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".

Charles Brogli of Jessamine County State of Kentucky; Ida Troxtell of Newport State of Kentucky

1914 framed ornate Marriage Certificate, Kentucky Item number: 130144055378


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Today's marriage licenses are rather sterile, kind of like driver's licenses. This certificate shows that in Kentucky, in 1914, marriage was indeed a joyous union! The large "Certificate of Marriage" is quite ornate, bordered in white lace with lace rosettes at each corner featuring blue ribbon bows. Below the litho's title is a wedding bell surrounded by flocks of doves and angels, flanked by cartouches featuring pastoral scenes. Reading "This Certifies That Charles Brogli of Jessamine County State of Kentucky; Ida Troxtell of Newport State of Kentucky were by me UNITED IN MARRIAGE according to the Ordinance of God and the Laws of the State of Kentucky at Lexington on the 25th day of March A. D. 1914. s/ Chas. P. Dodd, J. P. Flo., Witnesses: Chas. Finnell, Lena Ballard". All of this is amid a garden of flowers, of which I recognize roses, lilies-of-the-valley, and dogwood. The frame is about thirteen and one-half by nineteen inches. The lithograph is identified by its maker in the lower left corner below the lace rosette, but "Chicago, Ill." is visible. The ink is severely faded and fully legible only with an alternate light source or when viewed in moderate level light at a low angle.

WW1 Letter, Holloway Clark to Lila Robinson Kentucky

This 14-page manuscript letter was written by Private William Holloway Clark, on American YMCA stationary. Private William Clark of Louisville, Kentucky, writes an interesting, newsy letter to his sweetheart, Lila Robinson, dated Tuesday, February 25, 1919--only a couple of months after the Armistice Agreement with Germany was signed. Private Clark was with Company “A”, 110th F.S. Battalion, 35th Division—American Expeditionary Force

LETTER EXCERPTS

“On Active Service with the American Expeditionary Force, Tuesday, Feb. 25, 1919, Commercy, France

Dear Lila:

I don’t know whether you’ll ever survive the shock of receiving this letter, but I’ll take a chance anyway. Hang up your Map of France and follow me in my wanderings. I’ve been all over this country from North to South and back again, and the only part of it that is worth a @#$%@___ is Paris. And I only got to spend two days there. Think I’ll get a job as brakeman on a freight train when I get home. I’m so used to riding inside door Pullmans—the kind that accommodate 40 hommes or 8 chevaux. I really think the horses have the best of it. Left New York September 8, landing at Glasgow, Scotland, Sept. 21. No excitement at all coming across, although one of the ships from our convoy did sink a submarine. However, we knew nothing of it until it was all over. I had an elegant bed on the boat, slept on the dining room table all the way over….

Ours was an English ship, and we have all been hating the English ever since. We took train at Glasgow for Winchester, England, arriving at latter place about 3 a.m., Sept. 22….

Landed at Cherbourg morning of Sept. 25 and marched out to rest camp where we spent 4 days. Only reason I could give for calling it a rest camp is that your stomach got much a nice rest, near starved. Being a British camp, more love stored up for the British. Get out your map of France now. Left Cherbourg evening of Sept. 28 in horse cars from Neuvic, France, a small town about 18 miles from Perigueux. 34 men in my car and fine sleeping, not one day and two nights along the way. Arrived at Neuvic station 7 a.m., Sept. 30 and were billeted in a small village about a mile from Neuvic. I slept in a nice airy barn—quite airy. In fact, my battalion remained here until Nov. 3, although the 84th div. was made a replacement div. about Oct. 10, and 12,000 of the infantry were sent away as replacements….

On Nov. 3, we left Neuvic for Cours Cheverny. Had to hike three or four miles to St. Astier where we took train. While we were waiting to entrain, who should look me up but Major Ford. First time I had seen him since leaving Sherman…. When our cars pulled in, we were agreeably surprised to find them to be passenger coaches, not first class ones, but passenger coaches just the same. Spent two days and two nights on the train and the morning of Nov. 5, detrained at Cours Cheverny and took a 10-mile hike to Les Montils, a small town about 8 miles from Blois….

On Nov. 11, the day the Armistice was signed, we heard that the 309th was to be broken up and the men sent to other units in replacements. That night, about 10 o’clock as I was coming back to my billet after celebrating the Armistice, I heard that the battalion had orders to move at 1 a.m. that night. I don’t see yet how that bunch ever walked the 10 miles back to Cours Cheverny. Nearly everybody was half shot after the celebration, and it was a wild mob that left Les Montil at 130 a.m., Nov. 5 on the hike to Cours Cheverny….

