Williamson Letters (continued /5.)
15.
Letter from John Williamson, Cohoes, New York, to his brother Benjamin Williamson
(1?) Elmwood Row, Leeds, England, 17 February 1851, T2680/2/5.
Cohoes Febry 17th .51
Dear Benj
I wrote you from Albany in
Decbr. but as I have not had an answer I fear
you have not received it.lup to this time I have
been looking every day to hear from you if you
have written me to Albany I will get it (her?)
you
will percieve by the heading of this letter that I have
again Shifted my Bob to my present residence
which is a Country Village 10 miles from Albany
the reason why I came here was I had a chance
of a temporary Situation which only lasted 5 or 6
weeks and once more I am unemployed I thought
better to come here anyhow as it would be cheaper
to Live & I could not afford to stay in Albany at
the expense I was at until the Spring. my prospects
here are only very middling in fact I dont think
there is scarce a chance of getting a Job except
I
turn out into some Factory. you have no Idea of
the dissapointments & losses I have met with since I
left the West.
there I had a good home & every thing
Comfortable as I could wish but coming here to meet
reverses & a wife & child depending on me it almost
drives me mad not knowing what hand to turn to
but thank Providence we have always known what
good health is & so far still plenty to eat. but
I cannot expect that all these things will continue
in a strange place without one single friend ---
we have no acquaintances here & my wife has not
seen a woman to speak to in 2 weeks. if this was
the Spring or Summer it would be very different
as there are plenty chances of Employment but in
the winter when the rivers are all Frozen & navigation
closed nothing to do, I had a letter a few days
ago from my Friends in Manchester they
(page 2)
wish me to return again & say that business is
good & as good chances for me there as here. at
all events I would not Live in the Eastern States
I would 10 times rather go back to the west as stay
here in this miserable place. on my wifes account I
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
Letter,Transcription,Reproduction
Note
Title and description by Professor Kerby Miller. Transcript text by PRONI.
