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This letter was written by Robert G Torrence to Hugh Simon Torrens (elder son of Robert George Torrens) in response to Hugh's letter informing him of the death of Robert George Torrens

Robert G. Torrens
Blake Hill - Route 4 East
Woodstock
Vermont 05091

June 3 1891

Dear Hugh

Your letter arrived yesterday. I
hasten to send my sincerest sympathies to you
and all the family. I had no idea that your
father had suffered a second stroke, and, though
life for him afterwards as you described it must
have been unbearable, I know what sort of a
gap the death of one's parent leaves, no matter
how much one rationalises the circumstances.

The news came as quite a shock
to me. I had grown very fond of my "pen-pal"
so to speak. His devotion to genealogy and
his precise approach to it reminded me so of
my own father that doing what I could to help
gave me real pleasure. Perhaps the high point
was finding those Kernohan papers he so dearly
wanted to see.

I find it interesting to learn that you
were the imaginative chap who thought of locating
me through Millbrook School, and that you will
be continuing your father's genealogical efforts.

Concerning the references on page 30
and 40 of TAF, I wonder whether you have
my letter of April 24 addressed to your father
and which I expect he may not have received
or, if so, coped with. In it I asked whether
he had ever received a reply from a letter
written by him November 26, 1979 to Mrs. Paul Nelson
of State College, PA. She was the closest relative to
Miss Elizabeth H K Torrens I could unearth and, I
thought, possibly might have the book he was seeking.
I am still working on the p.40 reference, so far without
success.

My records show that 253 copies of TAF
were distributed. As this is an odd number and
no record of others exist, I suspect that 250 copies
were printed and that there was an overrun which would
account for the extra three. At any rate copies
of the book are held by those who have it with
some tenacity. I have been trying to locate a
bound copy for my fourth child - we have
three for the other three children including my
own copy - and have been politely turned down
by several owners who I had reason to believe
may be willing to swap for a photo-flood.

With respect to the papers you have at
hand from me, I would suggest you keep
them at least for the time being.

It will be a pleasure to keep in touch
with you and I do hope one day we may
meet. You may be sure that I have
the same sort of respect for your
father that he held for mine. This, I
feel gives us all a sort of bond and it
is nice to see you bear the name of Hugh
to whom our lines owe so much.

Most sincerely
Bob.

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© 2002 4QD
Page's Author: Richard Torrens
Document URI: 91.203.57.189/Torrens/Letters2/19810603A.html
First published 14th May 2002.
Last modified: Mon, 02 Mar 2020 09:07:33 GMT