John Dew Wright, Belmont, Belmont County, to cousin Jonathan Wright, 7 Christ Church Place, 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_L39
Date
1842-10-22
Surname
Wright
Firstname
James Jenkinson
Title
John Dew Wright, Belmont, Belmont County, to cousin Jonathan Wright, 7 Christ Church Place, Dublin, Ireland
Translator
Kerby A. Miller, Patricia Miller
Description
John Dew Wright, Belmont, Belmont County, to cousin Jonathan Wright, 7 Christ Church Place, Dublin, Ireland
Transcript
001
Belmont, Belmont Co. October 22nd, 1842
Dear Cousin
Jonathan Wright
Thy very acceptable & interesting letter of 5Mo. 19th last, came duly to hand, from which I was pleased to find that our relatives in Ireland were generally enjoying health, one of the greatest blessings bestowed upon us frail mortals, and one too, for which we should be thankful to the Author & bestower of every good & perfect gift.
And I am grateful I have it to say, that all of us are enjoying like blessing, which thou wilt perceive, when I inform thee that on 25th Ultimo, All our relatives, bearing name of "Wright" (Numbering 39) dined with Grandfather, (Smithson & family being here from Columbus,) - Grandfather enjoys good health for one of his age, his chief ailing being Rheumatism - he recd [received] Aunt Martha's letter of 9 Mo 2nd on 19th inst. and was with the rest of us, much pleased to hear from her and the rest of you & he purposes writing a long letter to her ere long.
Father has become quite restored from his two sad accidents, exception of little lameness, when he walks too much, he recollects thee when quite young & often talks about his far distant kinsmen - Uncle Wm [William] is in usual health, but I'm sorry to say he looks quite frail, & perhaps works to hard. he recd [received] a letter from cousin John, about three weeks since, informing of the health of fds. [friends] generally. Also the bountiful crops of the season, which your country stood in such need of - & at the last an enquiry whether I 'd recd [received] Aunt Martha's. In answer to which, I desire thee inform her I did, before thine I'm now answering , & should have answered hers myself, but that Hannah did soon after the rect. [receipt] of thy kind letter. Hannah has been
002
looking for an answer from Aunt Martha for some time, but from the one Grandfather recd. [received] it appears Dear Aunt has not recd. [received] Hannah's, but I hope she has ere now - I was much pleased with thy acct. [account] of the different branches of our family, & have often wished 'twas in my power to trace our Ancestors, for centuries gone-by. It is most certainly a great comfort to have the privaledge [sic] of knowing & perusing our family's history for centuries past & also hand it down to posterity as a Memento of the original stock whence we eminated.
Times continue very dull, but have somewhat revived since the passage of the tarriff [sic] Bill, at last session of Congress. It restored to the Manufacturers, a confidence that their interests would be looked to & they have, (many who had stopped business,) again commenced operation & called back their hands who were wandering to seek employment to maintain themselves. Indeed things began to assume a very serious aspect in the east & manufacturing districts. Thousands at once being thrown out of employ, who depend solely upon their labour for sustainance. What our country now most needs is a sound Banking System, to carry on her fiscal matters advantageously. We have abundant crops this season. Our country is becoming quite notable in the manufacturing business. Woolen & Silk factories are carried on extensively near us. There is a silk Factory in Mt. Pleasant 0.20 miles distant, (where Ohio Yearly is held,) at which the business is carried on to considerable extent & perfection. Most kinds of figd silks, sattins HandKfs, Hosiery, plushes, Velvets etc. etc. are manufactured with neatness not surpassed by the old Countries & to visit the establishments (as I have) in 8th or 9th month can see the whole process, from feeding the worm, to the weaving of the finest sattins, velvets, plushes etc. etc.. And the proprietor Jno. W. Gill, an Ohio born informed me it yielded him 10 percent on investment
003
I should be pleased to pay your country a visit & sometimes even indulge the fond hope that I may, but the undertaking would now be greater than before I had any but myself to care for - but many of you are differently situated, & more at liberty, who we should be highly gratified to see on this side "the great World of Waters" that rage & roll between us; yet upon its bosom the 'tiney bark" glides, bearing to & fro these testimonials of sincere regard. Uncle Jas. J. Wright purposes leaving Cuba in 4 Mo. next, to come here, his presence in safety is much wished for by us all, and Grandfather is particularly anxious to see him & thanks the time long before he can be with us. To thy enquiry about naming farms, one for "Ballainclay" - here tis' not as in old countries, we've so much moving about in new countries that the farms are not named. Almost immediately after Smithson had recd. [received] thy letter, he had a visit from Thos. Smithson's widow mentioned in thine. She was in Columbus under care of Physician with disease of the eyes . She & her brother do not agree well. Aunt Martha seems to regret her present to Hannah, lest it should have enhanced the postage - put her at rest on that score, for had it been trebble what it was, she would gladly have had the present, as she keeps it as precious token of regard from her very dear Aunt.
