| Title: | Greeves, Susanna to O'Brien (n. Greeves), Anne, 1851 |
|---|---|
| ID | 6177 |
| Collection | The Transatlantic Letters of an Irish Quaker Family_1818-1877 [B. Jackson] |
| File | quaker/179 |
| Year | 1851 |
| Sender | Greeves, Susanna |
| Sender Gender | female |
| Sender Occupation | unknown |
| Sender Religion | Quaker |
| Origin | Glenfield, Ireland |
| Destination | Collins, 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 | 1889 |
| Genre | holiday, news of family and friends |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Glenfield House, Seaside, 7 mo 20rh '51 My Dear Sister Thou wilt see from the date of this that I am at the seaside where Aunt and I have been for die last few weeks a pleasure that I did not anticipate a short time since. Jane & John Owden have bee.i in England for the last 5 'or 6 weeks. M. [Mary] Jane and they wishing particularly rhat I could avail myself of getting awhile to the shore I manages to dispose of my three big sons, as I call them, during my absence and to shut up my house, taking my servant with me. I should not say that I shut it up entirely as one of the boys sleeps there at night. Their meals and go in the morning up to town to business. There is a train passes near here from Ballymena to Belfast which answers nicely for them. The distance by road to town from here is 6 or 7 miles which the rest of the family go by mostly in their own conveyance. I do not know how much longer dear Aunt and I will remain after Jane and John return, which we expect will be in three or four days - it will depend a great deal on circumstances. I suppose that I need not tell thee that Jane and John went this time to England to see the Exhibition which they have been much pleased with They have taken advantage also of going to see the lakes of Cumberland and several other places of note which they had not seen before, all of which they seem much gratified with seeing. I had a kind invitation from Thomas Owden and his wire (John Owden's brother and sister-in-law) to go to them when John and Jane would be going but circumstanced as I am I could not avail myself of their kind invitation. As long as it shall please kind Providence to spare dear Aunt to us I would not feel easy to leave her. She is of course being more infirm and requires more attention: at the same time thee would be surprised to see how she can go up and down stairs and move about and :s still unwilling to he attended if she could help it. She is still able to read and knit a little now and again Her memory is wonderful; she can tell us of many things that happened long since and can quote many authors and many, many characters she has read of. Sister Jane wrote to thee so lately that since then I dont seem to have much to say, although I suppose that she told thee that I would write thee more news than she did. I dont suppose that 1 should write thee now but I wished to send Daniel ten pounds that his grandfather left him & which I find came due in 5th month last I have sent Bill drawn on New York in his favour & hope there will not be the same trouble with it as there was with the last. I would like that thee would write soon after the receipt of it, as I shall feel anxious until I know that he has got it safe: he can enclose receipt same as the one sent me heretofore. My address is 6 Botanic View, Belfast but if addressed to Richardson & Owden's care I will get it. Abraham Bell, his son and daughter arrived in Ireland in 5th month - his son sailed from Cork for Russia he did not come to the North. Abraham and his daughter at present at his nephew's, James [Greer] Bell's How long they will stay in Ireland I have not heard. Abram called to see Aunt and I had not the pleasure of seeing him - it was meeting day and I had not got home from having some little business to do after, and which I generally take advantage of as I hve a good little way out of town, or at least the market part of it. But after a little, I may say, it will be in town that I am, for the houses are rising so rapidly around us. Within the last year it is wonderful to see how many houses have been built and inhabited, from our door. I have a view of the Queen's College and the Botanic Gardens: the latter looks like a Demense [demesne]. I must not forget to tell thee, although I suppose that thee does not know him, that Wm Richardson the youngest brother of the family, is going to be married to a Granddaughter of Betsey Bale - Betsey Bale was a sister to Wm & Richard Garratt. It is a nice match for her - I hear that she is an amiable young woman I hope that thou will be able to give a good acct of thy own health - I am sorry to say that I could not give thee one of Brother Thomas. He is now, 1 may say, just recovered from one of his attacks which was not quite so long as some others, owing in some measure to I suppose the season. Had it been in the cold weather, he would nor have returned out so soon. He has spoken frequently of coming to us but his health has been such that it is seldom that he would feel equal