Thursday, May 31, 2012

May 2, 1907

From: George Gleasure, The Square, Listowel, Kerry, Ireland
To: Frank Gleasure, 22 Herrick Street, Brighton, Mass

Dear Frank,

in refference to your letter to Joe of the 22nd April it arrived on the morning of the first May he was leaving Queenstown on that morning we had his letter by the same mail from Queenstown and also had post card in the evening of the same day of his departure so ihope you will have seen him before you get this letter there is astorm raging here all day and last night the hardest of the winter and ifear they will have arough time of it ifeel verry lonesom after Joe and verry awkward as he was able to transact every thing and icould tinker about but never the less iwould rather give him achance what ever way wee will get along

young kinnelly left the morning after Joe he knew him and can tell you about him

do not let those people over there know two much of your secret business as they will be verry apt to be writing home every thing they know and there is so manny old gossipers here running about hunting news they would bother one you were afraid paddy Connor would be out with Joe you need not because they would goe no where ondly hunting news iam afraid they will all go rong Joe can tell you all.

so now as ihave no more to say at present ihope you all will be well when you get this note

George Gleasure
The Square Listowel
Kerry Ireland

to Mr. Frank Gleasure
Brighton Mass USA

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

April 26, 1907

From: Joseph Gleasure, The Square, Listowel
To: Frank Gleasure, 22 Herrick Street, Brighton, Mass

Dear Frank,

You will be wondering why I am not writing to you again. I suppose you are quite well as I am and the rest of us at home.

I will be with you in a couple of weeks from to-day. I have booked for the 30th but it is the 1st of May I am leaving Queenstown. I am going by the Saxonia so don't forget the date and steamer. I will expect to meet you at the wharf.

The weather will be fine when I get over. We have pretty changeable weather here now; no appearance of Summer at all.

I will take those pictures you asked me for when I am going. I wouldn't have them finished to send now. I took Nell Dooling and Annie but they were failures, so I have to take them again. I expect to go out to South Natick and take some photos during the Summer, for I am sure Annie would like to have some. Photography is a very interesting hobby; but you meet with a lot of little difficulties in it.

I am sure there will be a lot going in the ship with me from Tarbert direction, but I am not acquainted with anybody going. My father will miss me very much for some time, for I always in the shop since I left school. Annie will be very lonesome too I am sure.

The first thing I will have to do when I get over is to put in some teeth. I will have to get a whole set of upper teeth for my own are all broken.

As I have no more of interest to write, I will ever remain,

Your loving brother,
Joe

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

April 22, 1907

From: Helen A. Reardon, South Natick, Mass
To: Frank Gleasure, 22 Herrick Street, Brighton, Mass

My dear Frank,

You can have little idea how pleased we were to get your letter. In many ways, it was a great pleasure. The last time I wrote to you I sent the letter to Allston and receiving no answer thought I would hunt up your uncle in Boston and none of us could remember his name.

Well, we are glad indeed that Joe is coming. I can hardly imagine how rejoiced you will be. One thing that pleased Miss Bailey and I so much was that you had not had many intimate friends. Some friends are priceless but as you are situated it is much better to keep by yourself rather than be too free. That very thing has been the downfall of many a young man. I think you will begin to really live when Joe comes. You have been a good brave boy to stick to it and make your way alone. The Express business is a good one and one where honesty and reliability are appreciated. I hear Mr. Bailey say how much in demand good square men are in those places.

When Joe comes as soon as he gets his "land legs" you must both come out. You will find old South Natick changed more than you can imagine. Your house has been bought by the Hunnewells and fixed up so you would never know it. Where the old mill was there is a park with a fine stone wall. The Unitarian Church has been made over beautifully. The Elliot House which has been a saloon for years  has been sold to the Hunnewells and they are going to tear it down and put the land into a park.

Mrs. Burr has gone abroad for the summer.

I must write to Annie. I hope they will all come on the next that comes. No doubt you and Joe will accomplish it. We shall be glad to welcome you both on his arrival. Mr. Bailey is not all well. Has been sick on and off a year.

Very sincerely your friend,
Helen A. Reardon

Miss B and Mis Smith send best wishes

January 26, 1907

*Dated January 26, 1906, but postmark is January 26, 1907

From: May Gleasure, The Square, Listowel, Ireland
To: Frank Gleasure, 22 Herrick Street, Brighton, Mass.

My dear Frank,

I think it is about time I should write and thank you for the lovely present you sent me I was delighted when I got it on St. Stephen's morning.  I was going to send you some books but we were very busy around Christmas and the time slipped by without me ever getting them I will send them on later on.  We got our holidays a fortnight before Christmas and they are not over yet.  The teacher lives down in Tipperary so she went home for christmas and did not return yet she got a bad cold she wrote to the person once and nobody heard of her since.

We had a good fall of snow around Christmas time.

I have a lot of post-card now George and Annie has twice more than me.  I will send you some when I am sending you the books.

George was delighted at the books and watch you send him, he is very fond of reading.

I like reading fairy tales or school stories.  Annie's watch was very nice she was delighted at it, every one in the house has a watch now alto me.  We bought a Gramophone at an auction.

I will close now as I have no more to write about, be sure and write soon.  Hoping you are well.  I remain,

Your loving sister,

May

Monday, May 28, 2012

January 21, 1907

From: George Gleasure Sr., The Square, Listowel, Kerry, Ireland
To: Frank Gleasure, 22 Herrick Street, Brighton, Massachusetts, U.S.A.

My Dear Frank,

We are very glad you are in good health and got agood job ithink that job will suit you better than any thing you got yet if it holds and you mind it we are all verry well at present and all the people out at tullig also you went to alot of expence about them presents you sent they are all delighted over them and verry carefull of them and showing them to all the friends some people is surprised to see them we got all the papers and letters you sent all right afew days ago we got the last bundle of papers we are having verry fine weather here just now the streets are as dry as they would be in summer we had verry rough weather after the holidays lots of snow and some frost there was other parts worse than here railroads blocks well how what about Joe going out to you in the spring iam sure he is verry anxious to go out and ithink it would be better have him with you iwould rather have him go for yer own sake as ithink ye both would get along better what ever iwould do without him ithink we would be able to get along alright there about twice as much to do as when you were here if you send him apassage card you should have it here before the first of april iwouldnt like to have him to late write as soon as you can after you get this letter and let us know all the connors boys is all at home yet only tom he is in england yet he got married to jude daughtons daughter he is getting along verry well old jude says herself and [jameres?] people dont speak to one another over the matter.  we got averry good town tennants bill part through parliment at last it gives the tennant the right to compensation for emprovements and also for unreasonable disturbances and entitles the tenant to sell his good will of the premises with the emprovements so you see it is agreat facility if aman wants to give up busines

bill Mcelligott the carpenter is going out california isuppose you new him he sold his house and furniture it was alicensed house as you go up to the raily and got 400 and 75 pounds for it but it was asplendid house bill could not have luck by all accounts going around listowel with girls getting them into trouble so you see things like that wont prosper Mrs. Gleasures daughter is one of them from banmore she was down at dick mccarthys couple of years ago iam glad to here you say that you thought of going to church as the man that dont realise where he is will never be any good you are not recognised by any but the rough element and then what you have is of no good to you if the hand of god is against you a man will never prosper

as i have no more at present i hope you will have a happy new year from

G. Gleasure
Listowel
Kerry Ireland

to F. Gleasure
Brighton
Mass