| Title: | Candee (n. O'Brien), Maria Wright to O'Brien, Joseph Sinton, 1842 |
|---|---|
| ID | 6129 |
| Collection | The Transatlantic Letters of an Irish Quaker Family_1818-1877 [B. Jackson] |
| File | quaker/138 |
| Year | 1842 |
| Sender | Candee (n. O'Brien), Maria Wright |
| Sender Gender | female |
| Sender Occupation | unknown |
| Sender Religion | Quaker |
| Origin | Buffalo, NY, USA |
| Destination | NYC, USA |
| Recipient | O'Brien, Joseph Sinton |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | siblings |
| Source | |
| Archive | |
| Doc. No. | |
| Date | |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | |
| Log | unknown |
| Word Count | 1798 |
| Genre | her wedding, apologises for not telling him in time about the wedding, prospects for her new life, praises her husband, wants him to meet a relative of her husband's |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Buffalo 10lh Month 4th 1842 My Dear Brother, I suppose thee has known ere this of the change in my circumstances and place of residence and will not therefore be surprised at the date of my letter. Our marriage took place on the 21th of last month at about ½ past 11 o'clock and in less than an hour we were on our way to the city [Buffalo], where we arrived about 8 in the evening at Cortes Aunts; and where we have been ever since which will he two weeks to-morrow. I would like above all things to have had thee here but knew it would be impossible for thee to come. We did not have many present at die ceremony; only Susan, Nehemiah ... and Henry of Cortes' folks wer up, and they with our own family were all that were present. Chloe H [Hussey] wished very much to have been there but we thought if we invited one we must another, and thee knows our house could not accommodate many; and another thing, we were intending to leave immediately, so upon the whole thought it would be better to have but few - Thomas & Margaretta, Susan, Niamiah & Henry accompanied us a part of the way and a friend of Cortes', a Mr. Austin, and one of his cousins Miss Julia Palmer, came out as fat as Abbots Corners to meet us and escort us into the city. The next day we went to the Falls and had a most delightful time rambling about on Goat Island and seeing every thing that was worth seeing. We went in carriages at ... to the Rail Road & Cortes' friends made up a very pleasant party for us. We started early in the morning, dined at the Cataract Hotel and remained until! near night at the Falls, when we sec out for our return; took supper at Tonawanda and did not get back Co Buffalo till about midnight, having spent a very pleasant day and feeling as if we could "sleep without rocking". I had a few lines from Mother last evening by George McMillen in which she says thee almost thinks hard of me for not leting thee know something about my intended marriage and wants me to [render?] a very good excuse for not doing so. I suppose Anne heard about it from Cousin Mary G. as I wrote to her by Mr. [Retnak?] and mentioned that I thought it was likely it would take place in the fore part of Sept., but I did not know the exact time and that is the reason I did not say more to thee about it. I wished when I did tell thee to be able to mention the time, and as that was not certainly decided till a short time before it took place, I did not have time to write to thee and I do hope thee will pardon the offence and I will do better next time. Please give my love to all the family, Abraham and the girls in particular, and tell them that if any of them should ever be in Buffalo we would be very glad indeed of a call from them. Mother in her letter desires me to say to thee when I should write that she had received thy letter and also one from Aunt Jane and another from Aunt Susanna & Grandfather; and that the box chat is coming by the Sheffield is sent by Grandfather with presents in it for us, and that if it arrives safely thee will please forward it to Cortes’s, care Corner of Main & Chipewa St, as thee wanted to know how to direct it. I suppose thee will get a reciept for it which thee will send by mail. I expect to go home the last of this week or the first of next to prepare for housekeeping-where I will remain about two or three weeks after which I will return and go ro living again: for I feel now as if I was only staying, though the folks are very kind and pleasant to me and when I get settled here I think I shall like [it] very well. Cortes has gone into business with a Mr. [Wm?] Hall, formerly of Boston, in the Hat and fur trade which is considered a very good business here and this is a good time of the year for begining it. He however still continues his interest in the store at the corner of M & Chipawa St near which we will live. It is a very quiet pleasant part of the town and I think I will like it much better than if it were lower down. Our rooms that we have taken are very snug and comfortable and I think we will be very happy. 