to the task. It is not often now that I have a letter from himself but I hear from Sister Rachel frequently. Anna Greeves [Thomas' and Rachel's daughter] is here at present. She has not been very stout and the Dr ordered her to the seaside, & her Aunt and Uncle invited her. It is likely that she will be here most of the time they will stay. She feels better already and I hope that she will get strong. A few months ago she had a sore throat which affected her breathing along with her throat. She had had a bad tooth, which may have been the cause of her suffering so much with both her throat and jaw, as the latter was so swollen that she could scarcely open her mouth. She is a brave girl and is much liked by those that know her, free from affectation. Her little sisters are lively good natured children: their names Margaretta and Elizabeth. They can make themselves very useful at home when they can spare time from their lessons: they go in to Dungannon to a day school. On acct of Brother Thomas' poor health Anna could not get much time to teach diem regularly, so had to give it up as it kept them back. John thou knows is at Bessbrook924 learning the spinning business and there is a likelihood of Malcom going too. John still lodges and boards at Cousin William Dawson's — apropos, did Sister Jane tell thee about Sally having got a paraletic stroke. She is now so far recovered as to be able to walk a little and use her hands and arms better. Their daughter I think I mentioned having left Cork and is at home. She lives with John Richardson and has the care of his little boy. No doubt thou will be surprised to hear that Cousin Anne McDonnell is coming down to live in the North with her niece Eliza Joyce. She has been the means of assisting Eliza to open a shop at D[ungannon] again, which had been given up. Cousin Anne is quite active about it and it is quite wonderful to see her at her time of life commencing business again after being so long out of it. I understand so far that it is doing as well as could be expected. Thomas [Joyce] is manufacturing on commission, so I hope that they may be able to get along better. What a shame that he should lose so much money as he did by other people; they have a nice little family. What an altered place Moyallon is — scarcely one that thou knew: poor Lucy Henry, one of the old stock, is gone too: she died about two weeks ago of Consumption. ... since she married she did not go much among her friends but I believe it was partly her own fault. She had no family: I did not hear how she left her property. Joseph is now the only one left of that family. The Phelps too are few in number-I believe there only remains of them three — Sally, Bess and George. Poor Joe died suddenly not very long since. Uncle [Samuel] Sintons old house [is] inhabited by a family of the name of Beaty, brother in law to Joseph Malcom son who thou knew in days "a longe lagne" [lang syne?] who lived at Milton. What a hand he [Joseph] made of himself: after being married many years and having a large family, I think 9 or 10 children, he took some prank and went off some place, I forget where, without them knowing where he was gone; & when he did return he acted in such a manner & took to drink. He was not fit to do anything, nor in fact would, I believe not. The consequence was that his mother-in-law Jane Greer took home her daughter [Rachel] and ten children and has had them ever since until lately. The second eldest girl has got married; but I should tell thee that after his return his Mother-in-law gave him a trial and took a house for them near town and got him into some employment; but all did not do: he did not give up drinking. Thou would not think that he could be guilty of such conduct — a nice little woman and nice family of children as thou would seldom meet with. He, poor unfortunate man, is somewhere in the neighbourhood of Moyallon, perhaps with his sister Betsey, as his Mother-in-law would not allow him to enter her house, and no wonder. Cousin E. [Elizabeth] Greer of Milton, it is expected, would have gone to Woodbank to live: I believe that her brother A. Bell wished her to do so — the house &c belongs to him. But I understand that she has given up thoughts of going - I doubt much if she would like to leave the meeting where she has long belonged unto. Since her sister's death she feels very lonely and recently has gone to one of her nieces. I am sure when I began I had no intention of writing so much, not even telling about the people I have mentioned; & I must tell thee that Cousin Margaret Greason and Cousin Thomas Sinton are back, when I heard from them. Cousin M. I see when she comes to purchase goods, and some time ago we had the pleasure of seeing Thomas Walpole, his wife and son, and a fine child he is, but not finer than my Grand nephew, George O'Brien's son, who with his Mamma spent yesterday with me. Geo was away seeing the Exhibition - he got leave of absence for 8 or 10 days. I have scarcely left room to give Aunt's love with my own to thee. Afft, S.G. |
