"On April 17, 1865, eighteen year old John Rakestraw left the family farm in Bart Township, Lancaster County, to attend Unionville Academy, a small Quaker boarding school in Chester County. During the time he was away his two older sisters wrote to him regularly. Ten of those letters have survived and they provide a candid and often painfully honest glimpse of life on a Lancaster County farm in the 1860's. Diaries and ledgers kept by John's father, William I. Rakestraw , provide additional insight into that that time and place." [excerpt from the text]
Picture of headstone of Marian Louise Baker with J. A. Jolly standing behind it. Note on back of picture: "J.A. Jolly putting flowers on the grave of Marian Baker, Aug 7, 2012, New Bloomfield, Pennsylvania
Picture of headstone of Marian Louise Baker with 2 bouquets flowers on it. Note on back of photograph: "On the left: someone had placed flowers (artificial) on her grave, flowers (center) placed by J.A. Jolly, Aug. 7, 2012, New Bloomfield, PA."
