I’ve been thinking about doing a DNA test since I was adopted as a baby, and am curious as to my heritage, now that I’m in my 50’s. I’ve gone to Ancestry.com on several occasions to look at their testing information and I guess they got a hold of my email address and have been sending me stuff. I finally decided to input some family history onto the site, as far as what they’ll let you do ‘free.’
In the process of adding information to a ‘family tree’ on that site, I’ve been poking around in my bible (where i keep family and friends obituaries), and decided to look in my Mom’s old bible. I was pretty sure I’d taken all of the obits she had in her’s and put them into mine, but figured I’d check once more. In perusing through her bible, I found pressed flowers, bookmarks, odd papers, and this letter that you see below. I’ve no idea if it’s the real deal or a handwritten copy, but in searching for info on the family, I found my Grandfather’s side of the family is from Pennsylvania, which was a surprise as I thought the entire family was from West Virginia. I’m wondering if my Grandfather had tried to copy the letter as maybe a school project or something, but who knows at this point, and my parents, and my grandparents have all passed this World by now.
The first picture below is the letter, and the second picture is the back of the letter. I had trouble reading the print, but my friend Sharon Slater in Limerick, IRE could read it and this is what it says;
Philad. July 5 1775.
Mr Strahan,
You are a Member of Parliament and one of that Majority which has doomed my Country to Destruction – You have begun to burn our Towns and murder our People – Look upon your Hands! They are stained with the Blood of your Relations! – You and I were long Friends: – You are now my Enemy, – and I am Yours.
B Franklin.
William H. Seamon. Jr
