Charleston 1830 Letter from Ann to her brother William M Reid

Castle Pinckney

1830 Stampless Letter from Charleston SC. Written by "Ann" to her brother William M Reid.

In Part...
"i now set down to address you a few lines. I intended writing you before this but was prevented. I have nothing but meloncholy new to relate to you, there have been several dreadful accidents lately. On Thursday 29th of July we had a severe squall accompanied by thunder and lightning. A party of youn men, consisting of Rufus Ingraham, youn Harleston, Bull, also 3 negroes had gone out on a fishing excursion; they were on there way home when the squall overtook them near Castle Pinkney [Castle Pinckney was a small masonry fortification constructed by the United States government by 1810 in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina.] and capsized the Boat. Several boats went to their assistance and were enabled to save bull and Harleston but meloncholy to relate, Ingrahama and the 3 negroes were drowned.

 It evoked a great excitement as you may suppose, rewards were offered for the body of I and they were 2 days looking but to no purpose, it is supposed the bodies must have been taken by sharks as 2 were caught a few days afterward, one measuring 14 feet 9 inches and the other 10 feet. A fur Cap was found in one and a Negroes Skull in the other. I think Mrs I ought indeed dread water works, more even you recollecto she had a sister drowned much about his age. he was quite a promising youth, I understand; he helped to support his mother with his salary. I met him the morning previous, looking quite well. He was rather handsome.

 The same afternoon a young girl, by the name of Heckley was struck DEAD by lightning standing by a window, eating a piece of watermellon her mother was lying on the bed in the same room, was not injured but the part of the house that was struck very much shattered. We know not the day or the hour. Mrs Cohens house in Broad St was also struck but not much injured.

 A few days ago the Steam boat Macon, which has been running all the Summer to the toland??? Boiler burst, just as she had landed her passengers scalded 4 negroes & the engineer, who died the day after. The negroes have got better, the providences of God have been very awful this summer everywhere.

There has been a dreadful fire in Wilmington during a thunderstorm a house was set fire to by lightning. The fire raged, the whole time during the storm, what an awful scene it must have been. Ancrum Berry was among the principal sufferers. There has also been a dreadful storm of rain at the North, it rained for 4 days without ceasing, bridges, factories, mills and ??? have been floated away, in one place houses were swept away, one with 14 persons in it. it occurred in Vermont. Mrs Keith sailed yesterday for the north............................

Halifax MA Plymouth Co. 1750

Handwritten legal document concerning the conveyance of property, from: "...Josiah Sturtevant of Hallifax in the county of Plymouth practitioner of physick...", dated at the bottom August 6th, 1750, with covered wax seals and signatures of both Josiah Sturtevant and Priscilla Sturtevant (see). Two witness signatures as well, one by Deborah Croate.

Addison Steuben Co. N.Y.

Letter from Rev. A. H. [Parmelee], Addison, New York to Milton Badger D. D. N. York City, dated Feb 21, 1848.

“The first Presbyterian Church of Addison Steuben Co. N.Y. is in a lumbering community & of its thirteen mail [sic] members all but two are more or less engaged in the lumber business. They are necessarily from home from one to twelve weeks at a time. In all communities where lumber is the principal staple there is I believe more or less [..] desecration & profanity. I have been familiar with the character and conduct of seamen & slave drivers, but never have I found a class of men more rough & vicious than the lumbermen on the Canisteo River.”

CORTLAND VILLAGE N.Y. DEC 11, a 5 cents rate, and is addressed to Frederick Hyde, M.D., Geneva, Ontario co., NY and is a three page letter written by Elvira to 'Dear F'. Probably his wife. The dateline is Nov. 11th 1846, At Home.

Some abstracts:

"When I wrote you last I was quite agitated about school matters. Not feeling satisfied in my own mind as to what was best to do, I sent Caroline the next morning after I wrote you, with the children to see mary Ann about Semantha, & Miss Eggleston about my children. Mary Ann was not willing Semantha should go to the new department. Miss E. was grieved to tears, that I thought of taking away A. & M. from her. She said she had taken extra pains with them."

"She was calculating to have Augusta have a new History room ..."

"It is an old maxim to let well enough alone. I thought if the Primary department was likely to fall behind hand for funds, I would rather you would give the price of their tuition."

"The Academy is very respectable for numbers, & daniel thinks Mr Livingston the most interesting person in a recitation he ever saw."

"The Shoals family have all been sick with fever, Aurilla is dead. Dr. Loomis attended them till he thought he could not benefit them. Father was sent for soon after you left. He went once found a quack there staying two days. He told them they had not any of them died perhaps they would not they had been dealt so well by."

"[father] felt very bad about that surgical case not only at the time but ever since. he says it seemed as though every thing about it was against him, that it should be fatal .... & then in the printed account no credit is give him ...."

Item number: 130505628077

Union Civil War Soldier's Letter 1863

Potomac Creek Bridge ca 1861 to 1865

Union Civil War soldier's letter, dated Camp Massachusetts, Near Potomac Creek, Jan 28 1863, from Private George F. Stone, Company "D," 22nd Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, to his brother Perley

In part, "Here last night it began to rain, turning into snow ... a real 'Noth Easter' and now the mud and snow together are very deep and the possibility of operations on the offensive put far away into the future. I think I have written of our camping in the woods. 

