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Title: Doyle (n. Coogan), Margaret to Coogan, William, 1868
ID6326
CollectionCarlow-Coogan Letters
Filecoogan/15
Year1868
SenderDoyle (n. Coogan), Margaret
Sender Genderfemale
Sender Occupationunknown
Sender Religionunknown
OriginCarrigberg, Co. Carlow, Ireland
DestinationHarlem, NYC, USA
RecipientCoogan, William
Recipient Gendermale
Relationshipsiblings
Source
Archive
Doc. No.
Date
Partial Date
Doc. Type
Logunknown
Word Count1251
Genrejoy over safe arrival and family reunion, weather, local economy, friends, decease, sending greetings, birth
Note
TranscriptCarrigbeg
August 10th [1868?]

My ever dear Brother,

With gladness I answer your welcome letter that afforded me more comfort than I could tell. I was very much annoyed about you as the weather was so very warm. I feared you would be very sick over sea but our good God who was always so very good to us all gave you a healthy and safe passage. I hope the Blessed Virgin will never part you until she will make you happy in your holy dwelling again. My dear brother, don't let the vanity of a wicked world take your thoughts from the call I hope God gave you. Pray still to the Blessed Virgin and she will surely hear your call.

My dear brother you may believe me I shared heartily in the joy passed between you and my mother when she first met you in America as I am almost sure she did not expect you at that time. I am so very happy to hear my mother and brothers and sister and all friends are well. I am sure, William, America must appear very strange to you. James and the children are very happy in hearing of the nice passage you got and thankful for the kind and intelligible letter you sent. I need not say how well pleased we were all to hear that poor Hugh is getting on so well with business. I expect to see him, please God, soon as ever we can.

[Added at bottom of page in pencil: Please pray for William.--newborn child named for brother William--see Margaret's letter to her mother]

We had a very warm time of it here since we had no rain during the summer but three showers up to this time and that made hay very dear. It is from 50 shillings to 5 pounds per ton. You may let Hugh know heifers was very dear last May and is expected to be full as cheap next November from the way hay sits. We got none from Mr. Watson this year. We just got from John Evans what will do. What little we have you may be sure we think every moment and hour until we get away, as farmers try every plan to do without employing him. Potatoes appears very good too. Today mowers went from 4 to 5 shillings a ___ and binders 2.6 shillings with diet [?] and 3.6 without diet so again the harvest is secured. Farmers won't trouble the smith if they can help it.

We have six or seven heifers and a cow and some pigs but then their expenses leaves very little and whatever the farmer takes from him he gives him very little. Mrs. Byrne wishes me to excuse her in not answering your letter sooner. She thought to do so different times and something kept her back. His own health was bad and she wished to have to account of him being better before she would write. He is a great deal better but the poor woman met with a long and great trouble it pleased God to visit them with Scarletina [?] Thomas was the first and before the him [?] What it was was the Mater with him. God took him to himself. The Lord be merciful to his soul. Bridget and Frank then took it. Doctor O'Meara [?] was sent for a long struggle with the best attendance. He brought them out of it. The rest was sent away. All is well now.

There never was more sudden deaths to our remembrance than this last year. Mrs. Murphy of Scalp was at her tea in perfect health and fell dead and never drew the second breath, and Mr. James Kelly of Seskinryan died in like manner. Both were a great loss to their children. And poor John Caulfield of Knocklinagen got an untimely death. He was got [= "found"] drowned in the Barrow at three weeks' end and the whole place searched as far as the sea would allow them. Mrs. Bryan was very troubled. She wishes to be remembered to you all in the kindest manner.

Lawrence Bryan Taylor and family sends you their kindest regards. All your old neighbors in Ballyloughan are well and desires to be remembered to you all. Ferdinand [?] Nolan of Aughabeg, now in Bagenalstown, sends his love to you.

Please tell the Joyces they ought to look to their mother. I understand she is in a bad way and has but little understanding to know. And Dan can do very little for her since Margaret is out of employment. They are very ungrateful to them in America. You never mentioned to me how the Kelleys were doing. There are some bad accounts about them, whether it be true or not.

I give my love to Brother Denis in the kindest manner and I hope he gathered a great deal of sense since he left the old country. Also remember me to Patrick and daughter in the kindest manner and poor sister Bridget and family, remember me kindly to them all. Tell Mary Meany and my mother that my spirits is not sunk so low as to make me despair of ever seeing them. It is my constant wish and I hope it will be accomplished.

I heard nothing from Brother Declan since I saw you. I expect please God to write to him soon. You mentioned to me you would like to see James on your way to New Mellery. Please tell him how happy I am to hear of him being so well and blessed with such a nice family. Tell him both me and family sends our love to him in the kindest manner. Tell him we expect to go to America after some time please God and hope as a kind brother he will write to me and let me know how we could get along there.

All your old neighbors wishes to be remembered to you kindly and prays for you a great deal. Mr. [?] / Wm [?] Byrne came home from the sea. I think he is better. That family sends their love to you.

We had a little son the very day [of] your leaving here, a very fine child as ever we had. We took the liberty of getting him called after you. Believe me William, to part with you leaned very heavy on me. If not for the prayers you offered and got offered for me I could not be well so soon. I am just getting strong, thank God.

James wishes me to let Hugh know something regarding the Country. We had a very warm summer and left the potatoes very little value from a second growth come on them. Hay got very dear and put the prices of cattle about very much and then when winter set in it commenced with rain and never got much fine until now. It is just clearing now.

Notwithstanding all that we are well provided in hay, potatoes, turf and all necessaries for our family thank God. All I ask from you at this time is to write to me in due time. Tell William the children all gives me their kindest and dearest love and wishes to be remembered to their grandmother and Mary Meany.

I conclude my dearest brother by wishing you all a happy New Year and remain until death your loving and obedient sister

Margaret Doyle--------