Volume 7 , Issue 36

Friday, Aug. 27, 1920 - Remailing Ancient Letter...

This 1920 news article was taken from The Renfrew's Record, Alva, Woods County, Oklahoma, Friday, August 27, 1920 -- Remailing Ancient Letter

A few days since J. P. Renfrew of this city mailed a letter to his cousin in Galesburg, Ill. that was written in July, 1846 by her father Wm. R. Johnson of Plainfield, Ohio. The letter was originally written and mailed to John Renfrew, (father or J. P.) Marioin, Linn County, Iowa Territory. As was the custom in those days before envelopes were used, the letter was folded the size of an ordinary envelope and held together on the back of the letter by a plaster of red sealing wax about the size of a nickel. The front side of the folded letter was left blank on which to write the address. The letter described the enlistment of 125 Coshocton county, Ohio volunteers for the Mexican war, May 30, 1846. The war spirit spread rapidly in those days as the battles of Palo Alto and Resaco de la Palma, the first battles of the Mexican war were fought on the 8th and 9th of the same month. Mr. Renfrew's uncle, Edward D. Johnson went with these volunteers. When the regiment was being organized at Cincinnati, a few weeks later, seven of the Coshocton boys deserted and returned to their homes. The letter states this and gives the deserters names. Mr. Renfrew says that when he was a child his mother told him the sotry of the deserters and said that her mother hoped that Edward would come home also. her father took a different view of it however. "If that young man comes home, a deserter, I'll send him right back to the army. I'll not allow a son of mine to disgrace me by deserting when his country need him." Ed didn't desert, however, but came home with his regiment two years later and was honorably discharged. As Mr. Renfrew's cousin had expressed a desir to get possession of the letter written by her father so long ago, it has been again mailed 74 years after it was first mailed.   |  View or Add Comments (0 Comments)   |   Receive updates ( subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

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