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Archiver > BELGIUM-ROOTS > 2008-05 > 1211721471


From: "David and Anne Lyon" <>
Subject: Re: [BEL-R] "A letter edged in black"
Date: Sun, 25 May 2008 08:17:51 -0500
References: <cc7.31b10685.35670315@aol.com><!~!UENERkVCMDkAAQACAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABgAAAAAAAAApY3LJwTnxUiTE0eUq2sQ38KAAAAQAAAAVSilbLY1P0e6eurAITKAsQEAAAAA@finepropertiesnh.com>
In-Reply-To: <!~!UENERkVCMDkAAQACAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABgAAAAAAAAApY3LJwTnxUiTE0eUq2sQ38KAAAAQAAAAVSilbLY1P0e6eurAITKAsQEAAAAA@finepropertiesnh.com>


Are these letters no longer used?? They were such a source of information!!!

On Sat, May 24, 2008 at 6:35 AM, Gary VanGeyte <>
wrote:

> I have one announcing my Great Grandmother's death. That one is from 1949
> and a great source of information for me.
>
>
>
> G. Van Geyte broker/owner
> 24 Haverhill Road
> Chester,NewHampshire
> 603-887-5557 office
> 866-273-9039 facsimile
> www.finepropertiesnh.com
> Integrity, Resources, Experience
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From:
> [mailto:] On Behalf Of
> Sent: Thursday, May 22, 2008 1:11 PM
> To:
> Subject: [BEL-R] "A letter edged in black"
>
> All-
>
>
> Why the black border and the listing of relatives
>
> I imagine most know the significance of a letter edged in black. These
> were
>
> sent to a relative announcing the death of a family member. The Black edge
> gave people warning, before they opened it, that it announced a death in
> the
> family. There is in fact, a song my father used to sing called "A letter
> edged
> in Black".
>
> I have one that was sent to my Ggrandmother by my grandmother announcing
> the death of her first child who drown after falling in a watering trough
> at
> the age of 3. This was about 1906. It is a rather sad little letter. She
> said
> that they wished they could have kept him longer so his father who was
> working
> in the harvest many miles away, could attend the funeral, but because the
> weather was hot they had to bury him after 3 days. Not sure if all "letters
>
> edged in black" were for the same reason, nor when this practice ended.
>
> Len
>
>
>
>
> **************Get trade secrets for amazing burgers. Watch "Cooking with
> Tyler Florence" on AOL Food.
> (http://food.aol.com/tyler-florence?video=4&?NCID=aolfod00030000000002)
>
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