| Title: | Greeves, Susanna to O'Brien (n. Greeves), Anne, 1848 |
|---|---|
| ID | 6167 |
| Collection | The Transatlantic Letters of an Irish Quaker Family_1818-1877 [B. Jackson] |
| File | quaker/170 |
| Year | 1848 |
| Sender | Greeves, Susanna |
| Sender Gender | female |
| Sender Occupation | shop keeper |
| Sender Religion | Quaker |
| Origin | Belfast, N. Ireland |
| Destination | Collins, 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 | 1804 |
| Genre | money,influenza, weather, news of family, friends and neighbours |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Belfast 13 Albion Place 1st month 24 1848 My dear Sister Thy welcome letter with the returned letter of credit came safe to hand about 3rd of this month. I was glad to find you had recd it safe as I felt rather anxious having sent it from Newcastle, particularly as I had heard afterwards of some mistakes having occurred by money being sent through that office. I now enclose another drawn in favour of brother William and would be oblgd by a joint receipt from him and poor Margrs [Margaretta’s] husband for the ten pound. I will be glad to hear as soon as thou canst conveniently write after this reaches you: under I send copy of receipt which they are to sign. It seems so short a time since I wrote thee that I cannot have much news now to communicate — only to tell thee how we all are, which at present is pretty well. Influenza has been very prevalent both here and in many places. It has not been so fatal here as in London & Dublin. I may say few of us escaped- dear Aunt, we think, had it early in the winter before it became so common. She is now in her usual way, able to be up every day, but does not get up until after breakfast. I did not escape: I was confined to bed for several days, and when I was well & able to be out I got cold which brought on a sore throat, inflamation of my windpipe, which the Dr said was more dangerous than quinsy. He said I wen r out too soon: I have to be careful not to expose myself to cold least I might have a return of it, and until the weather becomes more congeniel I dont expect to be out much. So far of this winter has been very wet which makes it very unholesome. We have had scarcely any snow yet & very little frost— the potatoes are better than they have been for two years and I hope they will continue to improve yearly: what a great loss they have been. We are paying from 9d to 10d per stone (14 lbs) oatmeal; from Is 9d to 2/-per stone fresh butter; from l id to 12 per 1b - 3 1b best loaf, 6d second quality, 4 lbs for 6d; Beef & Mutton from 5d to 7 Vid p 1b. I seldom quote the price of food, I forget, but I suppose you often see by the papers the quotations of most articles in the line. I sent thy letter to brother Thomas for his perusal: he has not return it yet. Should I not get it before it is time to send this off, there may be some part of it to answer which I will not remember. However he desired me say when I would be writing to give his love and to tell you that it is he that sent the British Friend. Poor man. he still continues very poorly: he had diseentry [dysentery] some time ago and was scarcely recovered when he took influenza and is at present confined to bed - the last acct I had he was better but nut fit to be up. We often wonder how his constitution holds out such severe attacks: it shews that it is not consumption, but it may ultimately end so. Poor sister Rachel has an anxious time and has a great deal to attend to. We all feel very much for her tried situation. Thomas nor being able to be in the shop, he has to leave the business principally to the shop girls: but this past year it has been so dull they have not so much to attend to as other years. John is now able to do a great many things for his father after he comes from school where he goes to still; he is a smart boy at his learning, as is also Anna; their second son Malcom, I think I mentioned, was at Newtown School nr Waterford. Poor fellow, he had not been very long there until he took ill: something like bilious fever from which he seems to have nearly lost the power of his limbs. They have got him home about a week ago, and we hope that his native air and his Mothers care will do much for him — but I should say nothing could exceed the care and attention that was paid him when at school. He is a fine affectionate boy and was much beloved by all at the school: I hope he may soon be better. George [O'Brien] returned from Youghal a few days ago where he went to see his father, Anna & her husband [Joseph Fisher]. He found them all well: Anna was just recovered after her confinement of a daughter, this her fourth child - 3 living. George had not seen her since she was married 4 ½ years. His father is very well & is able to assist Joseph in his business which is pleasant