We spent five days on the train, detrained…to finish the last lap of our trip on foot. It was in the region…that I had my first view of the battlefield. About 75 of us from the 309th had been ordered to report to the division headquarters of the 28th div. at Hendicourt, about 3 miles from Woinville. We arrived at Hendicourt on the afternoon of Nov. 16. Nov 10, the day before the Armistice was signed, Hendicourt had received a final shelling from the Germans. We remained at Hendicourt from Nov. 16 to 18. There had been a mix up in orders and the 28th didn’t want us, so on Nov. 18, we were ordered to report to the 409th telegraph….

While at Brunieres, ran into Joe Lazarus from Louisville, a Lieut. in the 806th Pioneer Infantry, a Negro outfit. He was the first Louisville man I had run across since landing in France…. Ran up on Dick Jones…He was convalescing from the flu and [from] begin gassed….

….Signed ‘Holloway’ Clark…

WW1 - William Holloway Clark 1919

WWI 14-PAGE LETTER FROM SOLDIER IN FRANCE TO SWEEHEART IN KENTUCKY

14-page letter written by Private William Holloway Clark, on "American YMCA" stationary.

Private William Clark of Louisville, Kentucky, writes an interesting, newsy letter to his sweetheart, Lila Robinson, dated Tuesday, February 25, 1919--only a couple of months after the Armistice Agreement with Germany was signed. Private Clark was with Company "A", 110th F.S. Battalion, 35th Division—American Expeditionary Force


LETTER EXCERPTS

"On Active Service with the American Expeditionary Force, Tuesday, Feb. 25, 1919, Commercy, France

Dear Lila:

I don’t know whether you’ll ever survive the shock of receiving this letter, but I’ll take a chance anyway. Hang up your Map of France and follow me in my wanderings. I’ve been all over this country from North to South and back again, and the only part of it that is worth a @#$%@___ is Paris. And I only got to spend two days there. Think I’ll get a job as brakeman on a freight train when I get home. I’m so used to riding inside door Pullmans—the kind that accommodate 40 hommes or 8 chevaux. I really think the horses have the best of it. Left New York September 8, landing at Glasgow, Scotland, Sept. 21. No excitement at all coming across, although one of the ships from our convoy did sink a submarine. However, we knew nothing of it until it was all over. I had an elegant bed on the boat, slept on the dining room table all the way over….

Ours was an English ship, and we have all been hating the English ever since. We took train at Glasgow for Winchester, England, arriving at latter place about 3 a.m., Sept. 22….

Landed at Cherbourg morning of Sept. 25 and marched out to rest camp where we spent 4 days. Only reason I could give for calling it a rest camp is that your stomach got much a nice rest, near starved. Being a British camp, more love stored up for the British. Get out your map of France now. Left Cherbourg evening of Sept. 28 in horse cars from Neuvic, France, a small town about 18 miles from Perigueux. 34 men in my car and fine sleeping, not one day and two nights along the way. Arrived at Neuvic station 7 a.m., Sept. 30 and were billeted in a small village about a mile from Neuvic. I slept in a nice airy barn—quite airy. In fact, my battalion remained here until Nov. 3, although the 84th div. was made a replacement div. about Oct. 10, and 12,000 of the infantry were sent away as replacements….

On Nov. 3, we left Neuvic for Cours Cheverny. Had to hike three or four miles to St. Astier where we took train. While we were waiting to entrain, who should look me up but Major Ford. First time I had seen him since leaving Sherman…. When our cars pulled in, we were agreeably surprised to find them to be passenger coaches, not first class ones, but passenger coaches just the same. Spent two days and two nights on the train and the morning of Nov. 5, detrained at Cours Cheverny and took a 10-mile hike to Les Montils, a small town about 8 miles from Blois….
On Nov. 11, the day the Armistice was signed, we heard that the 309th was to be broken up and the men sent to other units in replacements. That night, about 10 o’clock as I was coming back to my billet after celebrating the Armistice, I heard that the battalion had orders to move at 1 a.m. that night. I don’t see yet how that bunch ever walked the 10 miles back to Cours Cheverny. Nearly everybody was half shot after the celebration, and it was a wild mob that left Les Montil at 130 a.m., Nov. 5 on the hike to Cours Cheverny….

