Treasure Chest Thursday - Memoirs of Roger Williams

I recently found a copy of a book in my Dad's bookcase that was apparently owned by my third great grandfather, Amos Haskell (1787-1859). The book is titled Memoirs of Roger Williams, The Founder Of The State Of Rhode-Island by James D. Knowles, published by Lincoln, Edmands and Co., Boston in 1834. My grandfather's name is written inside the front cover and there is also a small slip of paper with his name on it. I believe this is probably the oldest book on my Dad's bookshelf. The book is in remarkably good condition and was likely passed down from Amos to his son Alfred, then to Frank Owen, then to Merrill and finally to my Dad.

This brings up an interesting question as to whether Amos was literate. According to the book The New Century Book of Facts: A Handbook of Ready Reference, published in 1909, New Gloucester, Maine, where Amos was born had a school in 1764. So it is likely that he was literate. Were your ancestors who lived in the 18th and early 19th centuries literate? I am going to do some more digging into this question.

© 2011, copyright William C. Haskell