| Title: | McGaffigan, Dennis to McLaughlin, John, 1912 |
|---|---|
| ID | 6388 |
| Collection | New Brunswick Letters |
| File | newbrunswick/23 |
| Year | 1912 |
| Sender | McGaffigan, Dennis |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | shop keeper |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Florenceville, New Brunswick, Canada |
| Destination | unknown |
| Recipient | McLaughlin, John |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | cousins |
| Source | |
| Archive | |
| Doc. No. | |
| Date | |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | |
| Log | unknown |
| Word Count | 1138 |
| Genre | decease, correspondence, weather, fire, family, pensions for soldiers, doing well at business |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Florenceville NB [Jany] 24 [1912] Dear Cousin We received a letter a few days ago from Neal Kearney telling us of Ellen Mahoneys death, which was not wholly unexpected as we heard a short time ago she was very sick and helpless Poor Ellen has had to put up with a good many reverses in her married life Capt Mahoney was as good hearted a man as ever lived but could go through a Million if he had it as he had no head on him for business. They Seemed to have pulled away from us Since they left New Brunswick and we heard very little from them only through Catherine and they very Seldom wrote her. I have been trying for the last two or three months to write you a letter but am such a poor correspondent or letter writer that I would about as soon start for New York at the present time as write but today I am all alone in the store and likely to be as it is one of the wildest days I ever Seen here We have over two feet of snow and it is blowing Seventy miles an hour with the thermometor away below Zero so you Can imagine what the day is like and we have had just Such weather for the last ten days or more – Well, John we had a Great many changes in this place Since you were here – through fire first the Hotel and out buildings across the Street from our place was burned down and Came very near taking our House and Store – next Uncle Charleys dwelling House barn and buildings up on the hill were burned and I dont remember if I wrote you last August about the big fire that almost wiped out the Village it started in John Kearneys store at 6 oclock in the Evening and burned twenty two buildings on our Side of the road and came within one building of our dwelling house then the Wind Shifted and blew from us We had pretty much Everything in the House and Store mooved out the poor people below us lost everything they had what they got out was all burned on the road Side John Kearney lost all he had Store Stocks and Everything that his Father worked a lifetime to accumulate is all gone and he is living in a Small rented house about two miles from here doing nothing and Seems to have no ambition to do Anything – his brother Leo – is working for a Machinery Concern on the road Selling farming implements to the Farmers is married lives in Woodstock and is doing well – John Bohan that was married to Ella Kearney is well and doing well he keeps Ellas three Children at the Convent and they are growing up to be Smart and intelligent – Catherine is only fairly well suffers a good deal with Rheumatic pains her husband is very feeble and almost a Cripple with Rheumatism they live about Six miles above here and some of the folks are there about Every week or So – we are still in the same old place and likely to be for some time as the fires hurt the Village so very much it is impossible for us to sell out We have been trying for the last year to dispose of our Store, House, Stock Land &c – with the intention of moving to Florida – I have a nice farm and some building Lots in place called St. Cloud Florida which is growing very fast and getting valuable, but as we cannot get a purchaser here we have made up our minds to let the Stock of goods on hand run out by degrees and order no more – this looks to be a slow way but our time now is our own and we are trying to Enjoy a little of life and open and close the store just when we like – by the Change of Government last November we lost the post office which releaves us of a lot of Extra work and has given Katie a chance of once more going to School it has been her Ambition for years to Study Elocutions and she is now up in Boston at The Curry School of Expressions and is very much taken with the work we miss her a great deal as She was the life of the House but the time wont be long slipping by until She is home again on her holidays – Mamie and I and a little boy attend the Store and Mary Ann the Girl we had when you were here takes Charge of the House. My wife has been troubled a good deal with Neuralgia and Rheumatism for over a year and goes out very little. She generally gets over to the Store every day after dinner and Sits in the Office most of her time as she feels more at home in the Store talking to old friends than Sitting in the House. She has been talking a good deal about you lately and Says she would give anything to See you and have you here once more – I have a very nice pair of horses and we take a drive out fine days to see old neighbours and put in the time the best we can – Still we begin to realize that we are both growing old – (and that puts me in mind of it – the US Government or Senate are going to pass an Age pension this month. giving all old soldiers a new pension according to Age and as I do not know my Age – I want you when you answer this letter to let me know Just how old I am) – and on account of our Age we would like to dispose of Everything we have here and wind up our business Entirely so as to leave as little as possible for Mamie and Katie to look after – but its a long difficult and hard matter for us to wind up – We have been in business over fifty years and have been pretty successful so have a large amount Secured and [unsecured] in the Country also a large Stock in the Store to get rid of which will take time and we must be content and wait – I [was] in St John last fall on a Short visit and met Jimmy in his office. he looks very thin and old looking. heard a few days ago that he was in Richmond Virginia and seems to Enjoy life more in Travelling than any other way – All hand join me in wishing to be kindly remembered to yourself wife Neally and all the Girls and hoping to hear from you Soon I am Your fond Cousin Dennis |
