Letters From America
New Haven
February 18/1883
My Dear Cousin Mrs. M. Serong & Family
It is with feelings of gratitude and new spirit at the recit of your long Forgoten letter That I sit down with pleasure to let you know that I am still living and also to hear that you and Mr. Serong & Family are also Alive and Also to return my sincere In the trouble you have undergone in seeking my brother Owen and of which I blive you admit and join with me in saying that his appearance after an Elapse of 26 years without a Correspondence with either you or me is hardly worth recognition he may See or hear this and Say it is hard of me to Say so and his Brother & Sisters says the same and we all many and many times prayed for his soul I hope it done him some good, but then we must admit that Circumstances alter cases and he may repent and make Remuneration Some Day but (God?) must consider we were More than Surprised when we herd of him being still alive and were very glad to hear from him.
Dear Cousin Mary you will not think it bad of me to write such harsh words of my Brother because I think you will look at it in the Same way and just think it the same as I Do And If I Should have 3 or 4 Hours Conversation with him I would tell him Something more than I can write.
Dear Cousin Mary | Cannot write or express my kind love and respect to you for your kindness and the trouble that you took in hunting him up
Dear Cousin Mary- I mean to let you know a little of Family Affairs I am living New Haven very nearly 20 years and | think it is about 18 years Since I had a letter from you. You were living then in Warranambool and I Answered it and that was the last I herd from you until I got this letter from you About 10 Days Ago and I meant to answer it Every Day but I hope it is not too late yet.
Dear cousin Mary I mean to let you know now how we are all Situated. I am Married About 12 years I have gor a wife and 4 children all in good health. I got 3 boys and 1 Girl the eldest is boy 11 years old his name is Eugene the next is a Girl about 9 years old her name Katie the next is a boy 7 years his name is John and the youngest is Denis about 5 years old
I work pretty much steady My business is at Coal I have a horse of my own and work pretty much all the time in one Coal yard at at 3 dollars 25 cents per day and make living So Far Jerry is in the same business has a horse of his own also he is also married and have 5 children And he buried one more the oldest is about 8 years old and the youngest about 3 months he have 3 boys and 2 Girs Catrina is also married and have 3 children 3 boys the oldest is Going on 6 years and the youngest About 7 months her husband is Kell Callaghan a son of Dan Callaghan of Courtbrack Your old neighbour Hannah is not married she is living with Catrina we are all living in the Same Building the house belonging to Jerry (Sea Nest???) Street Kell is in the Same business as me and Jerry he have his own horse also. Jerry he have his own horse also. Jerry have done Pretty well to have about 60 or 65 dollars per month Income out of two houses he he owns and he works steady
Dear Cousin I have a good deal to write but I have been out of Practice Some time that I can hardly lay down my mind to write but you have taken so much Throuble in my affairs I Concider it my Duty to let you know something that would be interesting to you I mean to let you know that there is a good many of your Friends in New Haven There is John – Denis – Shane(??) Nelly – Katie (?) and Hannah. John..Denis..and Nelly are married and the other 3 are not married
Patsy and Married in Ireland and the Mother is living with Patsy he (she?) have a big Family Mary is married well and I don’t know what family She have got John is married and have 2 children Denis has got one and Nelly have got 2 children Dennis J. sullivan Blacksmith and Family are in N..Haven and doing well and the were glad to hear from you has son and daughter are married <\Mrs Dan Callaghan of Courtbrack and 3 Sons and 4 Daughters are in N Haven and one son and Daughter married and Owen is dead and left a widow and 3 children in N Haven Jim James Keliher of Courtbrack and sister are here and several others of your neighbours About you brothers I Don’t know much John is in London and he never write to me and James I believe Travels between London and Ireland And makes a good living I am told and Bess is Dead She was living in Cork and was doing remarkable well and raising Nice Family and She Died in confinement You will please let me know in your next letter If you know anything more Purticular of them and might be able to give you some more information of them John Cosmile(??) told me when I was telling him About this letter that he would go to Australia next Spring
Although I could Say great Deal More I will have to draw to Close for want of time. You will Please write Soon and let me know how you all are and Also Please let me know If Owen would not write If you Should Give him my Address and tell that we were glad to hear that he was living
