| Title: | Greeves, Susanna to O'Brien (n. Greeves), Anne, 1832 |
|---|---|
| ID | 6045 |
| Collection | The Transatlantic Letters of an Irish Quaker Family_1818-1877 [B. Jackson] |
| File | quaker/79 |
| Year | 1832 |
| Sender | Greeves, Susanna |
| Sender Gender | female |
| Sender Occupation | shop keeper |
| Sender Religion | Quaker |
| Origin | Lisburn, N.Ireland |
| Destination | Lake Erie, NY, USA |
| Recipient | O'Brien (n. Greeves), Anne |
| Recipient Gender | female |
| Relationship | siblings |
| Source | |
| Archive | |
| Doc. No. | |
| Date | |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | |
| Log | unknown |
| Word Count | 1749 |
| Genre | enquires about Anne's family, cholera, news of family and friends |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Lisburn 12 month 16th 1832 My dear sister My father wrote by the Josephine to brother Wm about the 18th of last month with a bill of exchange for £20. She sailed the 22nd and after being out more than two weeks was driven back on the coast of Donegall, where she now remains untill repaired. We have not heard wheather the letters were forwarded or not. We now send the second of exchange, which will answer as well as the first, should the other not reach you. It seems a very long time since we had a letter from thee, and wonder why thee does not write oftener; I wish we could have one every three months at least. The last was for Carlow from brother Wm. Thee was then just recovering from a tedious confinement; how much we long to hear from you again. Has thee a Doctor at such times. I often think of thee, and would like thee to be more particular in mentioning every circumstance how you. are situated. Has thee had a servant latterly or how long: I wonder how thee could manage with so large a family without one. Maria by this time must be of great use besides a companion to thee, I hope she promises to be stouter than she was when younger. I would also like thee to say who she is now like, also all thy children separately. their ages & names &c &c. We have one of Mary's [Mary Jane] with us since seventh month last; sister Jane paid them a visit in Carlow & brought her home with her: she is a very good child, she can read remarkably well for her age, 9 years. She goes to school as neither Jane or I could devote any of our time to teach her. We expect her father will come for her against spring. We will miss her as a child like her is a treat to have - her brother John & sister Anna we hoped to have had to see us next summer, but I fear they will not get as they have their cousin Wm O'Brien as tutor living in the house, and it would be almost a pity for them to loose any time at their learning as they both attend, as much as they can to it. Sister Rachel & her son paid us a visit about 6 weeks ago: she is. a very agreeable little body. We are all very fond of her and little Johnny is as fine a boy as thee would wish to see. He is more like his grandmother Makomson than anyone else but children change so much that it is hard to say who he will be like when he grows up. He has beautiful dark eyes, the under part of his face some say is like his fathers. Cholera has and is still very bad in Dungannon. There has been 27 deaths in the street Thomas lives in. He is one of the board of health which causes him to be more exposed than he otherwise would: however so far his family has been preserved, which is a cause of great thankfulness. The disease is moving more towards Kerrs Row, Irish Street & the Jails420. There was for upwards of a week that the people were afraid to come into Perry Street, but now that it is all over the town very few come in from the country & business is very dull in consequence. There are very few towns in Ireland have escaped the Cholera. Some have been more mercifully dealt with than others. So far we have right to be truly thankfull, having had only about three or four cases, which some are pleased to say was not it; but however, be the disease what it may, it terminated fatally in those 3 or 4 cases, which happened about two months ago. But we fear we will have our share yet. We have been more anxious to hear from you since we heard that it had broken out in Buffalo. Do write soon if you have not before this reaches you. Jane mentioned in her last letter to thee of Jacob Green, a ministering friend from this province, having an intention of visiting America, since which time he went and there has been several letters from him. The last account his wife had from him, he was at Cincinatti at the 2 yearly Meeting. He mentioned having seen George & Jane Valentine. It is thought he will visit Upper Canada & perhaps other parts; should he the former, I hope he will see you: he is acquainted with us & could tell you all about us. Cousin John G. Greeves paid us a very