On the morning of Sept. 7, 1896, 36-year-old William Smith was walking through the village of Wakefield Hill, near Lippitt, when he suddenly noticed a folded sheet of paper lying in the road. Smith picked up the paper, yellowed with age, and unfolded it. The original black ink of the ornately scrawled communication had faded to a brownish green but the letter could still be easily read. The writer had signed himself only as “Harcourt” and addressed the one he wrote to only as “Dear Cousin” which provided very little information as to the identity of either. The letter was dated Jan. 3, 1777 and declared to originate at “Shirley, James River, Virginia.” It read:

My Dear Cousin,

Your letter arrived in yesterday's Alexandria post and the news of your continued good health and the success of our army at Trenton was most gratifying. The victory will doubtless result in removing the gloom caused by recent disastrous events. How different was your last appearance in Trenton from that of a year ago when we had that delightful supper while journeying to Philadelphia. You remember how we enjoyed that sort of minced ham provided on the "King's Arms" sumptuous board. If you should go to Trenton again, try and get the receipt from Landlord Newhall. I am going down the river tomorrow to try and dispose of the tobacco. On my return, I will write you at length.

Your devoted cousin, Harcourt.

Shirley Plantation is a large estate on the north bank of the James River in Virginia. The state’s oldest plantation, it was settled in 1613 by Sir Thomas West of Great Britain. A tobacco farming operation, it was eventually run by as many as 70 to 90 African slaves and white indentured servants and became the oldest family-owned business in North America.

The First Battle of Trenton had taken place on the morning of Dec. 26, 1776, eight days before the letter had been penned. George Washington had crossed the Delaware River on Christmas night, leading the Continental Army to strike an outpost of Hessian soldiers in Trenton, New Jersey. Twenty-two Hessians were killed and 900 taken prisoner. The Continental Army suffered merely five wounded men.

Tavern owner Jacob Newhall was known as “Landlord” and operated several inns, including the Rising Sun Tavern and Lynn Tavern, in Massachusetts. Newhall was a leading supporter of American independence and was the organizer of the Saugus Minute Men colonial militia. He was known to have entertained George Washington. As recipes were once referred to as “receipts,” it appears as if the author of the letter was suggesting that his cousin obtain Newhall’s minced ham recipe.

The writer mentions “disposing” of tobacco, the prime source of income at the plantation from which he was penning the letter. Perhaps he was a member of the family in ownership, or else was employed by them.          

It isn’t known if the identity of the letter writer was ever discovered. Smith showed it around the village 128 years ago and remained puzzled as to how a 119-year-old letter appeared simply lying on a quiet road. What happened to the letter over the last century is another part of the mystery.

Kelly Sullivan is a Rhode Island columnist, lecturer and author.