Happy Autumn!

Here is a bit of reflection on autumn by 10 year old A.B. Bowman. Notations on the back of the document indicate he wrote it for a composition assignment on October 15, 1863 in Johnson’s Depot, E. Tenn.

Click to enlarge or see transcription below:

Transcription: “We look a round and see the beautiful trees sheading their foliage which is gone until the approach of spring when they will again put fourth their beautiful foliage so is it with man he springs to an early period of life and after while he reaches the summer of life then he is in his prime and then he reaches autumn and we see him sowing wheat or gathering his corn or autumn fruit and reflecting back upon days gone by”

How would you grade this ten year old? Dramatic or wise? Both?

A.B. Bowman grew up to become postmaster of Johnson City, Tennessee at the age of 20 in 1873. In 1880, he started a fruit canning business with his brother-in-law, J.C. Mooman.  For more about this collection and a list of other writings by Mr. Bowman, click here. There are many more compositions which we’d love to share in future blog posts. Let us know if there is one you’d like to see!

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About Laura Smith

I'm the Education & Outreach Archivist for the Archives of Appalachia at East Tennessee State University. Please contact me if you have any questions about the collections or visiting the Archives.

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