I really enjoyed your post! That find is museum quality in my opinion- have you researched just who this gentleman is? Your local town hall should give you a solid start. I cant wait for your updates!
To be able to have an old house to go through at will like that would be amazing! I'd be using a fine tooth comb over every inch, not just to find stuff, but to take a good long look at the architecture and craftsmanship, to think of who lived there before and what they were like etc. The paperwork is cool, but the furniture and house would be the treasure for me.
Castigation would be to chide someone vehmently, Palliate probably is palpitate, Life is a cheap prize for a worm means that he realizes that his life is cheap in the end and if he dies, it would be a prize for the worms when he is buried.
Very interesting find; my mother-in-laws maiden name is Blaney and we live not far away (Worcester county in MA). I'll have to ask about family history as I only know her parents names, nothing beyond.
Mojjax,
Haven't read anything here about the desk. From the looks of it, there could be some serious money just selling that desk. It looks very old and many just love to
redo old things like that and pay good money for the chance. Just a thought. Remember the saying "One Mans Trash - Another Mans Treasure".
Thank you! What a find. You have also helped me a great deal. My father died just a two short weeks ago at 86 years of age. I now own his home. It is filled with all sorts of wonderful things and trash. The Dining room and Master Bedroom furniture was made by two Craftmen from Boston around 1860. There is a CW era rocking chair stashed in the cellar. My Mom used to rock us kids to sleep in that chair! It was made in PA around 1864 or so. There are also three small tables. I know two of them are from England. They are wonderful to look at. I'd say that they were made around 1890 to 1920. The third one is from France. I have no idea of a date on this piece. Mom aways called it the Harp table because it has a Harp like thing built into it just above its legs. Now reading about your fine desk find I remembered that my Mom had a upright CW desk that she called a "Secretary." She bought it when she was a young girl for $5 dollars. Its very ornate for its period. It has a small hand made mirror in its top as well as two shelves for small books in it bottom. The drop open front is solid wood hanging on brass hinges and arms. Just below this is one drawer. I didn't remember seeing it when I was in his place to get his Will. Just took a quick run over to his place and I found it! He has it stashed on the side porch. It is a fully enclosed porch but there isn't any heat out there. I hope all the horse glue joints didn't break apart. There are also many artifacts from the Civil War, The War of 1812, and WWII in his home. I just have to find them. All this stuff isn't "treasure" like you guys find but to me this stuff is priceless.