Genealogists nightmare
This "letter" was originally on the Massachusetts DAR email and I found
it in "The Essex Genealogist" newsletter of Essex County, Massachusetts.
AND I LIFTED IT FROM NOVA SCOTIA LIST:)
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>..
Dear cousin:
In response to your
letter, I am sorry to inform you that grandpa "Fred" died some time back
and the stuff you asked about is not available. The personal property
the family did not want was sold at an Estate sale. All those boxes of
junk did not interest a single buyer. We were able to salvage several
binders for the kid's homework after we sent all the paper to the
incinerator. The kids really complained about having to lug all that
paper and pictures of those ugly folks to the dumpster. An old family
Bible from the 1840'a did bring $5.00. The one from the 1870's did not
sell.
There also was a bunch
of floppy disks that we were able to reformat and download some games
for the kids to play on their new playstation. At least SOMEBODY got
some good from the three generations' work. I saw fellow at a flea
market a couple of weeks ago and he said he threw the Bible in the trash
after nobody was interested in it. He said he got an offer for fifty
cents for it, but would rather burn it than give it away. He seemed to
be having a lot of success with some very nice Elvis painting at his
booth.
The two aunts you asked
about are also dead. They were such a delight and could talk all day
long about the things papa had written about. I remember them saying
something about some records that were copied from two courthouses that
later burned. Neither ever wrote down a single thing. The letter you
referred to was one he typed up and sent to lots of folks who wrote him.
He laughed about them never getting any of his hard work as well as his
Father's and about his Grandfather who was in the Civil War. He guarded
all the information carefully to the bitter end.
I wish I could remember
some of the things to help you, but I was bored to tears listening to
them talk about the family members who were in the Civil War and those
silly pieces of paper he showed so proudly. I vaguely remember they had
some beeswax seals and something to do with the land grants that were
destroyed in the courthouse fires. I wish I could remember the story
about his grandfather's evening with Jefferson Davis when he was on the
run. There were also some very juicy stories that were handed down, but
I don't remember them very well.
Another thing I remember
after he got sick was some fellow calling him and he agreed to let him
come down and copy all his material. He told him he would call him back
when he felt better. Papa mentioned something about letting the society
the man was from have all his work since nobody in the family cared
anything about a bunch of people who had been dead for 200 years. Papa
died the next week.
I am so sorry papa and
the two generations wasted so much of their life on such worthless
hobbies and hope your family will follow something more interesting. We
enjoy Bingo and bowling very much here in Pleasantville.
I really enjoyed hearing
from a long-lost cousin and would like to hear back if you find anything
important. The kids need the computer for their games and I need to
watch the "Millionaire" show.
Thank you, Cuz, Tammy Jean
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