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Title: W. L. Kennedy, Weldon, Ca., to James Gilmore, Mayfield, Co. Down.
ID1606
CollectionIrish Emigration Database
FileKennedy, W. L/4
Year1879
SenderKennedy, W.L.
Sender Gendermale
Sender Occupationbusinessman
Sender Religionunknown
OriginWeldon, Ca., USA
DestinationMayfield, Co. Down, N.Ireland
RecipientGilmore, James
Recipient Gendermale
Relationshipcousins
SourceD3561/A/18: The Papers of E.R.R. Green, presented by Dr P. R. Green.
ArchivePublic Record Office, Northern Ireland.
Doc. No.9307073
Date03/02/1879
Partial Date
Doc. TypeEMG
LogAction By Date Document added by S M, 06:07:1993.
Word Count843
Genre
Note
TranscriptFrom: W.L. Kennedy Weldon Post Office
To: James Gilmore Esq. [Esquire?] Kern County. Cala
Mayfield [California?]
County Down Ireland
Feby [February?] 3d [rd?] 1879

My Dear Cousin
It is I presume many and many a long day since
you have heard anything of me and I know it is 35 long years
since I was last at your nice little cottage home - to think
since I were there you may have soons [sons?] who now may be
grandfathers how time flies. whether WE count the sands of
time or not - the old fellow will count it in the white in our
hair and the wrinkles in our cheeks -
I have not had a letter from home now - from any one of our
family for more than a year - Isabella used to correspond with
me regular untill [until?] lately and I fear very much either
she has been very sick or is dead - the latter I fear, do
Cousin James on receipt of this letter - write to adress
[address?] at head of this letter (Cal means California) and
let me know if Isabella is alive or not she stuck to me
through thick and thin in sickness and health -
I would like to know if Cousin John Gilmore is living and
his adress [address?] I presume if living he is a very rich
man in Australia - also I would like to know Robert and
Alexander King's adress [address?] in Australia - I heard
some of them boys were at England & [and?] America on their
return home with the Australian Cricketers
It would be almost useless for me to attempt to give you an
account of my wanderings since I left home - I remained for 4
years in New York City and its vicinity and then came to
California (by sea) in the early days of the Arganous and here
I am and it is very doubtly [doubtful?] I shall ever leave the
Pacific Coast except temporarilly [temporarily?] - There is so
much excitement here on business that a person accustomed to
it as I have been for nearly 30 years can never exist hardly
any where else - My success has been varied enough to say I
have made severall [several?] very respectable fortunes since
I have been in America but I assure you it is harder to keep
money than to make it -
I possibly may go this spring to the Territtory [territory?]
of Arizona if you look on recent maps it lays [lies?] on the
Western sid [side?] of the Gulph [Gulf?] of California and
north and the west side of the Colorada [Colorado?] River (of
the west) the southern Pacific Rail Road are extending their
line on toward the Texas frontier and opening up an immense
extent of Wild unexplored country and a district known to be
immenselly [immensely?] rich in Mines of Gold and Silver - I
have mined so long now I am hardly good for anything else -
and have lived for so long on the frontiers I can hardly live


#PAGE 2
any where Else - I know James Kennedys adress [address?] - but
him and myself have had very little to say to on [one?]
another since I left home - nor never will - He has turned out
to be a Miser -
Give my kindest regards to any and all of our old Neighbours
and friends in your vicinity. Alas they must be nearly all
dead Robert Jones son Richard I hope is living yet at old
Moydalgan _ I will see it yet before I die and the two old
sycamores - and the well and the Garden and the old School
house and Woodford and some of my old school mates and where
is John and James Boyd and Baxter who used to live at the
Dromara Mill dam. if they are alive and you know their adress
[address?] let me have it -
I suppose my old schoolmaster John McMurray is dead before
now. how much good it done me to send the old Gentleman
American Newspapers - and our old friend Bob Kingans family
are I presume scattered - and the Waugh family are all
scattered also - Dear old Kind hearted Mrs Waugh I would travel
500 miles on foot to spend on [one?] day with her as good and
kind a lady as ever lived
Oh dear oh dear how I can look back and see all the old
familar places and faces and imagine myself back there a boy
hen going to school with my old School mates - bare foot
running races on the green grass and wading in the Lagan in
the afternoons coming from School. oh dear oh dear those times
will never come back to me - but I will see all the old places,
once more before I quit this world -
I wish very much to hear from you and of sister Isabella and
if you will write me will promise to give you longer and
pleasanter letter than this one and wishing you and your family
all happiness possible both here and hereafter remain
Your affectionate Cousin
W L Kennedy