I'm a little late in reading this, but as a Minnesotan of Irish descent, I LOVE this letter. No relation, but it gives a good idea of history in my own area. Thank you for this. Roni > Date: Wed, 16 May 2012 15:23:08 +0100 > From: [email protected] > To: [email protected] > Subject: [IRL-CARLOW] Letter from America 1873. > > *Lewis Doyle, Minneapolis USA to John Doyle, Pollerton, County Carlow, > Ireland, January 23, 1873* > > Now Dear Cousin after being Careless about writing to my friends in Ireland > for over twenty years I make bold to address this letter to you hoping it > may find you and your family and also your Father and all enquiring friends > enjoying a fair Share of this worlds goods and also the blessing of good > health, > Myself and My nine children are well thank God. My wife died in labor one > year ago today leaving an infant boy we raised it very well till it was 7 > months old when it died, > We get on as well as Can be expected. I have been married and living here > on a farm 16 years we had eleven Children four boys and seven girls. the > oldest a girl is 15 years and the youngest is not three yet. > > I have 80 Acres timbered land about 30 of it improved So that I could run a > reaper on most of it the balance is yet a wild forest but the timber will > be needed Sometime for fuel and other purposes. > There is thousands of acres of vacant land here of the very best quality > and can be bought for 1 to 2 Pounds per acre the land in America is > Surveyed after the English rule. > We grow here the very best kind of wheat, oats, Barley, Rye, potatoes and > all kinds of roots & vegetables without any manure for Several, years, > > there is a school House less than 1/2 mile from my house and a chapel less > than two miles but the priest has So many places to visit that he does not > have mass in it but once a month, there is a great many Railroads in the > State already built and under contract, the wages paid to laborers on these > roads are about 2 dollars per day and to a man and his two Horses 4 dollars > Board on the line of these roads is from 3 to 4 dollar per week > > My mother and her Sister Mrs Tobin are well and happy considering their > ages, My Brother Tom is well off in this world. he has 7 or 8 Boys and > keeps a large grocery and provisions Store, John went to California and > made a bout 3000 Dols in gold, He and Tim Served as Lieutenants in the war > and came out without a Scratch. > He owns a large farm 4 miles from town and some building in town which he > rents to tenants he has 4 or 5 children, Mike is a Carpenter and lives in > town his first wife died and he is married again. > Tim is a Sailor and is Mate of a Steamer during the Season of navigation, > Bridget is married to an American man and is happy and well off She lives > near John Ann is a Sister and teaches a convent School for the last 12 > years, I am the poorest of all, and the reason is I did not lay up my money > when I had it plenty > > As I have a notion to marry again if I could get a Safe Match please Send > some good young widows or old maids So they are good I want to get one from > my own County because I know her and I could get along very well togather > Its a fact weman of all kinds are rather Scarce here in Minnesota but > Especially good ones. > Pick out one for me and tell her I will take her on your reccomend and pay > her passage into the Bargain, I am one year younger than you and have two > good Horses 4 cows 8 sheep 20 Hogs and all tools to work my farm and am a > carpenter to Boot and will give her all the tea and coffee (page 6) and > pork She can possibly get out of Sight I believe I talked nonsense Enough > if you call this nonsence now I will close by asking you to write me a few > lines give my love to your wife to my Uncle and aunt Dobbins to your father > and Brothers and to my Poor Aunt Nelly if She is alive I fear she is not > Fare well till I hear from you, > > Lewis Doyle > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message