| Title: | 45. From Elizabeth Prendergast to her children in Boston, |
|---|---|
| ID | 5690 |
| Collection | The Prendergast Letters. Correspondence from Famine-era Ireland (1840-50) [S. Barber] |
| File | prendergast/45 |
| Year | 1850 |
| Sender | Prendergast, Elizabeth and Maurice |
| Sender Gender | male-female |
| Sender Occupation | housewife / farmer, livestock farmer |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Milltown, Co. Kerry, Ireland |
| Destination | Boston, Mass., USA |
| Recipient | Prendergast children & James Maurice |
| Recipient Gender | male-female |
| Relationship | mother-children / father-son |
| Source | |
| Archive | |
| Doc. No. | |
| Date | |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | |
| Log | unknown |
| Word Count | 1166 |
| Genre | emigration, family / family, economy, neighbours |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Mr Jeffrey Prendergast 69 Southstreet Boston State of Massachusetts N. America Milltown 14th July 1850 My dear Children I received your Letter of the 25th of June last bringing three checks for £5 each and as you say it was very timely relief to each for whom they were intended. I need not say what pleasure we enjoy when we hear that ye are well. All your friends here are well. Michael's Wife and Children are well and so are Maurice and family. As I suppose their own will reach ye as soon as this I need say no more about them. I am in good health thank God and I am sure I would be 15 years younger if I were once with ye, and I hope I will soon enjoy that pleasure if ye send for me. I am sure ye will think ^it^ strange to say I have changed my mind so soon, but I will explain to you the reason. When last ye sent for me I was unwilling to go that I may help Maurice who was then as I thought really distressed. Now he is not so as his son sent him good relief thro the assistance of his uncles. I pretended that I promised your father to be buried with him, but now I must tell the truth, he never desired it. His last words to me were that he would wish I should go to my children and be under the eye of my daughter if I thought I could endure the fatigue of the Voyage, but if I did not go he desired I should be buried in Keel. I am sure I am strong and healthy enough and I am sure I would get better from the thought of being going to my children. Therefore I hope and request ye will send for me as soon as possible while I have the fair weather and I will go without delay. I can live with ye at less expense and with more comfort to myself, for if ye sent me £5 every month I could save nothing. Tell Julia I got the black allapacha and second Mourning for which she inquired ^for^ together with the other articles which I I named in a former letter. I expect ye will let me know what shall I do to John’s Orphan. I feel it a real hardship to part her, however I will be governed by ye who are supporting her and me. She is a good hardy girl about 8 years old. I mentioned her in my former Letter and as it seems ye forgot saying any thing about her I wish to mention the matter again for ye to act as ye please. As to the news of the day here there is no alteration since the last. We ^have^ no sort of employment and provisioning that is to say indian meal is plentiful it is not easy to procure it, as money is very scarce and nothing doing. I send my love and blessing to each and every of my children and their families not forgetting Con and Julia. Tell James Maurice I am thankful to him for enquir =ring for me. I hope he is a good Boy and obedient to the advice of his uncles and aunt. May God bless and preserve ye all is the constant prayer of your affectionate Mother Elizabeth Prendergast My dear James You can see by your Grandmothers letter that the three checks sent by your uncles arrived here. They were very timely. You ^need^ not say that it was the Gift of your uncle you sent me. I well know without his assistance you could ^send^me nothing yet awhile. And tho I thank you for being the messenger, I thank your uncle for enabling you to do so. I need not say that I am happy to hear that my Brothers and their families, Julia, Con and you are all well. Your mother Brothers and sisters and myself are in good health thank God. I left Dromin last may. I live at Ballyoughtra. Mr Spring gave me the house in which Bowler lived, and the field next the orchard to the rere of Shea's house for £2..10 for 12 months. John Lynch treated me very badly as I had no person to prove our agreemt. He charged me for grazing the cow the same in Winter as in summer and cheated me out ^of^ my labour as I had none to to prove my work. He Decreed me at Killarney sessions for three Pounds. If I remained with him and to give every little remit =tance I could get from your uncles thro you we would never disagree, but I could not bear to do that. If ^I^ remain where I am for next year Mr Spring promised to give me the little field ^strip^ on the west side of the Road between Larry Dowd's House and Knockreagh containing about 5 Acres. Your uncle Jeffry knows the place well. Consult your uncles on that head and let me know what they think of the matter. If they approve of it ^I will^ act as they desire. If ye see Doctor Spring return him thanks for the kindness of his family to me. I shall never forget it. His Brother Mr William is one of my best friends. I would be very well if they had any employment, but they only graze the land. You can hardly believe what is thought of the last remittance sent by your uncles. and [...] there is more said of three checks sent together [...] all they ever sent before. This country is very low. Employment is totally done away here. You can see this yourself when I tell you that Conny Cronin of Dromin is the man who enquired for you at your uncles. If He had employment at home he would not go out. I am sure your uncle Michl will be glad to hear what I have to say of his family. They are very well. His children are as neatly kept and as well attended as any in the neighbourhood, always at school and regular in their conduct. They are promising to be strong healthy. James will will make an able man. Tell your uncle Michl that Norry Sheehy Roger Sheehy of Clounmore's daughter is in real distress. Her Husband Michael Moriarty went to america in 1847. She did not hear from him for the last 12 months. If ye could learn where he is tell us that she may write to him. Your mother Brothers and sisters join me to send ye all our love and blessing. I remain affectionately your father Maurice Prendergast P.S. Tell your Uncle Con that Dan Riordan is well and still in the Kenmare arms |
