| Title: | Sinton, Mary to O'Brien (n. Greeves), Anne, 1824 |
|---|---|
| ID | 6011 |
| Collection | The Transatlantic Letters of an Irish Quaker Family_1818-1877 [B. Jackson] |
| File | quaker/56 |
| Year | 1824 |
| Sender | Sinton, Mary |
| Sender Gender | female |
| Sender Occupation | unknown |
| Sender Religion | Quaker |
| Origin | Dublin, Ireland |
| Destination | Lake Erie, NY, USA |
| Recipient | O'Brien (n. Greeves), Anne |
| Recipient Gender | female |
| Relationship | cousins |
| Source | |
| Archive | |
| Doc. No. | |
| Date | |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | |
| Log | unknown |
| Word Count | 2689 |
| Genre | news of family, friends and neighbours |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Dublin 3 mo 21st 1824 1st day My dear Anne It is such a length of time since I wrote to thee that I scarcely know what to begin with: but as I have met such a good conveyance I would not miss it on any account, without scribbling thee a few lines of some kind or other. I have a great deal to say to thee - yet I hardly know what to say first. The newest thing here is that Elizabeth has presented her marriage with John Walpole, who used to live at Essex Bridge - and who used to be paying his addresses to Phoebe Taylor. Wm knows who he is, for Sally [O'Brien] was intimate with him. They are to be married in the 16th of next month. He has taken a house a few doors upon the opposite side of High St to begin the Linen Dtapety business - also the flannel Blanket trade, which is likely to be good there. Robert Fayle has a shop a few doors on this side of them, in the same way: he is doing very well. There are six or seven new houses built along there by Wm Harding - John's is one of them. He is a nice agreeable little fellow, but not a bit like a friend, but I do believe as good and better as many who make a plain appearance. He has been coming here these two years and a half— we often thought they wd never be married but at last it has come to a conclusion. We expect Uncle Saml & I hope Aunt Deb by up at the wedding, also thy Brother Thos and Danl & Thos [O'Brien] from Carlow - we will have a good many to go into meeting. They arc, (John & E) accompanied by Aunt Debby, to set off an hour or so after meeting as far as Drogheda; get into the Dungannon coach there next day, in which Thos. Greeves will be and have their seats taken from that for them, and get to Dungannon that night; spend two or three days quietly there; and come home again for the Yearly Mg which will be first day week after they are married. Their house will be ready for them then, and as soon as the Meeting is over they will get in their goods and open shop. It will save having a wedding dinner &c, which she wd not have unless she had an elegant one, as his friends are so stylish, and we never could have room and everything necessary here. We had sixteen to dinner the presentation day, and several more to tea. Mary Webb of Nicholas St was married last mo to Wm Neale, a brother of Nat's, E. Thompson's husband. They had an immense wedding, 40 to dinner. Sure Mgt Blair is at home there this good while. She went with James to Sierra Leone and as it was such an unhealthy climate, she was advised to come to Ireland. So she came & her two children: just before Ms wedding she got an acct of Jas death - he got yellow fever there and was so ill after chat he was put on board a vessel to come to England. He lived for some rime but died on the passage. It is well for her to have her father's house now, poor thing. An uncle of theirs left them a deal of property some time ago - M got a thousand. But did thee ever hear that Rebecca Webb was married in 6mo last to Saml Eves, son of the late Jos* [Joshua] Eves of Edenderry. He is several years younger than her. She is now near being confined. Jacob Webb by whom I send this has been here these three months. He can tell thee all about them - and about us. Poor man, he did not meet with as much attention from her as he should have done. He seemed quite to enjoy coming here: he spent a month with Reba and only for Anne Douglass who lives there, he could not have staid so long. Anne is so lively - he liked her very much. He says he hopes to see you this summer: he has been out there, but not since you went. He can tell you a deal about Ireland. A very nice little man called here a few days ago, to ask us if we were related to Jacob & Joseph Simon of Wilksbarrey He lived in the town with them and knew them intimately. We asked him if he had ever heard of you, but he had not. He has been a good while from home, but is gone home now and