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A small archive of family photographs and documents belonging to the ancestors of the famous American Missionary and U.S. Military Intelligence Officer, Captain John Birch, who was killed by Chinese Communist soldiers at the end of World War II. The collection includes four daguerreotypes of John Birch's great-grandfather John Neville Birch, a Confederate soldier in the 12th Regiment, Georgia Cavalry who died of war injuries in 1863; and original photographs of other family members and relatives from Georgia dating from the 1840s to the early 1870s. Among the documents is an autograph friendship album owned by Carrie Birdsong with manuscript entries dating from 1852-62; and an early notebook of Mary Leila Caldwell (who married John Neville Birch, 2nd in 1884). The archive also includes genealogical papers compiled in the 1920s by John Neville Birch, 2nd; a typed copy of a long letter written by Captain John Birch from China in 1941; and miscellaneous books and articles on Birch family history and the John Birch Society. Anyone familiar with the iconic image of Captain John Birch in uniform will be amazed at the similarity of the young military officer to his great-grandfather from Macon, Georgia, whose life was cut short at the age of 28 due to war injuries in 1863 (Captain John Birch was killed in China in 1945 at the age of 27). In addition to the four daguerreotypes of the elder Birch dating from the 1840s and 50s are contemporary photographs of the matriarchs of the Birch family, including the elder Birch's wife Margaret "Maggie" Sewell Snider (of Savannah), his son's wife Mary Leila Caldwell, and other relatives of the Snider, Caldwell, Birdsong, and Stovall families of Georgia. Carrie Birdsong's friendship album contains several manuscript entries dating from 1852-62, written by various friends from throughout Georgia, including at Emory College, and including two autograph entries from friends serving in the Confederate Army: John G. Patton, of the 1st Regiment, Georgia Regulars, Macon, dating from: "Tybee Island, June 23rd, 1861"; and James O. A. Sparks, Chaplain 4th Georgia Volunteers, dating from: "Decem. 3rd, 1862 . Valley, Virginia." Together with Mary Leila Caldwell's 1880-81 notebook from Wesleyan Female College, and 12 letters of genealogical information send from various relatives to John Neville Birch, 2nd in the early 1920s. Also included is a later copy of a long and informative letter sent from Captain John Birch to his parents in October, 1941, in which he describes his experiences fleeing from occupying Japanese military forces throughout Zhejiang province in eastern China. An historically compelling collection of materials from the Birch family. A detailed listing of the items in archive follows: I. Family Photographs (circa 1840s-70s) Five portraits of John Neville Birch (b. January 4, 1835 - September 18, 1863) 1. Sixth plate daguerreotype (2 ¾ x 3 ¼ inches). With light hand coloring. Circa 1847. In wood case covered in decorative molded leather with a velvet pad in the interior, interior edges gilt. Portrait of J.N.B. as a boy. The top cover of case is detached, scattered tarnishing and some corrosion to the image, good. 2. Sixth plate daguerreotype (2 ¾ x 3 ¼ inches). With light hand coloring. Circa 1852. In beveled molded case covered in purple velvet with a silk pad in the interior, interior edges gilt, metal clasp. With an identifying paper slip pinned to the interior pad: "My husband J N Birch 17 yrs". The top cover of case is detached, scattered tarnishing and some corrosion to the image, good. 3. Sixth plate daguerreotype (2 ¾ x 3 ¼ inches). With light hand coloring. Circa 1853. In enamel wood case decorated in gold and inlaid mother of pearl, with a velvet pad in the interior, interior edges gilt, metal clasp. With an identifying paper slip pinned to the interior pad: "My husband J N Birch 18 yrs". Loss to the left edge â spine back' at the crown and foot, tarnishing and fading to the edges o. Seller Inventory # 421786
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