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Title: 7. From James Prendergast to his children in Boston
ID5652
CollectionThe Prendergast Letters. Correspondence from Famine-era Ireland (1840-50) [S. Barber]
Fileprendergast/7
Year1842
SenderPrendergast, James
Sender Gendermale
Sender Occupationfarmer
Sender Religionunknown
OriginMilltown, Co. Kerry, Ireland
DestinationBoston, Mass., USA
RecipientPrendergast children
Recipient Gendermale-female
Relationshipfather-children
Source
Archive
Doc. No.
Date
Partial Date
Doc. Type
Logunknown
Word Count908
Genrefamily, correspondence, neighbours
Note
TranscriptMr Cornelius Riordan
N° 22 Atkinson Street
Boston
America

Thom

Milltown August the 20th 1842

My beloved children, I received your letter of the 31st July last on the
15th of August Inst with your remittance of £5..os.od stg.
and also the remittance which ye were kind to send to me
on May last I have received also. Now Dear children I wrote
to ye two different letters. From the last letter I understand ye
received none of them of which I specified the description of
stockings and socks I had sent ye by John Quirk. I hope ye got
the same I sent you. Their specimen are as follows four pair of
socks grey two ribed and two plain three pair of black worsted stockings
for Jude two pair of dark ribbed worsted socks one pair of white
ribbed socks one do of light blew ribbed and one pair of light blew plain
three pair of long worsted one white ribbed one dark with a broad rib
and one light blew ribbed small. The thread of every sock and stocking
sewed to itself of their colour. My Dear and beloved children
your Brothers and families are all well in health and your
beloved mother and I also thanks be to the Redeemer. All the
trouble we felt was in not hearing from ye this time past
until the last letter I received gave us the greatest comfort and
pleasure to find you all in sound and perfect health as this
leaves us all at present thank God. Dear children Daniel
Riordan is well in health is still in the Victoria Hotel in Killarney but specifies that he has neither money or clothes from them nor does
not get it but the little which supports nature so far as food.
(Turn over)
Dear children, as you mentioned about Mrs Riordan I understand
she is very low in means in the world. She was overjoyed when she
heard that Robert made ye out. The Springs mentions that if
they were over they would make out a situation for Robert as they
mentioned to Mrs Riordan. I have nothing to communicate to you
respecting Rathpogue. The Springs arrived safe here in July
last. Let me know in your next letter what you think concerning them
as they say they will go back in five or six weeks time, for all that
they are daily going and not the nearer of going. Dear children I was
speaking to Mary Donoghue at Garrett Lynch's and is highly surprised
her loving husband Michl Sullivan did not send her a letter since May
last or remit her some money to ship off as not having as much as
would take her across the Atlantic. Dear and beloved children from your
mother the Springs at our enquiry respecting ye when do ye intend
coming to the native Isle as we are always impatient to know
they told me ye never would come to Ireland. Therefore if it be your
intent remaining in America Dear children I hope you will send
for me as ye ought to know that nothing earthly would give me greater
comfort than to have my remains with each and every one of you
stretched if it were as far again off. Dear children we have one comfort
for the winter we have a good Reck of Turf in the Garden what we were
not possessed of last winter when we should dearly buy it. Also I
have sufficient potatoes until Christmas. For the little I sat this year
they proved effectually good. This harvest we have as fine a sumur
and harvest as yet as we had these twenty years and as promising.
Dear and Beloved children, I am anxious to know what is Judy doing and how does she feel in health. Also let us know in your next
letter is America getting any improvement in the line of business
as a great many of the neighbours who left this came home again.
Let us know whether Mrs Fleming arrived safe as we have not heard
from her since she went as her parents are very impatient in not
hearing of her arrival. No more at present from your affectionate
Father Mother and Brothers who join with us in love and
friendship for Cornelius Riordan Judy Jeffery and Thomas until
Death. James Prendergast

P.S The writer of this letter and our letters always his name
is Patrick Mahony of this town who is married to Daniel Connell
Teacher's sister begs of you to make strick enquiry respecting a cousin
of mine who lives in Boston in the Town. His name is Patrick
Moynihan Tailor by trade. He lately got married there to a daughter
of one Buckleys. Also Ellen Kerisk from Lisevane who lately came home
knew his wife and her family there. Should you meet with him I
confidently request of you to make every enqury of him whether he knows where my Brother Cornelius Mahony is or is he living wherein I nor his beloved mother did not hear from him since christmas last as we are in
Tears and daily trouble any intelligence had from the Tailor respecting my
brother you will be kind to communicate in your next letter or tell my
cousin the Tailor to write to me to Milltown directed to Patk D Mahony
Landsurveyor