Judith Spencer 05/24/2013

Michael and Margaret Cullen Letters

Hello again!

I found a few letters that were written by Michael and Margaret Cullen while he was away. They were written in 1869, and they had 2 children at the time-Katherine (Katy) and Thomas. One letter was written from Virginia (City), Nevada, where he was working in a foundry and making $5.00/day. He had never even seen his son, Thomas, who was born after he left. Margaret was living in a tenement in Worcester with the 2 children, not with her family, at least at this time. She pleads with him to come home, but he likes the work, the weather, and the money that he is making. He wants her to come west to live with him, but she does not want to leave her family in Worcester. He tells her that it never gets cold out there, only a little rainy, but the west, to her, is a strange, bad country (her words).

I'll see if I can make copies of these to send you, but they are so fragile, and one is very faded. I do have other things as well that I know you'll be interested in, and I'll send those along.

Michael Cullen must have gone to California after Nevada, because I found some notes that I had taken as my father was talking one day. I'll just rattle them off. Michael's sister, Mary (1837-1920) lived in Uxbridge and also Linwood. Married name: Powers or Power. Their parents had died of typhoid in Ireland, leaving them orphans. Michael came to this country at age 16, landing in Boston. He may have been in the British Navy, and he may have jumped ship. My father was just passing along family stories, but wasn't sure if the British Navy story was factual. Michael's mother's maiden name was Murray, and her father was James Murray from Waterford. Michael was away from his family for 2 or 3 years, most of those in California. He staked a claim in Oakland/San Francisco area for 1000 acres (not Stockton I guess), and built a cabin in hopes that Margaret and the 2 children would come out there to live. She had no intention of leaving Worcester, and he came home FINALLY!!

As I find more things, I'll share them with you. It's fun to look through all the Cullen stuff again, and to try and piece together all the information.

Take care.

Judith Spencer

05/24/2013

Some of the people mentioned in the letter.
I'm still trying to get more information