| Title: | O'Brien, Joseph Sinton to O'Brien (n. Greeves), Anne, 1842 |
|---|---|
| ID | 6131 |
| Collection | The Transatlantic Letters of an Irish Quaker Family_1818-1877 [B. Jackson] |
| File | quaker/140 |
| Year | 1842 |
| Sender | O'Brien, Joseph Sinton |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | clerk |
| Sender Religion | Quaker |
| Origin | NYC, USA |
| Destination | Collins, Lake Erie, NY, USA |
| Recipient | O'Brien (n. Greeves), Anne |
| Recipient Gender | female |
| Relationship | son-mother |
| Source | |
| Archive | |
| Doc. No. | |
| Date | |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | |
| Log | unknown |
| Word Count | 1161 |
| Genre | correspondence, enquires about family, Grandfather's box, subscription for a paper, news of NYC |
| Note | |
| Transcript | New York 23rd 10 mo 1842 Dear Mother I have no answer to my letter to thee and Margaretta, but in a letter from Maria heard that you had recd them and also some from Aunts Jane and Susanna and Grandfather. The box from Grandfather has arrived and I have got an order from the Custom House to have it sent to the Public store to be examined, after which I will take the necessary seeps to have it forwarded. It may be three or four days before I get it, but having an opportunity of writing I thought I would improve it and have a letter ready written and send it the same time I did the box. I feel anxious to hear from you. again. Maria did not say how you were getting along and I want to hear how Tom is getting along & how father & the boys do without him. I suppose that they are digging their potatoes now and will be able to tell me how they turn out. I also want to know how many apples you gather and if the grafts bore any this year. I have been quite well since writing before, with the exception of a cold at present and rather a succession of them for the last two weeks. I received a letter from Aunt Susanna yesterday. It was written to be sent by the steamer but came by the sailing Packet and was a long time coming; but it was written before the one to thee, and so shortly after that it contained very little that would be news to thee. She said that Uncle Thomas was at the seaside and that his health was very pool, and that he was thinking of crossing over to Liverpool very soon and taking Aunt Rachel to see her friends there. I suppose that I must answer her letter as soon as I hear from home, and thee must tell me what to say about thee and the family and thee must tell me what to say about Maria's marriage. 30th 10 mo 1842 It is now more than a week since I commenced writing this letter and I thought it would have been home with you by this time. Thee knows not how vexatious it is to have anything to do with the Customs House. I did not get the box till 7th day afternoon, too late to forward it then, and so had to put it off till today and it is now on its way directed to the care of Cortes, and I have a receipt for the box and for the freight which I have paid. Grandfather thought he was doing us a kindness when he sent it but I am afraid it will prove the contrary and the cost on it will be more than it is worth: the duty on it alone was $13 and the freight to Buffalo was $1.25. The freight from Liverpool to N.Y. was paid by Grandfather. The box had to be opened at the Public store and every article examined and even every skein of silk weighted and there was one piece of Stuff that looked like black cambric that the duty on it was 10 cents a yard and thee could buy as much as thee wanted for 6 cents a yard. It was the only thing that the duty was more than the cost. I took the liberty of taking two pairs of stockings that I knew were too large for any of die rest of the family and were plenty large enough for me, and I thought that thee would be quite willing if thee knew it. I had a great mind to cake two more pairs, but if thee does nor want them thee will have a chance to send them to me; they are not as large as those that I kept, but I could wear them very well. Those that I kept were very long and came above my knee, so I got Rebecca to cut them off and I have sent the tops and they will answer to put other feet to. I dont know what to say to Aunt Susanna about the box and I hope that the things will prove more useful than I think they will - thee must tell me what to say. I had thought that I would have had some old clothes to send but I have had to pay so much for duty and freight that I must be economical, and I have had my old coat repaired this week and must try to make it answer this winter. It looks rather old but reels as warm as ever. I have sent my satinet trousers; they would have worn a great deal longer with a little repairing but they have a very dirty appearance, and I thought thee could make some use of them. I forgot to say anything about my clothes the last time, and I dont know but you expected me to send more than I have. He has had a letter from Stephen Estie since I wrote to thee, but I did not send it to Liverpool as David [Malcomson] is coming out again and is now on his way and we expect to see him day after tomorrow. I do not know what his object is but he is going to the south soon after he gets here. His sister Maria [Todd] was in the office a few days ago and said that she had a letter from him dated from Lisburn, so that I shall hear and perhaps get another letter from Aunt and will be able to tell the news next time. I have very little else to say at present. I subscribed to a paper for Father, a semi-weekly - no party paper - perhaps he will think differently but if he likes it I will take the weekly of the same, called the Mercury, for a year from the first of January which will be $1.50. The one he gets I have taken for only three months, for which I paid $1.00. Tell me if it comes regularity. I went two evenings to the Fair of the American Institute but did not get time to see the cattle fair. I also saw the great Croton prosession which you will have heard of and saw the vessel blown up by the submarine Battery pass by the fountain in the Park every morning but have not time to give you a description now. I will write a letter to Cones enclosing the receipt for the box and tell him where to find it: the name of the firm in Buffalo is Waring Stockton & Co. I shall expect an answer very soon - I have not time to say any more. With love to all, I remain thy affectionate son Joseph |
