Home

CORVIZ

Main content

Title: Greeves, Susanna to O'Brien (n. Greeves), Anne, 1828
ID6028
CollectionThe Transatlantic Letters of an Irish Quaker Family_1818-1877 [B. Jackson]
Filequaker/67(2)
Year1828
SenderGreeves, Susanna
Sender Genderfemale
Sender Occupationshop keeper
Sender ReligionQuaker
OriginLisburn, N.Ireland
DestinationLake Erie, NY, USA
RecipientO'Brien (n. Greeves), Anne
Recipient Genderfemale
Relationshipsiblings
Source
Archive
Doc. No.
Date
Partial Date
Doc. Type
Logunknown
Word Count1198
Genretheir brother William's illness, family news, religious conflict
Note
Transcript12th first day evening

My Dear Sister
Brother Thomas left this yesterday and desired Jane or I to fill up what remained vacant in this. In the first place
I may say there does not seem to be any amendment on brother Willm; he is gradually growing weaker: he cannot
even sit up in bed. He seems fully aware of his situation and I trust is resigned to the will of providence concerning
him. He has been very patient so far and easily pleased. He does not suffer much pain, which is a great blessing,
accept from his hip and ear which by constant lying on his right side has got into ulcers, as he cannot lye on his left
for coughing. Poor fellow, he has been in a delicate ... for more than these twelve months but was still able to
attend to business. He had been spending a month in Moyallon and seemed much better but was not long home
when he took ill. Uncle and Aunt Sinton were uncommon kind and asked him to spend the winter with them, which
he would have done if he had been spared. Aunt Ruth was uncommon attentive to him, nor could she have been
more so, had he been her own child. He [is] now confined to bed 5 weeks and in all probability cannot last long.
My dear fathers health has been very good considering his advanced age; he is now in his 68 year and looks
remarkable well and I hope he will be long spared to us. He is indeed a kind indulgent parent and I trust Sister
Jane & I will in some degree be a comfort to him in his declining years. He would like if I was living with him,
but at present I could not well leave Thomas & he who has been a good son to him and kind brother to us. If he
was once married, then I could go, but there does not seem any likely hood of him doing so soon. Indeed I wish
for his own sake he was. Poor Aunt Molly is very often ailing; she complains much of pain in her limbs and the
pain in her side (thee might remember) it is often troublesome. She is still able to get out to meeting at times. She
often talks and speaks of thee; I think she is declineing fast this year past: I would miss her greatly if she was gone.
We have had a young girl, a niece of Rebecca Webb, these 6 months on trial for the shop bur find her not to
answer & we have got another in her place which I hope may. She is Joseph Druitts daughter, who oversees and
has the management of the farm at School Hill, & she is a niece of Hanah Haughtons of Lurgan. I can be very
badly wanted from home as from this untill towards spring is our busiest time. My father is on the lookout for a
young woman to assist them as it is hard for him to be so close confined, and their business is encreasing
considerable these last two or three weeks. I was from home for three months the beginning of this summer, or
rather in spring. I went to nurse tend sister Mary O'Brien who had a son last 4rh month whom they call Thomas.
She never got off so well not mended better. The reason of me staying so long - brother Dan went to the Yearly
Meeting of London & I staid untill he returned, accept a week I spent in Dublin during the yearly meeting.
Cousin Margt Sinton is now quite alone accept she has Susan & Anne Douglass to help her in the shop. She
has never been reconciled with Mary yet nor I question will she ever. Poor Elizh has been in the North these
several months and her young child; they have not been successful in business nor has John [Walpole] any
employment at present: poor thing, she is greatly to be felt for.
Uncle [George] Joyce died a few weeks ago. He had been in a declining way for months; he was opened and
there was found on his chest two quarts of water and also a small quantity on his brains. His daughter Isabella died
a few weeks before him of consumption. She has left a husband and two children to deplore her loss. Uncle left
Aunt Deb by pretty comfortable, tho' not so much as I expected. She still lives on with her stepson who is not
married yet & in case he does she has the best part of the house. All the Moyallon friends are much in their usual
way. There has been no marriages among them accept my Uncles this length of time. Most of our Grange friends
are well accept the Dree Hill family who are often complaining. Anna Johnson expects to be soon confined of her
third child. Anne Hogg, poor woman, has had her own trials this year past since Jonarhons death. Her daughter
Izahella died also of fullness of blood in her head, and John Bell of Belfast who is much lamented. Jonathon
Greeves wife died a few weeks ago of consumption and her baby before her, which was a great blessing it did.
Wm Webb and Maria Lamb were married about six weeks ago: it had been long talked ... They are settled in
Belfast. His sister Anne is soon to be married to a son of Ed Aliens of Dublin. Their father Richard Webb died
some time ago. There is great animosity between the protestants and catholics. It is thought if the catholics do not get
emancipation that there will be a rebellion in Ireland. There has been associations formed by the Catholics and
what is called Catholic tent collected in almost all the different chapels throughout Ireland for the purpose of
aiding them in their emancipation. One of their great leaders, Danl O'Connell, has got to be member of parliment
for the Co Clare, but has never gone forward to take the oath and his seat in parliment yet. The protestants or
orangemen have formed what is called Brunswick clubs to counteract the others. Poor Ireland is in a very
disturbed state at present, but I hope all will end better than what is expected.
We would be very glad to hear from you & is surprised that we have not had letter ere this. I may just add that
poor Brother Wm is going very fast and seems resigned. I hope it will be happy for him to be out of this
troublesome world. We must endeavour to be reconciled and I trust our loss will be his eternal gain, when time
to him shall be no more. Joined by my father & Jane in dear love to thee & brother Wm and the children I remain
my dear Anne

thy affct sister
Susanna


William O'Brien
Smithville Post Office, near Cattaragus Creek
County of Erie, State of New York, America

Stamped Packet Ship Wilson
Abraham Bell & Co Owner
No 19 Pine Street New York