Misc: Letter to Thomas Hume Skellern, 28 Nov. 1864 *********************************************** Ireland Genealogy Projects Archives Dublin Index Copyright ************************************************ File contributed by: Diane Tempest diane.tempest@btopenworld.com Letter from JOHN SKELLERN TO HIS BROTHER THOMAS HUME SKELLERN. DATED 28th Nov. 1864 FROM NEW YORK. Nothing has given me greater pleasure than the receipt of a letter from you after so many years silence on both sides particulary was I pleased at the enclosure of your wifes Cart de Visit indeed I would hardly know her. , such a change years have caused in her - when last we met she was a thin spare woman but now I perceive a comfortable fat and healthy English woman. People here are quite the reverse I thank you and her for sending it to me. I was sorry to hear of your illness preventing you sending on yours. I have delayed partly from replying to your letter long befor this awaiting your promised likeness as you said in a few weeks you would send it but perhaps you were awaiting my reply to your letter.every day I am expecting it. I hope it is not missedit is so very long since I heard from you for formerly you were very correct in sending letters.Many very thanks for the various papers you sent me this past week I received two together- one illustrated. I send some occasionally to you but not at all equal to yours. I do not wish to send to you any papers from this except some particular news is going as they are little worth. I was sorry to hear of the calamities befallen to your family we are all "born to trouble" . Your visit to Dublin does not suprise me . It is a bad and broken down place I hear from many. who could that man been that you seen at the college- he must know very little about me - as the time I laft there the Society had not £20 of even £10 in its possession, as the secretary MAX RYAN had absconded to America with all its funds which was not much. I seen him here, I never received one or other neither was there any rule on their books to that effect to entitle me to it, whatever may be now I know not so. Another reason for my not replying to your letter long befor this was that I waited these several weeks for my sons likeness to send on to you, but as yet he has failed to keep his word so far, however I am compelled to enclose you one I have of his these two years past. I do not not send it as of any worth , it is so soiled , only that I may let you see the exact features of your two nephews and your daughters their cousins. The oldest George has changed very much since this likeness has been taken, he is now grown monstrously fat. The other less fortunate in the world and exact likeness too (with the exception of a sore nose that he had when he got it taken) I enclose also, it is very poorly taken indeed . He sent it on to me with two more from Baltimore. You percieve that it is regimental. My eldest son is now about 31 years old , the other is 22 nearly I trust that in the next letter to enclose a likeness of my old woman when taken and also that of the poor afflicted one my daughter Maria . Sorely affected indeed with a notorios drunkard and ideler, particulary now at those calamatous times when everthing here is so very dear owing to this dreadfull war and likely to be more so. She may write you a few lines at the close of this letter as I will defer to finish it untill next sunday, awaiting another mail steamer for your letter and likeness- I wish you for the future to direct your letters and newspapers you may be kind to send me to the house of my son George Skellern . No 224 West 27th Street between 8th and 9th avenues New York. They will be safer there for me - I begin to dought very much if your letter may not have been kept here in this house by the person who is in the habit of receiving my letters , as some arenot forthcoming, my son Charley has written to me also. The Skellern you seen in Dublin know nothing of my daugher s husband since he was there 16 years ago, little they know what a drunkard he turned out. Dec 4th 1864. Dear Brother I have now detained this letter another week but no signs of your expected likeness and letter, although 2 steamrs have arrived from Europe during this past week. I perceive by the papers that Franc Mutter was executed. If I receive your letter and likeness at any time as a token thereof I will immediatley send you a newspaper called "The Police Gazette" with th "Sun" newspaper enclosed in it , followed the next week by another called "The World" I have you wifes (Susan) safe laid up in the Bible awaiting yours , so that I may have both framed together- these will add greatly to the many pictures I have around me- my little home is called "The Curiosity Shop" I have so much to look at, as it amuses me much Thses last two weeks I am totally idle , as business is extremly bad- paper so very dear as you will percieve by Market Table on the Sun which appears weekly on that paper - you will have to excuse this dirty letter - I will reply to your next letter about New Years next - I now wish you a happy Christmas and New Years I was thinking of writing this letter over again as an incident has just happened it, but I am really not able I am now tired as I have written a long one to my son befor this My wife Maria George Charley and daughter Maria join in love with me to your wife and daughters , also the grandchildren desires me to say and me too Adieu till I hear from you , may God protect you till the last and that we will all meet in the other land where troubles never come to pass no more. I trust you have laid hold on Him who is mighty to save, even to the uttermost-if so be faithful even untill death Your affectionate brother J M Skellern .