| Title: | Sinton, Joseph to O'Brien (n. Greeves), Anne, 1820 |
|---|---|
| ID | 5983 |
| Collection | The Transatlantic Letters of an Irish Quaker Family_1818-1877 [B. Jackson] |
| File | quaker/33 |
| Year | 1820 |
| Sender | Sinton, Joseph |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | merchant |
| Sender Religion | Quaker |
| Origin | Wilkesbarre, near Philadelphia, Penn., USA |
| Destination | Cattaragus, NY, USA |
| Recipient | O'Brien (n. Greeves), Anne |
| Recipient Gender | female |
| Relationship | uncle-niece |
| Source | |
| Archive | |
| Doc. No. | |
| Date | |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | |
| Log | unknown |
| Word Count | 989 |
| Genre | family news, dispute with friends, acquaintances |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Wilkesbarre December 2nd 1820 My Dear Niece Excuse me for not answering thy letter of earlier. I have had many perplexing matters to think about which hindered; add to which that, having often to write to my brother, I supposed thee would hear that the old bachelor was alive & poking about as usual. I lead indeed a very lonely life - I dont go out much, except about business. I call often at G.M. Hollenbacks, have dined there several times & I pretty often, that is about once a week, call to see the Coy folks who as well as many others often enquire about thee & Wm & the little ones. I have not been in J. Cist's house since our folks started, something having happened between Jacob & me which prevents me. But of this say nothing when thee writes to S. I have not told her the reason but presume she knows it. She has been to the City for six weeks. Since her return I have seen her but seldom, but when I did she enquired for thee &c. She saw Mary Greeves, I hear, but I have had no talk with her on the subject, though I dined with her at her brother's on 5th day last. There being others present, to have any shyness with such old acquaintance is unpleasant, but thee knows what an odd fish J. is - our shyness arises out of the Post Office business. I dont know of any material alteration in any of thy acquaintances here. The President of the Bank has been here, & the bank is to be closed shortly & poor McCoy will have to look out for some other business, which will be hard in these dull times. The winding up of the bank will make times worse than ever here. I have not made any bargain for the sale of our property & tear I shall not soon. I do not know when I shall be able to leave here - certainly not before spring & I dont like the idea of wintering as I am - though as it respects bodily comfort I am not bad off. But I am very, very lonely, sometimes I am not out of my den for a day & night except to my meals. I have had an increase in my family - Daniel's wife has had a daughter - so that I often have music at meal time. I am glad to hear Maria grows & hope the young namesake will yet be source of comfort to thee & his father. I want to see the child - I hope he wont be such a poor lonely old batcher when he reaches my years. By the way, tomorrow is my birthday & I will then be 46 - heigh ho! What a dull dreary prospect I have before me - this winter at least - but perhaps the spring may bring better prospects. So I must live in hopes, but I wont say much on this subject least thee should suspect that some of the Coy folks had become less so. I am glad that Wm finds employment & that thou art content. I want much to have a peep at you all & to see what kind of place I am to be penned up in - perhaps for the rest of my life. I hope thou wilt adhere to thy resolution to forget any former misunderstandings with the neighbors & that you will all be a comfort to each other in your secluded situation. If I thought I should find matters otherwise it would lessen very much the pleasure I promise myself in seeing all my relations together. Bowset yesterday paid me quite a visit & seemed quite at home behind the stove & left it with aparrent reluctance. I shall be quite a nurse: I sometimes pick up one of the young ones in the house - there are 4 now at times - just to keep my hand in. At first the young toads would hardly come within a rod of me but now they collect about me & visit me in my den. I do think every man wants something to be kind to & we often find if man cant get one of that sex "whom man was born to please", he endeavors to find a substitute - a dog or monkey if nothing better offers. I guess books are my substitute - a quiet one at least, thee must acknowledge. We had snow here about two weeks ago & good sleighing for several days, but I did not enjoy it. I shall miss the horses this winter. My den must be my portion unless some that I used to take out should now take me out - which some have promised. All last week & three days of this I was on an arbitration of Judge Hollenbacks & at last we gave an award in his favour of above 7 thousand dollars & I hear both parties are satisfied with our award; which is pleasant after all the botheration we had with the business. TW B. Overton died at Mobile the 18th Ult°- His wife sailed from New York the 18th of same month & of course will hear nothing of his death rill she readies the place. Her situation is pitiable indeed, among strangers & I feat poorly provided with funds & she not well qualified to struggle wirh difficulties, I fear. Judge Scott called when I had got thus far & hindered me till tis about the time of mail closing. Least I should be too late must conclude. Give my love to William. Kiss the young ones, not forgetting Joseph O. If I was to write a quire of paper I could not be more sincerely than I am Thy afft. Uncle Jo |
