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Title: 43. From Elizabeth Prendergast to her children in Boston
ID5688
CollectionThe Prendergast Letters. Correspondence from Famine-era Ireland (1840-50) [S. Barber]
Fileprendergast/43
Year1850
SenderPrendergast, Elizabeth
Sender Genderfemale
Sender Occupationhousewife
Sender Religionunknown
OriginMilltown, Co. Kerry, Ireland
DestinationBoston, Mass., USA
RecipientPrendergast children
Recipient Gendermale-female
Relationshipmother-children
Source
Archive
Doc. No.
Date
Partial Date
Doc. Type
Logunknown
Word Count548
Genrefamily
Note
TranscriptMr Jeffry Prendergast
69 South street Boston
State of Massachusetts
N. America

Milltown 21st Jany 1850

My dear Children
I replied to your letter of the 19th of Octr
last, and I was so well satisfied with the amt
I then received that I was satisfied to await a
return, whenever it may be your convenience.
However I was much alarmed at the arri
=val of Father Batt OConnor who reached here
the day before yesterday. He made it his first
business to call on me and declare publickly
that ye were the best friends he met since He
left home. He spoke of some more in particular,
among whom was Bart Doyle. He said that all
his Countrymen shewed themselves as Irishmen
ought, his friends and friends to the cause on which
he went. He further informed me that Thomas
was in a delicate state of health, and that Jeffry's
Wife gave him a Pound to hand me on his arrival.
Of course, I am, and ought to be much obliged to
her, who never saw me and remembered me.
I fear much lest Thomas should be worse
than he said and I dread greatly that Jude
is not as she was and to say she did not join
Jeffry's Wife to be remembered to me. I well know
Con would be as willing as she would. He
always was and and your Father and I always
considered ^him^ as one of our own children and so we ought.
I am not in a good state of health this
time past, and I am nothing better now. I am very
proud to hear that Father Bart baptized a
for Jeffry a young James. May God bless him
and his parents and all my Children and families.
I will expect a reply to this without delay,
and to shew me that Thos is not in a very
bad state I expect he will write so that
I may know it. Maurice is here present at writing
this. He is like a madman. He fears His son is not
alive as He never wrote since he left home. He
says if his sons followed the example of his uncle
He would be more grateful. His poor mother is nearly
distracted. Sometime since, Maurice addressed you
on the subject. He was then in a state of distraction
somuch that ^He^ did not desire to be remembered to either
brother or sister, neither did he subscribe his name.
Father Bart did not make him much easier
as He says He only heard the lad was bound
[...] Trade but He does not say he saw him.
[...] your reply to this send every account […]
that will make the poor man quiet. Tell the
truth. Say what the trade is. Maurice says He
is much surprized ^he does not enquire as he knows how
he left them^ and Michls Wife and Children
are all well. They would wish to hear from him oftener.
She is very careful and industrious to do the
most she can for the Children. I will only
say that I send all my children and their offspring
my blessing, and that I am affectionately
your Mother
Elizabeth Prendergast