Creepy Crawlies in the Archive!
Pension Application Contains Unique Memento
NWCTB staff member Glen Siple was pulling a pension application file a couple of weeks ago. It seemed a little bulky. When he opened the file, he discovered that the widow, Charity Snider, had submitted some unusual evidence of her marriage to James J. Van Liew. Within the file was a preserved mole. It seems that Van Liew sent her the mole after catching it in his tent as a memento of his time in the service. It was such a unique gift that Charity had letters from four others stating that she had received it from her then-husband Van Liew. She submitted all of it with her application. She wrote, "I trust these will prove satisfactory. Please return them to me." She got the pension. She died July 25, 1918. Obviously, she did not get her memento back.
To see photos of said pension and mole go to:
http://www.nara-at-work.gov/nara_organizations/nw/updates/fy2006/qtr1/#memento
NWCTB staff member Glen Siple was pulling a pension application file a couple of weeks ago. It seemed a little bulky. When he opened the file, he discovered that the widow, Charity Snider, had submitted some unusual evidence of her marriage to James J. Van Liew. Within the file was a preserved mole. It seems that Van Liew sent her the mole after catching it in his tent as a memento of his time in the service. It was such a unique gift that Charity had letters from four others stating that she had received it from her then-husband Van Liew. She submitted all of it with her application. She wrote, "I trust these will prove satisfactory. Please return them to me." She got the pension. She died July 25, 1918. Obviously, she did not get her memento back.
To see photos of said pension and mole go to:
http://www.nara-at-work.gov/nara_organizations/nw/updates/fy2006/qtr1/#memento