A widow’s trunk of memories...

farrargirl

First Sergeant
Joined
Jul 9, 2017
Location
Baldwin County, on the Alabama Gulf Coast
One of my Rikard descendants offered to bring his gt.gt.grandmother’s trunk down to a central place, so we could all look at the contents. We know these to be the possessions of George Morgan Rikard, one of the five brothers who were all killed, due to the letter the Captain wrote his wife shortly after his death on the battlefield 22 July, 1864 in Atlanta.
Sharing a few photos I took of the contents, and would welcome any thoughts on the purpose of the syringe....or other items.

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The pants (?) appear to have residuals of mud or blood , and were referenced in the Capt. letter.
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The bonnet, glass case and billfold May have belonged to Caroline, his widow, as it was her trunk:
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The greatest treasure was her photograph album, containing tintypes of all the brothers when they were young men....and alive.
Also two stacks of Confederate money in $50 and $100 denominations, also mentioned by his Captain, due to a debt collected
from a comrade shortly before he was killed...
 
It's a very fortunate family that had the good sense to keep these items together.
Agree. It was sitting in an old bedroom of her great grandson. Our cousin happened to ask about it, and his father said “ don’t know what’s in it. It was some of your grandma’s stuff”.....gasp, gasp 😲😲
 
Wow. Wow. What a wonderful thing to still have these in the family! And while I imagine there were times when a man grabbed a bonnet because he desperately needed some shade and couldn't find a hat, I'm guessing this was her bonnet. But look at those close rows she sewed to give it structure! Can you share the Captain's letter with us? I'm curious why it mentioned his drawers (as those clearly were under pants, not trousers).
 
Wow. Wow. What a wonderful thing to still have these in the family! And while I imagine there were times when a man grabbed a bonnet because he desperately needed some shade and couldn't find a hat, I'm guessing this was her bonnet. But look at those close rows she sewed to give it structure! Can you share the Captain's letter with us? I'm curious why it mentioned his drawers (as those clearly were under pants, not trousers).
Sure....
Capt. McCreary’s letter explains the particulars....
and best of all, the newspaper article documents his burial so beautifully. They buried him at Col. Alston’s house, fairly close to the battle.The Colonel was an officer with John Hunt Morgan’s Cavalry....
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These are some of the direct descendants that came. Dennis ( our host) has originals of every letter he wrote to her....very emotional to see them...
 
You never know what you'll find in old family trunks, in my G-Grandmother's was all the Civil War letters that her Father wrote and a full set of officer's buttons for a Confederate uniform.
Oh what a wonderful discovery! I think a soldier’s letters home go a long way in understanding the family dynamics and devastation during this time....
 
Oh what a wonderful discovery! I think a soldier’s letters home go a long way in understanding the family dynamics and devastation during this time....
As the majority of the letters were written while he was in prison at Johnson's Island, they make even more interesting reading. The staff officer's buttons were taken away from me for safe keeping and I guess that their where abouts is a secret that my Grandmother took to her grave.
 
"Ovelmo Treatment" was apparently for chronic eczema.
View attachment 418772

There were additional ads running though the early 1900's with the latest one in 1944.
Awesome! Thanks, Laura , and @TerryB for the input. This was obviously Caroline and/or the children’s ointment. With that large tip, I wonder what form of liquid went inside that syringe?
 
@lelliott19 ,@lupaglupa ..........

btw....we think this is Caroline, who died in 1870. We are wondering if she is holding that letter. Also, could her clothing be consistent of a women in mourning? The original was in such bad shape I did the best I could for a temporary “fix”....View attachment 418775
I have no idea about the formal etiquette of wearing "mourning clothes ",
but this Lady looks so sad, so distraught and disenchanted .

Your family is very lucky to have this image.

Along with everything that has been preserved in that trunk !
 
I have no idea about the formal etiquette of wearing "mourning clothes ",
but this Lady looks so sad, so distraught and disenchanted .

Your family is very lucky to have this image.

Along with everything that has been preserved in that trunk !
Thanks.... disenchantment is a good term, no doubt, for her. Her husband and all four of his brothers were killed or died while in service. Her father had recently died, and a month before she died (1870), her mother had passed away. The descriptors you used pretty much summed up a lot of families, left with nothing but memories....
 
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