[TudoBem]

I've been a stranger the last few days on the forum, as I have spent most of my time in southeastern Connecticut, in an ongoing multi month project to tie up some loose ends with family business, etc.

Anyhow, this morning I decided to take the day off. I stayed on the property where I grew up, and started off my day with a joint and a beach walk with my dogs. I then headed back to the main house to organize some papers. While in an attic, I came across a black metal box, about 2' x 4' x 2'.

Inside, there were hundreds upon hundreds of tightly bound letters and documents, dating from 1742 to 1877, with a huge collection of Civil War letters, early colonial documents, land deeds and transfers, and various correspondence.

I was immediately hooked. I have spent the last 8 hours reading the letters, mostly focusing on the civil war era. It is really fucking interesting, I am transported into the past. It was also exceptionally difficult to get used to the style of writing, which is unintelligible to us, it took me a couple hours before I could keep a good flow while reading. The words are very difficult to read, they look like cursive done by a meth addict.

I am going to give my brain a rest and rip a bong hit before watching an episode of Breaking Bad, but a bit later on, I will post some excerpts of the most interesting letters I have come across. I don't think anyone has looked at these in over 150 years.

[Only One Man]

(01-09-2012 06:53 PM)TudoBem Wrote:  

I've been a stranger the last few days on the forum, as I have spent most of my time in southeastern Connecticut, in an ongoing multi month project to tie up some loose ends with family business, etc.

Anyhow, this morning I decided to take the day off. I stayed on the property where I grew up, and started off my day with a joint and a beach walk with my dogs. I then headed back to the main house to organize some papers. While in an attic, I came across a black metal box, about 2' x 4' x 2'.

Inside, there were hundreds upon hundreds of tightly bound letters and documents, dating from 1742 to 1877, with a huge collection of Civil War letters, early colonial documents, land deeds and transfers, and various correspondence.

I was immediately hooked. I have spent the last 8 hours reading the letters, mostly focusing on the civil war era. It is really fucking interesting, I am transported into the past. It was also exceptionally difficult to get used to the style of writing, which is unintelligible to us, it took me a couple hours before I could keep a good flow while reading. The words are very difficult to read, they look like curvise done by a meth addict.

I am going to give my brain a rest and rip a bong hit before watching an episode of Breaking Bad, but a bit later on, I will post some excerpts of the most interesting letters I have come across. I don't think anyone has looked at these in over 150 years.
A

That is cool as fuck man I've always wanted to find stuff like that.

[MikeCF]

Not commodify everything.....If you love them, I'd be the last to suggest selling them.

BUT, those might be worth some cash.

A friend of mine runs a well known rare book store.

PM me if you want to be put in touch.

[FretDancer]

Amazing dude. Maybe you could offer to show them at some exhibitions or for research purposes and get some $$ out of it. I wouldn't like losing those letters though, no matter if its for cash.

[Deluge]

Are the letters and papers etc. from your ancestors or from a previous tenant? I'm surprised letters from 250-150 years ago haven't degraded or anything after being stored in a dusty attic for so long.

[TudoBem]

All interesting comments. Showing some at an exhibition is a good idea. If I wanted to sell them, I could, but I doubt that I would. If I found something worth multiple six figures, maybe, but for now they are just fun. Most are from some maternal ancestors of mine I am only vaguely aware of. The box has probably been where it was for at least 50 years, the property has never left my family, but when there is a move or one generation passes, things can get moved in and out.
For now, I am looking for letters that have battle content from the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and the Civil War, since that is what interests me most. My idea for the rest of the letters was to order them by date, and then in the future I could give them as gifts keyed to someone's specific birthday.
As promised, I will put some excerpts and maybe even some photos up if I get ambitious.

[germanico]

Thats a treasure Tudo. Please share with the internets any findings of particular interest. Even if you plan on keeping them, consider lending them to a museum for documenting or exhibiting. Specially the letters that detail battles.

Please do not gift them around your family, as they might not feel the same passion for history, and might loose them forever. Instead, consolidate the property by asking them if they might have any "old letters" they might want to "include" in the "family collection". (also, do a search on document storage. A metal box in a mouldy attic is no place for historic documents)

P Dog, paper used to be made from old rags, and the ink was formulated to last. Modern paper is made from wood pulp, and modern ink reacts with humidity to produce acidic gasses. Thats the reason old documents survive while the paperback you bought last year is already crumbling at the corners.

[TudoBem]

So here is a choice one. It appears one of my relatives was not down with reconciliation towards the end of the Civil War, and was all for hanging the Rebs upside down by their short and curlies:

from a letter dated April 16th, 1865:

"What sudden changes are taken place in our country the day of rejoicing scarcely ended the country is call to mourn the greatest of all Calamaties. President Lincoln too tender hearted to conservative + conciliatory. I hope now the Rebels will get their deserts until they are made to suffer for the crimes they have committed, we cannot prosper. They must respect this government, and feel its power."

[FretDancer]

Nice pictures. The handwriting is really amazing.

[kosko]

Ahh good ol' hemp paper. That bud ur smoking is more then just some good weed. I am pretty sure old style documents and letters we're sketched on hemp/fabric like papers that didn't degrade like the shitty pulp stuff we use today. Very interesting stuff, thank you for sharing. I myself want to start a dairy of some sort our generation is equally about to go through changes as dramatic as your ancestors, something tells me a blog won't cut as a way to archive my thoughts and observations.