Letters and Heirlooms

Last Update 8 August, 1995

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Appendix X Copies of Wills of William McNutt (1454) and Samuel McNutt (1455)

Excerpts - Will of William McNutt (1454) July 6, 1841 Probated:

1. To James Burns McNutt, my eldest son, all my Real Estate and Personal Estate: marsh, interval, upland and woodland (excepting 25 acres of the latter) with houses, barns, buildings (excepting room and bedroom in the dwelling house).

2. To John Dickson McNutt, my second son, 50 pounds, to be paid by installments of 10 pounds per year; also his boarding, lodging, washing, and suitable apparel for 2 1/2 years from date.

3. To Alexander Boyle McNutt, my youngest son, 50 pounds, to be paid by installments of 10 pounds per year, and one-fourth (1/4) part of a woodlot No. 55, 2nd Division.

4. To Isabella McNutt, my wife, the large room of the dwelling house with bedroom off the same, and all furniture, beds, and bedding, which are now in my possession, and 2 pounds yearly.

5. To Nancy Ann, my eldest daughter, 20 pounds.

6. To my youngest daughter, Margaret Soley, 20 pounds.

All of which legacies to be paid by James B. McNutt out of my estate, together with Alexander B. McNutt

Witness: Dated May 19, 1837 William McNutt
William Blair
William Birrell (Page 196 of Wills Truro, N.S.)

Will of Samuel McNutt (1455) of Truro, N.S.

1. To my wife, Margaret, mare, wagon and furniture in the house.

2. To my son Charles, the house.

3. To my grandson Samuel Fletcher, a pair of yearling steers.

Witness: May 10, 1849
Duncan Black
John Black Samuel X. McNutt
James Campbell Black

(Page 287 of Wills, Truro, N.S. No. 201)

Note - These wills came from Ref. C., The Lodge Collection.

Copy of Letter - Daniel Taylor to Samuel A. McNutt (14553)

Dear Sir:

I promised in my letter to Mr. Blair to answer the letter I received from you by the hands of Mr. Murray.

Mr. William Pye is now about to return to Nova Scotia for the purpose of removing his Mother and family to this country - he will put the letter in the office in Halifax before he goes home to St. Marys. I will not trouble him with a long letter for I expect that you and Mr. Blair will leave Nova for this country before the letter will reach River Johns.

I have not received any word from Nova since I got the letters from you and Mr. Blair. I answered Mr. Blair's immediately. I need not give you directions for traveling again as I have given them to you and Blair.

I should be glad to see you and Mr. Blair safe here with your families or any other honest industrious Novas. You can do well in this country. Wages are good and provisions and land low. A very steady winter. The Spring came about the 15th of Feb. I got a large field sowed and harrowed before the first of March. The weather for the last 4 weeks has been like April in Nova. You need not be the least afraid to come to this land of Illinois. If you are spared to see this place, you will bless the day you left Nova. May he who holds the winds in his fist and the waves in the hollow of his hand be with you and yours.

We are all in good health and have been ever since we came here. Every thing prospers that we undertake so that we have not the least cause to complain. The longer I am here the better I like the place. If you get here and be as sober as you have been you can live better than any farmer in Nova and soon get a good farm.

Believe me to be your sincere friend.

The 5th of March 1841 Daniel Taylor

Knoxville, Illinois

Note - This letter was passed on by George S. McNutt (1455341) Daniel Taylor's wife was a Lynds, and a niece of Samuel A. McNutt's wife, Sara Lynds.

Copies of Letters to Adeline G. Damon 1862-1863

Headquarters, Camp Meigs
Readville, Mass. br> September 20, 1862

Dear Addie,

I suppose you would like to have a few lines from me as Albot Dunlap is coming home to-morrow - thought I would send a few lines by him. I went to Boston Saturday and stayed until last night and had a nice time with the girls. They went to the top of the State House yesterday afternoon and all over the Common and Public Gardens. They went to the depot with me last night. I went to a meeting with them all day Sunday, went to Tremont Temple in the morning and to Aunt Mary's church in the afternoon. Evening I sent the carpet bag home by express from Old Colony Depot in Boston. Suppose you have got it. I took a small piece of cheese to camp with me. Tell mother if she wants to send anything to me that Albot will bring it when he comes back. He will have 3 or 4 days furlough. I should like to have some sweetmeats and fruit and tell her to send some pototoes. You can send as many as you want to, send the small white ones, the earliest ones. Mother will know which ones. I want them to fry. I have got my matress filled and can sleep quite decent. Tell Mother I do not know when she will get the money, cannot find out anything about it yet. If she wants anything, get it at Fred Fuller's and pay when she gets the money. Cannot think of any more at present, so good day.

From you Brother Edward F. Damon

Plymouth Feb. 10, 1863

Dear Sister Addie,

It is with great pleasure that I sit down to write to you. I was pleased to hear from you. I cannot think of much to write but it is enough for you to know that I am well and I am very thankful that I enjoy good health. I have wrote to Aunt Lucy's Grandfather. I will try to get some flowers to send in letters if I can find any. Tell Mary Ann to send me envelopes - the Scot Light Guard if she can get them. I have not got but 4 or 5 left. Billy Caswell is learning to drum. Bill is quarter-master's clerk. Lieutenant Lejle has gone to Newburn. I expect more letters when he comes back. I will close now by bidding you Good Day.

From your brother Edward F. Damon

Elizabeth City (N.C.)

March 10, 1863

Dear Sister Addie,

As I now have an opportunity I will improve it by writing a few lines to you. I am well and I hope these lines will find you the same. I like this place very well and I enjoy myself first rate. The boys are singing and playing their music most every night and the people come out on their front steps to hear them. They like our company first rate and think they are very nice young men. I go to meeting here most everyday. Most all of the boys go. They have very good ones. I am dressed up today in my good clothes and I am going to Church this afternoon, so I will close by bidding you good day. Give my best respects to all inquiring friends.

