Two Letters from a Father in Donegal to his Children in America - 1807 & 1811
The letters on this page belong to Muriel Sherlock and form part of the Donegal Genealogy Resources Website
You may link to this page but not copy it. If you do want to link to it, Contact Me so we can exchange links
Note: Should you recognise anyone in these letters, please Email Muriel
The Letters
(the front of this letter is addressed to Mr William McClintock, care of Hugh Wiley P.M, Washington Pennsylvania In America )
DOOGHAN May 27th 1807
Dear John I sit down with pleasure to write after receiving your kind epistle dated December the 27th 1806 for to let you know that I am in a tollerable state of health
considering all my affliction for parting with all my family which I rared and brought up so well. I was not past a month in your sister Janes to I removed out of it and I
was in John McClanes about a month and I am now in my brother David McConaugheys. I am very happy to hear that you are safe arrived at your brothers and glad to hear of you
brothers humility towards you and I hope brotherly love will continue among as you never got any bad precefs from me or as you never inclined to any bad vice. I hope that you
will continue so when at a distance. When you parted with your brother Daniel who went to Belfast and got some information of a great prefs being in Scotland and he returned
back to Cranfield a town five miles distant from Rannelstown and I got a letter from him shortly after and he informed me that he was weaving with a man at the Calligo
Businefs and as you are in a distant county, I hope that you will be mindfull of your great creator both night and morning and I hope that you will reap the Inereace ( ? ) of
it at that great way. When wee shall all appear to give an a account of every deed done in the body whether they are good or bad. Francis Kilpatrick is dead and he died very
shortly in eight days sicknefs your uncles and aunts in one with their love to you and in particular your uncle David and your aunt Fanny I add no more but remains your ever
affectionate father till death.
John McClintock.
Bicketstown. Ireland April 22nd 1811
Dear Children
I sit down once more to write to you, but not without great astonishment in not receiving a letter from you since Daniel’s departure which makes me very uneasy on account
that I always got word from you before this time. And my dear children you ought not to neglect sending me word, as it is all the pleasure I can expect in this world and I do
not think that my time here will be long. I am at present very unwell.
And when I take a view of my former time that I spent in my own family, it makes me a little uneasy in mind as well as my bodily disease. Yet notwithstanding that I am
distant from my own family, God hat raised up a friend and brother to me which I cannot and will not deny as long as I live. And as I never will be able to pay him a return I
hope that he will not be forgotten for his friendship. My dear children in my former letters I have exhorted you to be mindful of your great Redeemer and while you enrich
yourselves, consider that it cometh from him who is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him. For the silver and the gold are mine saith the Lord. My dear children, I
will address you all in general not to be so much taken in with the allurements of this world, or would hinder you from your duty to God. And the more that I am not present
with you let my advice be convenient for you. Let brotherly love continue among you for such is necessary. I will daily be expecting an answer to this. Send me an account
hether Daniel arrived safe or not.
And give me a full account how you are all doing. I did not see Alexander, or get any word from him since he was up, shortly after Daniel went away. He got the remainder of
Daniel’s money 14s. 6p. My dear children I am very glad to hear that you have fallen in conversation with a man of such unblemished
character as Mr Miller, for his character in his won native country is nothing inferior to his ability at home. And from all accounts he is a man of merit. Your sister Jane
is very unwell with rheumatick pains. She was for a long time very ill, but is now a little better.
When you write give me a full account how markets are with in America and how you are all settled. You uncle and aunt McConaughy, together with the whole family join in love
to you. Give my love to my new daughter. Though unseen yet gratitude and love glow in my heart towards her. No more at present.
From your affectionate father
John McClintock
William, John & Daniel (McClintock) children
© 1998/2008 Donegal Genealogy Resources