There are in the archives of the Salisbury Historical Society are many wonderful letters and papers that have been painstakingly sorted and filed. It would be a very large project to present them here on our website; however, as time goes on, some will be included, and the index below will list them.
The “Love Letters”
Date: approximately 1852-1859 8 Letters
Location: Archives Office, Correspondence Box
From: Edwin F. Delancey of New York, residing in Grass Valley, California
No genealogy at this time.
To: Esther F. Dimond of Concord and Salisbury, NH
Likely genealogy: Born April 24, 1832, in South Hampton, Rockingham County, NH. Died December 9, 1908, in Salisbury. She was the 5th of 10 children. She wrote the letters when in her 20s. In 1860, she lived in Boston with her brother. On Nov. 21, 1866, she married Albert P. Morrison (or possibly Thomas Albert Morrison), and they had no children. Albert died in 1872. In 1880, she is listed as living in Boston with a “son,” Thomas, 21, her sister, and two nieces. Albert likely had a son before marrying Esther. Esther was a second wife to Mr. Morrison, whose first wife was Cora Chase Newcomer of Wauseon, Ohio, married June 7, 1858. Thomas’s (son) birthdate would have to be in 1859. At the same time as the love letters. The 1900 census lists her and George Dimond, 77, and George S. Dimond, 44, living in Salisbury. She resided at the 100-acre Diamond Farm south of the crossroads of Rte 4 and 127 in Salisbury. She was 68 and listed as a farmer. She is buried in Franklin Cemetery.
One of Esther’s brothers, Oral, was born 7 years before her. He went to California in 1844 and was not heard from since that time.
Topic: Letters are a combination of declaration of love from Mr. Delancey to Ms. Dimond, poetry, deep reflections on life, as well as interesting commentary on life in California during the Gold Rush Days.
Format: Handwritten original letters and transcripts
Letter 1 1852 (possibly incorrectly dated)
Letter 2 Feb 1858
Letter 3 April 15, 1858
Letter 4 July 17, 1858
Letter 5 Sept 30, 1858
Letter 6 June 2, 1859
Letter 7 June18, 1859
Letter 8 July 15, 1859
Correspondence to Friends
Anna R. Eaton Letter
Date: Sept 19, 1901, Palmyra, New York
Location: Copy in SHS Archives Office, Courtesy of Mr. and Mrs. Ed Swyer
From: Anna Ruth (Webster) Eaton
To: Sawyer family in Salisbury
Topic: In praise of Salisbury and Memories
England is Grateful
Date: Sept 20, 1941
Location: SHS Archives Office, Correspondence Box
From: Miss Ada B. Teetgen, Kent, England
To: Women’s Knitting Bee in West Salisbury, NH
Topic: In part a, Thank You Letter to the knitting ladies of West Salisbury for knitting goods for the British people under siege during the German air raids of WW2. In large part, a personal and detailed description of her tasks in the war effort as a fire spotter watching for German invading aircraft and bombings. A vivid description of life under attack.
Format: It would appear the original Letter may have been published in a newspaper, as it is in a typed column format.
Coyne, Edward Letters
Date: approximately 2000
Location: Archives Office, Correspondence Box,
From: Ed Coyne
To: Mary Philips, Curator of the Salisbury Historical Society
Topic: Reminiscences of childhood in Salisbury, 1940s.
Format: Handwritten original letters
Excerpt: Collecting Milkweed pods in the WW2 war effort.