1 hope thee may soon be able to come and see us, how we get along &c and thee must write some of thy letters to us. Cortes says thee has not answered his last letter yet so thee can answer that and this both at once and address the letter to us both, to thy brother & sister — but Cortes wants me to go out riding with him and I must go and get ready, Maria 5th Dear Joseph, when I returned from my ride last night I had some calls which occupied me till it was too dark to see to write, so I left it till this morning to finish. Mrs. Palmer and her daughters have just received a package of letters from Candee Palmer by a young man from N.Y. and are busily employed in reading them, and I almost envy them their happiness and wish I had a letter from thee to read, but hope soon to have after thee receives this, so will thee write soon, as Cortes will be anxious to hear from thee as well as myself. I just quit writing for a few minutes to read one of Candee P's. letters to his mother and such a good letter! I do not think I ever read one that was not from some of my own folks that interested me so much. I would like thee very much to become acquainted with him, for a young man that can write such a letter is well worthy acquaintance and now that he is connected to me there can be no reason why [you] should not try to become known to each other. He has become pious since he went to N.Y., which is a great comfort to his mother, who is herself a very good pious woman and one who I respect very much indeed. And, Joseph, I have said very little as yet about my dear husband and for this simple reason, that I can not do him justice or speak of him as he wishes, and no one can ever appreciate him untill they know him as I do as the best and most disinterested of friends, the kindest and most affectionate of husbands - and Oh! my dear brother, the best wish that I can give thee is that if ever thee should cry the married state, chat thee may get as kind and as affectionate a companion as I have. I never half knew Cortes till within this two weeks and should he prove always to be (which I cannot doubt) the same that I find him more every day, I think now that my wedding day will be an epoch in my life from which I can date many many of my happiest hours. Perhaps thee will think I am foolish to write such things, but what I have written but poorly conveys the feelings of my heart and would that I could find words to do it, for even then I would not do him justice. Thee knows I never valued any one for their wealth in a worldly point of view and now I am thankful chat I never did, for though Cortes as thee knows is poor in regard to property, he is much in every other quality that can render me happy; and all I fear is that I am not worthy of him and that he gives me credit for many virtues that I do not possess; and Oh! if he should be disappointed in me, how bad I should feel, but I trust I will be favored to do my duty as a wife and not give him cause to regret his choice. My dear brother, though another now claims my warmest affection I still love thee with the sincerity of a sisters love and, let me pass through what ... [I may?], I will still look back with pleasure to the happy home of my childhood when we were both as happy as youth and innocence could make us, and when we knew nothing of the world than that it was all bright and beautiful. Oh! what happy days where those when we played together or together read or conned our lessons; will they never return? Alas! no - we are now called] to take our place on the stage of action and perform our part in the great Drama of life, and may we individually endeavour to perform it with wisdom and as out conscience points out to us. I am going out this afternoon to Dr. Johnsons Park to see the Agticuitural Fair which opened this morning. It is said to be quite interesting. I suppose thee will see the Fair of the American Institute which is held in that city. When Cortes came in to dinner he asked me if I had written anything for him, yet I told him nothing much, so he desired love and kind wishes to thee and wants thee to be sure and write soon. I suppose he would have written some in this but he is very busy in the store today; but I will close and believe, dear Joseph, thy sincerely attached sister Maria W. Candee P.S. If thee would like to call on Candee Palmer thee can hear about him or see him at the North West Corner of Prince and Sulivan St. Tell Willy [Bell] with my love when he come to the Falls he must come and see me. Tell him there is a little boy lives here about his size that he would like to play with; his name is George Palmer. Tell the girls, Rebecca & Mary in particular, that I would like very much to get a letter from any of them or from Abraham. Does thee still continue to like thy situation? I hope thee does; thy sister M.W.C. |
