Couple Renovating Massachusetts Home Find Hidden Message From 1888
A 136-year-old note found during a home renovation has gained viral attention for its perfect mix of humor and history.
The handwritten note, penned by a carpenter named Smith in 1888, was discovered by the Dunn family during renovations at the family home in Cohasset, Massachusetts.
The note reads: "I was discharged from work on this house by McBride the Bulldog for being drunk only once, when he is drunk all the time. Carpenter Smith, Plymouth March 27, 1888."
Katheryn Dunn posted the note found by her parents years ago on Reddit 's r/FoundPaper subreddit where it quickly gained thousands of upvotes and hundreds of comments.
"My parents found the note when they were renovating the house probably 10 years ago. They thought it was hilarious and a cool piece of history, so now it hangs in the living room, and we all get a kick out of it," Dunn told Newsweek. "I just found this page where people were sharing interesting notes they came across and thought this would fit. I'm surprised by the attention."
The note, now framed and displayed prominently in the family's living room, sparked plenty of comments from viewers.
Redditor laughayetteoutloud wrote: "Genuinely hilarious and wonderful! And it looks like your parents framed it, which is exactly the thing to do. Carpenter Smith deserves to be immortalized."
Another commenter, SubVrted, quipped: "And McBride the Bulldog's secret is finally out, 136 years later, transferred electronically around the world. Karma is slow sometimes."
The post also sparked the curiosity of amateur historians. One user, digginroots, dove into the archives and uncovered fascinating details about the two men. According to their research, "McBride the Bulldog" was likely Thomas C. McBride, a carpenter who lived in Hull, Massachusetts, near Plymouth. Census data reveals McBride was born in Maine in 1830 and died in Boston in 1911. He had a son, William, who followed in his footsteps as a carpenter and died two years later.
Meanwhile, "Carpenter Smith" is believed to be James William Smith, who was born in Oak Island, Nova Scotia, also in 1830. He worked as a carpenter in Hull and passed away in 1892 due to nephritis-perhaps connected to his alleged fondness for alcohol, as hinted in the note.
Dunn was thrilled with the attention the note had received, and impressed that people had gone as far as to look into census data to find out more. "It's really cool that people have dug into census data and going out more about these guys," she said.
This story was originally published September 23, 2024, 9:43 AM.
