19th Century Emigration to the North Americas
Leaflet issued by Vere Foster
Has great pleasure in informing the relatives and friends of those
persons, 140 in number, who sailed from Liverpool for New York under his guidance, in the ship "City of Mobile", on the 26th day of May, that they all landed safely and in good health at New York,on the night of 1st of July. Many were forwarded to their friends in different parts of the country, and many others stopped in New York, contrary to Mr. F's. advice. Those, 94 in number, who entrusted themselves to Mr. F's. guidance, stopped for a few hours only in New York, where they were most kindly received and provided for by Mr. J.A. Kennedy, Superintendent of the landing depot at Castle Garden, and were addressed by the Rev. J. Kenselaer, P.P. (who has resided many years in the Western States), and by Horace Greeley, editor of the New York Tribune newspaper, both of whom eloquently and earnestly advised them to quit the crowded city and go into the interior of the country, the further the better. They left New York on the following evening.
The greatest thanks are due to the Superintendents of the Hudson River Railroad, New York Central, Canada Great Western, Michigan Central, and Chicago, St. Paul and Fond du Lac Railroad Companies for their Courtesy and liberality in forwarding the company in their fastest trains and in comfortable first-class carriages at emigrant fare (which is only one halfpenny a mile), thus enabling them to reach Janesville, Wisconsin, 1,060 miles from New York in 44.5 hours, saving Mr. Foster much expense and the passengers probably some sickness, as they would otherwise have been seven or eight days on the road.
At Syracuse, N.Y., the Rev. J. McMenomy met those who were destined for Canada,, provided them with breakfast, and forwarded them to their destination, where Father O'Connor and the Sisters of Charity received them in the kindest possible manner, and, after they had rested for a few days, directed them to situations in private families. At Detroit, Father Hennessey took charge of 13 most of whom remained for a few days in the Convent of the good Sisters of Charity before going to their situations.
On our arrival at Chicago on the morning of the 4th of July, the ever memorable anniversary of the American Declaration of Independence, we threaded our way through the crowded streets of that bustling and splendid young city, amid banners flying and the discharge of cannon and fireworks, and the animating sound of military music. Here, too, our girls met with a most friendly reception. An Irish gentleman, Mr. Charles Macdonnell, kindly lent the use of an unfurnished house, to which Father Dunne brought a stove and tables and chairs and other fixtures, and his party of 24 remained there for a few days to rest, before going to the situations which he had engaged for them in private families.
He also brought a doctor to visit them in case any of them should be ailing. On Mr. F's arrival at Janesville, with the 39 destined for that place, they were met by Father McFaul, and also by Mr. Wm. B. West, who exerted himself more than any other person in the place in their behalf both for a long time previous to and after their arrival, and by great numbers of the hospitable Irish inhabitants of that city, who each took one or more to their homes, proposing to board and lodge them free of expense for a few days, or a week, or a month, or, in fact, as long as might be necessary for their comfort to rest and prepare themselves for going to situations.
All hired with private families within one hour after their arrival, but rested for a few days before going to their places.
Letters may be directed as follows to all those persons who placed themselves under Mr. Foster's guidance in care of the Rev. Edmund O'Connor, Canandaigua, New York for:
MARY SMITH
MARY CLINTON
MARY SMITH
ALICE HAWKEY
MARGARET MATHEWS
BESSY KEELAN
MARY SWEENEY
BRIDGET TIERNEY
THOMAS MATHEWS
MARY ROONEY
MARY LANNON
BRIDGET DULLIHAN
ROSE QUIGLEY
MARGARET CASEY
MARGARET M'DERMOTT
ROSE OAKS
MARY CLINTON
ANN OAKS
In care of the Rev. James Hennessey, P.P. Detroit, Michigan
ALICE QUINN
BRIDGET KIERNAN
ANN JORDAN
ELEANOR BENNETT
MARY HAITSIN
MARY SHEERAN
MARY WOODS (FEERAGH)
ANN KEELAN
ALICE CARROLL
ANN HANRATTY
CATHARINE SMITH
CATHERINE BYRNE
ROSE CONLAN
In care of the Very Rev. D. Dunne, P.P. St.Patrick's Church Chicago, Illinois:
BRIDGET CASSIDY
BRIDGET COLEMAN
BESS AGNEW
THOMAS CAFFRY
CATHERINE WARD
ALICE HENRY
MARGARET THOMPSON
ANN WOODS
JULIA MATTHEWS
ANN BEGNEIL
ELIZA PORTER
ANN FLYNN
ELIZA MORRIS
MARY FAY
CATHERINE KALE
ANN FITZPATRICK
CATHERINE KIELAN
CATHERINE KEANE
MARY FARQUHAR
MARY WOODS (Greenmount) ROSE DUFFY
MARY BRENNAN ELLEN GAFFNEY BESS EBBITT
In the care of the Rev. Michael McFaul, Janesville, Wisconsin-
ROSE McCORMACK PATRICK RODGERS MARGARET CAROLAN
JOHN MURPHY BRIDGET MAGAULAY JAMES DUNNIGAN
BRIDGES MUKETTRICK ANN LEACH ROSE HOEY
ELIZ'H CUMMERFORD MARY McKEOWN MARY DUFF
MARY CARROLL MICHAEL HEENEY JOHN McGEOGH
JOHN TALLIN MARY McGEOGH ANN LEACH JOHN CLARKE
MARGARET LYONS LAWRENCE KINAHAN MARY McKEOWN
SARAH MURPHY THOMAS DOYLE BRIDGET DURNIN
MARY BOYLAN ANN MCGUIRE PATRICK WARD
MARGARET GINNITY ANN BREEN BESSY MALLON
ELLEN LOUGHRAN DARKEY BUTLER MARGARET MURPHY
JANE ROURKE CATHERINE WHITE MARY GRIMES
MARY HOEY JOHN McCONNIN
Mr. Foster intends to send about a hundred more girls and a few boys about the 1st of September next. He will be at Mr. J. Campbell's, at Dunleer, all day on Sundays, Thursdays and fair days; and at Mr. Pepper's, at Ardee, on Tuesdays, to receive applications. Those persons will be preferred, being members of the poorest families, one only out of each family, who are in service with farmers or are from the parish of Ardee, all without exception who have gone from that parish, both this year and last year, having maintained blameless and excellent characters both on board ship and in America. Excellent recommendations will be required, especially from their clergy and employers. They will be provided with everything that is necessary except clothes. They will be at liberty to go wherever they please in America, paying their own expenses from New York. Those who will entrust themselves to Mr. Foster's guidance will be accompanied by him to good, healthy and prosperous places, where those who are Catholics will be received and directed to situations by the Roman Catholic clergy of those places; and Protestants will be kindly received and directed by other friends of Mr. Foster who have kindly promised to do so.
Mr. Foster will endeavour to select a ship manned by a more respectable crew than that of the "City of Mobile", and in which good discipline shall be preserved, and his passengers shall be protected from intrusion and insult on the part of bad characters amongst the sailors, who in well regulated ships are not allowed to enter that part of the ship which is occupied by passengers.
At the same time he earnestly entreats all his own passengers to keep company on board the ship with no person except their own comrades, and especially not with the sailors; and to shew by their conduct on board ship and in America that they deserve the good recommendations on account of which they receive a free passage to America. If Mr. Foster can make it convenient he will go in the same ship.
Dunleer, August 4, 1857
