Quick Summary
The Minnesota Digital Library recently uploaded a set of 74 handwritten love letters from Gen. Theodore H. Barrett to his future wife, Georgia McKee, during the years 1877-1880.
Many Civil War veterans came to Minnesota after the war to build their homes and start their families. The Minnesota Digital Library contains the records of one such family, that of Theodore and Georgia Barrett, who lived in Stevens County in the late 19th century.
Theodore Harvey Barrett's military career began in September 1862, when he enlisted as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 9th Minnesota Infantry. Later, he received a promotion to captain of the regiment. On December 29, 1863, Barrett transferred to the 62nd United States Colored Infantry Regiment and was promoted to Colonel. Near the end of the Civil War, Barrett and his regiment went to Texas, where he was brevetted Brigadier General. He commanded one of the last battles of the war at the Palmito Ranch in Texas from May 12-13, 1865.
After he was discharged in 1866, Gen. Barrett conducted business in several locations, including Washington, D.C., where he met Georgia McKee. Barrett eventually returned to Minnesota to manage his land. During their courtship, Theo wrote many letters to his future wife, which document their love story and the preparations for their life together. The letters include both practical matters and poetic professions of love and longing. For example, on November 6, 1878, Theo wrote, “My feet are cold, Georgia, but my heart is warm - it beats for you…”. The couple married in 1879 and created a home in Stevens County. They had three children: Theodore, Richardson, and Georgiana.
The Minnesota Digital Library (MDL) recently digitized and uploaded 74 of Gen. Barrett’s letters to Georgia from the Grant County Historical Society. These letters join a collection of photographs of the Barrett family already in MDL, and they add more details to their life story.
Browse the letters in MDL today!
