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Title: O'Brien (n.Greeves), Anne to O'Brien, Joseph Sinton, 1842
ID6127
CollectionThe Transatlantic Letters of an Irish Quaker Family_1818-1877 [B. Jackson]
Filequaker/136(2)
Year1842
SenderO'Brien (n.Greeves), Anne
Sender Genderfemale
Sender Occupationhousewife
Sender ReligionQuaker
OriginCollins, Lake Erie, NY, USA
DestinationNYC, USA
RecipientO'Brien, Joseph Sinton
Recipient Gendermale
Relationshipmother-son
Source
Archive
Doc. No.
Date
Partial Date
Doc. Type
Logunknown
Word Count1178
Genrenews of family friends and neighbours, the farm
Note
TranscriptMargaretta having left so much room, I thot must write thee to say we arc jogging on in the old way. Father got
over his hurry of haying and harvest. Our wheat, Father is afraid, is not worth thrashing and that he will have just
to feed it out to the cattle; and the corn is nothing either, but our grass has turned out a great deal better than we
expected. Father thinks there is about 21 tons and they made the whole themselves. They got Bud to cut the
wheat. Our potatoe crop is going to be good.
Thos has been so well this summer that he felt anxious to try to be doing something, for himself and A. Taft
had left Pontiac. He has gone to work with Lad to learn to turn, as he and I. Potter were going at chair making;
but still I expect he intends working at cabinet work and Father thinks he can make as good a joint as any of them
now; and he Father is willing to spare him if he can only stand it, altho he misses him very much.
Fathers trade with Hugh Laing is an extra-ordinary good one. The Colt alone is well worth the old mare and
the steers are larger than a two year old we ever had, but Father say as large, not larger and so well mated-. It was an offer of Hugh's own: we concluded chat he was tired out hunting up an old horse to suit him and had heard
us praise up the old mare disinterestedly at a former time, so made Father the offer. Thos does not know of it yet.
but he will like it well, we know. We expect to kill the bull and sell some of the other stock, as we will be obliged
to on two accts: one, we would have mote than we can keep; and another, we must sell some to buy out bread.
We have a very wet time for some weeks past and those that were late about haying is very badly off, but we got
thro in good season; still it was was some rainy towards the last.
We received the United Irishman last mail with 3 other papers. I want thee to send father a paper with aces of
the election, as he has been wanting to get one for 3 month to get the whole; and I told him I wd get thee to
send one for that length of time.
Wm Culver has sold to Joseph Barry for 16.00$ and is going to the west. Has thee heard from Estee yet. We
hear every day of some one going west. I want Father to try the mill before he gives up, but its impossible for him
to do any thing at it at present on ace1 of the water. Racheal [Widderfield] has been out and left Ann with me: she
wants me to have her very much and the child is so attached to us already she dont want to leave. ... Racheal and
Ben'" does not live together, R at T W s and Ben any where he has a mind to. Fathers willing I should keep Ann
for a while and see if she continues to be contented. I shall need her help as Margaretta must soon learn to do
something for herself. M. is as large almost as Maria.
[fames?] O'Brien is going to write to his son [Nicholas] to call on thee and make thy acquaintance. He is a
counsellor at law and he thinks his acquaintance wont hurt thee, but he [is] going to be married this fall to a
Lawyers daughter, and they are well suited with it; but they cant hear from home nor does not receive any money
and I expect they have seen hard times this last year.
Chtistiana is out and is going to keep a family school by A. Sowle in Hamburgh. The Woodward boys have
got a school in Aunt Lydias house and has commenced with 12 scholars. Its a select one, of course: they gives their
teacher 3 dollars a week. Tho I ought to have gone to school this winter but his turn is machanics, thee knows, and
as long as he is a good [writer?] and good in figures is all he wants and he wants to be doing something to help.
We begin to want to hear from thee again - no letter from Ireland since we wrote. Rachel and Wm Smith were
here last eveng with their cousin, which we found rather intelligent young man - not that [Healy?] stiffness about
him. Still there is something about him not very genteel. He has traveled agreat deal about in this state on business.
I imagine he is agent to some firm in New York, perhaps for himself. He promised to call on thee and offered to
take all the letters we would write; he bought Stephen and Isaac Whites cheese and other I expect.
I believed I have picked up all the news. Lucy is just stopped in and says give my respects to Joseph; and Racheal
desired hers, and Ann and Wm come and told me to send a kiss to Joseph for them and that they wd be glad to
see thee. Ann is a good afft child, not a bit like Sarah Jane. Racheal intended going to Canada when she left here
to try to get Isaac out.
We wd all be glad thee could be here the 21st this day week. It is likely Maria has given thee a hint.
I was very glad when I heard Rebecca got home as she wd feel more like a mother to thee than they other girls
and thee must look up to her as such. I dare say Abram seems more like himself since her return. Thee must
remember us afftly to him and the family. This young man says you can go from Buffalo to New York for 7 dollars
now, and may be still cheaper before long, as there is but a short distance between Buffalo and Batavia of the
railroad to finish. He had got on a Car and Locomotion when we were out a week or two ago. As we have to send
this off after dinner I must bid thee adieu and am as ever

thy Afft Mother
A O'Brien

PS Aunt Lydia Mc[Millen] takes all the comfort in the world being alone with Hugh & Moses. They have got another boy at Sloans and L Ann has got a beau: the girls says tell Joseph.
AOB
Thee mentioned something about sending home some of the old clothes, if thee has an oppertunity by any means
they would [be] very useful to us as we have not got any sheep yet. But I dont know how thee would, unless they
were worth getting a small box and forward by canal to rare of Cortez Candee for us.
pr favour of John M. Healy