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Title: 9. From James Prendergast to his children in Boston
ID5654
CollectionThe Prendergast Letters. Correspondence from Famine-era Ireland (1840-50) [S. Barber]
Fileprendergast/9
Year1843
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 Count636
Genrecorrespondence, family, neighbours
Note
TranscriptMr Cornelius Riordan
No 22 Atkinson Street
Boston Mass
America

Thomas Prendergast
Thom

Milltown March the 21st 1843

My Dear and beloved children, I had received your
letter of the 28th of February last which gave us all the
greatest astonishment in your not getting the letter
which I wrote you on the 28th of December last immediately
after your remittance until the receipt of your last
where I discovered you did not receive it. But at the
receipt of the last we found the greatest pleasure
to find you were all in as perfect health as this
leaves us all at present thank be to providence.
Now Dear children about the letters sent by me to
you I cannot say where the mistake lies. There are
a great many complaining of the posts more particularly
of our home post which the generality of people are
charging them with as having the error at the side
with respect to letters sent to any part of America.
Therefore I will post this letter in Killarney post office and every other letter for the future. Dear children you ought
to know that it is no neglect of mine but the fraud
used by the posts that nothing earthly would us greater
than hearing from you weekly if it could be possibly
obtained. You may rest assured that it is no neglect of
mine that we think the day long when not hearing from you
all. Even about the time we considered having an answer to
the last letter sent by us there is not an hour but your
affectionate mother or I would be at the post, until
we received your last letter where we discovered you did
not receive it. Your affectionate Brothers and families
are all well. Your Brother Maurice has no place from
the 25th of march Inst. He does not know as yet where
he may be employed as the Eagars of Curraglass went
down the Country where they were before which leaves
your affectionate Brother Maurice out of a Situation
at present. Robert Riordan has come home to Killarney
in October last, and he has not made any boast of
your kindness towards him when with ye though his
mother had told me when I was in Killarney that it was
ye spoiled him pampering him with every thing good.
Daniel Riordan is still in the same place and is
well in health and pretty well clad and clean.
Turn over
Dear children, I beg of you to beware of the Quirks to
be civil and strange to them. Mr Spring and family
are all well and in your letters always I expect you
will speak largely of the Springs in America as it would
be wish of these at home that it would be said
that they were doing well and in great Situations.
The Ladies there sent home a letter a few days ago and
they spoke very largely of you all. My Dear children
I expect your answer to this as soon as possible and that to me as usual as I get your letters always and
I cannot conceive the fraud with respect to our letters to ye.
No more at present from your ever affectionate Father
mother and Brothers who join with love and friendship
for you all.
James Prendergast

P.S I hope you will not forget knowing or mentioning
in your next letter and know from Patrick Moynihan Tailor
whether he received any account from Cornelius Mahony
my particular friend Patrick Mahony of milltown Landsurveyor ^Brother^
or whether he came down to Boston to christmas with his
cousin Patt Moynihan as he promised. Do not neglect this as he
is a man I have a great wish for.