Who owing to a respiratory ailment , young John was too sickly to attend public school , so his mother .
Who had been widowed with five children since John was only four years old , somehow managed to send him instead to a retired parson for instruction .
Owing to a respiratory ailment , young John was too sickly to attend public school , so his mother , who had been widowed with five children since John was only four years old , somehow managed to send him instead to a retired parson for instruction .