A Letter Home
The letter on this page belongs to John Murray in Pennsylvania and forms part of the Donegal Genealogy Resources Website
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This letter is one in a series of letters from James Collins in Donegal to John's great grandmother, Catharine Alice Collins, in Philadelphia, between 1874 to 1876. Catharine, who immigrated to Philadelphia in 1873, died aged 103 in 1996.
John's great, great grandparents were James Collins and Catharine (McClarran) Collins, living in Tamneyard, Co Donegal. Catharine McClarran Collin's father was possibly named James/John or Hugh McClarran.
Based on letters sent to his great grandmother, nearby neighbors or relatives included the surnames Patterson, Stewart, Baird, McCormick, Siriden/Sheridan, Doherty, Boyle, and McClarran.
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Tamneyard October 23rd 1874
My dear Childers
I take up my pen to let yous know that we are all well at present thank God in hopes that those few lines will find you all in good health.
My dear Childer we received your very kind and welcome latter on the 20th instant and was happy to here that yous were all well at present. My dear Cathrin I was very sorry of hearing of you being sick and I often told you that if you did not like the country or it not agree with your health to not stay there for anyone but make your way home for you are very welcome to me and it is not your time to wait to your health would be gone for it is not easy to get once it is gone. So that is my advice to you my dear child and you can let Mariget now the same as I say to you. I do not want any of yous to stay there if yous do not like the country.
My dear Childer you want to know all the particulars about us we in the first place we have new taties at present but the same as to now and I have a little pig that I am going to sell at the fair and Marigets money and it and pat's waiges will by me a good lock of corn. I intend to make a good lock of meal. My dear childer all the rest of the family is at home. Hugh is a tall boy now and James and Pat is little behind him. Ellen is as tall as yous now and little Mary is a fine little girl too. They are all obedient children to me. Hugh minds to his work well enough and it is so for Francis I can not say much about him. I do not get many letters from him but I herd by people that saw him that he was doing well and was joined in the Tempered Society and he said that he wants to be home at the new year he never sent money to me.
My dear Childer you let me know sure in your next letter what way Marigets health stands for I believe that country is pretty tight on the health and if it be not good I would wish you both to come home.
My dear Childer I would wish you could send me your unkel Johnny's adress or unkle Hugh's for grand Father is very lonesome he has neither boy nor girl but a son of unkel Tom Siridens and would wish to have one of his own sons at home.
My dear Childer Mother and me is happy to hear that son Johnny has got into the Temperate Society. I feel great pleasure when he was sending me a letter but it seems he lost the way of wrighten. Mother says that if he does not come to see her that she will go over to see him if he pays her passage back. Little Mary talks very often about yous and says in the night time that you would shape the clothes to her back far better than Ellen. I send my best respects to brother Pat and tell him that I would like to get a letter from him. Tell son Johny that I send him my kind love to him and tell him that if he wishes to come home that I will make a harty welcome for him. Hugh and James and Pat, Ellen and little Mary all join me in sending our kind love to you all. Wright soon.
God bless you all My Dear Childer
I am you Father and Mother truely
James and Cathrin Collins
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