William McCarty Letter Scanned

[Ben Ruset]

http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/local_links.php?action=jump&id=20&catid=2

Maybe someone who is better at reading old-time handwriting can transcribe it.

I wonder if it was written on locally made paper. It's pretty heavy and coarse, but it does feel a bit cotton-y.

 

[watchingtrainsgoby]

Im going to give it a shot... I took a class in college where we studied old German handwriting. I got a good portion of this letter. The parts I can only guess on will be in parenthesis.


McCarty - (ville) Sept. 27, 18(3)8
Mr. George Sykes,
Please acknowledge the receipt of the (draft) for
the amount of your account, on (??kstein), which I sent
sometime since to Mount Holly, to your address. Please
also send me an order on (Haines) for your (boards)
(that) I may get what I want of them. He wishes to
have a written order before he (decides or declines) the (boards.) If
you are coming this way give me a (call).
Yours Respectfully
WM McCarty

See if any one can get what I couldnt. BTW that was really fun. I like that sort of thing.

 

[Jerseyman]

Im going to give it a shot... I took a class in college where we studied old German handwriting. I got a good portion of this letter. The parts I can only guess on will be in parenthesis.


McCarty - (ville) Sept. 27, 18(3)8
Mr. George Sykes,
Please acknowledge the receipt of the (draft) for
the amount of your account, on (??kstein), which I sent
sometime since to Mount Holly, to your address. Please
also send me an order on (Haines) for your (boards)
(that) I may get what I want of them. He wishes to
have a written order before he (decides or declines) the (boards.) If
you are coming this way give me a (call).
Yours Respectfully
WM McCarty

See if any one can get what I couldnt. BTW that was really fun. I like that sort of thing.

Watchingtrainsgoby:

You did well with your transcription of the letter. I've been reading 17th, 18th, and 19th-century writing more years than I care to remember. Here is my transcription:

McCarty-ville, Sept 27, 1838

Mr. George Sykes

Please acknowledge the receipt of the Draft for
the amount of your account, on Eckstein, which I sent
Sometime since to Mount Holly to your address. Please
also send me an order on Haines for your Boards
that I may get what I want of them. He wishes to
have a written order before he delivers the Boards. If
you are coming this way give me a call.

Yours respectfully,
Wm. McCarty

Several interesting things of note in this letter. First, George Sykes was a lawyer and a political figure during this time, serving in the state legislature. McCarty had given Eckstein a check to pay his outstanding balance on an account he had with Sykes. Haines evidently operated a sawmill and Sykes owned some timber that Haines had sawn. Haines would not deliver the wood to McCarty without a written order from Sykes. Also, keep in mind, when McCarty says "give me a call," he obviously is NOT referring to Sykes using a telephone to let McCarty know he was in the area.

Best regards,
Jerseyman

 

[MarkBNJ]

It's fascinating that "give me a call" was in colloquial use before the invention of the telephone. I never knew that. I would have expected "call on me," or "pay me a visit." Shows what I know .

 

[Teegate]

Ben,

So having your photo on ebay allowed me to find it and you to buy it. Sweet!

Also, to watchingtrainsgoby and Jerseyman ..very nice work.


Guy

 

[Jerseyman]

Thanks, Guy--like watchingtrainsgoby, I enjoy transcribing handwritten letters.

Best regards,
Jerseyman

 

[bobpbx]

Thanks, Guy--like watchingtrainsgoby, I enjoy transcribing handwritten letters. Best regards, Jerseyman

You'd have a good time with a Last Will and Testament I have Jerseyman (tho it might be a copy of one, it looks very old). It was made out in 1777 by Thomas Potter of Good Luck (Forked River now). He is the one who met John Murray who allegedly straggled ashore from a shipwreck and Potter took him in. John went on to found the Universalist Church. Here is my best interpretation. The paper is yellowed and crinkly, and the handwriting pretty ancient:

