These letters were written by Rebecca (“Beck”) Hand (1834-1914), the daughter of Abiel Hyde Hand (1797-1878) and his second wife, Catharine Catrinje Schoonmaker (1804-1854) of Libertyville, Ulster county, New York. She wrote the letters from the boarding house of Lucy J. Hayes (1825-18xx), the widow of W. E., at 22 Jay Street in Albany, New York….
1865: Mathew Macklem to John Barton Macklem
This letter was written by Mathew Macklem (1792-1867) of Mill Creek Hundred, New Castle county, Delaware. Mathew wrote the letter to John Barton Macklem (1817-After 1865)—the oldest son by his first marriage to Catherine Jacobs (1794-1841). In the letter, Mathew describes the death of his son George Jackson Macklem (1836-1864) and the wounding of another…
1864: William Goodrich Boardman to Edward Spencer Burbank
This letter was written by William Goodrich Boardman (1800-1881), an early-day manufacturer of pianos in Albany, New York. William was a wholesale grocer in Albany who knew nothing of making pianos. But he found himself in the business when a piano manufacturer named I. P. Cole, indebted to Boardman, failed in the Panic of 1837…
1865: James Wiley Herron to James H. Todd
This letter was written by James Wiley Herren (1828-1882), a farmer of Dadeville, Tallapoosa county, Alabama. James was married to Matilda Ann McLendon (1832-1908) in 1848. Early in the war, Herren served as the captain of Co. C, 34th Alabama Infantry. Herron wrote the letter to Capt. James H. Todd whom I have been unable…
1865: James Wiley Herren to John Thomas McLendon
This letter was written by James Wiley Herren (1828-1882), a farmer of Dadeville, Tallapoosa county, Alabama. James was married to Matilda Ann McLendon (1832-1908) in 1848. Early in the war, Herren served as the captain of Co. C, 34th Alabama Infantry. The 34th Alabama Infantry was organized at Loachapoka on 15 April 1862, with companies…
1863: Charles S. F. Robinson to Ann E. (Boardman) Robinson
This letter was written by Charles S. Frederick Robinson (1830-1921)—a brick mason from Rocky Hill, Hartford county, Connecticut. Charles wrote the letter while serving as a corporal in Co. F, 16th Connecticut Infantry. Charles enlisted on 11 August 1862 and was among those of his regiment captured at Plymouth, North Carolina, on 20 April 1864….
1864: Nancy Meriam (Conant) McKinstry to Cousin Mary
This letter was written by Nancy Meriam (Conant) McKinstry (1839-1934), the recently widowed wife of Van Buren McKinstry (1835-1864) of Charlton, Worcester county, Massachusetts. Nancy’s husband served in Co. G, 36th Massachusetts Infantry. He was taken prisoner by the confederates near Blain’s Cross Roads in Tennessee on 15 December 1863 and died of disease on…
1861: Thomas Crary to George Young
This letter was written by Thomas Crary (1834-1930), the son of Calvert Crary (1798-1878) and Eliza Hill (18xx-1897) of Liberty, Sullivan county, New York. An obituary notice for Thomas reads: “Thomas Crary, 96, of Hancock, well-known throughout the Southern Tier for his accomplishments in the fields of lumbering, tanning and mercantile activities, died at his…
1861-64: James Peters Elliott to his Parents
These letters were written by James Peters Elliott (1835-1909) from Fort Richardson and Fort Scott in the defenses of Washington D. C. James served with Co. I of the 1st Connecticut Volunteer Heavy Artillery—one of the first regiments to agree to a three year enlistment. James enlisted with his brothers, George Frederick Elliott and Edward…
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