| Title: | Greeves, John Sr to O'Brien, William, 1819 |
|---|---|
| ID | 5955 |
| Collection | The Transatlantic Letters of an Irish Quaker Family_1818-1877 [B. Jackson] |
| File | quaker/9(1) |
| Year | 1819 |
| Sender | Greeves, John Sr |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | linen trader |
| Sender Religion | Quaker |
| Origin | Dungannon, Co. Tyrone, N.Ireland |
| Destination | Philadelphia, Penn., USA |
| Recipient | O'Brien, William |
| Recipient Gender | female |
| Relationship | father-in-law - son-in-law |
| Source | |
| Archive | |
| Doc. No. | |
| Date | |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | |
| Log | unknown |
| Word Count | 930 |
| Genre | correspondence, finding work in America, family news |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Bernagh 4th mo 13th 1819 Dear William I thought it might be some gratification to you to have a few lines from me, as there is an oportunity by the [Delaware] bound from Newry to Philadelphia that is expected to sail the 20tb inst. By the Different Letters you have written to Carlow and here giveing us the agreeable Inteligence of your safe arivall, with an account of your Reception amongst your Relations in Philadelphia, as also account of Anne's Confinement, all of which is truly acceptable, we were glad to hear Br Thos & his wife rook so much Notice to you, having no doubt but it was agreeable to poor strangers in a strange land, where there is little but strange faces to be seen as well as the Different manners of the people to what you have been accustomed to. It was also agreeable to hear thou got so soon into Employment, as I believe there is many that goes to America that is put to hard before they get into Business. We are anxious to hear how you have got over the winter; was thinking the frost wd be so severe that thee could not follow thy Employment; and I believe it generaly holds 3 months, which is a long time to us that is not accustomed to such long & severe winters. It is now time to give you some little account about us here: indeed my inability is so bad for writing that I Hardly can scrape much together, but will Leave the Remainder of the sheet for Thomas to fill up. My Daughter Mary [Daniel O'Brien's wife] hath been very poorly Good Deal of the winter & Spring but is got better; & Dan hath been verry ill with cold he got in Dublin lately, which I believe confined him some days to his Bed, but is Getting better slowly. Their Daughter Anna is ill with Ulsers in her Eyes; Something like small pox, it hath not got in the sight yet. She hath been Blistered77, they are a good deal alarmed about her and is Talking of sending her to some of the surgeons in Dublin. We in Bernagh is pretty much as usual in our health, frequently complaining - the forepart of the winter here was the warmest and mildest I evet Remember until the turn of the year. Since that we had Good Deal of Rain but little or no frost or snow; the fore part of the last mo was fine and Dry, that a good Deal of farming has got done. The weather is now much changed for the worse with a little frost at Night & rain in the day. The provisions here is pleanty and cheap, the Linen trade is very bad: the poor is hard put to, owing to the Badness of the times, for when the Linen is low all other Business in General is Low in proportion. There are great numbers of people gone and going to America this spring, but most of them sails for the British Settlements [Canada] owing to the cheapness of the passage, which is not more than the one half to the United States. Susanna Douglass78 sent a power of Atty to Thos Nicholson to recover her brothers property that is in Pittsburgh and if he can get it he is authorised to pay Anne 50 pounds bequeathed to her by her Cousin Wm Heazelton, and I Have no doubt but Thos will do his utmost. We heard he called to see you on his way from the Western Country. In his letter to me last summer dated Pittsburgh he Mentioned the property to be all forthcoming, amounting to nearly 2000 Dollars. Our Relation Edwd Heazelton hath been confined at Sam! Douglass's this several months with his old complaint of Insanity. We think him something better. The family hath had a very Troublesome time of it since he took so ill. His sister Susy D still keeps in a delicate state of health. Mary Heazelton died about 2 weeks ago, consequently her anuity will fall to Susy D, if not taken from her by Law by the Representatives of [Hamilton] Hall79 who Wm got 200 pounds from in his Life rime. I suppose you still Remain in John Wrights, which was a Happy Circumstance to get such agreeable Lodgings. Please give our Love to him and his wife altho' I never had the pleasure of seeing them. I think Ann mentions in some of her Letters that you had thoughts of taking Up house some place Near Germanstown: please let us know in your next Letter or whether you had thoughts of Removing to the Western Country, which wd be a long Travel & I have know Doubt wd be attended with Heavy Expence. Have you seen any of the Sinton family yet? As I understand Br Jo was Expected in Philadelphia this winter. Thy Mother and Jane wrote about 1½ months ago, it was to go by way of New York. Thos had several letters from John G. Greeves since his arrival in New Orleans: he mentions the trade is remarkable bad and Many faylors [failures]; he mention; carpenters wages about 15 Dollars per week, but the country is very unhealthy. Please give our Dr Love to Brother Thomas & wife, and when you writes wd be glad to know her Name, but thinks its Mary [nee Emlen] - and Remains with Dr Love to Ann & self which thy Mother joins thy affect Father John Greeves |
