Family Matters

I have been looking through the mass of papers I got from my uncle’s estate this afternoon, and came across again the letter that my great-uncle Hervey W. Child wrote to his parents from prison. I thought I’d transcribe it for posterity.

It is headed “Passed J. O’G.”

Date: February 16, 1930
From: Hervey W. Child
Box 00, Number 25406, West Concord, Mass

To. Mrs. Robert A. Child
Number 758 Allen St.
Springfield, Mass.

Dear Mother and Dad:

Well another week has gone and I hope finds us very near the end, feeling fine and everything all right.

I received all your letters last week and was glad to hear that the agent called on you and I hope everything is all right and my release comes up to morrow and I shall see you Tuesday. I am anxiously awaiting the letter I get to morrow, letting me know if you will be down after me.

It snowed a little last night and is blowing to day, but I hope you can make it all right.

Well, the year is almost done and to look back over it, it seems so short. The longest time has been this last week, but it will soon be over, I shall be home.

Home, that word, means to me a lot more than ever before, and I can hardly wait until I am there and I know that we all shall be happy.

I feel that I shall be ever indebted to you Dad and to Mr. Wilbur for getting me a job and I know, whatever comes up I shall make good.

I surely hope that Harold (Note: Harold was my grandfather and Hervey’s brother.) can get up over the holiday and we here will have a good time, am wondering if Hayden (Note: Harold and Hervey’s brother, my great uncle) is to be there to (sic).

Well I cannot think of anything more to write so will close for this time and I real (sic–probably “really”) hope I shall see you bright and early Tuesday morning. We will sure have a good ride home, and I hope it is a nice warm day.

Lots of love to you both,

Hervey W. Child, Box 0025406, West Concord, Mass.


The back has a printed notice:

During their first four months in the reformatory, prisoners may receive visits once in two months. After four months, providing they are promoted to the First Grade, they may receive visits once a month. Visits are allowed from immediate relations only, except that friends, not exceeding two in number may come with members of the family on any regular visiting day except Saturday. Prisoners will be allowed to write twice a month while in the second grade and each week after reaching the first. Correspondence will be restricted to immediate relatives and to business and family affairs; except that, once each month a letter may be written to a friend. No visitors admitted on Sundays or holidays. Visitors are not allowed to give to or to receive from any risoner any article or thing. A violation of this rule will cause the prisoner to forfeit the privilege of receiving visits. No confectionery, fruit or other articles from friends of prisoners will be admitted into the reformatory. Visiting hours one to four P.M. Visits limited to one hour. Persons coming from Boston should take a train from the North Station for West Concord. (198 11-1-’29 5M)


It’s touching letter. I was told by my mother that Hervey was convicted of stealing money from a church poor box. Apparently he got a year for it. He was nearly 31 at the time of his conviction (from his dates of birth) so it seems he was kind of a wastrel. His handwriting is a bit childish and not the copperplate handwriting we have been led to expect from people born in the 19th Century.

I am now wondering if I can get access to the records of his trial and conviction. I am presuming so, but don’t have any notion of how except by writing to the courts in Massachusetts. I will think about this.

4 Responses to “Family Matters”

  1. vernnyc says:

    It looks like he only did 2 years of High School according to his Military record.

    Name: Hervey W Child
    Birth Year: 1899
    Nativity State or Country: Vermont
    State: Massachusetts
    County or City: Essex

    Enlistment Date: 6 Jun 1942
    Enlistment State: Massachusetts
    Enlistment City: Boston
    Branch: Branch Immaterial – Warrant Officers, USA
    Branch Code: Branch Immaterial – Warrant Officers, USA
    Grade: Private
    Grade Code: Private
    Term of Enlistment: Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law
    Component: Selectees (Enlisted Men)
    Source: Enlisted Man, Regular Army, after 3 months of Discharge

    Education: 2 years of high school
    Marital Status: Divorced, with dependents
    Height: 68
    Weight: 126

  2. auntieruth says:

    How did you find this?

  3. vernnyc says:

    Ancestry.com

    I just did a search there. I currently subscribe because I have been doing my own family digging.

  4. chrishansenhome says:

    I have seen this too; it’s available on ancestry.com, I believe.

    I’m more interested in the criminal record but I don’t believe there’s much online about that sort of thing, and I’m not in Massachusetts, so I haven’t really followed it up. I suspect that his children are all dead or very elderly, and we’ve lost contact (none of them turned up for my uncle’s wake and funeral, for example, so I don’t believe they live in eastern Massachusetts).

    Would also like to find his first marriage records et al. Some day I will take all this up seriously.