Mary King

1829–1848

From mom: In the midst of the famine years, when so many people were leaving Ireland, Mary and Rickard left their infant son, John, with a neighbor while they helped Mary's relatives and some friends go to the ship, which would take them to America. They probably traveled by horse and wagon to Tarbert on the River Shannon, which is about 16 miles from Duagh. Mary and Rickard went aboard to say their last goodbyes, while the horse and wagon waited on the dock. That these goodbyes were most emotional. They were more like wakes as it was taken for granted they would never see each other again. We do not know what happened. Perhaps the old saying "time and tide wait for no man" proved too true. The ship left the dock or its mooring with Mary and Rickard aboard. The last goodbye turned into a real tragedy. Mary died as a result of an epidemic aboard and was buried at sea.

I've always wondered why they didn't jump off the ship before it got to the ocean . . . but the story would have been quite different.