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Health) wherefore I hoised Sail again and Came to hamolton fifty
miles above Toronto and lives now Seven miles outside the Town or
as they call it hear the City
it is about as large as listowel
I had A
Son born for me hear on 31 of January last
I
Called his name Thomas
In memory of my Dr Father and brother Thoms (may The great
God almighty grant his Soul eternal rest amen)
Dr Mother
Brothers and Sisters I would Strongly recomend ye for to Sell out that
place ye now hold and try your fortunes in this Country
I am
well aware of your Situation
my heart recoiles at the thought
(my God only Knows)
The State of times is alarming at home
under Such Circumstances ye could not be worse off hear
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I dont take it upon myself for to press ye hard on this point
In Speculating the danger and hardship that perhaps ye might meet
All that I Can Say is if ye Come Safe to this Country ye would
find your State much altered for the better
as for your part
Dr Mother if your children thought you any incumbrance
in a strange Country while your Son Daniel has two hands and
health to use them you will not be a burden to no other if hear
with the healp of my God
the rest could do for themselfes and
Surely would be bettered by comeing I am awere Dr Brother
John your S[t]udy and Speculation is and will be an obstacle
In the way
my [erer?] [is?] I shuder at the thought of your Sharing
another Season of almost Certain calamity and
desolation (o may the Almighty god in his infinate mercy
Forbid)
I made what inquiry I could in as far as you are con-
cerned
I find your time hear in Collage would be three years
and if the allmighty God has chosen you for that high dig-
nity on which the glorious choir of Angels themselfs look
down with reverentul awe you Should remember that
The office is as holy the dignity as high hear as at the
place of your bearth encircled by your friends
perhaps it might
be the will of the most high that you would be destained for to
Spread the glorious light of the gosple to the poor benighted indian
Daniel T. Shehan [and Margaret Shehan], Stony Creek, near Hamilton, Canada West, to his mother, Mary Shehan, Ballylongford, Co. Kerry, 15 April 1847
Description
Daniel T. Shehan notes the "awfull picture" of Ireland which his family must bear at home, while he also laboured in severe weather and poor health. He reports of the birth of his son, named Thomas, in memory of his late father and late brother. He strongly advises that his Irish family sell up and come to Canada as "ye could not be worse of hear [off here]". Shehan offers to help them settle in and suggests his brother John could finish his three years in college in Canada and perhaps administer to the natives [as an ordained priest]. He then recommends they go to the States if possible. Shehan also mentions he has written lines in memory of his uncle Henny Breen, his son Thomas in Tralee. Appended to the end of the letter are some lines from Margret Shehan (Daniel's sister) to their mother advising her she had a son the previous January and advising her brothers, James or Daniel to "come to this country".
