Local Author pens ‘My Dear Brother’; Book highlights the Civil War Letters to member of the Union Army

The art of letter writing seems to have gone by the wayside like the landline telephone. Occasionally a genuine letter comes in the mailbox, which is a surprise to the receiver. That is what happened to Marnie Baldwin Schrader, early on in the pandemic. 

Marnie received a letter from her cousin, Richard McCarthy, asking her if she wanted the family Civil War Letters that his sister had but no longer could keep. Marnie was very excited to be the recipient of the letters. 

There were 44 letters that she transcribed, and in partnership with Owego Historian Peter Gordon published a book.

The letters were written to Charles Ingersoll, who was in the Union Army. His sister Francis was the main correspondent, and was good at it! The letters were full of news, gossip, family issues, illnesses, crop prices and, yes, news of local men who had been killed in battle.

The Ingersoll family lived in Owego, what is now known as the Day Hollow Road area, and the backside of Lincolnshire.

Marnie was awed many times when reading and transcribing the letters. They were so full of faith in God and of patriotism, and anxiety for the safety of a much loved brother.

The book, My Dear Brother, can be purchased locally at River Row Bookshop, Carol’s Coffee and Art Bar and the Tioga Historical Society Museum gift shop, all on Front Street, and at Little Creek Farm on Day Hollow Road in Owego. The book is also available on Amazon.