| Title: | O'Brien (n.Greeves), Anne to O'Brien, Joseph Sinton, 1852 |
|---|---|
| ID | 6182 |
| Collection | The Transatlantic Letters of an Irish Quaker Family_1818-1877 [B. Jackson] |
| File | quaker/184 |
| Year | 1852 |
| Sender | O'Brien (n.Greeves), Anne |
| Sender Gender | female |
| Sender Occupation | unknown |
| Sender Religion | Quaker |
| Origin | Buffalo, NY, USA |
| Destination | Collins, Lake Erie, NY, USA |
| Recipient | O'Brien, Joseph Sinton |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | mother-son |
| Source | |
| Archive | |
| Doc. No. | |
| Date | |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | |
| Log | unknown |
| Word Count | 1214 |
| Genre | local economy, gardening, family news |
| Note | |
| Transcript | 21th of 4th mo [Buffalo, probably 1852] Dear Joseph As TW talks of writing tomorrow and thee wished me to write when he wrote, thought I must write today to have it in time as we dont see him only mornings and evenings. My health has been miserable by times ever since I have been here: I think it is owing to the weather a good deal. Every time I go out I take cold; then I have to recruit again before I go out again. The ice is not out of the Lake yet, tho it is so broken up that 3 vessels started out yesterday morning for the first time this season. The people hope for better things when navigation opens; every thing is so high that it is hard to live and be saving: buttet 23 cent pr lb, veal 8 cents Do, eggs 18¾ cents pr dozen; potatoes $ 1.25 cts per bushel and every thing in proportion; only flour and that is no higher. Cortes is in N York, as Thos will write. I see by thy letter J. Griffens folk are to be pitied and what I was thinking, that if thee could possibly go down to Nathaniel Sissons on first day and tell how things ate, friends would contrive some way for them: for it is too bad they way they have neglected them (unless they have done something for them in the way of taking care of him since I left). But if thee could not get down, send Wm early first day morning with a few lines just stating their situation, as to his illness and want of a home to move to, for any more might affront Matilda. I wd write myself to N.S. but I might say too much. I feel very bad about them and was ready long ago to offer them a home for a while, but if we got them there, when wd there be an end to it. As to my flower beds, I don't [know] what could be done with more than weed them, unless there could be a coat of gravel put over them: heavy enough to keep the weeds from choking up the roots, not the coarse gravel but that that is mixed with earth. I wd like to be at home to see to them, but as I have been I could do but little at any thing. I was rather disappointed thee had not heard from Dan' for I supposed altho' he did not write us he had written to thee. Hasn't J. Kell[e]y wrote either I wrote to Danl a few days ago and directed as he desired, and whether he will find it or not I cant tell. John & Mary B. were in town yesterday but I did not see them: I should have liked to very much. Thee don: say how P. [Prudence] & L. [Louisa?] gets along with their cares, but I see by thy letter the baby can laugh still. She will have grown a good [deal], I think, by the time I see her, as babies grow every day. I suppose thee cant get out yet awhile, altho' if thee had 50 lbs of butter to bring it might pay yet, as butter sold yesterday from 22 to 23 cents p ib. But they expect here that it will be lower soon. Jane [Thomas' wife] is here and desires to be remembered to you all. Thos is very busy, now C [Cortez] is gone: he will write thee all business news. Maria has had a serious time with her head and ears, something at times like erysipelas, then again like ear ache. She has grown poor, I can see, as she dont rest well. Still she is better and keeps about, but she dont get over it. She nor I have not been down town since I came: neither have felt well enough, and weather has been so cold that it was not comfortable enough to go so far. Thee must have a good deal to do now: I suppose the cows are all come in. Anna M. I did not see but she will have to come in again and will come up, she says. The boys think they cannot get along without Anson or Sherwood at all. Maria Jones's Brother called at the store and then left for Canada [to] buy a farm, and when he get one he will come I suppose and look up Maria. I accidentally heard of her thro' the poor house physician a few evenings before that. The last he saw of her was down in rather a low part of the town which he and Cortes seemed to know was not such a place as she should be in; and as Cortes heard me ask about her, lie told her Brother all he knew. He seemed broken down and left for Canada as he had to meet some friend or acquaintance of his by a certain time. If I was able to walk I wd go and look het up, but Maria Candee dont want me to go into such a place. I have written more than I expected when I began. Tell Prudence to write to me and tell me all the news. Maria joins in love to you all, so remain thy afft Mother AOB 4th day evening Tho1 has just handed me Prudences letter with one inclosed from cousin Mary. I was glad to hear that someone had thought of poor Joseph Griffin's folk. I wrote a letter to N Sisson to day but had not sent off and wont now. I was glad you had letter from Danl: I felt rather anxious about him. Mary Greeves writes me there is a nephew of John Owden's has arrived from Ireland and is now in Phi1 and he intends visiting the Falls in 6th month; and cousin Mary & James tells him he must not go so near us without visiting us, so I suppose we may look for him as I have to write how he must find Cortes so he can direct him to us. Out friends were all well as usual except Aunt Molly and she is declining. This young man is one that boards with Sister Susanna. His name is Fredrick C Smith. Their agent for the firms lives in NYork - his name is John Bullock: does thee know him. I have not said any thing to Tho about his money affairs, as I knew it W» be a hard case to get any out there when he spoke of it. Jane's brothers has said they wd help him but his will concluding not to sell Vain [?] made it very bad. It is bed time. We did not get thy last letter untill 3rd day evening, I dont know for what. AOB P.S. If Wm grey pantaloon gives out so they cannot be mended, there are some old Black satinert ones I think he will know: they hang up in the store room. It is too cold for him to put on thin ones for another month. I have done nothing about shirts for him nor don: know when I can. |
