Robert Fairman in Glasgow considering emigration to the USA 1840

 

The author of this letter is considering emigration from Glasgow to the USA; he seeks advice rom his uncle there. I cannot establish whether the writer went to the USA or what his occupation was in Scotland. His uncle is easily documented from his address in Fairview Township where early settlers were mostly Protestant Irish. The recipient Francis Scott arrived in Fairview before 1800 and died there in 1851

Transcription

Addressed to: Mr Francis Scott   Fairview   Erie County   Pensilvania   U.S.

Datelined: Glasgow 17^th February 1840

Despatch postmark: GLASGOW FE 19 1840 Arrival postmark (faded): BOSTON MA

Pencil annotation on front in old handwriting: No. 5

 

Dear Uncle

In my last letter to you which I sent during the course of last year in answer to your last letter to me of the date of 25^th April 1838 and to which I have received no answer as yet I mentioned that I understood that from the then state of the country it would not be advisable for me to go out at that time my reason for so thinking were drawn from letters I received from a friend of mine who went out about two years ago and who reported that from the unsettled state of the country and the prospect of a war between the United States and Canada that no business of any kind could be transacted with any chance of a fair remuneration for trouble, or capital employed indeed he represented things to be so bad and his fatigue to be so much in consequence of his being obliged as everyone was to enter the militia that he had caught a severe illness, of which we have lately heard that he had ultimately died these were the reasons which made me determine at all events to postpone my going out.

Since that time I have had a very severer illness brought on by a bad cold caught while attending to business indeed I was so very ill that I scarcely thought I would ever recover as my lungs were severely affected and my stomach completely deranged, so much so that I was compelled to give up business and retire to the country to recruit my health where I have been staying now for nearly twelve months.

I would feel much obliged if you would as early as convenient for you after the receipt of this send me your opinion concerning the state of country and whether you would now advise me to go out, as from the contradictory reports I hear here I cannot determine whether it would be advisable or not, but from your being on the spot whatever you would advise I could depend upon  and would act accordingly by your advice.

I would have written to you long ere this had I not been waiting patiently for an answer from you to my last letter but having ow waited so long for it I begin to fear that it has not reached its proper destination.

As I [send] along with this a Newspaper I shall not mention any news from this quarter as it will  [be] more fully & particularly mentioned than I could do – I may only mention in general that business of every kind has been in a very bad state for upwards of these last two years and I think the operatives are hurting themselves considerably by the Unions they have formed & the strikes they have made for advance of wages, and which generally have turned out to their own disadvantage.

I and all connected are at present enjoying good health. And join in wishing you may be now & that yu will for a long time enjoy the same & send their kind remembrance to you.

I am    Dear Uncle   your affectionate Nephew Robt. Fairman

P.S. Address to me care of     Andrew Bell     57 Bell Street   Glasgow