Bridget Joyce in Bagenalstown to Her Cousin William in Harlem, 29 Mar. 1880

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" height=90 BGCOLOR="#006699" TEXT="#080000" background="34b085a3.jpg"> <div> <B>     </B></div> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="County Carlow Coogan Immigrants"><B>Home</B></A><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Symbol" ><B>   ·   </B></FONT><A HREF="site_map.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Site Map"><B>Site Map</B></A><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Symbol" ><B>   ·   </B></FONT><A HREF="list_of_letters.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="List of Letters"><B>List of Letters</B></A><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Symbol" ><B>   ·   </B></FONT><A HREF="family_history.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Family History from Letters"><B>Family History</B></A><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Symbol" ><B>   ·   </B></FONT><A HREF="names.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Index of Names"><B>Name Index</B></A><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Symbol" ><B>   ·   </B></FONT><A HREF="family_list.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Family List"><B>Family List</B></A><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Symbol" ><B>   ·   </B></FONT><A HREF="news___politics.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Coogan Name in 19th Century NY News "><B>19th C. News</B></A><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Symbol" ><B>   ·   </B></FONT><A HREF="photos.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Photos"><B>Photos</B></A><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Symbol" ><B>   ·   </B></FONT><A HREF="links.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><B>Links</B></A><B>       </B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFCC80" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="id74.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Bridget Joyce in Bagenalstown to Her Cou"><B>Previous Letter</B></A><A HREF="id74.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Bridget Joyce in Bagenalstown to Her Cou"><B><IMG SRC="3480e0e0.png" border=0 width="14" height="14" ALT="Previous Photo" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></A><B>  </B><A HREF="id110.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Michael to His Brother William in Harlem"><B><IMG SRC="3490e0e0.png" border=0 width="14" height="14" ALT="Next Photo" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></A><A HREF="id110.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Michael to His Brother William in Harlem"><B>NEXT</B></A></FONT></div> <div> <B> </B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" ><B> </B></FONT></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>    </B></div> <bR> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#FFFBF0" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <I>Bridget Joyce in Bagenalstown to Her Cousin William in Harlem, 29 Mar. 1880</I></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="6" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="676" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#666666" BORDERCOLORDARK="#FFFBF0" FRAME="VOID" RULES="COLS" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#336666 HEIGHT= 45 WIDTH="466"><div> <B>Bagenalstown</B></div> <div> <B>29 March, 1880</B></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=CENTER BGCOLOR=#336666 WIDTH="181"><div> <B>Names</B></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 38 WIDTH="466"><div> <I><B>Written in Margins:</B></I> Let us know all about our uncles Reddy & the others.</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> Reddy Joyce and his brothers</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 63 WIDTH="466"><div> (Please tell Hugh Mrs. Patrick Nolan wonders he never wrote to her.  She is keeping on the business since poor Patt died. B. Joyce)</div> <div> Your father's headstone stands straight and firm still.</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="181"><div> Hugh Coogan</div> <div> Mrs. Patrick Nolan</div> <div> Mathew Coogan</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="466"><div> My dear Cousin William,</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="181"><div> William Coogan</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 76 WIDTH="466"><div> We received yours at the 13th Inst. & indeed as you said it was time for you to write. I had given up long ago hearing from you, & I suppose only for real shame you would leave me longer. But I won't quarrel at such a distance.