| Title: | 28. From James Prendergast to his children in Boston |
|---|---|
| ID | 5673 |
| Collection | The Prendergast Letters. Correspondence from Famine-era Ireland (1840-50) [S. Barber] |
| File | prendergast/28 |
| Year | 1846 |
| Sender | Prendergast, James |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | farmer |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Milltown, Co. Kerry, Ireland |
| Destination | Boston, Mass., USA |
| Recipient | Prendergast children |
| Recipient Gender | male-female |
| Relationship | father-children |
| Source | |
| Archive | |
| Doc. No. | |
| Date | |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | |
| Log | unknown |
| Word Count | 472 |
| Genre | family, economy |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Mr Cornelius Riordan N° 16 Pearlplace Boston State of Massachusetts N. America prepaid Milltown 20th Novr 1846 My dear Children On the 11th of August last I wrote in reply to your letter of the 16th of July, thanking you for your Remittance which was a relief a relief received most timely. Since that time We were most anxiously expecting an answer from ye. At last our patience was worn out and we became really alarmed, not for any disappointment of our own, but lest any disaster should befal either of you and cause this unusual delay. We are now old and must of course be near our dissolution and we would descend quietly to the grave if we knew that ye were well. John Payne arrived here some time since. He said ye were well, and that he heard Tom was married, but could not say it absolutely. Therefore my dear Children We entreat you to write on receipt of this and ease our troubled minds. Say if either of the boys married. If so may God bless them. The state of this Country is almost beyond description. Nothing to be seen in all quarters but distress and destitution. Famine and starvation threatening everywhere unless God mercifully send some foreign aid. Last year was a year of abundance and plenty when compared with the present. This year all the potatoe crop was lost. The best farmer here is as short of them as the poorer class. Potatoes are seldom in market and ^the few^ that then come are bought by the rich as a rarity at the rate of from 8d to 12d pr stone Flour rates at 3/3s pr stone and varies from that to 2/8s for flour not much superior to bran. Oatmeal 3/3s and all other foods dear accordingly. The supply of the country it is dreaded will soon be exhausted unless supplies are brought in from abroad. The grain crop of this country fell very short this year. The last remittance ye sent is out long since and we are considerably in debt. Therefore if ye can assist us as usual do not delay your usual relief. The Pawn offices here are so stocked with Goods that 10s could scarcely be raised on the value of five Pounds. Let Con know that his Brother is well and in his usual place. All the friends are well. It be too numerous to name them particularly. Your Cousin Jerry Hurlys son received orders of priesthood in September last. He is now Father Francis and stationed at Cahir =siveen. My dear Children your Mother joins me to send ye all our blessing as well as if we named ye severally not forgetting Con, and I remain affectionately your father James Prendergast |
