William Williamson, Bonus Prairie, Belvidere, Boone Co., Illinois, to Hugh Williamson, Ahory, Richhill, County Armagh, 3 July 1843
Description
Very good account of his travels, with other families from home, to Albany by steamship, by train to Rochester, by canal boat to Buffalo, by ship to Chicago, and by horse and wagon to Belvidere. Is expecting the arrival soon of brother John. Many North of Ireland people (mostly Presbyterians and Methodists), including former neighbors, are settled in the country around Belvidere; they are all very hospitable and want to hear all abnout the "Old Country." For example, Joseph Taylor has a farm of 85 acres, 40 acres already in crop, but most of his cattle died during the very severe winter. This is a very newly settled country; there are few good houses, and cash is scarce. However, he's very enthusiastic about the US, where people can eat meat every day, and urges Irish immigration.