In the name of God amen This Eleventh Day of may one Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy Seven make and publifh this my Last will and teftament being weak in bodey but of Sound memory in manner following That is to Say as followeth my never Dying Soul I give to god that gave it and my bodey to the Earth to Be buried in a Deafent and Chrifton lik manner at the Decrefsion of my of my Executers nothing douting I will and Bequeat unto my Dear and well bloved wife mary potter all that tract of Land Siteuate and being in new Dover townfhip an Countey of mounmoth Called the Homeftaite and two feather Beds and all other vetenfhals one walnut Chift of Drawers Excepted Like wife i give to my wife mary thofe at The Shal Choufe all Dour in her Widdow wood item I give and Bequeat the homeftate or Lands unto Job Potter and heirs with all other things Left to my wife marey after her defeafe to Job Potter and to his Heirs for Ever my neffue Job Dye before he coms to age then my will is that Enoch Potter to have the Jobe parts that was Left to Job Itam I Bequeath unto my nefue Caleb potter all that Land and meadue Houfe and out houfes for Ever that was my Brother Epehams Potters defeaft near Ceder Crick until he Comes to age thefe Lands to Continue in the hands of his mother until He Coms of age for his youfe and Sarah potter to have the profits of the hole until Caleb Potter Comes to age itam I give unto Sarah Potter widow of Ephram potter Defeaft the Lott She now Lives on and ten acrs of Land and all houfe goods Chattels and all other thing or things what soever thereuut Belonging During Her Life and then to be Returnd unto Caleb and my will is after Caleb Coms of age if his mother should wont for Caleb to pay unto his mother ten pounds pr year as long as she shall live or need it Item I give and Beaqueath unto my nefue Enock potter Two hundred acres of Land Soruead cy thomas potter at Good Luck item I Bequeath unto nefue Enoch Potter my parte of a Sawmill and Ceder Swamp to Enoch and hears for ever both tracts Itam I bequeath unto my friend Pheankas Potter Ten acres of land lying in the Home State where his houfe now is During his Life and if his wife Should Survive him She to have her natural Life and after to Return to the home State or to Job Potter The House I Built for thofe that God Shall Caufe to meat their to Sorve or worfhip him to the same youfe Still and I will that my Dear friend John M murrey Preacher of the Gofpel Shall Have the Sole Directions and manigeement of So houfe and one acre of land where the Houfe now Stands for the youfe above mentioned Itam I I Bequeat unto my wifes nice Sarah Childs one Chift of Black walnut Drawers and alfo Ten acres of Land During her Life and then to Turn to my nice Enoch potter I bequeat unto Joseph Bunnish my wifes nife my beft fowling peafe my will is that my Chattels Cows and horfes be sold onley four Cows Such as my wife Shal Chufe and ten Sheap them I Bequeath to my wife as afore So and allso I give to my wife my young negros and after my wifes defeafe to be sot free my two old negroes Seafer and Jude to be sot free at my defeafe my Chattels to be Sold as afore So and moneys Bonds Bills and Demands Left in the hands of my Exectrs to Defray Coft and Small Legefeas Itam I give to Matthew maginnis Thirtey acres of Land to Come oute of the two Hundred acres that I gave to my nefue Enoch Potter to be his Heirs and asigns for Ever the Plafe that Hutit Bought of john williams at good Look to be rented or Lest for ten years half the I give to Jopeph Bunnil and the other half to Sarah Chils the other Half of the aforse Plafe for the ten years Itam I give to my brother JSack the Sum of ten pounds itam I give and Bequeath unto my nefue the tract Hulit Bought of william unto Enoch Potter his heirs forever and after ten leaft to Come to Enoch Potter his Heirs for ever I make and ordain thofe my good friends James moot of Eaft Dover & william Cook & Caleb potter who I ordain and Couftitute my Executes to this my Laft will Twentey Pound Each Itam I will and Bequeat unto my Brothers Jsack two sons Thomas and paul Twentey pound Each Itam I will twentey Pounds Each of them This is my Laft will and teftament Signed with my one hand in the prefents and Sealed of uf-----------------------------------------------

his mark

Thomas T Potter

John Price sw
Abraham Platt sw
John Platt sw