Very interesting group of 17 letters. First there is the Deer Island, Boston, factor (see reverse numeral postmarks), followed by correspondence from Silver City Idaho, while it was still an Indian Territory. Silver City was a mining town and is now a ghost town (note different postmarks). Finally letters from Thomaston, Maine, with star postmarks.  The letters have their original cover and 3-cent banknote stamps (stamp missing from one cover) and are in good shape. The covers show some foxing and stains. Lot includes a photo of the Deer Island prison.

The handwritten letters are all addressed to Judson H. Trask who lived in Nobleboro Maine. Judson was born in 1862 which makes him just a teenager when receiving these letters…written between 1874-1878. The 1880 census shows Judson working as a hospital officer at the city prison on Deer Island, Boston Harbor Massachusetts. Two years later at age 20 Judson died of per nephritis…an inflammation of the tissues surrounding the kidneys. He was still working at Deer Harbor Prison and at the time of his death as the death certificate says he was a watchman there. Many of the letters are written by Judson’s brother Albert who was a patrolman at the prison. There is one letterhead from the facility and the rest Albert wrote “Deer Island” at the top. Deer Island was originally called Deer Island's House of Industry (est.1853) and was an almshouse. It was one of several efforts on the island to accommodate poor children and adults. Around 1880 "without any change in the legal appellation the 'House of Industry,' it became a prison. An article in the national Frank Leslie's Sunday Magazine (1884) described the prisoners on Deer Island: "they in the main are from the lowest stratum of the cosmopolitan society of New England's metropolis, embracing representatives of almost every nationality under the sun, and from the shortness of the sentences, many being confined for 10 days only, for nonpayment of one dollar and costs for drunkenness, and none for more than a year.”

Not only did Albert write but so did his cousin Carrie who lived in Thomaston Maine. There are letters from Judson’s brother James and his father James who are in Silver City, Idaho. It seems Judson’s father and brother (both named James) moved to Idaho to silver mine somewhere between 1870 and 1880 because the family lived in Nobleboro Maine in 1870 but the 1880 census shows James and his father living in Silver City along with Lucy A. who is 50, Mary who is 18, James who is 1½ and Clarence who is 1. Judson was only 12 years old, his mother is dead, and he was left behind when his father moved across West. It looks like Judson’s mother died around the time his father moved to Idaho and remarried. One of the letters from Albert (Deer Island) says he had no idea that his father remarried.

There are 5 letters from Carrie, 6 letters from Albert in Deer Island, 2 letters from James Jr. in Silver City Idaho and 3 letters from James Sr. in Silver City, Idaho. The letters from Judson’s father are somewhat illiterate which only adds to the charm of this group. Here are quotes from a few of the letters exactly as they were written:

“Silver City I.T. (Idaho Territory) March 1, 1877 – My dear sone Judson. Your of Feb 16^th received the same found us well glade to here the same from you and the rest of my children. I expect that you and A. will learn to sing by the time gite home. You say that you have vary nice times cissing (seeing?) Nettie, that is all right she is a good girl and has gott good parents and sprung from high blood and those are the right kind of girls to notise, not like them Merrill girls that are louse and dirty and lasy and there is a plenty of such on the west neck and if you boys do not keep a way from them I shall not own them. If my boys take my advice I shall do all in my power to make them wise and grate and good. James I think has gote all that he wants of the Merrills he knows more now then he dide 3 or 4 years a go and so will you and Albert. Som body 20 years from today has got to take charge of Church and state and who will do it if the boys grow up in nonsence and ignerence and folley……Grate men have ben vary studious when young to fool away there time is to make of themselves slaves and underlings if they want to know any thing they must ask some one else….There are a grate many girls in the United States and they all want a husband and they want the best one that they can gite. Anyone has gote to be vary sharpe in who thay go with if thay do not they will gite fooled vary bade. See Ben Barstow and others that I could name. Your Uncle Thomas Traske married a very clever girl and that was all there was to her. His children were of no acount what ever. It ruined him for life as to sizing vary high in life….Give Nettie 6 kisses for me and a blige your father, J. S. Trask. P.S. Pleas take a litle more paines in your righting so that I can reade your letters with more ease and ablige.

“Silver City I. T. April 1, 1877 – My dear sone Judson…..I want you to keep better company so that you will write in a better stile in time to come. If you only knew it you are puting your self down. Nettie’s grandfather and mine were brothers and the best blood in Maine. They were men of ability, property and caracter so you see that you and Albert are puting your selves down all of the time. It is the worst thing that you and A. ever done to talk and do as you do. Nettie’s grandfather and mine built the first sawmill inMaine. A. owes his macanical ability to the Hilton blood that is in him and to run them down is but to talk aganst him self. You also owe your smarte ways to them. It is vary rong for you to talk aganst your one folks and blood relation and run with the rable of Nobleboro as you do the very one that you are running with are my worst enemis…..I do not want them a round me or mine, nether wood your mother was she a live……From father to his baby Juddy, J. S. Trask.”

“Deer Island Sept 1, 1878 – Dear Bro Judson, I write in ans to your letter which I rec’d yesterday. It found me well and glad to hear the same from you. Then you don’t think it is “hardly jail” for me not to give my money away. I think I have sent you money enough to square that, that I used that father sent to pay the taxes and you have payed the taxes so it is just the same as though I had paid them. The difference of things now from what they have been, are that when I wrote and told you that I would help pay the taxes I did not know that father was married and I do now so I think if he is able to pay the taxes on his farm or else give it to someone that can pay them. I never expect him to help me any so I must look out for myself. I should judge that she must be a pretty looking thing with a standing or he is a regular fox. I guess if he should get up her he’s day about a week. He couldn’t manage these men no more than an old hen. It has been cold and windy all day here today. I can’t think of any thing more to write, I’ll close, from your loving bro. All….”

“Public Institutions, Dear Island, BostonHarbor

September 26^th, 1878 – Dear Bro Judson, I write in ans. to your letter which I rec’d last Tues. it found me well and glad to hear the same from you. A matron is a femaleofficer who has charge of women. I had a letter from Joab the other day. He told me he was getting better. I’ll send you another pen which I call a good one. Fred Cobbs, Ida Weeks and Celia B. were down here today but I didn’t have time to converse any with them. Mr. Chapman is going home the last of this week or the first of next….Your loving Bro. A. S. Trask, DeerIsland, Boston Harbor.”

“Deer Island Feb. 2, 79’ – Dear Bro Judson…Do you know where the story started from about me sending Net some medicine. I hear the story, is that I sent Net some medicine for her cough and I heard that E. said that James did not have a child (or rather his wife) and it was me that started the story that he did. If he did say so it is not so for I have got the picture of the child in my album now together with James and his wife. As it is late and I can’t think of anything more to write I will close, with love to you from All.”

“Deer Island,Boston Harbor Dec. 27 (Not sure of the year) – Dear Bro. Judson…..There has been a vacancy here since I came back and I could get it for Joab Elias or Stephen if I had been so minded. I would not get any one a job here except you and if I am here when you are old enough I will get you a job. I wish that you were old enough now but you aren’t. The new Asst. baker’s name is Jacob Bombour, pronounced (Bombaw). Isn’t that an odd name. I will close now for it is bathing night. Good night form your loving Bro. A. S. Trask Patrolman. Deer Harbor Boston HarborMass. P. S. Excuse all mistakes for I have written in a great hurry.”

There is much more than what is quoted here. No quotes from Carrie’s letters but they are simple schoolgirl type letters.