Newberry Library - Harry Raymond autobiography

Title Harry Raymond autobiography

Date 1933-1934

Summary Memoir of Harry Raymond, a native of Litchfield County, Connecticut, written when he was about 85 years old. Describes the hardships of his childhood, especially stays at the county almshouse, where he claimed to have been beaten and locked in a cellar, and his enlistment in the 14th Connecticut Infantry Regiment at the age of 13. After deserting the Army, Raymond travelled the country as a prisoner of war, spent time in a gambling house in New Orleans, and fought in the South African War in Durban, South Africa. He also worked at a variety of tool and machine factories, including several typewriter manufacturers, where he worked as an inventor. Raymond also recounts various stints in prison for burglary and crimes that he claims not to have committed and expresses negative opinions about the law, prisons, and police officers.

Extent 88 leaves : manuscript ; 27 cm

Format Biographies, Personal narratives

User-Contributed Transcription The Story of My Life
Harry Raymond
1
I was borne Feb. 6—1848. there were Four of us boys, I was the oldest I don't remmember my Father, I know we were very poor, we lived in northfield, Conn. a small Vilige, we were little Wild savages. all the Develtry done in the Vilage was laid to us. sometimes there would be nothing to Eat. My Mother worked very hard to keep is together, sometimes we would tramp Four miles to an Uncles, to get something to [[underlined]] Eat. [[/underlined]] My Mother had to send [[insertion]] ^ me [[/insertion]] to the Litchfield, Conn County Poorhouse that was a Kindragarton School of of crime. the Inmates were all sorts of Humanity Old Criminals, Old Drunkards, Idots, Crazy People, Men, Woman, and Children all mixt together in an Old Farm house. Just think of puting little Children in a place like that where society in Conn. that was whare the People of Conn. of Litchfield, Conn. sent the

Transcription Status Needs review

Transcription Note This document was transcribed by volunteers as part of the Newberry Transcribe crowdsourcing initiative.

Link to Catalog View record

Call Number Case MS 5431

BibID 955058

Rights Status Copyright Not Evaluated

Contributing Institution Newberry Library

Newberry Open Access Policy The Newberry makes its collections available for any lawful purpose, commercial or non-commercial, without licensing or permission fees to the library, subject to these terms and conditions.

Size 3403px × 4333px 84.41 MB

File Created 07/11/2018

Filename 99955058880586_case_ms_5431_001.tif

Unique Identifier NL1672Z