said he wd tell them he saw us - it was the name over the door that attracted his attention. Anna had a daughter Anna about two weeks ago. They have two daughters and a son now: Thos is the complete Sinton and [the] girls Jacksons. Thos is a darling child of sweet affectionate disposition, but Susan has sulk and bad temper enough, but she is very pretty; and little Anna is her very image - they [have] dark eyes and hair, but Thos has blue eyes and white hair - he is very like his father. And it is their father doats on them all. Anna & me pull very well now. M. O'Brien is nursing a daughter now, Mary Jane. When it was about two months old she took her & Judy to the North with her, to see her Mother, who has been in a sad state of suffering this long time. We are daily expecting to hear of her decease, and really we would be glad to hear of it as she suffers so much and no chance of her being better. Poor woman is quite resigned herself, and wishing to be gone: I would not be surprised to hear of it before I close this letter. I suppose ere this reaches thee. thee will have another little one. It is a wonderful while since I heard from thee: I had not a letter since the time I was in the North. I have been a deal stouter since then: this winter I had a cold but once. The lump I used to have under my ear is entirely gone these two years, but this month back I have got one a little further down my jaw. I got leeches applied to it ere last night, which I hope will be of use. I could not go out today, therefore sac down to write to thee. I wish I had you to talk to even for an hour. Jacob Webb gives a very agreeable acct of where he lives, and how they live there. If a person can but be content, I do think they might have a very happy life there after the first few years: he is quite an advocate for America. Mary Martin was preparing to go out with him, but her friends persuaded her off it at present, but she still intends it. Martha McMeakin lives with her these few months, but as Mary had left her to look for a place and she engaged with us, she intends to come to us: but offered to stay two months longer with her to give her rime to get a person - which is a very great inconvenience to us, as we want her badly now. Martha dresses quite plain now, and intends to apply for membership shortly. Eliza Hogg was married 11 mo last to James Pirn, son of James Pim of City Quay: Mary Haughton's nephew he is. They live in Dame St. He is agent to a Eire & Life Insurance Co and Broker &c. Mary is with her ever since she came. I see no sign of her getting off yet. They were quite pleased to get such a good and respectable match for her. Did thee ever hear that John Hea ... daughters Debby & Sally began business over at the corner of Lurgan St. Their Aunt Sally lived with them. Sally got married lately to a Catholic fellow, which has displeased them all very much - he was an idle fellow, but it is said she has some property and that they intend getting into business. Poor thing, she has made a hard bed for herself. a great genius, very well informed and fond [of] improving his mind, but as for his person he cares little for that He is a very pleasant acquaintance - he and Wm Webb & Wm Simon are after holding me and cutting off a long nail I have on one of my thumbs, and I have vowed vengeance against them when it [is] grown again. I expect Wm will be at E's wedding. James is going to London for some time to a person there who is to cure him of the impediment m his speech - I hope he may succeed. Jas is very steady & religious - Wm is just what he always was, except that he is improved of course - he & Wm Sinton are learning Latin now. Richard is teaching himself several languages. Sarah Pike has applied to be received into membership and all her children - her father [James N:cholson] is very angry and wont see her, but it is of a piece with the rest of his conduct - I heard things of him lately that wd amaze thee beyond anything, but I wd fain hope the man is wrong in the head, for it is the most favourable construction I could put on his conduct. I believe the [Nicholson] girls are getting on pretty well in Armagh, but they have a dangerous set of tongues - that Charlotte, they say, is a great liar. Sure Joseph Malcomson is married to one [of] Jane Greer's daughters of Belfast - she was not long home from Clonmel school - Rachel Greer her name was. She is very young - nice little girl I hear - they live in Lurgan. Mary Johnson ,s to the good still; John Bell's daughter Hannah was married about a year ago to John Wakefield, Halfbrother of Thos - he used to live at Pim's; he died a few days ago of some kind of a decline - she has one little one: they lived at her father's, so she is snug as ever, but still she is very much felt for - some say she was a carter [tartar] - she was mighty plain. Mary Courtney who used to live with you was married to a soldier: he is away - she lived at Uncle Billy's lately and a married man there whose wife was some place away, married Mary, so there is a rn.it.