*Letter from Mrs. Nolan, County Kilkenny, Ireland, to her son Patrick, apparently in Providence, Rhode Island, * *October 8, 1850* Dear Patt, I received your letter with the thirty shillings in our greatest of want. I hope God will reward you for it. The day it come, I was without one bite to eat. Dickey's 8 weeks in bed, without a stitch on him, and my petticoat and coat's all pawned. Dear Patt, we've no place to lay our heads. We were lodging under James Street arch, but were put out of it. Then a few nights up in the Sconce, still without a bite. We'd be dead long ago, only for two neighbors that often gives me a bite, for God's sake. Little ever I thought it'd come my turn to beg. No more would I beg, only for your father's death. But thanks bit of God, whatever me or his child here is suffering, your father died and was buried the way he lived: respectable and decent. Dear Patt, I've had not a penny. The blankets, bed and boots of my feet was pawned. You can't know how we're suffering unless you were in starvation and want, without friend or fellow to give you a shilling, then you'd know. But on my two bended knees, Patt, fresh and fasting, I pray to God that you nor none of yours may ever know, nor ever suffer, what we are suffering now. Uncle John said he'd keep little John and Joseph until I write from America for them. I wrote to James and he promised to take them out last June and never wrote us since. Send word if he's in Providence with you. If he be in Providence, tell him that poor little Dickey longs both night and morning to see you and James. The poor child says he'd not be hungry if he was near you. Oh Patt, hurry and take us out of this. It's the poorest prospect of a winter that ever I had, without house or homefire, friend nor fellow nor bit of food to eat. That's my prospects. For the love of God, dear Patt, bring me and little Dickey out of this, as quick as you can. I pray that God's Holy Spirit be with you all. You promised to take us out. Your loving mother until death.

Thanks for this, Noel. I live near Providence and have a database and website for Southern New England Irish. I'll add this to my files and see if I can find out who this Patrick Nolan might be. Sue -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of noel walsh Sent: Wednesday, May 16, 2012 10:32 AM To: irl-carlow Subject: [IRL-CARLOW] Letter 1850 from Kilkenny to USA. *Letter from Mrs. Nolan, County Kilkenny, Ireland, to her son Patrick, apparently in Providence, Rhode Island, * *October 8, 1850* Dear Patt, I received your letter with the thirty shillings in our greatest of want. I hope God will reward you for it. The day it come, I was without one bite to eat. Dickey's 8 weeks in bed, without a stitch on him, and my petticoat and coat's all pawned. Dear Patt, we've no place to lay our heads. We were lodging under James Street arch, but were put out of it. Then a few nights up in the Sconce, still without a bite. We'd be dead long ago, only for two neighbors that often gives me a bite, for God's sake. Little ever I thought it'd come my turn to beg. No more would I beg, only for your father's death. But thanks bit of God, whatever me or his child here is suffering, your father died and was buried the way he lived: respectable and decent. Dear Patt, I've had not a penny. The blankets, bed and boots of my feet was pawned. You can't know how we're suffering unless you were in starvation and want, without friend or fellow to give you a shilling, then you'd know. But on my two bended knees, Patt, fresh and fasting, I pray to God that you nor none of yours may ever know, nor ever suffer, what we are suffering now. Uncle John said he'd keep little John and Joseph until I write from America for them. I wrote to James and he promised to take them out last June and never wrote us since. Send word if he's in Providence with you. If he be in Providence, tell him that poor little Dickey longs both night and morning to see you and James. The poor child says he'd not be hungry if he was near you. Oh Patt, hurry and take us out of this. It's the poorest prospect of a winter that ever I had, without house or homefire, friend nor fellow nor bit of food to eat. That's my prospects. For the love of God, dear Patt, bring me and little Dickey out of this, as quick as you can. I pray that God's Holy Spirit be with you all. You promised to take us out. Your loving mother until death.

What a very very sad letter this is.....breaks my heart just to read it. Would love to find out if Mrs Nolan and Dickey survived. Best wishes, Pat Zipf ----- Original Message ----- From: "noel walsh" <[email protected]> To: "irl-carlow" <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, May 16, 2012 10:31 AM Subject: [IRL-CARLOW] Letter 1850 from Kilkenny to USA. > *Letter from Mrs. Nolan, County Kilkenny, Ireland, to her son Patrick, > apparently in Providence, Rhode Island, * > *October 8, 1850* > > Dear Patt, > I received your letter with the thirty shillings in our greatest of want. > I > hope God will reward you for it. The day it come, I was without one bite > to > eat. > Dickey's 8 weeks in bed, without a stitch on him, and my petticoat and > coat's all pawned. Dear Patt, we've no place to lay our heads. > We were lodging under James Street arch, but were put out of it. Then a > few > nights up in the Sconce, still without a bite. We'd be dead long ago, only > for two neighbors that often gives me a bite, for God's sake. Little ever > I > thought it'd come my turn to beg. > No more would I beg, only for your father's death. But thanks bit of God, > whatever me or his child here is suffering, your father died and was > buried > the way he lived: respectable and decent. Dear Patt, I've had not a penny. > The blankets, bed and boots of my feet was pawned. > You can't know how we're suffering unless you were in starvation and want, > without friend or fellow to give you a shilling, then you'd know. But on > my > two bended knees, Patt, fresh and fasting, I pray to God that you nor none > of yours may ever know, nor ever suffer, what we are suffering now. > Uncle John said he'd keep little John and Joseph until I write from > America > for them. I wrote to James and he promised to take them out last June and > never wrote us since. Send word if he's in Providence with you. If he be > in > Providence, tell him that poor little Dickey longs both night and morning > to see you and James. > The poor child says he'd not be hungry if he was near you. Oh Patt, hurry > and take us out of this. It's the poorest prospect of a winter that ever I > had, without house or homefire, friend nor fellow nor bit of food to eat. > That's my prospects. > For the love of God, dear Patt, bring me and little Dickey out of this, as > quick as you can. I pray that God's Holy Spirit be with you all. > You promised to take us out. > > Your loving mother until death. > >