This early 20th century letter to Thomas Waterhouse concerns the matter of a property being sold by the, now unknown, writer. It is possible that author of the letter resided in Windham, and that the "little stone house" and the $24,000 property referred to in the letter were both located in Windham. Although the several page letter is incomplete, the transcription is as follows:
Mr. Waterhouse,
I find in going over this paper you are to call for in the morning.
But I wish to say this. I always supposed I had common sense - also that I have been held in such estimation by many friends, and relatives and until I was (kid-napped) one night and brought to the little stone house[,] supplied as it was all and more than necessary to be on my feet.
Feeling I could not carry as large a place I called in Mr. Walsh on evening + while sitting on my sofa Mr. Walsh in chair fronting me[,] I said I had decided to sell - he asked what price? My reply was twenty four thousand knowing its thoroughness in building in every way. Which will bear inspection in every degree. My reply "not one cent less than twenty four thousand. When he...
Unfortunately Mr. Walsh's response to the price is unknown as the entire letter did not survive. Waterhouse ran his family's store in West Windham, which opened in 1921. Originally named Shorty and Effie's General Store, the store was later renamed to the Waterhouse Country Store. Waterhouse Sr. also served as a Windham police officer in the early 1940s, being one of the first Windham officers to wear an official uniform.