To Whom It May concern

[Drache]

So awhile ago I was contacted by a lady in the US. She wanted to know if I was related to a Judson Clark who fought in the Civil War. I replied that I was. She told me that their Church received a lot of books from Estates. Inside a Bible (printed in the 1960s) was the Civil War Discharge papers for a Judson Clark. She offered them to my family free of charge.



Judson Clark was discharged in 1865. Four years later in 1869 he was killed (along with two others) by Indians while searching for Gold in Wyoming. One made made it out alive to tell his story to the US Cavalry. They went searching and found two of the bodies mutilated and scalped. Judson's body was never found and it was assumed he was taken alive and never heard from again.

[ACUDANUT]

 That's neat they found the paperwork, horrible news of his death.  I have zero proof about my relatives fighting in the Civil War.  I wish I did.

[skip68]

Wow drache, that's awesome.   That's a piece of great history for your family.   Just holding it would be cool.  

[TUFCAT]

Great story and neat document!

[Drache]

Photo I took of the discharge paper along with an 1851 Colt Navy a different ancestor carried during the Civil War.

[skip68]

Those should be framed.   Just awesome stuff drache.   

[charge69]

Awesome Drache !  I wonder where the bible came from that had the discharge papers in it ?  Could it have belonged to a long lost family member ?

[Drache]

Awesome Drache !  I wonder where the bible came from that had the discharge papers in it ?  Could it have belonged to a long lost family member ?

The Bible had names in it that had nothing to do with my family at all. So how it got into that bible I don't know. I do know that Judson Clark's widow eventually remarried and moved to the town where the bible was found. So somehow that family received the Discharge Paper from the widow. 

[twodko]

For fun, I'd get that document verified. Once valid that would be the
Mother of all heirlooms!

[Mopar Nut]

Very cool!

[charge69]

I think I would have to investigate the Bible connection further, if I were you! That bible must have been the property of someone who knew, and was close to, Judson Clark's widows' relatives, probably by her 2nd marriage. 

Someone had to have known a person who was a descendent of her 2nd marriage.  Still a magnificent find !!

[ACUDANUT]

For fun, I'd get that document verified. Once valid that would be the
Mother of all heirlooms!

X2