1885 Letter to Civil War Veteran Denois Beman 94th NY Fredericksburg #1399

Original 1885 handwritten family letter with its matching mailed envelope, sent from Walworth, New York to Denois M. Beman of Eaton Rapids, Eaton County, Michigan. Beman was a documented Civil War veteran of Company C, 94th New York Infantry who enlisted in 1861 and was wounded in action at the Battle of Fredericksburg on December 13, 1862. He was later discharged because of his wounds and became active in the Grand Army of the Republic. The lengthy multi-page letter is dated November 1, 1885 and contains substantial period content concerning illness, severe winter weather, family finances, household difficulties, burial expenses, fears of poverty, and farming conditions. Of particular interest is a first-hand account of potatoes rotting badly and farmers leaving crops undug, providing an excellent glimpse into everyday agricultural and economic life in 1880s New York. The accompanying envelope is addressed to Mr. D. M. Beman, Eaton Rapids, Eaton County, Michigan, bears a Walworth, N.Y. November 2 postmark, and retains its canceled 2¢ George Washington stamp. Research suggests the writer may have been a member of the Vosburgh family, possibly Hannah Vosburgh, although the exact sender identification has not been conclusively proven. A desirable piece of Civil War veteran, New York, Michigan, postal-history and 19th-century social-history ephemera with strong research potential. Condition: Letter remains highly legible with original mailing folds, age toning and minor handling wear. Envelope shows heavier age wear, staining and opening damage along the edge, as visible in the photographs. Stamp and postmark remain intact. Letter and envelope have been kept together and should remain together as one historical archive. Please examine all photographs carefully for exact condition and contents. Sold as an original 1885 letter and envelope.