I will conclude at Present by myself and Wife and children together with Brother Jerry and Family to all I am sending you and Mr. Serong and Family our love and respect
And will remain respectfully
Your Cousins
If you should write to Owen Don’t you send him this letter until you get An Answer as I think it would make him Feel a little high
Address Mr Timothy Sullivan
246 James Street
New Haven
Connecticut
America
New Haven September 9th/83
My dear Brother & Family
I will Just Take the Present Apertunity of Answering Your letter a thing that never Expected to have to do because I have Prayed several times for your Soul and mostly made up mind that I would write you letter we all have Prayed for you
Dear Brother when I Came to N Haven in 1863 and 64 I wrote 2 letters to you to the Original Address Mr.. Michael Dorsey Milburne And 2 to Mrs Serong to Warrnambool and She answered one of them and She said She lost All Track of you and She Also Stated that She had Advertised For you and got no Account of you So we gave up all hopes of your Existence the last letter that | had from you was in the old Country at the time you Said Denny Connell bought the Farm my Father was living then he Died on July the 11th 1862 and me and Jerry and Catrina left Queenstown on the 29th of April 1863 Brother Denis and XXX XX was here from Cannada and Magee was Dead Buried here in New Haven 2 years before we Came & Dennis Died in November After we came and left A Widow and two children a boy & Girl the boy until he was 17 years his name was Eugene the daughter is still living here with her Mother she is about 22 years old her name is Mary Elizabeth Sullivan her mother is married Secondly and have a large family
Dear Brother mean to let you know how we are Situated At Present I am Married Myself and have a Wife & 4 children all in Good health 3 boy and one girl the oldest is a boy 12 years old his name is Eugene the Second is Katie she is 10 years old and Johnny the third is going on eight and Denny the youngest is going on five they are in good health So is myself and Wife I am to work mostly all the time but I have not done so well as you have My business is at Coal Carting all the time when I can get it I have a horse of my own gets paid so much Per Day but Dont have it steady this year round and it takes all I make to keep us and that is all I might say I own I did have $1000 dollars when I got married and invested it on a building lot which left me poor all the time I still own the lot but the value of Real Estate Decreased So Much that It is not worth half the money now So I have lost the Interest together with the Taxes for the last 12 years which had thrown me back a good Deal I am living in Brother Jerry house Jerry have done pretty well himself and Family are well he have a Wife and 5 children three Boys and two girls and a Boy he Buried the oldest is a Boy about 8 years old the two next is Girs Annie and Magee the two youngest Jerry and Denny Jerry have done well for his time he Starts (?) at the Same busines as I Do with his own horse he owns two good houses he takes in From 70 to 80 Dollars a month rent besides his Own he is doing well Hannah never married She is living with Katie She is married to a son of Dan Callaghan of Courtbrack his name is Kell they have three Children three Boys Johnny Timmy and Danny | come in the wrong end of them for Danny is the oldest he is going on Seven years.
Dear Brother I Suppose you want 20 years letter wherein you want to know about all the Friends and I am out Practice Good XX XX but before I Conclude I will have to tell a little more About them
So I have to Commence Again
Denis Sulllivan and Family are in New Haven and are Doing well He have 2 sons And Three Daughters himself and his 2 sons are keeping Shop and doing a good Buisness both the sons are Blacksmiths the olds Son and Daughter are married the the daughter is a widow and have 2 children her husband only lived About 6 years John Eugene Tim Jerry and Mary are in the West In the State of lowa and have Big Familys I suppose Mrs Serong would like to hear from Some of her Friends Dennis Connell John & Nassno(??) & Nelly Katie and Hannah are in New Haven and all well Dennis John and Nelly are married Patsy and Mary are married home And Doing well and so is the old Lady
Patt Morgan is living here and married So is his Sister & Narry(??) married there is About 2 dozen more from Courtbrack here all of Dan Callaghans Family are here Arived within the last year Daniel Higgins and family in S(?) York are well and Aunt Nantsy (?) is still living
Dear Brother I think I have written Enough this tim but you will Please Remember me To Mrs Serong and Family
So I will Conclude at Present Myself and Wife and Family together with my Brothers and Sisters do all Join in sending you and Family also Mrs Serong & Family
Our best Respect and Remain
Your Most Affectionate Brother
Timothy Sullivan
Address Timothy Sullivan
Please 246 James Street N.. H..
