| Title: | Greeves, Jane to O'Brien (n. Greeves), Anne, 1830 |
|---|---|
| ID | 6034 |
| Collection | The Transatlantic Letters of an Irish Quaker Family_1818-1877 [B. Jackson] |
| File | quaker/72 |
| Year | 1830 |
| Sender | Greeves, Jane |
| Sender Gender | female |
| Sender Occupation | helps in family business |
| Sender Religion | Quaker |
| Origin | Lisburn, N.Ireland |
| Destination | 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 | 2062 |
| Genre | correspondence, new house, enquires about family and new farm, news of friends and family, politics |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Lisburn 8 mo 4th 1830 My dear Sister My Father and Susanna wrote thee the 17th of 10 mo last and Susanna wrote again the 19th of 4 mo, both of which I hope thee has received. It is upwards of a year since we heard from you, which makes us very anxious and uneasy as we cant tell what can be the cause, as we had received all the letters you had written pretty regularly before. Every vessel that arrives from New York we do be anxiously looking for a letter but has still been disappointed. Now I intreat thee to write to us on receipt of this, should thee not have done so a very short time before, and let us know all the particulars about you as it would relieve our minds very much. Thee may judge by thy own feelings what ours must be, not having heard from you for so long a time. We are all well at present, which is a great blessing. Father enjoys his health wonderfully and looks well for his years; he is now in the 70th year of his age and is able to walk two or 3 miles without being much fatigued. He very often talks of you. Aunt Molly is still able to go about the house but is often complaining, she suffers greatly from pains in her limbs. Uncle Billy is fine and stout; he lives with Wm in the Isle of Man these several years and likes it very well. We expected him over to see us this summer, but he has declined coming for another year. Martha McMeekin is either married or is to be soon to a Scotch man who is head gardner at Lord Caledons: he is a very well informed respectable man. Her sister Jane lives in a noblemans family in London as nursery governess: she is a very fine looking woman, I understand. We are now settled in our new abode and find it comfortable in many respects. We have a very good shop which is pleasant, but we are a good deal annoyed by the kitchen chimney smoking when the wind is in the north, which it has often been since we came. We have had very cold wet weather most of the summer and great fears were entertained that the crops of every kind would be materially injured; however we had five or six days of warm fine weather lately which has been of great use. If it continues there will be an abundant harvest which is much wanting- provisions are dear and scarce at present and very many of the poor are in a state of starvation; the state of trade is such that they dont get half employment. Oat meal is 4/6 p. score and flour 24/- p. hundred and other things in proportion. There has been great exertions made in various parts of the country to relieve the poor but it could be only partialy effective ... to[o?] numerous - if they could devise some means ... it would be the only effectual means ... them. We ate looking forward to better times wh ... [when the crops?] come off the ground. We have not heard how ... [you are] settled in your new farm, and how it produced ... to mention all the particulars about it and ... [if?] your stock is increasing to your satisfaction, as everything that concerns you is interesting to us. I paid a visit to Dungannon, Moyallon, Armagh lately and found most of our relations very well. They were surprised to hear we had not heard from you for so long a time. I spent pan of a day at Dree Hill; Anna Johnson has three fine children, 2 boys and a girl. The rest of the family are getting on much in their old way. I was also at Derry Vale & Beechgrove. Cousin Wm & Peggy Pike look much as when thee left them, only older. Derry Vale is greatly improved since the planting has got up: it is like a little paradise. Sarah Pike is finely and looks well. Her eldest daughter [Anne] has returned lately from school and is almost a young woman. Her youngest child is 8 or 9 years old, & no sign of any more. Hulda Abbot her sister was in the North lately and her baby - she had not been well lately and they thought her native air might be of use to her and I blieve she has recovered finely. Anna and Jane Nicholson live in Armagh still. I spent a week in Armagh with John and Mary: their little daughter is a sweet engaging child and is thriving very well; she is uncommonly wise and old fashioned for her age: I suppose it is owing to her being so much taken notice of. I never saw Mary look better and John is much stouter than he used to be. Thomas Sinton lives with them at present: he was out of a situation and one of John's young women left him. to commence business for herself, so John got him till a better or more lucrative situation would offer. Margaret Sinton has been in business in Monaghan for some time past and she has not succeeded well, nor does she think there is any chance of its increasing. So she has concluded on giving up business while she has enough left to pay all her debts. She is greatly to be pitied after all her exertions and being so many years in business: to be obliged to give it up seems very hard. She has not concluded which of her relations she will go and live with yet - she wont leave Monaghan till 11 month. John & Elizabeth Walpole are doing very well