Urker,

Crossmaglen,

Ireland

21.3.21

My Dearest Sally[1],

On Friday I got from Slieveroe little Peggie's[2] photo. She is a dear little girl and looks strong and healthy. I hope she has started to walk. I hope Mary and the boy are all right. She will be kept far too busy for health or happiness I fear. There should be a law made to prevent people from having babies oftener than once in six years. Then they would be a pleasure instead, as is often the case, of being a hard trial. I hope you are keeping fit for all you have to do. I often think how well I am off beside any of us. I have Anne O'Hare[3] to dress or undress me and Molly McCullagh[4] to cook dainties for me. I lie in bed for breakfast every day since I got this cold at Xmas time and have never got rid of. It is nice to have your nephew for company to Clair[5] and you. I have not seen my Molly[6] since November. She was here then for my birthday - 76 How many I have seen pass away. I had Maggie[7] for a week lately. She is looking well. She was sad to think of George[8] who will soon be dead two years. Bessie Brown[9] is wonderfully well just now. No sign of peace in Ireland. We need another Cromwell.

I cannot write much I get so tired and my sight is dim

Fond love. Yr ever

Mary Griffin[10]

P.S. Sally Gilmore[11] is in Dublin

---

[1] Sarah (McCullagh) WHITESIDE (1852-1939)

[2] Margaret McCullagh MITCHELL Oct 31, 1919), daughter of George Anderson MITCHELL(1890-1965) and Mary Ione WHITESIDE (1896-1960). Although she was the first born, her brother was born 13 months later. She is the granddaughter of Sarah (née McCULLAGH) WHITESIDE and William Sherlock WHITESIDE ((1860-1916).

[3] Anne O’HARE

[4] Mary “Mollie” McCULLAGH (1890-1932), daughter of Margaret (Jackson) (Reed) McCullagh who would later marry Thomas Dare JACKSON and die after childbirth.

[5] Thomas Clair WHITESIDE (1893-1959), son of Sarah (née McCULLAGH) WHITESIDE and William Sherlock WHITESIDE (1860-1916)

[6] Mary “Mollie” (Menary) Wright

[7] Margaret (Jackson) (Reed) McCULLAGH (1853-1944), sister of Mary GRIFFIN (née JACKSON)

[8] George David McCullagh, killed in WWI, son of Margaret (née JACKSON) (REID) McCULLAGH and Andrew Bradford JACKSON (brother of Sarah WHITESIDE)

[9] Elizabeth “Bessie” (née JACKSON) BROWN(E), wife of Thomapsn BROWN(E), sister to Mary (Jackson) (Menary) Griffin & Margaret (Jackson) (Reed) McCullagh

[10] Mary (Jackson) (Menary) GRIFFIN (1844- August 1921), sister of Sir Thomas JACKSON

[11] Sarah (née JACKSON) Gilmore, sister to above & wife of Eliezer Gilmore