You should see ... the large pines bending beneath its accumulated weight ,until one can hold no more ... woe to the unlucky .. who might be passing ... big patches have been dropping 'thud' 'thud' kerslap ... upon our tent ... I received ... the box in good order. The apples had not hurt to notice, nor the cakes and pie, tho' the little tunover had a coat of green and there was no lack of spice, the cover having come off the box of ginger, but that was no harm and we have plenty of the article, but the bottle of mint in solution was a puzzle, as yet I have only smelt of it. The mince and one cake ... have been tried and pronounced first rate, and also the apples. ... 

The boots are a fit, though large, which is a good fautt, the clothing all very acceptable and what I wished. I am much pleased with the knive and pocket book ... the diary and portfolio will daily find use ... " Also received a sewing kit. " I would like a needle or two in next letter, as those sent have eyes too small for black thread that we use. 

I should have received it ten days ago, but that last week our grand division, with the left guard division, made a move to attack the rebels; the intent was to surprise them crossing the river above Fredericksburg and so turn their works, but that weather was against us and ere, the pontoons were at the river side from the opposite beach. 

The rebel song 'Burnside in the mud' guided us and we were fast, so commenced 6 days in floundering above in the mud, accomplishing but a march of six miles and return, the loss in horses and teams very great. The prospect is worse now than ever. [Union generals] Burnside, Sumner and Franklin were relieved, and Hooker took the command of the whole Army Monday at 5 A.M. I can see enough to make us cheer or hope for a speedy end of this war. But hope for the best. 

I believe little 'Mac' [Union General George McClellen] will yet have to come back. We, the Army of the Potomac, will do anything. Desertions are very numerous,1,800 from one corps this year. Something is truly needed to put heart into the men ...

[signed] George F.

Quarryville, Pennsylvania,

15 Letters Mailed to Teenager Joseph Denny of Quarryville, Pennsylvania
Dated 1926 to 1929 Most Letters while Joseph was a Patient in Pennsylvania Hospital, in Philadelphia.

These letters are:

March 22, 1926. From Catharine Books of Quarryville, PA. Addressed to Joseph Denny at the Children's Hospital in Philadelphia. She is a classmate of Joseph Denny. Information about school and classmates.

October 2, 1926. From Charles V. Denny on the U. S. S. Umpgua at the Navy Yard of Charleston, South Carolina. Addressed to Joseph Denny in Quarryville. Reference to sister Alma Denny, etc.

January 6, 1926. From Paul W. Sweigart of Morgantown, PA. Addressed to Joseph Denny in Quarryville. Reference to Joseph's sister Alma Denny. Information about being a Boy Scout, and about Paul's bicycle.

September 12, 1929. From Charles E. Byler of Morgantown, PA. Addressed to Joseph Denny in Philadelphia's Pennsylvania Hospital. Information about school. References to high school classmates George Boyer and Paul Sweigart. Information about high school and a barn fire at farm of Vernon Orr. Reference to Rosie Kurtz.

September 13, 1929. From Sadie Fisher of Morgantown, PA. Addressed to Joseph Denny in Philadelphia's Pennsylvania Hospital. Includes information about a singing at the home of John Hartzler, and singing at the County Home in Reading, PA. Information about barn burning of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Orr. Information about Boston terriers, Edna Plank, Alfred Plank.

October 2, 1921. From George B. in State College, PA. Addressed to Joseph Denny in Philadelphia's Pennsylvania Hospital. Information about George's Classes, presumedly at Penn State. Information about George Zook and Christ Rhiel car racing. Information about Charles Kurtz and Bill Peck in Wilminglton, Delaware, out of jail on bail, apparently for bootlegging during prohibition: "they found 9 quarts of liquor in his car."

August 26, 1929. From Dr. Horace H. Jenks of Philadelphia. Addressed to Joseph Denny in Morgantown. Instructions to Joseph Denny about taking medicine for his swollen legs, with a pharmacy label from Pharmacist J. B. Shenk of Philadelphia.

Setpember 29, 1929. From Wilmer W. Hoffman of Morgantown, PA. Addressed to Joseph Denny in Philadelphia's Pennsylvania Hospital. Wilmer Hoffman was a classmate of Joseph Denny. Reference to a new International truck bought by David Hartz.

October 12, 1929. From Robert Byler in State College, PA. Addressed to Joseph Denny in Philadelphia's Pennsylvania Hospital. Information about Penn State vs. University of Penn football game. Information about the World Series baseball games, and initiating freshmen into a Penn State fraternity.

October 9, 1929. From Lois Benedict in Philadelphia. Addressed to Joseph Denny in Philadelphia's Pennsylvania Hospital. Information about sending postage stamps to Joseph.

October 14, 1929. From the Alfred Plank and Edna Plank Family in Morgantown, PA. Addressed to Joseph Denny in Philadelphia's Pennsylvania Hospital. Information about Chautauqua. Alfred rode the goat at the Odd Fellows Lodge. Reference to Frank Plank of Willow Glen. Reference to Verna Kurtz getting married.

