RootsChat.Com
Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition => Topic started by: Foehn on Wednesday 05 June 19 11:40 BST (UK)
-
Can I please have some help in deciphering this account
-
Which bits can't you read?
-
Estate of J. Sampson £ C B Sampson
Carriage for J Sampson L Lanjon(?) 64 - 00
Bill at Mansion house 36 - 00
Blankets calico etc for fitting house 150 - 00
paid Dr for medical Attendance 84 - 00
Funeral Expenses 120 - 00
Board during illness 40 - 00
Druggists Acc(oun)t 24 - 00
Clergyman’s burial fee 48 - 00
_________
£ 566 - 00
_________
Rec(eived) Amount C, B, Sampson
Allowed W H Sampson
Admin
Admin = administrator presumably
-
$ 566 - 00 ;D
-
I didn't put in what I could read to see if others with fresh eyes had a different interpretation.
However, if you look carefully at the way the J is written for John's name and then the letter in the middle of the words for the carriage cost, do you think it is San Jose? If so, what does the single letter proceeding it mean? To or from? or, is it a person's name?
-
Line 1 – Estate of J. Sampson to C. B. Sampson
Line 2 – I agree, it's probably ... to San Jose.
(Would San Jose make sense in the context of this document?)
In general, when you post an extract for transcription, it’s always helpful if you can provide some basic context – such as date, location, and any personal names or place-names that you may already know. These can provide clues to deciphering the more difficult words.
-
$ 566 - 00 ;D
Quite right Hallmark.
My mistake!
I'm so used to do English inventories................ :)
-
I have found a little more on this query. Mansion House was a legitimate place built in 1850 at San Jose, perhaps not fully finished when John Sampson was sent there? It became known as Beaty's hotel by 1855 and there's a picture of it here
http://digitalcollections.sjlibrary.org/cdm/ref/collection/arbuckle/id/297
In the notes beneath it mentions "Steam boat line stage office for San Francisco." But it doesn't make sense if the intended destination might have been San Francisco. Maybe it all comes back to medical care.