An illustrated history of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania civil, political and military, from its earliest settlement to the present time, including historical descriptions of each county in the state
John Williamson Nevin (February 20, 1803 - June 6, 1886), was an American theologian and educationalist. He was born in the Cumberland Valley, near Shippensburg, Franklin County, Pennsylvania.. He taught in a seminary in Mercersburg, Pa. and was president of Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He was the father of noted sculptor and poet Blanche Nevin.
The book consists of letters written during the Civil War by George Ladd, a soldier from New Hampshire. He had passed through Lebanon,PA, on a troop train with his unit. While the train was stopped Mr Ladd tossed a note with his name and contact information to Caroline Deppen, a teenage girl who had been brought by her father from their home in Myerstown,Pa to see the troops pass through. Mr Ladd and Carrie began writing to each other. The book is made up of letters Ladd sent to her. There is only one letter from Carrie to him. The rest of her letters have been lost. But from Mr Ladd's letters, it appears they became close despite not having actually met. Mr Ladd was killed in the war and his mother obtained the letters. She continued to write to Carrie for at least a few more years.The book was written by a relative of the Ladd family
