Transcription of Letter: West Meriden February the 10th 1847 sent to: Mr. William Moran Brittis Glasson by Athlone Ireland

Honored Father (William Moran) and Mother,

I received your letter of November last and I now sit me down to reply to it, we are all sorry to the heart for knowing as we do the state of our beloved country. My god in his mercy send speedy relief to the starving multitudes of that once happy lands. Enclosed I send you a draft on the Royal Bank of Ireland Dublin for four pounds sterling, it is useless to be making any excuses for not sending more it is all we can send at the present. Dear Father I was thinking if you would come to America you would make a good living yourself and your family. I know that if you were once settled here you would knock out a livelihood good enough. This is a fine plentiful country and money very plenty. I suppose it is something like England about fifteen or twenty years ago, I know it is a hard thing for you to break up house and come to a far distant land now in your old days, but still I know it is better for you to come than to starve in your father lands if indeed you think you can live at home perhaps it is better and trust to the mercy of god and the kindness of your children for your support, but if the famine be raging as it is reported to be and that you fear the days which are to come, I would advise you to make some offer at coming, and I think the girls will do all they can likewise.

I will myself and we could by gathering (all we could) send you about L10-00-00 pounds sterling at may but if our lives were at stake I don’t believe we could send any more or if you concluded on coming you might come in July or in fact any month in the year and as I am married you have a place to come to when you arrive I have a decent home for you until you get a house of your own, but as you talk of selling the mare to buy some lands perhaps things are not so bad as the public press states them to be, if so, and if you are determined on buying the land write to us immediately and write a feeling letter and we will send you all we can at the time you say you want it. I told you I was married. I am married to Ann Fallon daughter to James Fallon of Kilfilan, I hope you will say nothing hard of me for doing so, Aunt Mary lives in this town. Since summer Ellen Connaughton is married again and cheated the Aunt out of all her money. She came here as lean as a crow, Mich Magie boards with me, he sends his respects to you all. Bryan McDonald keeps a grocery and liquer store he was worth about L60 pounds, only when he set up he is going on well. My mother wants to know how Biddy Shirr is, the girl is well we are all well but unfortunately the same quarreling disposition which always manifested itself in the same family exists here. Shirr and his wife Slily prevented the girls from speaking a civil word to me. Let me know in your (response) what you are inclined to do and I will do all I can for you here.

If you think of staying at home I will pay the passage of one of the boys next Christmas and let him come the spring following which ever one you send or think of sending name him in your next letter or if the girls join which I know they will, notwithstanding the falling out, we will pay the passage of two if you want to send them, although we are in a fair way of doing in this town yet our hold is triffling and young and the smallest thing would injure us, still I do believe you never rearup a child who would not give you the last penny he or she had in the world. I now conclude by requesting ye all to pray incessantly for us here and for the spiritual and temporal support for each and every one of us. May the lord god direct and commend me to my brothers and sisters. Tell William I am well pleased that he has fulfilled so well the injunctions which I laid on him. If he ever comes to me I will be his friend and even if he does not I shant forget him. Give my love in particular to John and tell him I long to see him I hope I will ere long. I hope Dear Father that you and Patt are always on good terms although I am married father I am just as willing to promote your interest as ever.

I am Dear father and Mother your affectionate son. Michael Moran

I believe you can get the draft cashed in Athlone. I know you can by any shop keeper.