Saturday, November 6, 2010

A LETTER FROM THE PAST

Last week we posted one of Charlie Bullis's school writing exercises. This week we came across a letter written to Mr. Bullis by one of his associates eighty-two years ago. We found this bit of bargaining and assessor talk quite interesting, and hope you do as well.

"Mr. Charles Bullis, Macedon NY
Farmington NY November 16' 1928

Dear Mr. Bullis,

If after you have your inventory you will sell me back that Compass I will give you the same as Abram gave me for it. I find that we assessors have got to get the boundrys and acreage for a number of strips over in the big Swamp here so the county Treasurer can sell them by next spring for taxes, there dont seem to be any owner for a number of them. This Swamp extends across the town east and west and about a half mile wide, and quite soft, I find I cant do anything with a pocket Compass and I dont like to borrow; one can be ever so careful accidents sometimes happen, I have 217 acres of my own in a number of parcels and it would be qite useful to me; if this meets your favor please send me a card,

very truly yours
E.J. Gardner, Macedon NY"

Do you know the location of the "big Swamp" referred to in this note? If so, please let us know.

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