John Williamson, Cohoes, Albany Co., New York, to his brother, Benjamin Williamson, Leeds, England, 17 February 1851
Description
Unhappy letter from an unemployed artisan; sorry he and his family left "the West" (California? or Illinois?). John has left "the West" and reached Albany at least as early as December 1850. He worked in a village near Albany for 5-6 weeks, but is now unemployed again. Laments that in "the West" he had a good home, but since he left there he has met with "reverses," and has a wife and young child dependent on him. Fears that he may have to go to work in a local factory. His friends in Manchester have urged him to "return" there, and he begs his brother, Ben, for a loan of £10-£15 to take him and his wife there. He is sure that he can get a good situation there, which will enable him to support his wife (she may be from Manchester) and child; he states that the Eastern States are a "miserable place." States that's desperate to "settle down" and promises to cease roving. Reports that their brother James is " still in Gilmore's" and that brother William has gone to "the gold digging" in California.
Date
17/02/1851
Date Issued
27/03/2023
Resource Type
Text
Archival Record Id
p155/4/1/1
Publisher
University of Galway
Extent
7pp
Topic
Williamson Letters
Geographic
Cohoes (city),Albany (county),New York (state),United States,Leeds,England,United Kingdom
Temporal
Nineteenth century,Eighteen fifties
Genre
Transcript,Reproduction
Note
Title and description by Professor Kerby Miller. Transcript text by PRONI.