The will of William Burgess is preserved at the National Archives in London, one of only two wills from Anne Arundel colonists found in the English archives. With the assistance of ChatGPT, we transcribe and analyze this will to uncover insights into the life of William Burgess and, by extension, William Iiams.
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Who was William L. Iams (1872-1896)?
At the young age of 20 years old, while deployed as a member of the Pennsylvania Reserves, William Iams made an ill-advised cheer. What immediately followed was his torture by his own commanders nearly to the point of unconsciousness, literal tar and feathering out of camp, dismissal from the Army, and an national news spectacle with court-room drama. And ultimately, his violent death only four years later.
Who was Raleigh Brown Ijams (1858-1907)?
Raleigh Brown Ijams was born into a wealthy family in modern day West Virginia, raised in Baltimore and later lived in Manhattan. He engaged in a variety of business ventures. He never married, nor had any children, and died at a relatively young age of 48. Fortunately, through his appreciation of a young Helen Keller, we learn much more about Raleigh.