Brother Wm. he has not wrote a word to us since I came to this
country. I should like you all to have his friendship but I hope you
will be able to live without it You wrote me a whole history of
marriages & by the bye Brother Robt has not yet got married. It must
be i my time in regular succession as all our Brothers & Sisters except
Robt. have married according to seniority but as Sister Eliza broke
rule I. expect you will do the same & get married before me as I know
not whither.
yet for I am still single & disengaged & may
rem
a long time yet for aught I know. I am in hopes I will be able
to take a trip & see you all befoo I get fastened for life so
not expect you to wait for my first getting married. You must excuse
all this nonsense,
You wish to know what your little Richeys in
this side the water are like. this brings me to speak of the death of
two of Br's Children. the first was a little daughter Elenor Jane who
died nearly twelve months ago. She was about 18 months old a fine
interesting little girl her mother's heart was bound up in her. Boor
little thing she is now happy in heaven, The other was an infant a week
old which died last August. he was a boy his mother's health was delicate
when he was born & she was some time in recovering but is now got
pretty much as usual. So they have only three now living the oldest
Wm. Nichol who is now a or 9 years old a smart stirring little blade
just as like his mother as he can look with fair face deep Blue eyes
& skin a little freckled, the second Josiah Nichol looks just as like
his father as two Beans so I need not describe him.
(Cover.)
The third Jas. Andrew is said to be a little like myself but much better
looking, in fact he is a good deal like his Father. I am glad to hear
that Sister Jane & Br. Thos. are getting on well. I suppose we need
hardly look for them coming to this country now as their family are
so increased. In fact it is a serious matter coming so far to a strange
land with a large family it is a matter in which I feel a great
delicacy in advising on. Dear Amelia you must write me often & I shall
do so too give my best love to Sister Eliza & Bro. Jno. Phenix Sister
Dinah & B Robt. Dickey & Sister Jane & B Thos. Waugh & all their
children & all our Aunts Uncles & cousins & enquirring Friends, adieu
Dear Sister & believe ever
Your affectionate Brother
A.Richey
My very Dear Br. Robt.
I Recd. a letter from you in the latter part of last year
& the same excuse that I have given my parents must be my only excuse
for not answering it sooner. I intend writing you a long letter soon
for our communication must by no means be broken off by my long silence,
ret I am sorry to hear that my Dear Father begins to look much more frail
than formerly as Sister Jane speaks in her letter to Br. Jas. I am in
hopes the Lord may spare us all in good health some time longer & I
still hope to see you all for I assure you that I ould enjoy myself
better in Ireland than any place under the sun & I still live in hopes
to see it yet. give my Best respects to all our old acquaintances & fds
& believe me ever your aff. Br A Richey
25
Mr. James-Richey
Morousk
Via N. York
Near Lisburn Ireland
Andrew Richey, Clinton, Mississippi, to his parents, Ireland, 29 October 1835
Description
While apologising for his protracted delay, Andrew Richey assures his parents of how much he misses them and home. Since his last letter of May 1833 from Nashville, he contracted cholera and moved from the city a couple of miles to "establish my health & use mineral water", thus making a slow recovery. He gives details of stopping at the house of an old Methodist and observing that his family were "the happiest folks that I have ever seen", with preachers often also visiting, including Mr Shephard, an Irishman from near Portadown — who knew mutual familial acquaintances. He graphically recounted of being so ill that his brother James and sister Eliza brought him to Hopkinsville to care from him until he recovered and he was nearly a year "out of business". Richey states that they had moved to Mississippi state in May 1834, which in hindsight risked his health "in a fine state for making money but it is also in most places sickly". Yet he thinks they will have $30,000 of sales this year — even if on credit but on "fine profits upwards of 100 per cent". Richey concludes with addendums to his sister Amelia (who he understand has contracted consumption) and brother Robert, with family news from America and that he is still unmarried.
Title and transcript by Professor Kerby Miller. This transcript includes handwritten corrections to original transcript from PRONI, made with reference to original letters. Letter description by University of Galway.
