1. What I first noticed about the ad was that James Dogan’s second wife gave his first wife permission to reunite and remarry him. When I was searching to find an ad, this one stood out to me the most since when I read it, the description interested me. Dogan fought in the Civil War and had to be separated from his family which was probably difficult for him as he lost contact with them during those times. I wonder how his family was able to see the ad and go look for him. Also, they must’ve moved somewhere else and he probably doesn’t know where.
2. When this ad was published in 1871, this significant event occurred during the Reconstruction era which took place in 1865-1877. It marks the end of the Civil War meaning that Dogan finished his role as a soldier and was able to return to his family through the ad. Also, according to Module 2: Emancipation and Reconstruction, it states, “Many formerly enslaved people (known as freedpeople) left plantations to search for family members who had been sold away. They published newspaper ads seeking information about long lost relatives.”(https://maryklann.wixsite.com/hist110/post/module-2-emancipation-and-reconstruction). Dogan was a slave prior to the Civil War. He used ads like the freedpeople to look for his family that he hasn’t heard from in several years. Around that time period, ads were commonly used for finding long lost family members.
3. Dogan participated during the Civil War as a soldier. The year 1871 indicates six years after the war ended, which was in 1865, meaning everyone who fought in it can go back to their normal lives with their families. The ad describes Dogan as an African American who was enslaved. He risked his life in two ways which were being greatly oppressed as a slave and having to endure such a violent battle in American history. It seems like the ways of reconnecting with loved ones at this time was through ads.
Poll link: https://app.sli.do/event/snrjtlmq/embed/polls/2a8a4f54-f88e-4c8f-9fe7-f5a2923ab6ed
Your analysis is really in deep about this ad. I am really surprised on the detail of that his second wife heartily consented him to return to his first wife. I can feel his second wife is a strong and brave woman who has such a great sympathy to her husband. I do not know what exactly happened in their marriage, but I think because of her true love for him, she knew what makes him happy and live well. The fact that he was able to return to his family is a very fortune event during that time when technology had not developed and searching for lost family was a very difficult thing.
Great pick on the article! It's interesting that many former slaves felt compelled to fight for the Union, though I can somewhat understand why. Even though he was married again and live a peaceful life, assuming he returned North after the war was over, he couldn't forget his loved ones and the hardship they might face during Reconstruction. I'm happy that Dogan was able to get a hold of his first wife and family whereabouts and meet them again.
This ad is really fascinating, especially the last part about Dogan's second wife giving her consent for him to reunite with his first wife! I wonder about the phrasing of "hearty" consent, and whether it was really so "hearty"? What a complicated situation to find yourself in, only exacerbated by the context of societal upheaval and the end of the Civil War. I answered your poll by voting that it was reuniting with family that made Dogan's story most significant to me. It shows to me how much personal effort must have been put into putting families back together.
It was interesting of how James Dogan was looking for his first wife/family after the civil war, which he fought in. I surprise of how his second wife allow him to remarried his first wife. It is also interesting of how the ad was posted in 1871, couple years after the civil war. And during the time of reconstruction.