tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5326223780463850836.post7876063901844533092..comments2023-10-11T09:12:39.054-05:00Comments on The Trans-Mississippian: The 21st Illinois Infantry and Its Famous ColonelJane Johanssonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11723064098756475302noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5326223780463850836.post-19912976841158430752015-05-19T19:22:56.336-05:002015-05-19T19:22:56.336-05:00Hi, I was driving west on us 36 from Tuscola, il t...Hi, I was driving west on us 36 from Tuscola, il to Decatur on my way to bloomington il. Stopped at a small cemetery in the middle of nowhere. Saw the grave marker of Pvt. John Wilson of K company of the 21st. Looked him up on the Internet and ended up here. He was discharged for disability in 1863. Standard military headstone of the era. Said a prayer for him. Hope he was an honorable soldier. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5326223780463850836.post-78727459164465710882014-02-02T15:17:04.465-06:002014-02-02T15:17:04.465-06:00Hi David, I agree with you that the documents, pho...Hi David, I agree with you that the documents, photographs, and watercolors owned by your friend are indeed valuable. Civil War items can command some substantial prices--just look at some of the appraised Civil War items on Antiques Roadshow! If she has an interest in making them available for researchers, and, as a historian, I hope that she does, then the best option may be to donate them to a University's Special Collections or a historical society. Probably, some institution in Illinois would be the most interested in the items, however, there are certainly places in California that would probably accept her items. Just as an example of how to go about doing this, my dad collected railroad timetables from the 1940s-1960s. My mom was unsure of what to do with them, but I discovered in an online search that the Western History Collection at the University of Oklahoma collected transportation items. I emailed an inventory of the collection to one of the librarians who worked in the Western History Collection, and she readily agreed to accept the materials. They are currently processing the materials, and they will be available for researchers to use. These types of facilities make available listings of the collections that they own with a description so researchers can find them and make use of them. Some facilities are digitizing their collections as well. And, another plus is that they properly preserve the materials and safeguard them. I hope that this helps answer your questions. Jane Johanssonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11723064098756475302noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5326223780463850836.post-46682649068246319222014-02-01T20:47:49.011-06:002014-02-01T20:47:49.011-06:00Dear Ms Johansson; I have just read your article o...Dear Ms Johansson; I have just read your article on the 21st Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment with a great deal of interest. Briefly, my wife and I are on an extended vacation to California to avoid the miserable midwest winter and are presently staying with friends in the San Francisco Bay area. Our friend Linda is a descendant of one Captain Richard L. Smith who was the commanding officer of Company "G" of the 21st Illinois Infantry Regiment. She possesses, in my opinion, valuable relics of his Civil War Service consisting of a Company Descriptive Book, a Diary, two small photographic albums of C.D.V.'s, the majority of which are individually identified, two original watercolor views of Civil War subjects, and other interesting objects. Would you care to give us your opinion of these objects and the best way to preserve them and possibly make them available for study? Your consideration in this matter would be greatly appreciated. Yours sincerely David L. GordonAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11798130786168093497noreply@blogger.com