Publication InformationBurlington Feby 6 1866

Geo P. Marsh Esqr

Page 1

Dr Sir

Tis a long while since any of us have heard in any manner of you, so long that we hardly know where to direct a letter to you but presume you have removed to Florence with the removal of the seat of government. So many things have happened since I wrote that it is useless for me to attempt to tell you any part of it. Our own town is improving very much, real estate has advanced about fifty percent within two years and such a thing as hiring a house or even getting board is an impossibility, nearly. Last November I bought the old Pitkin place in Cherry st for $3500 and within two months I was offered $5000. for it and did not sell.

Mr Edmunds place is now estimated to be worth $20.000 and he only paid $6.000 for it. The 3 Congregational church is just about complete and the new organ is to be tested before an audience at twenty five cents per head in a few days. The dedication is to take place very soon. The interior is quite pretty but I think

it will be too dark as the glass is about leather colored and the windows very narrow.

The new catholic church has its roof on and is a very imposing looking building

It puts all the rest of us in the shade Our new iron works progresses finely. The rolling mill has been in operation for three months or more and the Nail Factory for about two weeks. The latter makes about three hundred kegs per day. They intend in the spring to put up a Bessemer steel works, a mill for rolling RR iron and Boiler plate, a factory for Horse nails and one for making wagon axles. A large steam saw mill is just completed on the North end of the VCRR grounds and business generally is thriving here. Mr Edmunds has been to N.Y. with his daughter and is in hopes they may succeed in loosing the contracted cord in her neck so that she may be able to carry her head erect once more. Your friends here are all in their usual health I believe.

Our war is over at least that part in the field and we are doing all we can to fix our constitution and laws so that the thing will never trouble us again. Many have fears of the President but I hope for the best. We have a good majority in Congress

And they seem determined that all shall be made right before the seceeded states shall have much to say about making laws for us. I enclose a photograph of our boy taken when 11 months old. He grows quite fast and begins to talk a little.

We all think him very smart of course He is named for both his grand-fathers and they both endeavor to spoil him. Please remember us all to Mrs M and believe me

Truly YoursA G. Peirce

Hon Geo P. Marsh

References in this letter:

George Franklin Edmunds (1828-1919) began his career practicing law in Burlington. He served in the Vermont State House of Representatives and in the State Senate. In 1866 he was elected to the United States Senate as a Republican to fill the vacancy caused by Solomon Foot's death and served for four terms. He resigned in 1891. Edmunds was married to Susan Edmunds, the daughter of Marsh's sister and Wyllys Lyman, his Burlington friend.

A Burlington businessman, Albert G. Peirce ran the J. S. Peirce and Sons, a grocery and agricultural supplies store on Church Street with his father, J. S. Peirce. When the Marshes left for Italy, the family looked after their house and forwarded their mail.