Lot 102
Scottish Emigration to America, 19th Century
Collection of letters relating to the Lockhart family of Ayrshire
Auction: 16 June 2026 from 10:00 BST
Description
20 letters sent to Scottish farmer Mr William Lockhart (1780-1860), mostly at addresses in the Ardrossan (Knockrivoch) and Saltcoats area, from his brothers, John, David, Andrew and Hugh, including 7 letters from America from David and Andrew who had emigrated there, letters very legible, worn at folds, some splits, some loss where wax seals were attached, various sizes, one letter torn with slight loss of text. Contents include:
2 letters from John, dated 1814 and 1819, from Langford Lodge, Ireland, discussing farming and family matters:
letter from David, dated 1819, from Glasgow, referring to their brother Andrew in New Orleans;
letter from Andrew, dated 1821, from New Orleans, referring to David, who is now in New York;
letter from David, dated 1822, from New York, referring to Andrew who is now in Philadelphia, having travelled from Havana, and ‘met with a great many disappointments since leaving New Orleans’, and reassuring William that reports of yellow fever in the area have been much exaggerated;
letter from Andrew, dated 1822, from New Orleans, reporting on his recent speedy journey from New York to New Orleans in which he 'saw nothing of the pirates which infest the Gulf of Mexico in such numbers of late';
2 letters from David, dated 1823, from New York, one referring to reports of an impending war between France and Spain which has caused grain prices to rise, the other referencing the recent arrival of a Mr Patton who was heading off to the ‘western country’ with several others, ‘I fear they will find their encouragement at the place of destination but small, as … that country is in a miserable state’, David thinks they will be able to raise enough crops to live on but not make any money;
10 letters from Hugh, dated 1825-9, from Laggan, discussing family and farming matters;
letter from David, dated 1829, from Mobile, Alabama, discussing Andrew's recent visit back to Scotland;
letter from Andrew, dated New Orleans 1st March 1832, which discusses the poor health of Andrew's wife, the ‘violent heat of the summer season’, and plans to travel north (20)