for both. I hope, poor man. that he will find Youghall a comfortable home and that he will be content; it must be pleasant for him to be with Anna who was such a kind daughter to him. Indeed he has good child", one and all of them. I hope they may be more successful than he was. George returned by Cork. It happened to be the Q Meeting there & he took it on his way home. He saw some of our friends there: Cousin Anne & Hannah McDonnell, also one or two more of their sisters which I suppose thou dost not know. They were all as well as their age could admit of, some like myself well up in womanhood. Still I flatter myself they are two or three degrees above me in this respect and I think I may also say past the Mark of Mouth. Anne has been frequently down in the North since her niece has been settled at Drumlin. The last letter I had from her has said her health was better than it had been for years. We have not heard lately from Cousin James Greeves: we are anxious to hear if he has recovered from the hurt he got on his knee: it is well that he has a wife to take care of him. George desires me say that he intends to write to Joseph after some time. I often think the longer we put off writing to our friends, the harder we find it to commence. I always find it to be the case. An acquaintance of mine who has a wife and seven small children requested me to get all the information I could from thee respecting how land rates in the part of the country you reside, and what capital would be sufficient to commence in a plain way or wheather there is any other line of business more lucrative. I will be obliged by thy mentioning in thy next every particular, as he wishes to get as much information as he can before he decides on going. They have got Cousin Martha Oliphants address and intends writing to her also, and from what I have heard of that part of the country I should think it would be a much more desirable place for them than where you are; particularly as they have such a young family who would not be able to render them much if any assistance. Perhaps I had better mention who they are, which will give thee an idea wheather there is an open and a prospect for people like them who have been accustomed to live in a respectable genteel way. It is Thomas Joyces family. Aunt Debby's stepson: at one time he was very independant and would still be so, had it not been for others failing and taking off him; and to add to this, the great depression in trade has left him much less so than he would have been still. As it is they have been able to live with care and good management in a very respectable way, but it is for their child advantage they have now to look forward to; & unless some unforeseen change takes place in the ordering of things here they think there is a poor prospect for them in this country. I do hope brighter days will dawn in poor dear old Ireland & that her sons and daughters will yet rejoice at her welfare; for their sakes I would wish it, as I know it would be a great trial & giving up of them to leave this country and the many ties which binds them to it. 5th Day 27th. I thought to have had thy letter returned to me from Brother Thomas in time to look over it before sending this off, but as the packet sails the 1st of the month now instead of the 3rd I have to send this off today. So thou can allow for my not replying to anything thou wished to know. Sister Jane has just been in on her way home from Meeting: she desired me give her dear love to thee and brother Win, also the childn. She brought us the melancholly tidings of Margaret Richardson's death, wife to James N. Richardson of Liverpool. She was a daughter of Ben Haughrons by his first wife and he is son of our late cousin James N. Richardson. She has left 3 small child, the youngest a baby a few days old. It was inflamation of the womb: at her last confinement she had an attack of it & the Dr said then if she ever had another, she would not survive. Poor young man. it is a great pity of him. She was a nice gentle creature and very serious: she spoke in Meeting several rimes. We are almost every day hearing of one or other of our friends dropping off, which shows us the uncertainty of everything here. I will be anxiously looking out for a letter from thee and hope thou will not be so long in answering this, expecting that you will have no difficulty in getting cash for the enclosed. Aunt & Cousin M join with me in dear love to thee, Wm and the childn and believe, my my dear Anne, as ever thy truly affct. and attached sister Susanna Received from Susanna Greeves an executrix to the will of John Greeves last of Lisburn Ireland deceased the sum of Ten pounds sterling the amount of a legacy left my wife Margaretta Jane O'Brien (alias) Bartlett in the will of said deceased, the___day of___month 1848 |