-b. Aunt Molly has been in Armagh this long time with thy Mother. My Mother has been in town with Thos: she is very snug at Thos Heazleton's, and looks fat and handsome. John & E are getting on with their tricks here beside me, talking of going to America &c, and John bidding me tell thee to be looking out for them. John says he wd not go for anything - he wd rather live on potatoes & milk here than on ever so good there, so thee need not look out for them. M. Uprichard, to the good, and all the Dawsons. Mrs Pilkington still alive. John Nicholson & family live in Belfast now - that nice place lying idle. Young Thos Wakefield lives near Dublin - he has built up the old house at Moyallon, and it is thought he will live in it yet. Hannah Lecky is dead - Jane very poorly - Eliza Watson is dead, so Lydia is the only stout one now. Poor John Phelps was a long time bad lately but is well again. Has thee ever heard that thy Brother Thos spoke in meeting several times - he is a worthy. He says very little but to the purpose - he spoke twice here in a most solemn manner. Martha spends every first day with us - they are just come in from second meeting, so I must conclude. I can think of no more news at present - thee cant say but I have sent thee enough in this - be sure write to me soon. With dear love to Wm & thyself in which the girls unite, my dear Anne thy very affectionate cousin Mary Sinton 2nd day morning - I had a ... from M.O'B today in which she says she had a letter ... last week, and that thee & the child had been ill m the fell. I am glad to hear you are so well off. I have got an account of thy Mother's decease, she went off very quietly on 5th day last about half past three* She was easier for the last few days - she was quite resigned this long time - often said she felt no fear of death and wished much to be released from her sufferings. It feels quite a relief to us all to find she is gone to rest and peace - how much thy poor Father and all of them would have grieved if she had been taken five or six years [ago] - now they are glad to see her gone out of suffering. Such things are often permitted, I believe, to wean us from those we love and reconcile us to their loss — when we know it is their gain. I feel much for thy father and all of them- he will miss her much, and so will poor Jane. She [Margaret Greeves] used often say she had every comfort this world could afford, and tender husband and affectionate children all striving which could do most to comfort her. Susa has been there latterly also - they have had to sit up only the last three weeks or so. She was interred yesterday at Grange. I had a letter on 7th day morning but I did not like just to tell thee at first till I wd prepare thee a little. Now do not, my dear Anne, be grieving and fretting about thy Mother - if thee was here thee wd not - thee wd feel so glad (I may say) to see her out of pain. I know very well that nature will feel, but it is not right to give way to immoderate sorrow - let us endeavour to follow her example for she was an innocent, good hearted woman. I dont think of anything more at present -Jacob Webb goes sooner than Danl & Mary think, and I dont think their letters will be here in time. I hope money will soon be more plenty with you — it is well to have your house & land paid for. Now you have an estate - so Wm is an estated gentleman - he might be long here before he wd I think M[ary] Martin will be sorry she did not go with Jacob - it wd be better for her - bring her children up to what they will have [to] do. Jacob her eldest son is ready to leave school now, and if she keeps fiddling in her shop as she intends, he'll put up badly to have to work after, for she still intends going in a year or two - and when will she meet with such an opportunity as Jacob. She is very vexed at Martha leaving her, but Martha must consider herself: she does not know what month she [Mary] may take the notion again, and here she is sure of a place as long as she wants one - and this feels like her home. I must say adieu and once more believe me thy affectionate cousin Mary Sinton William O'Brien Cattaragus Creek, Erin Dale State of New York per favr Jacob Webb |
