated eighteen months, thus it must be my own fault if – I be not able to march then. I have felt the postponement of my departure much, especially as I had pledged myself to Nehemiah to be in Ohio with means to aid him without fail next spring, to remedy which all in my power. I have told him to call for all he wants, and that he shall have it – for it has been a very distressing time for the two past years in the States.
003
I was greatly pleased a short time since by a letter from father, in which he says, that his general health was very good, but that he continued to be troubled with his old complaint of the hip joint. He weighed 229 pounds, writes as free as I do, and in very good spirits. From Nehemiah my dates reach August 20th and it is extremely consolatory to know that he was then almost over the effects of his two unfortunate mishaps, entirely so as regarded his head, and his hip and shoulders only troubling somewhat during exercise, I feel deeply thankful that the Almighty has spared him to his large family. He states that
uncle William and all our relative were well, and says that John D. received your letter of May 18th, on the 8th of June which was very quick travelling indeed.
I am not myself as well as usual, having been affected latterly by an intermitting pulse, arising I presume from too full a habit, so I have put myself again upon a very spare diet, on the 10th instant when I began to do so I weighed 198½ pounds and this forenoon 189½ and I feel today somewhat relieved, but I intend to bring myself down to 175 and stay there for awhile, it is however no great
sufferance, and I attend business matters as usual, but one does not like to know that such an organ is out of tune.
I am dear aunt your affectionate nephew
James J. Wright
[KM/PM: noted on addressee side- answered 4 Mo 7th 1843 , also hand written name “Ellen Simson” and stamped Swansea Ship Letter]
Language
English
List of contributors
Kerby A. Miller
Patricia Miller
Giselle Gonzalez Garcia
Margaret Brohony
Cristian Sanchez
People
James Jenkinson Wright
Martha Wright
Jonathan Wright
Location
Sophie Estate, Santiago de Cuba
New York City, United States
Dublin, Ireland