| Who were these people? Two young lovers on a
journey to the new world. Ellen Dowling was a school teacher
from the Emerald Isle. She was leaving behind the children
she taught for a new life with the man she loved - Charles
Boyle. |
 |
Their ship crashed through the waves heading for
Canada. She had heard a lot about the new world with its new
opportunities and vast tracts of land for the taking. This was not so
risky a venture now as it used to be. It was 1858 people had been
emigrating for years and coming home to give the true stories of what
they found. Charles had a good trade. He was an apprenticed carpenter,
indentured to a man who was to follow later.
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Charles had been to the United States of
America before he had volunteered to bury the victims of the yellow
fever in New Orleans. It was risky but they paid in
gold. He took it home and crept up on his mammy, she was
shelling peas by the fire, and he dropped the bag of gold in
her lap to tell her he was home. A vision of his mother
returns to him now. She is running towards the ship, with her
red hair hanging down her back, begging him to stay in
Ireland. However, there is no going back, he is with the
woman he loves.
As they stood before the Captain with his
Bible the ship rose in the swell of the waves much like her heart
in her chest. "Do you Ellen Dowling take Charles Boyle as
your lawful wedded husband?" |
A thousand things ran through her mind. The
reasons for the wedding at sea, leaving her family at home,
the school she had taught in, anxiety about what lies ahead.
A crash of waves brought her back to the present as she
stared into Charles' eyes and said, in voice the Captain
could barely hear, "I do."
________
Charles and Ellen went on to
the United States of America and raised a family with
children: Mary, Kate, Ellen, Jim and maybe Belle (who used to
help immigrants write home to Ireland).
If you have heard of this
couple and know more than the story above Pat on PShertz@aol.com would love to hear from you.
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