We understand most of main body; however signature and place are a mystery

[Daniel Mathew Foley]

The two words that look like Martha Park

The first letter of the second word must be an I.  At least that’s how I was taught to do capital I in the olden days.

Do you mean the first letter of the second word of what I assume to be the signature? The one with a wide underscript swinging to the reader's right, and comes back again to the second letter?

Any idea of what that second letter would be?

If I may take the liberty of first answering for Mckha, I think his or her post refers to the letter in Signature_Section_Initial.jpg as attached.

If I read you correctly, you are referring to the section in Signature_Flourish.jpg as attached.

My interpretation of this latter section is that the forename ends with a superscript contraction as was common in this period.  Common examples are J^no, J^as & Tho^s.

I think this one ends with a y, and the underscript (as you describe it) is a flourish, continuing from the tail of that y and joining onto the first letter of the surname - which is probably T.

Finally, regarding the letter in Signature_Section_Initial.jpg, it doesn't look like the I in what I think is ...I believe him... in the main text above.

Is your idea of the letter P in Signature_Section_Initial.jpg that it would have looked like A or B example here?

[horselydown86]

Is your idea of the letter P in Signature_Section_Initial.jpg that it would have looked like A or B example here?

I haven't suggested that that letter is a P.  Others have mentioned the word Park.

If I had to take a stab to save my life, I would say it's a T.

[arthurk]

A signature and address are the kind of things that people write out repeatedly. As such the letter forms can easily become corrupted, but might also have a few extra flourishes. In view of that, and after a bit of research, I think it could be Lawrence (abbreviated?) Creagh of Castle Park.

As has been pointed out, Castle Park is an estate and townland in Golden, and in that period it was owned by a family named Creagh. The two forenames I've found are Richard and Lawrence; this looks to me more like the latter. See the following pages:

http://landedestates.nuigalway.ie/LandedEstates/jsp/estate-show.jsp?id=3333

http://landedestates.nuigalway.ie/LandedEstates/jsp/family-show.jsp?id=3335

http://landedestates.nuigalway.ie/LandedEstates/jsp/property-show.jsp?id=4121

[Daniel Mathew Foley]

A signature and address are the kind of things that people write out repeatedly. As such the letter forms can easily become corrupted, but might also have a few extra flourishes. In view of that, and after a bit of research, I think it could be Lawrence (abbreviated?) Creagh of Castle Park.

As has been pointed out, Castle Park is an estate and townland in Golden, and in that period it was owned by a family named Creagh. The two forenames I've found are Richard and Lawrence; this looks to me more like the latter. See the following pages:

http://landedestates.nuigalway.ie/LandedEstates/jsp/estate-show.jsp?id=3333

http://landedestates.nuigalway.ie/LandedEstates/jsp/family-show.jsp?id=3335

http://landedestates.nuigalway.ie/LandedEstates/jsp/property-show.jsp?id=4121

Wow this is incredible. Let me take a look and get back with you. Thanks!

I've written to the descendants of the Creaghe family, who maintain a historical association, to see if they have record of his writing; also, in the Dublin Archives:

The Registered Papers of the Chief Secretary's Office: National Archives: CSO/RP (search results)

These papers have several letters of Laurence Creaghe - should be obvious if it is his writing.

Now when will I be able to get to Dublin..... lol Anyone live there?

[zoe_Wiccalo]

[Daniel Mathew Foley]

Thanks Zoe! That makes it a bit easier to read, especially that fourth line with the one word kind of blanked out

[Daniel Mathew Foley]

All

Here's an example of an elaborate "P" to help potential identification of the earlier "P" in what we propose is "Park"

ed

[Daniel Mathew Foley]

Thanks Zoe! That makes it a bit easier to read, especially that fourth line with the one word kind of blanked out

I think the missing portion says

a very superior workman,

"he understands architecture"

and i believe him....

Which makes the A in architecture the same as what we were thinking is a C in "Castle Park"

So Im not sure it says Castle Park for the place after all.

[arthurk]

.... Which makes the A in architecture the same as what we were thinking is a C in "Castle Park"

So Im not sure it says Castle Park for the place after all.

Except that on the line below Castle Park there's April, with a very different 'A'.