Letters Detailing Escape from Russia 1928
I've inherited 120+ detailed letters (many 4-6 pages) spanning 2+ years in the late 1920s and supporting documents. The letters are written in longhand English by a couple (Russian husband & American wife) living in Russia/Ukraine to her family in America. He was born in Mozdok, Russia in 1875. She was born in Pennsylvania in 1879. The letters detail their struggles (employment, transportation, bureaucratic, safety, etc) living in Russia/Ukraine and trying to get permission to go to America for 6 months. In one letter they say when they finally were given visas to Riga, Latvia they were told that they'd probably be shot when they got to the border. I've transcribed the letters and compiled them chronilogically into an document 225 single spaced pages with the goal of researching ancillary information filling in timeline gaps to build a story about this couple. Towns mentioned in the letters include (spellings as used in letters) Piatigorsk, Moscow, Kramatorsk, Konstantinovka, Harkov, etc. The couple met in America and were married in 1916, lived briefly in Philadelphia and Denver before returning to Russia in 1933. He worked as an engineer (Inspector) for the NKPS (Soviet railway). I believe he was educated as an engineer in the U.S. and was a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. In early 1928 they managed to get to Mexico and later in 1928 they made it to America. There are a lot of time gaps I've been trying to fill with research on Ancestry, Familysearch, Genealogybank, Newspapers.
I'm looking for suggestions how I can pull this all together into a readable historical factual biography; other sources to research, etc. I would even consider working with a serious experienced collaborator/co-author who has knowledge and interest in early 20th century Russia/Ukraine history & emigration laws. I have written and published many environmental biology papers, several book chapters, & 4 books. However, this current project is a bit of a challenge, but with the current situation in Ukraine I believe this has relevant significance.
Looking forward to helpful replies.
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I have no helpful reply but just wanted to send you a message of encouragement and wishing you the best of luck! It sounds fascinating and I'm sure all the effort will be worth it in the end- don't give up.
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