In 1878, James' stepson, Tom Townsend, journeyed to Ireland to accept an inheritance from his paternal grandmother. Tom traveled by train to New York City, where Matt met him. When Tom was returning from Ireland, James set out by rail from Lincoln to meet him. When James arrived in New York, there was a family reunion of all the living children of Mathew and Catharine, except for Michael, Brother Declan, who had recently arrived in Roscrea, Co Tipperary, with other founders at Mount Saint Joseph Abbey.
James' letter gives a glimpse of this gathering of the clan after his absence of 25 years.