Michael Cassidy, Maryland, To Concepta McGovern

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Document ID 0907024
Date 22-02-2002
Document Type Letters (Emigrants)
Archive All-Ireland Heritage, June 1984
Citation Michael Cassidy, Maryland, To Concepta McGovern;Document Donated By Michael Cassidy; CMSIED 0907024
41368
22 February 2002

Concepta McGovern                           CAVAN GENEALOGICAL 
Cana House                                  RESEARCH CENTRE 
Farnham St.                                 25 FEB 2002
Cavan

Dear Concepta,

Enclosed is the 1841 letter from Belville and a transcription
of it that was published in the June 1984 issue of All-Ireland
Heritage, an American publication. There is no address on the 
letter, but Bernard and Michael were likely in New York City 
in 1841. Bearnard died in New York City in 1880. Michael (my
ancestor) moved to the state of Ohio in the 1840s and died there
in 1862. Of the two younger siblings mentioned in the letter,
both eventually arrived in New York City. John seems to have
arrived in New York about 1852' and joined Michael and his family
in Ohio ca. 1854. He was injured in the head during the American
Civil War (by a falling tree not a gun shot) and died in 1866
shortly after the war ended. Ann(e) was in New York by 1853,
married Andrew McKenney who died in his early 20s. No idea what 
become of Ann thereafter. Patrick Cassidy of Belville seems
to have died some time between 1841 and 1857 (the evaluation
for 1857 shows Michael Cassidy, perhaps a nephew of Patrick,
as the tenant). Catherine, Patrick's wife, who appears in the
1821 census is not mentioned in this letter and one may assume
no longer living in 1841.

The 1821 census shows a Michael Cassidy at Belvillein addition
to Patrick. His age leads one to believe he may have been
Patrick's father or perhaps an uncle.

Decades ago someone traced over the signature of Patricks Cassidy
for whatever reason, perhaps it was fading. Thank you for 
agreeing to accept this letter.

Sincerely,
Michael Cassady [Cassidy?]


Michael Cassidy
6215 67th Court
Riverdale, Maryland 20737


Yesteryear's  Mailbag...

This issue we're pleased to publish for your reading enjoyment 
a fellow subscriber's submission. Normally we'd edit the
letters down to just the bare facts, but we find this one so warm
and full of information that it's reprinted here in full. We thank
Mr. Michael Cassady [Cassidy?], 6215 67th Court, Riverdale, MD 20737,
for his kindness in sharing this family correspondence with us.

                             "(To)
                   Mr. Bernard and Michael Cassedy [Cassidy?]
                            (no address)


                                        Belville July 18th 41 

Belove Children

   I take this most favourable opertunity [opportunity?] of sending 
you these few lines hopeing [hoping?] they will meet you in good health 
as they have me in at present Dear Children i think it hard to complain 
or call you ungreatful [ungrateful?] but i wonder why i have not heard from you this long time i rote [wrote?] you twice and got no answer which laves
[leaves?] me very uneasy least any thing wrong should have befallen 
you my Dear Children i supose [suppose?] yoie [you?] have an act. of 
the state of this countery [Country?] our gentlemen are all a breaking 
and laveing [leaving?] the country and you may guess the state of the poor 
i was getting on well by the last present you sent me i bought a fine cow 
which would have helped me true [through?] life and left me independant
[independent?] but it seems providance [providence?] denighed [denied?]
me that cumfort [comfort?] for our countery [country?] was atacked 
[attacked?] by a plague on cattle which has robed [robbed?] the poor and 
i among the rest has been a sufferer but i will say no more on this subject 
   I depend on your kindly feeling towards a parent which my Dear
children i have always ecperianced [experienced?] as to sister Anne she
has during the spring stayed at home in anxious ecpectation [expectation?]
of being sent for to go to America but at last when she despaired she went 
of and hired and you know the poor treatment and bad wages she gets here so
she hopes that yous [you?] will bring her over the first opertunity 
[opportunity?] and she promises if god spares her to pay yous [you?] all 
your cost and trouble when she gets over Brother John is in good health but i
Kneed [need?] not tell you the treatment (a) young fellow may ecpect [expect?] to meet with a tru [true?] life in this countery [country?]- the elections are all over here and the Tories has a megarity [majority?] so we ecpect [expect?] nothing but loos [loose?] the little of our rights that we have got-now my Dear Children as this
will surely come to hand i earnestly request your answer as soon as you receive this i dont intend to rite [write?] to you again til [till?] i have the hapiness [happiness?] of seeing your kind letter untill then my Dear Children
I reman [remain?] you [your?] loving father till death


                               Patrick Cassedy [Cassidy?]

  time does not permit or i would say more provisions are cheap oat 
meal sells at 10 ct per cwt potatus [potatoes?] 3 1/2 per ston [stone?]
i.e. 14 pounds) and all other things acording [according?] but trade of all kinds are failed and nothing to eared [earned?] in the countery [country?] so the times are worse than when comarites [commodities?] were dearer all 
your enquireing friends and neighbours are well so farewell till I hear 
from you I expect is soon


All-Ireland Heritage, June 1984                                    



Transcribed by Darren Laird