</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="181"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="76" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="181" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 478 WIDTH="466"><div> We were all very glad to hear that you were all so well & doing so well. Isn't it wonderful that your Mother keeps so very strong. Since she left how many young healthy people have died. I regret to say my mother is anything but strong at present. About 18 months ago she got a severe fit & she never got strong since. She is not able to walk a quarter of a mile, but I thank God for my father is just as hearty & strong as when I first knew him. He was delighted to hear of you often thinking & chatting over the old home. He is full of stories about you all & about Corries. He keeps constantly singing old airs.  He is always bright & happy. The old house stands still & John Kealy, the Carpenter, lives in it. His father is dead for the past 9 years. Mrs. Terry Byrne & her 3 daughters & 2 sons live in the old home at Carrig & are doing first class. John Brien & family are very well. Thomas is married to Cloney's daughter, is living in this town, has 2 children, & keeps a sort of provision store. Mrs. Ned Maher of Ballyloughan & all her children & Ned are quite well. Father William is stationed in Philipstown. John is in Mountrath College, & Patrick is in Tullamore College. Eddie, Jennie, and Terence are at home working on the farm & Mary Anne is a fine big girl. Margaret Lalor is married down at Abbeyleix & has 2 children. She is very well to do & is very happy. John Tierney has 2 nice young girls & 2 boys. The girls are at home & done [with] school. The eldest girl is dark and the youngest fair. The Byrne's (Smiths) are great big able Irishmen. Peter is about 6 1/2 foot & James about 6. Old Maurice Byrne died about 6 months ago & the wife about 7 months ago.</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="181"><div> Catharine Nolan Coogan</div> <div> Mrs. Joyce</div> <bR> <div> Mr. ___? Joyce</div> <bR> <div> John Kealy, carpenter</div> <div> Mrs. Terence Byrne and children</div> <div> John Brien</div> <div> Thomas Brien</div> <div> Cloney’s daughter</div> <div> Mrs. Edward Maher of Ballyloughan and children</div> <div> Fr. William Maher</div> <div> John Maher</div> <div> Patrick Maher</div> <div> Eddie Maher</div> <div> Jennie Maher</div> <div> Terence Maher</div> <div> Mary Anne Maher</div> <div> John Tierney</div> <div> Margaret Lalor</div> <div> John Tierney’s children</div> <div> Byrne family (blacksmiths?)</div> <div> Peter Byrne</div> <div> James Byrne</div> <div> Maurice Byrne & wife</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 134 WIDTH="466"><div> There is a post office at the <B>Hand</B> kept by a man named Hennessy.  Uncle Denny is Coachman at Mrs. Nixon's of Corries & he & his wife & 3 children, 2 girls & one boy, are still living in the old home.  Uncle John has just recovered a severe fit. He is able to sit up now.  He lost a leg some years ago & has never been well since. Patrick & I were over to see him last June. He is very comfortable & married to a second wife who has 2 pretty girls.</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="181"><div> Mr. Hennessy</div> <div> Denny [Coogan? Joyce?] & children</div> <div> Mrs. Nixon of Corries</div> <div> John [Joyce?] & stepchildren</div> <div> Patrick Joyce</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 153 WIDTH="466"><div> We were sorry to hear of Uncle William's death. Was it sudden?  Please let us know has he any children by the second wife & how is his daughter & all about him. May God have mercy on his soul; he was a cold brother & son. It would not have been such a loss to him to write to my father. But thank God we wanted nothing from him.  We got him & James Doyle prayed for in Ballinkillen & Bagenalstown. We regretted to hear of poor James' death. He was a fine honest fellow. We were glad to hear his family were so well.</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="181"><div> William Joyce</div> <div> and second wife and his daughter</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> James Doyle & family</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 49 WIDTH="466"><div> Neddy Byrne's daughter Peggy is married to Doherty of Ballyellen & John her brother is married to Matt Byrne's daughter of Seskin.</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="181"><div> Ned Byrne & Margaret Doherty</div> <div> John Byrne & wife, Matt Byrne’s daughter</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 172 WIDTH="466"><div> Patt Cahill died suddenly of heart disease. Terry Byrne's eldest daughter is married to Bishop Fenelon's son & Larry Neill is married the second time to Pat's sister-in-law & is now living in Cloney's farm. Larry was first married to Shelly's daughter of Slyguff & she died after the birth of her baby. I must say good-bye now & beg you to give your dear Mother, Hugh, Denis, & yourself our warmest love. Please write soon if you have time & believe me your affectionate cousin,</div> <div> Bridget Joyce  </div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="181"><div> Patt Cahill</div> <div> Terence Byrne</div> <div> Bishop Fenelon’s son</div> <div> Larry Neill & second wife & first wife, Shelley’s daughter of Slyguff</div> <div> Catharine Nolan Coogan. Hugh, Denis, & William Coogan</div> <bR> <div> Bridget Joyce</div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>