[Carpentry][Lightning Strike] Stampless Letter from Dover, Maine to Manchester, Indiana, July 1842 by Blethen, J. L - 1842

Dover, Maine, 1842. Good condition/None. Stampless Letter from Dover, Maine to Manchester, Indiana, July 1842, J. L. Blethen, Dover, Maine, 1842. 13.75 x 8.25 inches. 3pp.

Manuscript postal marking include "Dover ME, July 11, paid 25". Headline of the letter is "Dover, July 10th, 1842". Written in a fine hand in blue ink. Moderate soiling and small tears at mailing folds. Good condition.

A stampless letter written by J. (or possibly I.) L. Blethen in Dover, Maine to his cousin George W. Blethen in Manchester, Dearborn County, Indiana. The Blethen family name has been long associated with the Dover-Foxcroft area of Maine.The first page of the letter covers J. L. Blethen's journey from Bangor back home to Dover on a stormy day, and that his work (likely carpentry) is quite good. He writes "there have been a number of buildings put up since you left, and Chamberlain is now framing a meeting house for the Baptists which will be erected on the land between our house and Harmons. I can average 1.25 per day at my trade." The second page he describes the festivities of the Washington celebration on July 4th, how he damaged his chaise, lists off a few names and locations of people his cousin requested, and mentions that there haven't been any deaths except that of a Mrs. Martin by lightning. On the last page of the letter Blethen reflects on childhood days gone by.