I regret that I don't always know where I found some of my treasures. Yes, it sounds like symptoms of a hoarder, but I collect so little that even real hoarders have looked at my stash and said, "Meh!" The regret comes from not knowing who the names on the papers belong to, what business they were conducting, or where. It doesn't diminish the item, just leaves you with a lot of curiosities. Case in point (Click on any of the image for a more readable size):
This is possibly a receipt of sale between Samuel Bridgham and Hiram Miller April 4th, 1867. Some of the stand out items on here are the "One Quarter Pig for $1.83" and the "one pair of shoes for $1.50." But wait! There's more!
This side appears to a pay voucher for a day of working in the fields. And below a month long tally of days worked.
Hi. I've studied my family's history for the past 12 years. There have been 25 Samuel Bridghams since 1685. Only 8 of them lived as adults in 1867. There was only one Hezekiah Bridgham (mentioned on page 3) ever, and one of these 8 Samuels was his brother. So I strongly suspect this is Samuel Bridgham, Jr, 1822 to after 1885, and his brother, Hezekiah (aka Henry), 1812-1906. They were 2 of 10 children born to Samuel and Charlotte (Clark) Bridgham. Both were born in Connecticut. Samuel moved to Massachusetts by 1840, and to Delaware by 1860. He was a sailor and later a shipyard worker. Hezekiah spend his whole life in Connecticut where he was a jeweler and watch maker and repairman.
ReplyDeleteHowever, it doesn't sound like either of these men would be in an occupation that involves sales of the items on this list. Another possibility is Samuel Roland Bridgham, 1825-1902, a farmer who lived in Hebron, Maine at his time. Or Samuel Woodman Bridgham, 1837-1919, a farmer who lived in Newburgh, Maine most of his life. And there was a 66-year-old Hiram Miller who live near Newburgh about this time. Other than that, I have no idea who Hiram Miller was.
- J R Bridgham