Do you think he might let other Irish (genealogy) groups see it? I would love to share it. Kevina On Tue, May 22, 2012 at 11:53 AM, Pat Connors <[email protected]> wrote: > This was posted to the Irish-American mailing list by Mike Purcell who > lives in County Carlow in Ireland. I have his permission to post it to > this mailing list. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have. > > > Published by Mary Theresa Kelly in Carlovina 1947. > Letter from Michael Hogan > > Albany, New York, to his aunt, Catherine Nolan, Pollerton, Co. Carlow, 17 > March 1852 > > Dear Aunt, > I take this opportunity of writing these few lines to you hoping to find > you and your family in good health as this leaves us all in good health at > present. I thank God for his mercies to us all. I received a letter from > Patrick Kelly on the 24th of December ‘51 which gave us all great pleasure > to find that all friends were well. > We were sorry to hear of my grandmother’s death but yet thankful to God for > taking her out of this wicked world. He gave me to understand that you had > not received any letter from me since I came to America. However you were > the first I wrote to after I arrived on the lands of liberty. I often > wondered that I was getting no answer from you. > > I have had the opportunity of seeing the New York steamboats landing at the > wharf of Albany during last spring. > > I often gazed on the passengers in hopes of seeing you till at length I met > with my cousin Michael Hogan and a good many of my old school fellows along > with him. He told me that you had adjourned coming to America. > My dear friends I will now let you know how we are situated at present. By > the interest of Mr. Thomas Young I got a situation on the 12th of February > 1851 which I occupy up to this time. My wages are 6 dollars a week from the > 1st of April until the 1st of January. The following three months I get 4 > dollars per week. I board myself. > My work is but 10 hours in the day. Denny is working at boot and shoe > making since we came here with the exception of four months which he worked > in a foundry last summer. Patrick is idle at present but I expect to get > him work in a few days. As the girls, Mary and Ann and Margaret are in good > situations in the city, and Elener is learning the tailoress trade. As to > my father, he is getting as good health as ever he did at home. > > I would have wrote to you sooner but waiting for a letter from Lewis Doyle > which I received a few days past. > > They are all well and I think doing well. He tells me that he sold his farm > and stock last fall and bought a property in the city of Monroe and is > living there. Thomas is a clerk for a merchant. John is likewise in a > situation but is going to resign to go to California. Lewis is teaching in > a district school and Michael has a team and wagon and is working with it > in the city. A team is two horses. Timothy and Ann is going to school and > Mary is at home. > > My aunt requests of me to let her know how her sister Elenor is and Luke > Kavanagh’s family. You will be pleased to know how they are. > > It was not want of money caused us to stop in Albany, but when we landed > here, it was too expensive to travel as there was no way of travelling but > by railroad. Lewis Doyle gave us good encouragement to go up to them, but > yet as we were all in situations, by the time navigation opened we thought > better to stop for some time. > > I would not encourage any person to come here that could live middling well > at home as they might meet with many difficulties by coming here but any > boy or girl that has to labor for their living, this is the country for > them. > > Boys living with farmers can get from 20 to 30 British pounds per year. > Girls can get from 8 to 14 pounds per year according as they understand > their business. Winter is a bad time for any person to come here as it is > almost impossible to get anything to do and expensive to travel. > > We got no delay from the night I parted with you until we went on board the > ship Albert Gallathen and sailed out from Liverpool. Then we were 49 days > tossing with the waves. Our passage was 20 pounds from Dublin to New York > and 6 pounds 5 shillings from New York to Albany. The fare for a single > person from New York to Albany in summer is but 2 shillings and 6 pence. > > As to the prices, > Beef is from 2 to 4 pence per pound Pork is from 3 to 4 pence per > pound. Mutton > is from 2 to 3 pence per pound. Tea from two to four shillings per pound. > Sugar > from 3 to 4 pence per pound. Flour is sold by the barrel. Each barrel > containing 180 pounds which can be bought from 18 to 23 shillings per > barrel. Oatmeal is 3 shillings per stone. Butter is from 8 to 10 pence per > pound. > > All the rates I have mentioned I calculated to British [pounds]. House rent > is very dear. We are paying 15 shillings British for 3 small rooms per > month. > I got a slight account of Peter Haydon burying his wife. You will let me > know whether it is true or not. We are not sorry for coming here but I am > sorry for spending so much of my time in Ireland. You will let me know how > all friends are and give me all information you can concerning the state of > the country. > My father, brother and sisters join me in sending their best respects to > you all. Remember me to all inquiring friends and especially to the Miss > Keegens. > No more at present. I remain yours truly, M. Hogan Direct to: Michael > Hogan No 54 Colonie Albany, N Y > > P.S. Write soon. Any person coming here and wishing to find me will do so > by making application to Mr. Thomas Redmond. 117 Canal St., Albany, New > York > > > -- > Pat Connors, Sacramento CA > http://www.connorsgenealogy.com > ===NY-IRISH-GENSOC Mailing List=== > Time for Society Members to pay up their **2012 Dues**. See the Website > for details: > Troy Irish Genealogy Society > www.rootsweb.com/~nytigs/ <http://www.rootsweb.com/%7Enytigs/> > Click ON - "JOIN TIGS NOW!" to get form. > > > > > > ------------------------------- > 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 >