In February 1832, an Irish immigrant named Patt Guildea sat down in Pottsville, Pennsylvania to write home to his brother in County Mayo. Guildea had crossed the Atlantic the previous year, traveling through Montreal and New York and traveling through the growing anthracite towns of the Coal Region.

His letter – later published in a Castlebar newspaper and preserved today through the University of Galway’s remarkable Imirce project – offers a rare, first-hand look at how an Irish Catholic newcomer viewed the United States during the early years of Pennsylvania’s “Coal Rush.”

In clear, direct language, Guildea describes wages, work prospects, land prices, and the daily realities of life in a country still unfamiliar to him. At a moment when Pottsville was booming with hundreds of new arrivals, his words highlight the hopes, hardships, and calculations that shaped early Irish migration to the anthracite fields.

Description from Professor Kirby Miller:

“Patt Guildea, Pottsville, Pennsylvania, to his brother, Richard Guildea, Dervin, Crossmolina, County Mayo, 1 February 1832; published in the Connaught Telegraph (Castlebar), 4 April 1832.”

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February 1st, 1832

Dear Brother,

I take this favourable opportunity of writing these few lines to you, in hopes to find you and all friends in good health, as I am in, since I left home, thanks be to God.

Dear brother, our passage from Ballina to Quebec, was only one month. I came to Montreal and worked there one month at 1/2 dollar per day. I came from thence to the State of New York and continued there for three months and a half at 13 dollars the first month, 2d. and 3d. month, 14 dollars. I came from the State of New York to the State of Pennsylvania and worked there at 12 dollars per month, during the winter; and when the spring opens, we expect to have from sixteen to eighteen dollars per month, and constant employment for two years.

I would advise any young man to come to this country, for it is a better place then home; but a man of family I would not advise him to come here. A single young man, settling with a farmer, will get from £24 to £30 per year. There is as good wages in this country as there was ten years ago. I intend going home in the course of three years. I intend going to New Orleans this winter, it is a good place for single men during the winter. They get 1 dollar per day, and found. There is neither frost nor snow there during the winter.

I expect, as soon as I receive your letter, that I will be able to send home some money, if the Lord spares me my health. I stop in Pottsvilla, within 100 miles of Philadelphia. I did not get one hours sickness since I left home, thanks be to God.

Land in this country is pretty dear; such as is convenient to Rail Roads, Canals, or Towns, from 15 to 20 dollars per acre according to the quality of it; there is some more for 2 dollars an acre. A good horse will cost 20 dollars, a cow 16 dollars. The natives of this country are very comfortable, nothing troubling them from one end of the year to the other. It is the best country that ever a man put his foot into for feeding; they eat meat three times a day throughout the week, and that of good beef and pork, tea and coffee.

Cloth in this country is very dear; good blue cloth from 5 to 6 dollars per yard; for making a body-coat five dollars; by getting a suit of blue made in all, it would stand you about 40 dollars in cash; a pair of boots, four dollars; a pair of shoes, 3–4 dollars; a pair of stockings 3s. 6d. British.

You will direct your letter to the care of Patrick Queenan, he is a Castlebar man.

I remain, your faithful brother until death,
Patt Gildea

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Letter from the incredible project: Imirce: The Kerby A. Miller Collection – Irish Emigrant Letters and Life Stories from North America at the University of Galway

I learned about this program from a fascinating episode of the Transatlantic podcast featuring my friend Damian Shiels.

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Read more about Irish immigration and the Coal Region

“The Irish in Pennsylvania Coal Country” | Interview on the “Transatlantic” podcast

A letter from an Irish immigrant in Scranton, PA to family in Ireland | 1865

In 1842, Irish immigrants in Schuylkill County began an international war of words over slavery in America

Alexander Campbell | From the shores of Ireland to a gallows in Pennsylvania’s Coal Region

A tribute to a Coal Region labor leader | John Siney

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