Spared and Shared: How One Man Made Civil War History Accessible to All

The Photo Detective

In this episode, Griff (Bill Griffing), the mind behind the Spared and Shared websites, shares how he turned his post-retirement passion for Civil War history into a monumental historical preservation project. Transcribing over 15,000 letters—mostly from eBay—Griff provides context, authorship, and insight for Civil War correspondence, making them publicly accessible. His meticulous work bridges genealogical research and historical scholarship. His efforts have supported publications, academic research, and even led to a book on Abraham Lincoln. Griff’s dedication ensures these firsthand historical voices are preserved and searchable for generations.

• Griff has transcribed over 15,000 historical letters, primarily from the Civil War era.
• His Spared and Shared project spans over 23 public websites and more than 160 collection-specific sites.
• His work is freely available and indexed via the Billy Yank & Johnny Reb Letters site.
• A book he co-edited, A Great and Good Man, compiles rare Lincoln accounts from these letters.

Related Episodes:
Episode 259: Digging Into Civil War Pension Files with Brian Rhinehart

Episode 245: The Enduring Legacy of Tintypes From Civil War Soldiers to Contemporary Artists

Links:

• Spared and Shared Facebook
• Billy Yank & Johnny Reb Letters
• Sign up for my newsletter.
• Watch my YouTube Channel.
• Need help preserving your photos? Check out Maureen’s Preserving Family Photographs ebook
• Need help identifying family photos? Check out The Family Photo Detective ebook
• Have a photo you need help identifying? Sign up for photo consultation.

About My Guest:

For the past fifteen years following his retirement, William Griffing dedicated himself to the transcription of letters—encompassing thousands of Civil War era correspondence and diaries that have remained unpublished until now, with most residing in private collections for decades. A significant portion of this work has been presented on various Spared & Shared Webpages or in independent, stand-alone websites.

About Maureen Taylor:

Maureen Taylor, The Photo Detective® helps clients with photo related genealogical problems. Her pioneering work in historic photo research has earned her the title “the nation’s foremost historical photo detective” by The Wall Street

I'm thrilled to be offering something new. Photo investigations. These collaborative one-on-one sessions. Look at your family photos then you and I meet to discuss your mystery images. And find out how each clue and hint might contribute to your family history. Find out more by going to maureentaylor.com and clicking on family photo investigations.

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