| Title: | Candee (n. O'Brien), Maria Wright to O'Brien, Joseph Sinton, 1843 |
|---|---|
| ID | 6145 |
| Collection | The Transatlantic Letters of an Irish Quaker Family_1818-1877 [B. Jackson] |
| File | quaker/152 |
| Year | 1843 |
| Sender | Candee (n. O'Brien), Maria Wright |
| Sender Gender | female |
| Sender Occupation | housekeeper |
| Sender Religion | Quaker |
| Origin | Buffalo, NY, USA |
| Destination | NYC, USA |
| Recipient | O'Brien, Joseph Sinton |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | siblings |
| Source | |
| Archive | |
| Doc. No. | |
| Date | |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | |
| Log | unknown |
| Word Count | 1760 |
| Genre | weather, family news, moving into a new house, religion |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Buffalo 4th month 15th 1843 My Dear Joseph, Having an opportunity by a friend of Cortes’s, Mr. Farr, I write thee a few lines for although it is not [a] very great while since I wrote to thee and I will have but little to tell dice, still I am very [sure?] thou will be glad to hear from us as often as thou canst; that is if thou feels as I do about it. I have not been home since I wrote last but father & Mother came town and staid two nights with us and since that father has been down again and Thomas also and staid a night with us. It was while A. Varney was gone they were here. We have a most extraordinary spring here and though it is only[?] the 15lh of April there is still a good deal of the old winters snow on the ground yet; for though in many places the ground is showing, there is so much of the snow lies in great drifts that it seems as if they would never thaw away and the roads are almost impassable. So we do not see scarcely any one from Collins and business of any kind is at almost a stand ... [still?]; and indeed most of the stores[?] not doing enough to pay their expenses ... any and is looking anxiously for the navigation to ... ships that it will give a new impetus to anything in the way of business. It has been said here that business was ... by this month if the going was such as we generally expect in April, bur have about given it up now as there are no horses for ... to go yet and Cones cannot leave to go with me, having no one in the store now with him but Charley [Candee], who is not yet sufficiently acquainted with business to leave any length of time alone. I was glad to get thy letter by A. Varney and to talk with him about he having seen thee, and thou may be sure I had a great many questions to ask him about thee. Thy letter was rather short for thee but thy reason for it being so was a very good one, so I will admit it and expect a somewhat longer one the next time; and when thee does write again I wish thou wouldst look [at] the letter I sent by Andrew as there many things in it I would like thee to answer. Cortes health is very good this spring, better than usual for him, and yesterday I was joking him about growing so fat that he is getting a double chin. My health has been very good all winter with the exception of now and then a little cold. Fathers family as well as usual, mother complaining some as she often is, but father much better than last summer and fall. When Thomas was out last he seemed quite smart for him. Charley was out home better than a week ago and when he came back he said Thomas was going to stay 5 weeks more in Pontiac and then go home; and I am not sorry he is going to leave the city JS the company he has there is any thing but improving. He is fond of company and will not stand as much as he ought to what kind of company - it is that it is company. I do not suppose he would be led into anything very bad: still, when he was down here I could see that he had a good many little things about him that he did not use to have when he lived a: home, and made use of a great many vulgar expressions in his conversation. I have felt very anxious about him and thought a great deal about him, poor fellow: how I wish he was in some good situation. He would have the benefit of good society for I think he would soon improve, as he is one that soon acquires new habits, as one can see in the present instance. I have almost wished he could have a good place with [thee?] in N.York; but if he were here I do not know as it would be as well for him - as I could not have the same influence over him and know what sort of company he kept as well as thee could if he [were] with thee. I do not know as it would do at all for him to go; still I thought I would just mention it, see what thou thought about, and thou need not mention it to any one unless thou thinks it would answer. At any rate I wish thou would write him a long letter and give him a great deal of advice about the kind of companion he ... should keep and eney thing thou can think of, and not let him think that I or any one else has written anything to thee about him, for I would not for the world have him know that I said anything to thee about him; for it is not to find fault with him but to try to do something for his good. Poor Tom! He is certainly a good-hearted fellow as ever lived and one of the best of brothers and I do feel interested for him to do well. I do not know but I feel even more for him than any of the test: he has had so many disadvantages to ... [overcome?] on account of his poor health. I do not know whether father and mother would approve [what?] I have written but I have been thinking a great deal about Thomas lately and it seems just as natural as [ever?] to tell thee my thoughts and plans and ask thee what thee thinks about them, and I will hope that something turns up that will be of use to our dear brother yet. However thou need not say anything about it to either him or any one of fathers family till thou thinks a good [deal?] about it and write to me; and I will talk with them about it if thou should think best. I do not know but thou will think I am fond of indulging in wild schemes, but hope thou will forgive me, as it is in hopes it may result in something useful to Thomas. When father was down last he had with him a letter he had received a few days before from Uncle Thomas G reeves containing a bill of exchange for 5 sterling, being part of a small legacy that was left to mother some time ago, thou may remember, and at that time she got only a part of it. I was very glad for father that he got it, as money is very scarce now and father is I suppose owing some. It has, I hear, been a very hard winter for cattle but I hope father has got his safely through as they were well and doing well when he was down last - I do hope they may get the cows through at any rate. They have 7 and if they live and do well they will be a great help to them. I suppose Thomas told thee or hast heard from father that he thinks of having a poor Irishman come on to help him on the farm this summer. I am glad for now I hope father will not have to work so hard as to make him sick as he was last summer. This Irishman had a wife and one child, an infant, and if he comes father will put up a small house roughly so that it will answer for the summer, something I suppose that will not cost much and will do for a hay-house or stable after they are done with it. I do not think father will be able to get much done to the mill till fall at least. I am sorry to tell thee. though I almost forgot it, that we have to move the first of May as the man that owns the house we now live in intends occupying it himself for the future. I feel sorry to leave it for I fear we will not get as pleasant a situation but still I will not complain for I can soon make anyplace seem as much like home I suppose as this. It does not take long to become attached to a place so chat one feels a regret at leaving it. Cortes has been to look at several houses but has not taken one yet. The gentleman who takes this goes on second day early and wishes to have this today which is 7th day so thee will excuse me for not filling it. I was so me-what surprised to find thee believed in Mesmerism but I suppose I must not be surprised at any thing in this age of wonders and prodigies. I am also a partial believer in it, that is so far as to think that there is a magnetic influence existing; bur nor having seen any experiments or even heard a lecture on it I can-not be a firm a believer in it as thee is. Enos South wick jun. is a great believer in it and lectures on it a good deal and (finally) almost any one here is either partially or wholly believs it. Millerism [does?] not seem [to] take much here, though there was some believers mostly among the Methodists. Hast thou seen the Comet there has been so much said about: I saw it one evening two weeks ago and have not seen since and I believe it is now nearly out of sight. How Thos and I would enjoy ourselves in the country now for a few weeks through gardening and sugarmaking time; but we must be content for perhaps the time will yet come when we can enjoy all those again together. Please remember me affectionately to Joseph B's and Abram's families. With love to thyself in which my dear Cortes unites I remain thy afft Sister M. W. Candee Charley says thee must be a good boy. Susan sends her respects. Julias health is not very good. Cortes got a Herald from thee to-day. What ticket did thee vote last fall? Whig I suppose. M |