I must draw to a close as my paper is full such as it is. With dear love to thee, Aunt Martha, thy father, Bro. & all our relatives, wishing to be remembered to them, although to most unknown, I am joined by Hannah, Grandfather, Father, Mother, & I'm sure by many more if they knew of me writing. I close, hoping soon to hear from thee & others & am thy afft cousin
J. D. Wright
P.S. Grandfather desires to know if Sml. Elly, Edwd PItts & wife & James Jenkinson are living. Jno D. Wright
Belmont, Belmont Co. October 22nd, 1842
Dear Cousin
Jonathan Wright
Thy very acceptable & interesting letter of 5Mo. 19th last, came duly to hand, from which I was pleased to find that our relatives in Ireland were generally enjoying health, one of the greatest blessings bestowed upon us frail mortals, and one too, for which we should be thankful to the Author & bestower of every good & perfect gift.
And I am grateful I have it to say, that all of us are enjoying like blessing, which thou wilt perceive, when I inform thee that on 25th Ultimo, All our relatives, bearing name of "Wright" (Numbering 39) dined with Grandfather, (Smithson & family being here from Columbus,) - Grandfather enjoys good health for one of his age, his chief ailing being Rheumatism - he recd [received] Aunt Martha's letter of 9 Mo 2nd on 19th inst. and was with the rest of us, much pleased to hear from her and the rest of you & he purposes writing a long letter to her ere long.
Father has become quite restored from his two sad accidents, exception of little lameness, when he walks too much, he recollects thee when quite young & often talks about his far distant kinsmen - Uncle Wm [William] is in usual health, but I'm sorry to say he looks quite frail, & perhaps works to hard. he recd [received] a letter from cousin John, about three weeks since, informing of the health of fds. [friends] generally. Also the bountiful crops of the season, which your country stood in such need of - & at the last an enquiry whether I 'd recd [received] Aunt Martha's. In answer to which, I desire thee inform her I did, before thine I'm now answering , & should have answered hers myself, but that Hannah did soon after the rect. [receipt] of thy kind letter. Hannah has been
002
looking for an answer from Aunt Martha for some time, but from the one Grandfather recd. [received] it appears Dear Aunt has not recd. [received] Hannah's, but I hope she has ere now - I was much pleased with thy acct. [account] of the different branches of our family, & have often wished 'twas in my power to trace our Ancestors, for centuries gone-by. It is most certainly a great comfort to have the privaledge [sic] of knowing & perusing our family's history for centuries past & also hand it down to posterity as a Memento of the original stock whence we eminated.
Times continue very dull, but have somewhat revived since the passage of the tarriff [sic] Bill, at last session of Congress. It restored to the Manufacturers, a confidence that their interests would be looked to & they have, (many who had stopped business,) again commenced operation & called back their hands who were wandering to seek employment to maintain themselves. Indeed things began to assume a very serious aspect in the east & manufacturing districts. Thousands at once being thrown out of employ, who depend solely upon their labour for sustainance. What our country now most needs is a sound Banking System, to carry on her fiscal matters advantageously. We have abundant crops this season. Our country is becoming quite notable in the manufacturing business. Woolen & Silk factories are carried on extensively near us. There is a silk Factory in Mt. Pleasant 0.20 miles distant, (where Ohio Yearly is held,) at which the business is carried on to considerable extent & perfection. Most kinds of figd silks, sattins HandKfs, Hosiery, plushes, Velvets etc. etc. are manufactured with neatness not surpassed by the old Countries & to visit the establishments (as I have) in 8th or 9th month can see the whole process, from feeding the worm, to the weaving of the finest sattins, velvets, plushes etc. etc.. And the proprietor Jno. W. Gill, an Ohio born informed me it yielded him 10 percent on investment
003
I should be pleased to pay your country a visit & sometimes even indulge the fond hope that I may, but the undertaking would now be greater than before I had any but myself to care for - but many of you are differently situated, & more at liberty, who we should be highly gratified to see on this side "the great World of Waters" that rage & roll between us; yet upon its bosom the 'tiney bark" glides, bearing to & fro these testimonials of sincere regard. Uncle Jas. J. Wright purposes leaving Cuba in 4 Mo. next, to come here, his presence in safety is much wished for by us all, and Grandfather is particularly anxious to see him & thanks the time long before he can be with us. To thy enquiry about naming farms, one for "Ballainclay" - here tis' not as in old countries, we've so much moving about in new countries that the farms are not named. Almost immediately after Smithson had recd. [received] thy letter, he had a visit from Thos. Smithson's widow mentioned in thine. She was in Columbus under care of Physician with disease of the eyes . She & her brother do not agree well. Aunt Martha seems to regret her present to Hannah, lest it should have enhanced the postage - put her at rest on that score, for had it been trebble what it was, she would gladly have had the present, as she keeps it as precious token of regard from her very dear Aunt.
I must draw to a close as my paper is full such as it is. With dear love to thee, Aunt Martha, thy father, Bro. & all our relatives, wishing to be remembered to them, although to most unknown, I am joined by Hannah, Grandfather, Father, Mother, & I'm sure by many more if they knew of me writing. I close, hoping soon to hear from thee & others & am thy afft cousin
J. D. Wright
P.S. Grandfather desires to know if Sml. Elly, Edwd PItts & wife & James Jenkinson are living. Jno D. Wright
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