in Cavan, which is a great matter. They have only two children and one of them lives constantly with John's sisters in Dublin. Aunt & Uncle [Samuel] Sinton are both well and seem very happy together: they spent two days with us lately. Aunt Deb by is well also - she continues to live with her stepson who is very kind and attentive to her; we expect her to spend some time with us shortly. Thee will be surprised and sorry to hear that Christ) & Dawson383 have failed. There was a meeting of their creditors some time ago and they think that they have propert; sufficient to pay all; but it depends on the sale of lands and bleachyards - and the linen business is so bad at present I am greatly afraid that they will not bring near their value. It seems John Christy & Win Dawson are not to be blamed as all the harm was done in Cousin James lifetime, and it is a pity that they did not call a meeting of their creditors immediately after his death and they might be getting on prosperously now, it is thought. Everyone is sorry for them that knows the family. Peggy Dawson & family are well, as is also Cousin Molly Phelps & family: she is stout and looks right well: she is the only one remaining of the old stock. We had a letter from Carlow lately and they were all well. Mary mentioned having written to you a short time before. The last 2 letters we wrote we put sovereigns under the seal but as we had not heard of your having received any of them, think it is best not to put any in this one least the others have miscarried. We would like to know if we direct your letters properly. Susanna went to Dungannon today unexpectedly: she had a letter from Thomas requesting her to go, as our Cousins from America were at Milton and he wished to ask them to spend some time with him. I suppose thee has heard that Uncle John Morton's daughter and her daughter & son-in-law are travelling on account of their health. They have arrived in this country (I blieve from the South of France) as they wish to visit the land of their forefathers, so we expect to have them to spend some time with us. I suppose they will be with our & their Cousin Richardsons also. I am affraid they are stylish people and that does not answer us well - if they were in a more humble sphere of life I would feel more pleasure at seeing them. I have not heard much of them yet but Susanna is to write us after she sees them. I would like to know had they been kind to you. How is Mary Greeves settled, is she still with Aunt Morton - we reel interested about her and would wish thee to mention in thy letter. Your Aunt Jane Lamb is very ill at present, and is not expected to survive many weeks. She has been declining for the past 8 months; at first it was thought her liver was affected, but now it is a decided consumption. Her children will miss her very much, as will also your Aunt Debby who is still pretty stout. She generally comes to meeting twice a week. She continues to live with Joshua who is not married yet. Business has been very dull this summer every place I believe, as much so as ever I remember it. We have had very little to do and brother Thomas is no better, but we look for a change in Autumn. Old John To let ton of Dublin and Mary Creeth are to present their marriage next mo. meeting after the Grange Qrty Meeting. All Johns daughters are married and left him and he feels lonely - most people think ... [it a?] very: prudent choice. She is a steady sensible woman and ... in the Society. You will have heard of the death ... [of King George] the 4th before this reaches you. Our new ... [King William] 4th is very much liked already. He is likely to . . . . He mixes with his subjects a great deal more and seems to take an interest in their welfare. He is very much attached to his wife Adelaide who is a most amiable character: she is to be crowned along with him 10 month. There is talk of their visiting Ireland this summer but I think they will not come untill next year. We have got accounts from France that are alarming. The government there has made some new laws that infringes on the rights of the people which have made them very indignant - so there is likely to be another Revolution if they dont repeal them; a great many of the people are up in arms and some of the military have joined them. They have had some engagements and the people have been successful so far, the last account we had. I hope it may be put a stop to soon, before the country is deluged in blood. Are the friends quite settled in your part of the country - we have not heard anything of them lately. I hope they divide that each party lives agreeable among themselves. We have no dissent ions in this country among friends which is very pleasant, but we have not enough of vital religion I am affraid. Elizabeth Rodgers who was one of the first of the New Lights here (long ago) applied for membership a few mos ago and was received. She has been confined to her room for ah our 19 months and her principles have been very much changed. It is very instructive to go and sit by her, which we often do. She has got very weak now and I dont think she can hold out much longer. We will miss her greatly when she goes. I blieve I have written thee all I can think of and I hope I have said so much about thee writing to us that it is unnecessary to add more on the subject. So I will conclude with dear love to brother William and all the children in which my Father unites and remain as ever thy truly affectionate sister Jane William OBrien Collins Post Office, County of Erie State of New York, America. Endorsed "Dreemore" |
