Archive Record
Images
Metadata
Object ID |
2013.106.815 |
Title |
Letter from Andrew Leonard Emerson to his father |
Object Name |
Letter |
Dates of Creation |
November 9, 1857 |
Scope & Content |
Handwritten letter dated November 9, 1857 from Andrew Leonard Emerson in St. Louis, Missouri to his father Charles O. Emerson in York. He is writing his father asking for advice about what he should do as he had and injury and has no employment on the ship. He has been looking for employment in the town but to no avail and is considering going to a book keeping school in the city to gain decent employment." Albert Moody went there and when he come away he got a chance at a $1,200 per year book keeping job,". He asks his father to consider this and potentially send the hundred dollars he saved up (in his fathers possession) to the institution so that he may go if he thinks its a good idea. Transcription: Dear Father I suppose you will be somewhat surprised to hear from me "way out west" and I will not try to state a few common sense reasons for pursuing the course I have. In the first place I got very much disappointed in the ship, or rather in the Captain as I presume you are aware, if you received Frank's letter. In the next place I am not in a proper condition to go to sea at present. You know I am ruptured and "knocking about" in our wet weather will never do me any good. And another thing I am very easily excited and consequently very apt to catch hold of anything very heavy and lift beyond my strength and I considered myself in danger of making this rupture more than it now is. If I went to see so after a careful consideration of the matter I come to the conclusion to try to get employment on the land and I have fully made up my mind to give up all idea of going on a salt water froever. I was very sorry to leave Frank for we agreed first rate together never a cross or a hard word passed between us while we were together and I can safely say he is the best officer I ever was with. He is a proper seasman and continuously is well receiving of a ship. I have endeavored to give you as briefly as possible a few as I think sufficient reasons that prompted me to do as I have done and I should like to hear your opinion on it when you write. I was eight days coming up the river and have now been here almost a week. I have a very pleasant boarding house it is nearly oposite[sic] where Solomon Varrell lives. I think I shall like this city very much. All the York boy's seemed very glad to see me and are doing everything in their power to get me employment but I can tell you it is a very difficult thing to get anything to do now. While these hard times last they have discharged a great many clerks lately having nothing for them to do and consequently when there are many out of employment, when there is a vacancy, it is filled almost in a moment. I have a little money left yet, but it wont last long and if I don't get a situation soon I shall have to go to work with Irishmen at $.75 per day. But I am in hopes something will turn up yet. I have been trying as hard as I can to get a situation but all my efforts have no avail so far. I suppose the best thing I could do would be to go to school here while these dull times last and get myself well versed in book keeping and by that times business would be better. There is an institution here where they teach book keeping tc [etc?] and it is called the beast school of the kind in the union. It only takes two months and at the end of that time if you are attentive to your studies and anyways smart you are almost sure of employment. For all the merchants go there to find book keepers and if you only have a recommendation from this institution you can get a chance at something always. Albert Moody went there and when he come away he got a chance as book keeper at $1200.00 per year. If I only had a hundred dollars I would go there tomorrow & would study hard so as get a recommendation when leaving. I wish I could prevail upon you to take that hundred dollars that you have in the bank in my name and appropriate it to this project. Here I am 21 years old and out of employment, and it is time I was looking out for old age & providing something for it. Now I think I only understood mercantile business there is plenty of time yet for me to make my make my mark in the world with a hundred dollars I can go there & learn to be a good business man, and stand a good chance to get employment as soon as I get through. I have more enquires in relation to it and find it is a first rate school. Now if you will think it over carefully I think you will come to the same conclusion that I have, which is the best thing you can do with that hundred dollars is to expend it as [?] it depend upon it. I shall never need it more than at present. If you will consent to do so I will promise never to trouble you again please let me know what you decide on soon. Love to all the family I shall exepect a letter from you all soon. Your affec son, Leonard. |
Collection |
Emerson Family Collection |
People |
Emerson Family Emerson, Andrew Leonard, Capt., 1837-1909 Emerson, Charles Octavius, 1799-1863 Emerson, Frances "Fanny" Louisa (née Phillips) Moody, Albert Varrell, Solomon |
Search Terms |
19th century St. Louis, MO York |
Subjects |
Advice Employment Family letters Fathers Injuries Maritime history Money lending Sailors Shipping Ships Travel |