October 16, 1929. From William Daley of Dunwoody Home / Dunwoody Village, a convalescent home in Newtown Square, PA. Addressed to Joseph Denny in Philadelphia's Pennsylvania Hospital. Descriptions of Dunwoody Home. This Bill Daley had been in the Philadelphia hospital with Joseph Denny.

October 23, 1929. From Charles (Byler). Addressed to Joseph Denny in Philadelphia's Pennsylvania Hospital. Information about breaking his toe while wrestling, etc.

December 14, 1929. From Charles Byler and Mrs. Alice Byler of Morgantown, PA. Addressed to Joseph Denny at the Coatesville Hospital. Information about a car garage and a car wreck of Henry Zook, and a fire at Backersville, and the school buses of David Hartz. Emery Wells shoots a deer at Pine Swamp near Elverson, PA. Charles Peck trapped a weasel, but a thief stole the weasel and traps

Item number: 350435057849

Havana, Cuba, Jun 23 1806

Havana, Cuba, Jun 23 1806, from Messrs. Gay & Bowen, to Charles Churchill, Newbern, North Carolina, with black Charleston/ SC, Jul 3 (1808),postmark

The content reads, in part, as foillows,

"We had the papers forwarded by you translated & attached to the process against the captors of the Schooner NELSON ... The officers of the [Cuban colonial] Government move slow, therefore you must wait with patience for their decision. We paid for translating the papers and also paid the attorney fees ... M. Guadal having refused to do it. We shall give every assistance in our power to bring that unfortunate business a happy close. We do not recollect what Captain Barnet sold your Negroes [slaves] for, but it was for less sum, as well as we can recollect, that he would have brought in the United States. He sold his for part cash and part for a note, and to accomodate him for amout advanced, we received the note & endeavor to collect it, but have not yet received payment. We informed Captain Barnet that we did not believe that it would be paid. Dr. Bynes, who purchased the Negroes, and whose note we hold, says that he will not pay it until he gets a bill of sale from you, and further that he wishes to dispose of the Negroes. You had therefore better send us as soon as possible a bill of sale in favor of Bynes, or funds to puchase them on your own account. Bynes is poor, there a good bargain in the Negroes may be had ... [signed} Gray & Bowen."

Item number: 260726637348

Union Civil War officer's letter dated Baltimore, Maryland, Oct 2 1864

Union Civil War officer's letter dated Baltimore, Maryland, Oct 2 1864, from 1st LT James McMillan, Company "C," 141st New York Infantry Regiment, to Sergt. Daniel Chase, Company "A," 1st New York Veteran Cavalry, Camp Piatte, Kanawha Valley, West Virginia.

The content, in part.

Sunday is a very lonesome day here, Dan, so I thought best to scribble you a few lines ... I had a pretty serious time of it here for a while, but managed to stick it out, the typhoid fever tried me on again, but found that I was a nut too hard to crack, this time at least. Bell, as usual, came down to see me. She heard that I was in Balto..That was enough for her. She had to start, expecting to find me very sick. I suppose but when she got here she found me planying enchre for the lager beer. I am to leave the hosp some time this week, but where I could not say. They tell me here that I shall go right to the regt., but I doubt it some: a dismounted camp with some glass eye in command rises up before my imagination. God knows I have rather be in H--- ... [signed] Jas. McMillan, Act. A. A. Genl

Item number: 260726282991

US Naval Personnel Separation Center 1946

Letter posted Jun 21, 1946 Long Beach, from US Naval Personnel Separation Center, Lido Beach, Long Island, New York, June 18, 1946. It is to Mrs C. Dagavarian, 1809 51st St, Brooklyn. It is signed by Chaplain G A Webster, USNR.

Webster is writing the mother of Harry O Dagavarian. He states the Navy has tried to prepare her son for re-entry to civilian life, but only she can help him with one very important adjustment: being made aware that he is a vital part of his family, church and community. It may require great patience and intelligent understanding on the part of the family.

1843 Brooklyn New York letter install heat city jail

Letter from David Anderson to James G Bergen, Fort Hamilton Post Office, Kings County, New York. Anderson writes that he has inspected the wing of the jail and range of the cells situated in the City of Brooklyn. He writes he will agree to manufacture proper hot water apparatus for each story of cell that will distribute a sufficient and healthful heat. It will consume only about half the fuel that the present hot air flue does. The cost for each story will be $450. All the work will be done by Masons. Let him know soon as winter is approaching. Letter is posted Aug 11 (1843) New York.

Scottish Immigrant, Mr. George Thompson

Civil War letter from a Scottish immigrant, Mr. George Thompson, resident in Cincinnati, Ohio, to family in Galashiels, Scotland. Dated August 15th, 1863. Observation is made of the number of Union troops in the city, returning from the Battle of Vicksburg. In particular he mentions the presence of the 79th New York Volunteers, the famously self-styled "Cameron Highlanders" "yesterday morning (August 14th, 1863). He notes their having "Scotch bonnets on (Glengarrys)" and a kilted piper and of their marching off to "Kentucky".