Edward F. Damon

Copies of Letters to Adeline G. Damon

April 13, 1863

Sister Addie,

I will now answer the few lines that I received from you last night. I was glad to hear that you were all well. I got 2 letters on the 31st with paper in them. I am glad of that. I have been writing to Lucy and Mary Ann so will write you a few lines. I am enjoying good health and hope these lines will find you enjoying the same. Most all the boys have gone out to play ball on the ground where we have our dress parade. It is a very pleasant place. Captain Emer plays with them. He was very much pleased with that letter you wrote him. I have just been down into his room and got some flag envelopes. He gave me 15 of them so I can send one everytime I write. I have not had a letter from Aunt Lucy yet. All the Fairhaven boys are enjoying themselves first rate and they are in hopes that they will see old Fairhaven soon, but don't know when. I hope that Mother has sent me a box with some good cake in. I think it would taste good just about this time. Some of the boys had some come last week with butter cheese cake preserves everything good. I will direct the letter to you and send you all some flowers.

Receive from your brother Edward F. Damon

Camp Jourdan, New Bern

May 17, 1863

Sister Addie,

Since it is Sunday today I have nothing to do but write you a few lines. It is very pleasant here today. I think I shall attend church this afternoon. I have been to work last week with about 2000 men digging an entrenchment. We are going to cut wood this week. There is 15 to 20,000 soldiers in New Bern. It is a sight to see them all together. If the Old Secesh army should come here, we would cut them all to pieces. The Fairhaven boys are all well. Billy Caswell is in my tent now. He is tough and hearty as can be. It will not be long before you will see them coming into Fairhaven, and then what a great time there will be. I suppose all the folks will turn out to see us. I must close now so Good Day. Receive this from you ever true brother.

Edward F. Damon

Give my best respects to Father and Mother and all the family. Write often and I will do the same.

Copy of letter to Adeline G. Damon March 25, 1863

Elizabeth, N.C.

March 25, 1863

My Dear Niece,

I was much please in receiving a letter from you by the hands of Eddie. You inquire about him, whether or not he is a good boy. I can say that he is a very good boy, does his duty, is quiet and peacable. All the fault I find with him, - he will not talk. I cannot get any conversation from him, very still and quiet, does not seem to want to enter into conversation. I think I have never had occasion even to speak any way sharply to him. He gives no occasion for anything of the kind as some others do. I have no serious fault to find with any of my boys. They are a good set of men, do their duty promplty, always obey. Not one of them has ever given me an unhansome word, a better company is not to be found among all the troops in North Carolina. Any alarm in the night time, five minutes is all they want to be in line, from a sound sleep, and they are ready for any emergency. We have many times since we came here been alarmed at midnight by guerillas driving in our pickets. We go out and hunt them. We have not been able to capture but two since we came here. They are bad fellows to hunt, go where they are and they are not there as the Irishman said. They will secret themselves behind a pile of brick or behind houses and pop a fellow and then run. They show no fair fight. Such are the beauties of war, and it has many other beautiful qualities too numerous to mention.

Our time is now 2/3 up, and the war seems no nearer to a close. When it will end is quite uncertain in my mind. We have lost 4 of our company by death and 14 captured. I hope we may not lose more, but bring them all home to their friends. Time will determine that. We hope for the best and learn the result.

Remember me to all friends. You must call and see Aunt Lucy often. She no doubt feels lonely. Tell your mother I would like a piece of that poor mince pie. I think I should call it good about this time. Tell Joseph to behave himself and get married and be somebody. I suppose he goes the rounds as usual and looks at all the pretty girls and that is all he does do.

Excuse the scribbles as I have but one pen and that has worn out and I cannot get another one. I am always glad to hear from my friends. Hope you will write again any time when you feel like it. I will answer them in my poor way. I can write a decent letter with a decent pen.

You do not care about the looks so much as you do the substance and that is not very much I am sorry to say, but if I do the best I can, it is all that can be expected.

All in haste from your uncle

Yours B. Emer, Jr.

Commanding Company I 3rd Regiment MVM

Camp Jourdan

May 25, 1863

Sister Addie,

I have just received a letter from you of the 17th. I received one last week dated the 13th. I did not answer it. You said you wanted me to have my picture taken. I think I shall wait until I get home and then I can get a good one taken. I have not been well for 3 or 4 days but I am a good deal better now. I see 170 rebel prisoners yesterday. They were camp C lost to our regiment. Some of our company guarded them. Our pickets were drove in out to deep gulley. 3 or 4 brigades of soldiers and any quantitiy of artillery went out then by our camp. Our soldiers drove them out of sight. There's no danger of their coming here. They could not get in here if they tried. We have 15 or 20000 soldiers here now. We feel just as safe here as if we were at home. Tell Mary Ann I cannot get any flowers today. I will try to get some the next time I write. I am glad to hear that the prisoners are exchanged. Hope they will get home soon. I will write to Mary Ann and Mother soon. The weather is too warm and the flies are so troublesome that I cannot write much at a time. The boys are waiting patiently for the order to start for home. Hope it will be soon. Recieve this from your ever true brother. E. F. Damon

Write soon and often. I will do the same. I will send the receipt of the money I sent as you have got it. .

Heirlooms in Philadelphia

Alphabet sampler cross stitched on burlap by Mary C. Millard in 1824 at age 14. 4 coin silver tea spoons and 1 coin silver table spoon with engraved intials M.C.D. (Mary C. Millard Damon).

A child's chair of oak built by Jacob I. McNutt about 1912 for birthday gift to Homer E. McNutt.

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