Dedham, Mass
United States
America
March 24, 1851
My Dearest Elizabeth,
I dare say that with this you are anxious to hear from
me. I hope these few lines with find you
enjoying the blessings of health as I am happy to say that they leave me quite
well, thanks be to God for it. I most
certainly should of wrote to you sooner as I promised to do so in my last
letter to you, only I thought that it was best not to do so until I should find
out what Price was going to do, but have not as yet, or will I, humble myself to
ask him what his intentions are, as I told you in my last that he had had some
fight words, and since then his conduct towards me has been one of the most
disagreeable kind. Consequently, I have
come to that determination not to say anything more to him about our
arrangements & let him & his Miss Jones take their own course. I hope that we shall be able to keep up our
independency & do for ourselves without soliciting their aid in any way
whatever, if such cannot be done in this country. I don’t know of any other place in this world
where it can be done, as I have said before, I don’t know anything how Price is
going to do. I think it is the best way
for you to muster up your courage and try to come over in that splendid new
ship called the Parliament belonging to Train & Co. of 118 Waterloo Road,
Liverpool. This
ship sails on the 20th April from the Waterloo Dock, Liverpool. I have not the least doubt but what one of
your brothers will be kind enough to go with you to the office to agree for the
passage. Perhaps it would be better for
you to go to the captain on board of the ship for he perhaps may take less
money than they will at the office. I
have not the least doubt but what you meet with some good company of young
ladies in the first cabin, for there is some coming over in about every
ship. When I came over there was two or
three in the cabin coming over here to be married. If you pay a visit to the ship a few times before
she sails you be very likely to find out if there are any ladies going alone
& then you can get one of them to take a state room along with you in the
first cabin. As I said to you before,
that you will not be required to bring anything for they furnish everything for
cabin passengers. I think you will find
a ___ or two of Sidligh powders very good in case of sea sickness. If you are sea sick be sure to keep on deck
as much as possible. If not, it would be
better for you to be on deck all the time if you can. If you happen to be sick I have no doubt but what
you will feel much better after it. It
was the case with me when I got well. I
never felt better in my life and could eat anything that they put before
me. You may have the company of Samuel
Hughes the blacksmith and his wife for they sent to me for information about
this country & I wrote a note to father in my letter to you of the 3rd
of this month giving all the information I could at the time.
In regard to you bringing anything with you, I hardly know
what to say about it as everything that a person wants can be bought here, only
some things are a little dearer here than they are in England, such as silks,
satins, woolen clothes, & linen; other articles much the same as at home. I shall leave this part to you to do as you
think proper about bringing such things with you. I should be obliged if you would ask my
father to let you have a book of mine called Culpepper, herbalist. You can pack it up amongst your things.
It will be well for you be as reserved on ship board as you
can, for I have not the least doubt but some of them will be inquisitive enough
to ask some questions as to your object in coming over to this country. I should not answer any unnecessary questions
that was put to me if I was in you place.
I shall be most anxiously waiting to hear from you &
that you have set sail in April, for it is the best time of year to start for
this country. Any money that you have
you can leave at the office in Liverpool & get a bill of exchange for
it. This is the safest way, for the full
value is paid for it here at Train, & at office you can send me the one
enclosed in a letter & you can keep the other, for they will give you
duplicate bills at Liverpool. I f I
don’t happen to be in Boston soon enough to meet you, you can go to Mr.
Benjamin Doughly, No. 4 South Marpin
St., for as soon as I receive your letter to let me know of your sailing, I
shall go to Boston to see Mr. Doughly, which is an Englishman himself, & I
shall ask him to let me know as soon as the ship arrives, for it will only take
me ½ hour to go from here to Boston by the train, which runs four or five times
a day each day in winter, and every hour in the summer.
I have nothing more to add, only to tell you that I don’t
think I shall write to you again unless I am sure you get it before the 20th
of April, for I should not like to write to you & for you not be there to
receive it. Please to remember me most
kindly to your brother & sister, hoping that they are all well. Remember to my father & mother, brothers,
sisters. I shall send you a Yankee
Nation along with this letter, which I hope you will receive. I hope that in this you have a settlement
with your uncle.
No more at present from your most affectionate and faithful,
John
Pardon imperfections
Final arrangements are made for Elizabeth's journey to America................
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