We spent five days on the train, detrained…to finish the last lap of our trip on foot. It was in the region…that I had my first view of the battlefield. About 75 of us from the 309th had been ordered to report to the division headquarters of the 28th div. at Hendicourt, about 3 miles from Woinville. We arrived at Hendicourt on the afternoon of Nov. 16. Nov 10, the day before the Armistice was signed, Hendicourt had received a final shelling from the Germans. We remained at Hendicourt from Nov. 16 to 18. There had been a mix up in orders and the 28th didn’t want us, so on Nov. 18, we were ordered to report to the 409th telegraph….
While at Brunieres, ran into Joe Lazarus from Louisville, a Lieut. in the 806th Pioneer Infantry, a Negro outfit. He was the first Louisville man I had run across since landing in France…. Ran up on Dick Jones…He was convalescing from the flu and [from] begin gassed….

[excerpt only]

….Signed ‘Holloway’ Clark…

John Farris to David Buster, Kentucky, 1842

Letter is addressed to Mr. David Buster, Laurel County, Ky. [Kentucky]. Unfolded, it is a one and a half page letter written by John Farris. The headline is Laurel County Ky June 30th 1842.

Some abstracts:

"As it respects a written charge against uncle James NcNeill if there is any brought I think it is your place or the Preachers to do it, I shall not bring any myself because you and all the male members ware preseant and heard him make the charge against me and said he could prove it, you heard the proof he maid as well as I did, I made my complaint to you as a leader and one who has the over sight of the church to attend to it, my feelins is hurt with him and his family and so has my property been hurt and now me and my little children has to suffer for it, in shooting of my only work horse it kept me back with my crop ..."

"William NcNeill went and brought a note against me and put it in another mans hands to push me ..." "I can't fellowship them in the church for the preacher thinks tere is nothing that can be brought against them as a chrage that will bear any weight."

"... untill some providential change takes place to make things shine in a better light than they now do you may considder me no more a member of church you are at liberty to arrace my name at your leisure."

John McNeill to James McNeill, Kentucky, 1854

This stampless letter doesn't have any postal markings and was likely hand carried outside of the U.S. Mails. It is addressed to Maj. James McNeill, Knox county, Ky, and is a one page letter written by John McNeill.

The headline is (at the bottom) Sept. 29th 1854.

Some abstracts:

"I want you to select three or four witnesses for us and have them summond to attend the Examoners office on Friday after the 2d Monday in Oct next in London. Jonathan & me has agreed to take all the debositions we want in Laurel on that day and have entered to a written agreement to that amount He says he must have yours & sister Janes Debosition. I would be glad Sister Martha Farris would be there as I would like to ask hir a few questons by his consent."

Holland & Betty Pitman to James McNeill, Kentucky 1854

This stampless letter doesn't have any postal markings and was likely hand carried outside of the U.S. Mails. It is addressed to Mr. James McNeill, Laurel County, Kentucky, London, and is a three page 'Dear Brother' [brother in law, I believe] letter written by Holland Pitman and Bettey Pitman.

The headline is Laurence county, Indiana May 11th, 1854.

Some abstracts:

"I have verry poor health and have all the spring, my complaint is in the liver and kidney which causes me to be verry feeble. Betey is in poor health at the present and has been for two weeks past the doctor thinks her complaint is in the liver too."

"Produce and property sell high .... horses sell from 75 dollars to $100-75 dollars, work cattle from $50 to 100 dollars ..."

"The Temperance cause in this country is gaining ground verry fast. Betey and myself took a ride on the cars to Bloomington about the middle of last month to coz John farris and staid a week with them."

"Haveing received a few lines a few weeks since from Mr. Wilson dated in January stating that suit was brought in court by the resident heirs of Thomas McNeill praying a decree of court to his lands ...."

"[Betty] thought as you was agent her farther's estate, you was artherized in that too ..."

J. McNeill to James McNeill, Kentucky, 1847

This stampless letter has a manuscript 'postmark' for New Market Ten, Nov 2d 47, a handwritten 5 cent rate (and a bunch of handwritten scrawling ...) and is addressed to Mr. Jas. H. McNeill, Loudon, Ky., and is a two page 'Dear Brother' letter written by Jno. & S.[?]J. McNeill.

The headline is New Market, Nov 2nd 1847.

Some abstracts:

"We are at present and have during the last summer enjoyed Remarkable good health ..."

"Mrst. Hayworth & Bales informed me that they lodged one night with you and that you were all well."

"When I last wrote I spoke of moving I am still in that notion and Mr. Mathes is now on a tour to Missouri seeking a suitable location, how that may terminate it is not for me to say at present though I will know in the course of three or four weeks, he resigned his seat as President of Holston College and will either locate in Missouri or some where in the South. There is one thing certain I intend leavin this part as soon as I can make it convenient but where I shall go I know not."

"Though the opening for teachers is much greater in the South than either this state or Ky and I intend going to one or the other of these places."

"Wm. Robert Howard is doing fine and is beginning to talk."

Sends his regards to mother and father.