| Title: | Mary Cunningham, Fyfennen, to "My Der son" |
|---|---|
| ID | 805 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Cunningham, Mary/35 |
| Year | 1862 |
| Sender | Cunningham, Mary |
| Sender Gender | female |
| Sender Occupation | farmer |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Co. Donegal, Ireland |
| Destination | America |
| Recipient | Cunningham, Michael |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | mother-son |
| Source | The Fyfennan Letters. All Publishing Rights Reserved By SusanCunningham, 34 Phelps Ave., New Brunswick, New Jersey 08091, U.S.A. |
| Archive | The Ulster American Folk Park |
| Doc. No. | 9507149 |
| Date | 28/12/1862 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | LET |
| Log | Document added by LT, 24:07:1995. |
| Word Count | 484 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | THE FYFENNAN LETTERS The following are transcripts and Xerox copies of two letters written by Mary Cunningham in Ireland to her son Michael in America during the 1860s. In creating the transcripts, we have tried to be faithful to the original in terms of spelling, capitalization, and punctuation. Since periods are not used to denote the end of a sentence and sometimes a new sentence does not begin with a capital letter, we have left larger spaces between words where a sentence ends. The people in the Letters Patrick: A brother, probably a younger brother. Robert Askin: Seems to be an Ireland-America commuter; probably one of the neighborhood boys but possibly a relative. Francis: Another brother, probably the youngest one. Kitty: Sounds like she was a neighborhood gal who may been his 'intended' when they left Ireland. We don't know her last name nor do we know what became of her. Mary: A married sister in Ireland; we don't know her husband's name. James Glerp [Gillespie?] & wife: A mystery without clues. Bridget: A sister in Ireland. Patrick Carr: A cousin and trans-Atlantic commuter Biddy Carr: Another cousin, probably Patrick's wife or sister-in-law. Anthony Conwell: Probably someone in the neighborhood; he probably emigrated after selling his property. Mr. Malloy & Catherine: Catherine Cunningham, Michael's sister, and her husband Cornelius Malloy. They subsequently served as godparents to Michael's first child, Daniel. James: A son who had gone to America and was not keeping in touch. Robert Conwell: Probably a borther [brother?] to Anthony; Robert obviously had earlier emigrated to America and had a farm in Georgia that was devastated during General Sherman's march to the sea. Charles Cunningham: Probably a cousin and a trans-Atlantic commuter. Dan Cunningham: Probably a cousin who stayed behind in Ireland and very likely a brother to Charles. Bridget's two Little Boys: This Bridget might be Mary's daughter, or it could be a sister after whom she named her daughter. (At that point Michael is 30 years old and it seems unlikely that he would have nephews who were old enough to have emigrated some years earlier.) My Der [Dear?] son I write you those few lines to let you know that we are in good health at preasant [present?] thank God hoping that the arival [arrival?] of those few lines will find you in the same Dear Mickel [Michael?] it wonders me very much to think you did not write to me for the last 2 years Der [Dear ?] Mickel [Michael?] I believe that Patrick received a letter from you on Crismassday [Christmas day?] which grieves us very much to think that you paid his passage without leting [letting?] me know of it Dear Mickel [Michael?] we did not know that you paid it (page 2) till Robert Askin came home Der [Dear?] Mickel [Michael?] you were allway [all way?] good but I must say that you were very ungratefill [ungrateful?] to pay his passage without letting us know you know Der [Dear?] Mickel [Michael?] that there is nothing in this world would grieve me as much as to part with Paddy Mickel [Michael?] Francis says that iff [if?] he goes that he will not stay behind him to leave him here alone without any person you know Der [Dear?] Mickel [Michael?] that when you Father was alive and you at home that you had plenty to do to manage the times (page 3) Der [Dear?] Mickel [Michael?] I want you to write by the return of Post and preavent [prevent?] him of going for a few years more and state to him that the times is changed since you paid the passage and that times is bad when you write do not talk of this letter Der [Dear?] Mickel [Michael?] we had not a letter from Kitty this long time we wonder very much of you and her not being good friends Dear Mickel [Michael?] my health is very bad this long time do not forget to write when this goes to hand for if he goes the place will be scatered [scattered?] for Francis will not stay (page 4) Der [Dear?] Mickel [Michael?] I thought it plenty Mary to leave me for a nother [another?] while when we adice [advise?] him to send back the passage he wont give us any satisfaction Dear Mickel [Michael?] I have no more to say at preasent [present?]. A few lines from sister Mary dear Mickel [Michael?] little I thought when you left Ireland that you would forget me as you did after all the promises that you made but I hope you will not forget in sending me a letter it is a small return for all i [I?] do to you No more at preasant [present?] My Husband and i [I?] sends our love and best respects to you in the Kindest Mary Mother brothers & sisters join in sending our love and best respects to you and to Kitty and husband James Glerpp & wife Then write soon best respects to you |