short but an agreeable visit. He was here in 10th month. He could not leave New Orleans as soon as he expected, which made it so late in the season he had to hurry off soon again, as against the time he would return his business would be commencing. He is married to a Creole [Marie Forstall] and has several children: two of his sons are at boarding school in England & his eldest daughter is at school in the Isle of Man. He is very little changed only he is oldet looking; my father says he looks much healthier than when he was here before 14 years ago. Brother John & Mary were well, the last letter we had from them. They lost their youngest baby last summer; it was about 10 months old, a little girl and one of the nicest wee dears I ever saw and very like my father. It had the hooping cough & it being so delicate it had not strength enough to over it. Elizabeth their eldest and only one is about 3½ years old. She is reckoned very like my poor Mother and an old fashioned granny. We had sister Mary and the two children here when they had the hooping cough for three weeks in summer for change of air, but all did not do for poor wee Mary Jane; she died in about two weeks after they went home. Poor baby, it is well for her she has left a world of care & sorrow for a much better. We have [been] anxiously [looking] out for a letter from Cousin Margaret Greason. The last was from Philadelphia where she and her husband had removed. They were then there about 6 weeks & regretted they had not gone there sooner. Cousin John G. Greeves told us he heard when in Phil'phia that they had gone to an Uncle of Margarets husband some distance [from] Phil'phia on account of the choleta. Should you be writting to her I would be glad thee would say how anxious we ate to hear from her & that Jane wrote her a long letter in summer, directed as she desired us in her last, which we would hope she has receivd. The last accounts from Moyallon, out relations in that Qf were well. Aunt Ruths hand continues to mend gradually. She can now dress herself, which is a great matter; she and uncle were here about two months ago: they both looked well, the latter is getting an old look. Cousin Margaret & Wm Pike are still to the fore, the former was very much affected by the death of her niece Mary Christy Bell of New York, of whose death I suppose thee has heard. It was a satisfaction to think her son & daughter had returned home before she died; she has left 5 children, the youngest only 17 months old. Joseph and Anna Malcomson who went over with them has not returned yet; Joseph is gone to New Orleans and Anna he left in Boston on a visit with an acquaintance; I expect she has retutned to New York by this time. Jonathan & Sarah Pike are well: Beechgrove is a beautiful place and Derry Vale may be called a little Paradise. There is almost no end I might almost say to the beautiful walks that are in about the two places. Beechgrove children are all at home with the acception of Wm who is at Balitore school. Anne is quite a young woman and is really very agreeable; Richard is as tail as his father but very slight. Jonathon is bringing him up to the linen business. James would like to be a Miller or rather to have a flower [flour] mill hut he must serve a time first before he can understand the business. Redford is advertised to be sold. It is under morgage and the family has to part with it. Where they will go to live is not known yet: poor things, they are to be pittied. James, John, lane & Rebecca [Hogg] are all that live with their mother now. Jane & Rebecca are very much liked: they are free unaffected young women and that is what I like- The Dree Hill family are much as usual: Anna Johnston has four children. How very youthful John looks beside her - he is a nice looking man indeed. The reason ... tion so many people: I chink thee would like to hear about thy old acquaintance and relations and to let thee know who are still living. I may say with respect to my dear father he is well and enjoys as good health as he has for years past: which I reckon as one of my best earthly blessings & that he has been spared so long to us is a cause of thankful I ness. Aunt is in her best fation: she gets out to meeting. She desires her dear love to thee and Wm. Parliment is disolved and there will be a great many contested elections in England as well as in Ireland; I fear many a life will be lost before they are over. Now chat I am near a conclusion with this letter, I would wish to say again be sure write on recpt of it: do, my dear sister, as you are often the subject of our thoughts & also of our conversation. We would be glad how soon & how often we would hear from you. With dear love to brother Win & children in which Father, Aunt & Jane unites: also accept a large share thyself thy afft sister Susanna |
