Thirty years ago, while renovating her Staten Island, NY residence, Dottie Kearney stumbled upon a timeworn collection of letters hidden within the framework of her home.
“The letters must have slipped through the attic floorboards and landed between the walls, only to be uncovered when we opened them up,” Dottie shared. In her hands was not just paper, but a heart-stirring chronicle of love exchanged between Claude Marsten Smythe and his wife, Marie Borgal Smythe, as Claude served in WWII. “Finding them was exhilarating — a poignant love story, waiting in silence for decades.”
In his letters, Claude painted vivid images of his life on the warfront and expressed a deep, unwavering longing for his beloved wife.
“We clung to these letters, hoping one day to locate someone connected to their history, but the years drifted by, and that day never came,” Dottie said.
Photographs of the yellowed, aged letters reveal one dated May 21, 1944, an era encapsulated in ink.
For ten more years, Dottie remained in the house. Even when she built a new home in her backyard, she carried the letters with her, preserving them and her hope of finding the couple’s descendants.
Then, in 2022, a stroke of fate: while watching The Kelly Clarkson Show, Dottie saw an interview with Chelsey Brown, a New York heirloom detective who specializes in reconnecting family artifacts with descendants. Seeing an opportunity, Dottie reached out to Chelsey, who responded with enthusiasm.
“We sent Chelsey photos of the letters, and she immediately began her search,” Dottie recounted.
Through meticulous research on MyHeritage, Chelsey unearthed the closest living descendant: Claude and Marie’s daughter, Carol Bohlin.
Yet, a dilemma remained — Chelsey struggled to find Carol’s contact information in Vermont. Thankfully, she discovered Carol had a son, Tim, whom she contacted through social media. Though initially wary, Tim soon understood Chelsey’s mission and authenticity.
“When I first read her message, I thought it was a scam,” Tim confessed. “But after checking her social media, I realized she was genuinely dedicated to reconnecting families with their lost histories.”
Tim’s mother, Carol, had endured the early loss of her parents: she was only 14 when her mother passed, and she lost her father in her early twenties.
“I couldn’t wait to tell her,” Tim said. “After confirming the address she’d grown up in, I shared Chelsey’s message.”
Carol was overcome with joy to learn that these precious letters had been discovered in her childhood home, unaware they even existed. “This news lifted her spirit immeasurably,” Tim said.
Chelsey coordinated the return of the letters, and Carol eagerly awaited their arrival each day. At last, she held in her hands the delicate tokens of her parents’ enduring bond.
A photo captures Carol clutching the letters, a framed portrait of her parents beside her on the table — a moving testament to love preserved.
“This was uniquely meaningful,” said Chelsey, who has reunited countless artifacts with their rightful heirs. “These letters served as a lifeline between two hearts separated by war. It’s unimaginable to fathom the agony of such distance.”
“MyHeritage was essential in finding Tim,” Chelsey shared. “Through a public family tree, I was connected to someone who provided a Facebook link to Tim.”
For Chelsey, letters and diaries hold a special place in her heart. “They reveal pieces of people’s lives that no other record could,” she explained. “These firsthand narratives bring their memories alive.”
Tim expressed his gratitude: “Thank you, Chelsey, for bringing a fragment of my grandparents’ legacy home.”
And Dottie, the keeper of the letters, was overwhelmed with joy. “Knowing that these precious letters are finally with family brings me peace. I’m grateful they endured and will be cherished for generations to come.”
