| Title: | 38. From Maurice Prendergast to his sister Julia's husband, Cornelius Riordan |
|---|---|
| ID | 5683 |
| Collection | The Prendergast Letters. Correspondence from Famine-era Ireland (1840-50) [S. Barber] |
| File | prendergast/38 |
| Year | 1848 |
| Sender | Prendergast, Maurice |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | farmer, livestock farmer |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Dromin, Co. Louth, Ireland |
| Destination | Boston, Mass., USA |
| Recipient | Riordan, Cornelius |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | brothers-in-law |
| Source | |
| Archive | |
| Doc. No. | |
| Date | |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | |
| Log | unknown |
| Word Count | 395 |
| Genre | adversity, economy |
| Note | |
| Transcript | To Mr Corns Riordan Boston To the care of Thos Prendergast N° 16 Pearl place state mass Boston P.P. Dromin June 22nd 1848 Killarney Dromin June 22nd 1848 My Dear Brother-in-law-sisters Husband I must say that I am proud of you, for I can say that you always acted a good man since the day you joined us. I return you my warmest thanks for the you now sent me thro my Brother Thos. [...] ^not^ forgetting your many kindnesses, I must say that only for it, I would be very badly off. I am out of employment for the last 18 months. I laboured out of that time for 8 months with ill health, but now I am quite recovered and in as good health as ever, tho I can inform you that our country is in a most deplorable state with poverty and want of employment after 2 years Famine and pestilence stricken down, our poor houses loaded or t[h]ronged, our gaols filled, people only doing crime to get something to eat or to be transported prefering it to be a better life. Now my Dear Con you will be good enough to return ray Brothers my sincere thanks for their help to me. My Brother Thos mentioned to me about sending for my son James. Yes and it would be a proud hour to him and to me, to have him leave this poor and forlorn country. My Father and Mother is in perfect health, but their doom would be in their grave only for you, and family of friends and if they lived the poor house would be their doom, where you would see many a desent person well reared, his food only indian corn porrage and water with a little treacle, with a felons jacket. Our country is in a most poor state. Nothing grieves me now so much but Mich1 conduct after the faithful promise he made. I remain your affectionate Brother-in-law Maurice Prendergast P.S. Remember me to my Brothers and my one only sister Julia and to their familys. My entire family joins in their best love in this letter to you beyond the seas and I expect a return by post as soon as you can. Direct my letter as usual to my Father for me. |