Write Connecticut
Soon Again America
New Haven
February 23rd.. 1884
Dear Brother Eugene
I mean to Inform you that I received your letter of the 14th of December which Gives us all the greatest Pleasure to hear that you and Family were all in the Enjoyment of good health as well as Mrs.. Serong and Family and that ye are all Doing well but the loss and Death of your Boy we were all very Sorry for and we Simpathise with you in your Troubles and I hope it will be a long time before there will be Any Such Trouble again dear Brother Eugene I mean to let you know that myself and Family are well So is Brother Jerry & Family Sister Kate & Family but Sister Hannahs Health is not very well her health is Poor for some years Past and whenever She gets a Cold It Effects very much Still she keeps working all the time
Dear Brother you want to know About Uncle John Sullivan & Family Dennis is living hear in New Haven him and all his Family himself and his two Sons are running a Shop of their own And are Doing well his oldest son John is married and have two Children his oldest Daughter was also married and is a Widow now with 2 children living and one she Burried She is living with her Father and Mother & Brother and two sisters more (??) they are all to work She was married to John Murphy Grawn(??) Donaghmore a son of Jerry Murphy Leigh a fine young man he Died of consumption and I think his Wife will take the Same rode Pretty soon She worried two much John and Family are out in the State of Missuri Eugene Timothy Jerry & Mary and Family are in the State of lowa Except Timothy who have no family Although he Married three times & So is Thomas Regan out ther with his family about 2000 miles from here and About Cousin Hannah She was Dead Buried before I came to this country 21 years Ago I believe She got married in Middletown and I Blieve She Died after the Birth of the First Babe and Dennis told me this week that the Daughter was married in Pennisylvania the last he herd from her her Father Got Married secondly and went there to live and of Corse She went with him and they Settled Down there Patt Morgan & Family are living here he is to work Study he is making living he have a big Family to keep on his wages he have 5 children and himself and Wife and Wages is not very high Mary is also living here She is Also Married and have a Daughter & 2 Step Daughters She Married a Shoemaker the name of Sullivan XXXX did Not know him they are doing well their Brother Dennis is in New York and is doing well he have 3 men sons and a Girl about 5 years old and Tim is Dead for the last 10 years
Daniel Higgins and Aunt Nanty (??) is still living in New York Still and all their family are Dead except Maurice & Anncia(???) and I believe Mike is living in Callefornia they are Doing well Maurice Gave up the Hack business and is keeping Saloon Ellen Died a year Ago last November and John Died in November last Anncia???) and her Niece and the old man comes to see us Ocationally and Jerry & Hannah and My Wife and Sister Kates husband & Patt Horgan was down to John’s Funeral I did not go as I had a bad cold at the Same time it is About 75 miles from hear Either by Road or Steam boat Dear Brother I mean to tell you a little About the Friends I had a letter from Big Den Sullivan who Seem to be lonesome and in great Throuble and had sad news to tell which was the Death of his Wife who was burried on New Years Day last for whom i am Sorry
I suppose you are Already Aware that she have had troublesome times in the old Country for some years through the land League and the Brittish Government Some of the neighbours hear tell me that he had three Able young men Sons and was living Comfortable and the two oldest of the boys Got into some throuble with the Police there through the land League buisiness for which he had to send them to some Part of Australia but I dont know what Part he Tells me that Aunt Kate is Still living all alone at Tour(??) and looks pretty strong for her age Dear Brother I am slow writer and out of Practice Before I Close I have a little more to My Wife Sisters Kate & Hannah requests of Me to ask you and Mrs if you would please Send them your Pictures in your next letter and After a while she will expect the Childrens Pictures also
Please remember me to Mrs Serong and Family and | am Glad that Shes herd from John and let me know in the next letter how he is getting along
Sister Kate says She will write to you soon and to Mrs Serong buisiness Pretty Dull here at Present I have seen the Career of your Friend Mr. O’Connell If I could but See him I congratulate him for his kind Friendship hes always loved himself better than his Friends or neighbours there is one thing More I would request of you only forbear of an Insult that is If | knew your Wife to XXXX but I hope She will not be Insulted I will have something more to say in my next letter
No more at Present hoping to hear from you Soon again
I remain Your Fond Brother
Timothy Sullivan
Address 246 James Street N Haven
Connecticut America