16/07/2025
An emigrant's letter from Albany, USA to Wexford, 1834
Here is the most incredible document for you from 190 years ago. It was sent to me yesterday by William Bailey, a neighbour of mine from Ballygarrett in Co. Wexford and is a letter written by a man called John Bailey who William tells me was “a great great great uncle of ours”.
William tells me it appears he travelled from “Wexford to Liverpool, stayed with Murphy’s there, then went with someone called Bartle to New York, and they parted company there, Bartle went to Philadelphia, whilst John Bailey went to upstate Albany to stay with Sinnott’s whilst waiting for word by letter from his uncle in Canada (likely Ontario I’d say) on what route to take to get to him”.
You could stop anywhere in this letter and have side chats. The description of the boat over to New York is incredible where he describes fish that looked like “pigs” and how he recalls the numbers on board and how there were no deaths, in fact one birth. I love how he describes the cursing of the crew and how there were a lot Germans of board and very few Irish. I also love that fact that he brought over a letter from a neighbour James Bulger to his relation (possible daughter/sister) Francis. The detail here is incredible and to be able to read an account like this from 1834 is special. I also love how he describes how America was very ‘dear’ and ‘dearer’ than home - the same words and expressions we’d use ourselves today.
Have a read and if any of you have anything to add to this, the William would be grateful. I am sure the right kind of person could locate and name the ship that he travelled on and if anyone had time in finding John, Francis etc in births and marriage records - it’d be fantastic
In the meantime just sit back and read this.
Thanks a million William and Naomi Millen for sharing this with me and all of us. This is pure gold.
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Albany September the 22nd 1834
Dear Parents and Aunt, Brothers and Sisters,
The Lord gave us a most favourable passage across the atlantic. The 15 (th) we went on board and went out in the bay the 18 (th) we sailed and landed the 19 (th) morning of September.
We were a little seasick for the first four days and after that we were as well as we would be at home. We had 584 passengers on board and they were from all parts of the world.
There was a great number of Germans and you could not know one word they would say, they would call spirits drink Snaps and good good. There was one of them had a young one on board, they are a dirty kind of people. There was only a few Irish. There was not one death on the passage and they were from 80 years of age to the child born on board.
We had a strong breeze the first three days, the sea would be as big as mountains some times and as level as a board more times. We have seen large fishes like pigs several times birds like swallows we have seen flying about the vessel. There were sea birds picking up anything that would be slung overboard.
We stopped one night in New York and there had to part which was a hard thing to đo. I came on the boat to Albany and Bartle for Philadelphia. You may tell the neighbours that Mary was as stout as when she left home and better on her breathing. New York is a fine city very large houses and fine buildings, some brick walls and flat roof covered with tin and more wooden walls and roofed like our country and boards like slates.
The streets are paved just as in Ireland and trees growing in a row at each side of the street, some places thick and places thin and more places not one. It is a great place for houses burning. There is not a day or night but there is several wooden houses burned to the ground.
Our captain was a nice man but our mate was a dour man and the second mate very cross man, third mate a nice man, the ‘burbar’(?) was a kind man.
We had 25 vary strong good seamen, but they could not speak one word without cursing the greatest oaths I ever heard. I often thought the vessel would sink to the bottom with grant blaspheming. Our water pretty good, they gave a small allowance of rations but we did not care for that, we had plenty of our own.
The potatoes was very good with us, we bad then up to the last week. We had plenty of every thing on board the ship. I am now with Francis Sinnott, they are well and doing well, they were glad to see to and I have wrote to my uncle to know the shortest route and I will stay here until I get his letter and then I will start for him.
You my tall James Bulger that I brought the letter safe to Francis. You may tell Anty King that I posted the letter she gave me.The day is warmer here now than at home and the night colder, but it is nice weather. There is as good horses here as in Ireland. There was a great deal of people died here with the cholera but it is all over now coming the cold weather. Everything is very dear in this country, dearer than at home. I can tell any person that is coming here to bring as little lumber with them as they can, if they have far to go they will be charged dear for it.
I had to pay a dollar and a half. The dollar is 4/2 from New York to Albany, the distance 150 atlas. I left New York at 6 in the evening and was in Albany at 5 the next morning. I am told it will cost me 8 dollars to go to Canada, the money goes like chaff before the wind.
I cannot give any intelligence about this country yet, so there is no use in saying any more about it. Write to my uncle as soon as you get this, delay no time.
Let Mr. Scott of the Bog know that I did not see Anne, there is a river to cross to go to their place from New York.
And I hope those few lines will find you all well as it leaves me at present, thank God for It. Remember me to all the neighbours to Uncle Soott and family, to uncle Thos and family, Francis and sisters sends their love to yous all.
I remain yours truly，
John Bailey
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