Winter 2005

Volunteer Spotlight: The Digitalization of Duxbury Archives

By Sarah Gallagher

In this column we usually highlight the efforts of a single extraordinary volunteer, however in this edition we would like to acknowledge the efforts of several who are engaged in a single project.  We have developed a small cadre of volunteers who are helping to transcribe the treasures of the archives so that they can be accessible to more people.  Requiring patience and attention to detail, not to mention an ability to decipher sometimes impossibly difficult handwriting, the task of getting information into the computer has proven to be lot of fun for the volunteers. 

As the papers and documents are transcribed, the researchers find they are becoming involved in the lives of the authors.  Eventually, we hope to have this information available on our website, so that everyone can become familiar with the details of the lives of our earlier residents.

In response to a request for volunteers in an earlier edition of the Lamplighter, Patricia Flaherty gave us a call.  For the last few months she has been very busy transcribing the remarkable collection of Weston papers that was donated to the Society last year by Mssrs. Robert and Donald Severy.  Among the most interesting, she says, are the Civil War letters written by Duxbury soldiers to King Caesar’s son, Gershom Weston, who coordinated aid sent to the front.

Sally Forrest, who is particularly interested in the King Caesar House and its history, was excited to learn about the Society’s collection of Knapp Diaries.  Mr. Knapp, who ran the Powder Point School for Boys, lived in the King Caesar House with his family from 1886 to 1932.  Although there are several chronological gaps, he kept a nearly daily record of the events in his life for more than 50 years.  This first account of life in Duxbury at the turn of the century has kept Sally very busy.

Linda Pisani, a long time volunteer of the Society, is an old hand at deciphering ships logs and old letters.  She was among the first volunteers to work on transcription projects.  Lately, Linda has been involved with the Bradford papers.  This vast collection of documents is a centerpiece of the Society’s archival collection.  Carol Todd has also been transcribing Bradford documents.  In January she focused on the letters of Charlotte Bradford whose correspondence from the battlefields and hospitals of the Civil War tell the tale of this remarkable nurse. Included among the documents are hand drawn sketches of the encampments. 

We are so appreciative of the long hours it takes each of these volunteers to transcribe the material that they are reviewing.  We also look forward to the day when you will be able to easily and quickly read these same words on your own computer screen.###

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