Series 27 - James Shields letters

10pp

Kerby A. Miller created his abstracts of the James Shields letters from copies held on microfilm in the National Library of Ireland [film number 5225].

Kerby A. Miller's notes and abstracts of two letters written in 1873 and 1875 by longtime United States senator James Shields, a native of Altmore, County Tyrone now living in Missouri, to his brother Patrick back home lamenting what he perceived as the unwillingness of Irish Americans to improve themselves and stating his intentions to raise his children ‘as Irish as if born at Altmore’.
Per Miller: ‘Born, 1806, in Altmore, Co. Tyrone. Catholic, of a wealthy family, of noble descent (O'Shiels) from Co. Antrim. Family lost its lands there in the Williamite wars, but was enabled to lease, and finally purchase large estates in Co. Tyrone through personal friendship with a wealthy English family there. James received an excellent education from a retired priest. His uncle James lived in Charleston, South Carolina, fought in the American Revolution and under Jacson at New Orleans. On a visit to the family in Ireland, he inspired young James with the desire to emigrate to America, and to a military life. James emigrated in 1826, to Montreal, but his uncle had died of the yellow fever, and James assumed that he was indifferent when his letters were not answered. Without friends or money, he took up a mariner's life, made many long and adventurous voyages, until a serious injury in New York City. Thereafter, he went west, and entered American history.