| Title: | Owden (n.Greeves), Jane to O'Brien (n. Greeves), Anne, 1853 |
|---|---|
| ID | 6188 |
| Collection | The Transatlantic Letters of an Irish Quaker Family_1818-1877 [B. Jackson] |
| File | quaker/189 |
| Year | 1853 |
| Sender | Owden (n.Greeves), Jane |
| Sender Gender | female |
| Sender Occupation | housewife |
| Sender Religion | Quaker |
| Origin | Brooklands, near Lisburn, 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 | 932 |
| Genre | Daniel and Anson's decease, sending money, family news, influenza, weather, emigration |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Brooklands 4th mo. 6th 1853 My dear Sister I wrote to thy daughter Prudentia on receipt of her letter giving an account of your very melancholly bereavement which together with the illness of so many more of your near connections has made it a most trying dispensation but I trust it has been sanctified to you and that you have been enabled to say in sincerity "The Lord's will be done" Thy son Wiliam was then ill in the complaint but hopes were entertained of his recovery and I hope by this time he is so far recovered as to be able to get about again, and that all the rest are fast regaining their strength The disease must have been of a very infectious description when it attacked so many, as I expect every precaution was used to prevent it spreading. I have a great dread of fever, having suffered so much from it myself not having fully recovered from the effects of it for upwards of 3 years after having had it; and Sister Mary O'Brien died of fever, so that we have had cause to remember it - but I have seldom if ever heard of so many taking fever from the same source as you have had. It must have been most trying to thee not to be able to go to see any of them - one could hardly conceive a more trying situation. Prudentia mentioned thy having been confined to thy room for 5 or 6 months but did not say what the nature of thy complaint is. I have thought whether thy health could be improved if thou had better advice than you are likely to get in a country place and I now sent an order on John Bullocke of New York for 200 dollars for thy own use, to be applied in whatever way will most conduce to thy comfort and health. If a more experienced Doctor would be useful, I should be glad thou could get proper advice, as it might save thee a great deal of suffering. My husband gave me the money without my asking him to send thee, as he knew it would be a gratification to me to send it under thy present trying circumstances. Sister Susanna sent thee £30-0-0 the week before last, which I hope thou hast received safely by this time. She is still with Mary Jane Eves who had a little son last week, which was a joyful event to their friends. She was only a short time ill & seemed to get on very well for several days when she was attacked with symptoms of inflamation, which by using prompt measures in time was soon happily subdued, and both she & baby are now going on favourably. They did not know any cause for her illness, as great care had been taken of her in every way. I frequently see brother Dan who is getting old looking, but is still able to attend to his duties and to give satisfaction to the superintendents of the Provincial School where he is considered a great acquisition. Several friends have sent their children to school there latterly, who would not have sent them unless he had been there. It is a great satisfaction to himself & his friends that he is able to fill the situation so well. We had an account lately of the death of Cousin Margaret Pike in her 92nd year. She died at Betsy Barrington's in Ballitore where she has lived for the most part since Cousin Wm Pike's death. Except that her sight was greatly impaired, all the rest of her faculties were mercifully preserved to her to the very last. She was long aware of her approaching end and was quite prepared for the great change. She said she was "quite ready" & that she was going to her dear Saviour. She died the death of the Righteous in a good old age & we may all wish our latter end to be like hers. She was a very nice kind friend and continued to take an interest in those she had known in early life, or rather in their children for she outlived most of her contemporarys, like dear aunt Molly in this respect. Influenza has been very prevalent in this neighbourhood this spring and many of our circle have had it. John Owden is only now recovering from it and Anna Greeves is still confined to bed. Mgt and I got our turn over first and we are able to walk out on fine days now. The weather was very severe, but for the last few days it is much warmer and we hope this disease will soon disappear from the country altogether. Trade is better in Ireland now than in some former years owing, it is thought, to Australian and Californian Gold & Emigration to America & Australia. In some parts of Ireland the want of labourers is felt, as hardly sufficient is left to till the Land, between the years of famine & the emigration. Perhaps it is all for the best for those who remain: there is no doubt those who could leave home have benefitted much by the change, as the quantities of money which is sent every year to their friends in Ireland fully testify. Hoping to hear from thee soon & that the accounts will be favourable, I will say farewell and am with dear love to thyself & Joseph & his wife, also to William, thy truly affectionate sister Jane Owden |
