1855 Bible Returned to Massachusetts

We found a new twist for the hobby recently. While we were furnishing the 1873 Hinkle log cabin near my home, my sister, Rachelle, said we needed an old bible to place on the table. She searched eBay and found this old Bible, pictured, that has an 1855 copyright. It has the names and marriage dates of Elisha Marston and Lucretia Leet and births and marriages of their children. Rachelle decided to give this Bible to me to research and find a descendant we could return it to. She bought a different one for the cabin. It was a hunt she knew I would enjoy. Elisha Marston and Lucretia Leet recorded in the Bible December 24, 1839 as their marriage date. They were easy to find in FamilySearch where it indicates they married in Claremont, New Hampshire. They had six children. It took a few attempts at tracking a son and a daughter before I was successful with tracking descendants of their daughter, Laura Jane Marston. Obituaries published online were very helpful in my search. Unusual surnames helped in my search to find contact information of the living descendants. I finally found a descendant with a professional phone listing. I sent a text and she responded after her mother confirmed the accuracy of the information I provided. She was excited to learn about the Bible and wished her Grandmother was still here to be part of the discovery. The Bible was mailed to great-great-great granddaughter Linda in Melrose, Mass. She received it yesterday and responded, “It’s pretty amazing!” Rachelle checked where the eBay seller mailed the Bible from and it was Swanzey, New Hampshire. So the Bible got sent back to a town just 90 miles away in Massachusetts. But first it needed to make a 1400 mile trip to Arkansas, in the Bible Belt, where one sister can spot a treasure and the other sister can research and track down descendants… then 1500 miles back to Massachusetts so we could get it returned to family. Almost 3,000 miles later, the Bible is back in the hands of family who will treasure and preserve it. I think Elisha and Lucretia Marston would be pleased!