Letter, Marcella J. Sykes, Aberdeen, Mississippi, to her mother, Rebecca Sykes, regarding her stay with her sister, Josephine (''Josie'') Evans and her husband, Dr. Evans. She takes pride in the ladylike behavior of her two daughters, Wildie and...
Sykes family; Sykes, James William, 1810-1885; Sale family; Civil war; United States; Slavery; African-Americans; Munfordville (Ky.); Munfordville, Battle of, Munfordville, Ky., 1862; Chalmers, James Ronald, 1831-1898; Confederate States of...
Letter, John B. Sale, Aberdeen, Mississippi, to James Sykes, primarily regarding the hire of a slave named Zeke, previously hired out to Shacklock. Law now wants Sykes to find other employment for Zeke to prevent him from joining the Union Army. ...
Sykes family; Winona (Miss.); Civil war; United States; Slavery; African-Americans; Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865; Confederate States of America; Sykes, James William, 1810-1885
Letter from William Sykes in Winona, Mississippi, to James Sykes, bemoaning the reelection of Abraham Lincoln, the end of his hopes for peace, and the impoverished and demoralized state of the Confederacy. He mentions the murder of a Captain...
Boys; Horses; Vicksburg (Miss.); Civil war; United States; Distemper; Traditional medicine; Oktibbeha County (Miss.); Walker, Maria, 1820-1893
Letter from Arthur Hopkins Rice, Meadow Woods, Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, to his aunt, Maria Walker. He writes about some of the horses having distemper, Mrs. Outlaw giving him a dog, killing snakes, and catching crayfish. He also mentions...
Civil war; United States; Agriculture; Green, Anna, 1804-1886; Moore's Bayou (Quitman Co., Miss.); Tunica County (Miss.)
Letter from Matilda Patterson from Moor's Byue (Moore's Bayou), Tunica County, later Quitman County, Mississippi to her sister Anna Green, relating family and local news, and praising the soldiers fighting in the war. She mentions that son Joseph...
Slavery; Lynching; Hanging; Secession; Christmas; Mississippi; Hinds County (Miss.)
Letter to Eudora Hobbs in Salem, North Carolina, from her cousin, N. H. Boyd, in Jackson, Mississippi, regarding Christmas happenings and other family news. Boyd mentions a postponed hanging of two slaves, one for killing an overseer and one for...
Secession; Mississippi; Duck shooting; Children; Christmas; Hinds County (Miss.)
Letter to Eudora Hobbs in Salem, North Carolina, from her young brother, W. H. Hobbs, and her father, Howell Hobbs, near Jackson, Mississippi, 1861. The boy writes about Christmas firecrackers and food, as well as duck shooting. Howell Hobbs...
Letter to Eudora Hobbs in Salem, North Carolina, from her uncle, J. N. Ledbetter, in Jackson, Mississippi, regarding the state's secession from the Union, as well as family news.
Secession; Mississippi; Godey's lady's book and magazine; Weather; Hinds County (Miss.); Telegraph
Letter to Eudora Hobbs in Salem, North Carolina, from her father, Howell Hobbs, relating family news and discussing the ongoing session of Mississippi's Convention, 1861. He describes hard times where business and money are concerned. He tells her...
Secession; Mississippi; Godey's lady's book and magazine; Hinds County (Miss.)
Letter to Eudora Hobbs in Salem, North Carolina, from her father, Howell Hobbs, relating family and local news and telling her about the local excitement over Mississippi's secession, 1861.
Davis, Jefferson, 1808-1889; Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865; Women's clothing; Godey's lady's book and magazine; Agriculture
Letter to Eudora Hobbs in Salem, North Carolina, from her father, Howell Hobbs, acknowledging receipt of her President's Card for good conduct at school. He asks her what she wishes to do about a dress which had belonged to her mother, and which...
Ross, Emmett Lloyd, 1838-1891; Ross family; Draft; Confederate States of America. Army. Mississippi Light Artillery, 1st. Company G; Furloughs; Railroad travel; Civil war; United States; Health
Letter, Sarah Howard Ross at Piney Vale to her son, Emmett Ross, opening with a comment on his ''misfortune'' and telling him of her recent bad health. She writes that Colonel Cook might accompany her to Brookhaven, mentioning the train...
Ross, Emmett Lloyd, 1838-1891; Ross family; Marriage; Clinton (La.); Teachers; Bayou Sara (La.); Civil war; United States
Letter, James Ross in Clinton, Louisiana, to his son, Emmett Ross. He encourages his son to rest so that his leg injury will heal faster. He gives his consent for Emmett to marry Mollie (Mary Collins), even though he hasn't met his future...
Ross, Emmett Lloyd, 1838-1891; Ross family; Woodville (Miss.); Marriage; Confederate States of America; Money; Clothing and dress
Letter, Sarah Howard Ross in Woodville, Mississippi, to her husband, James Ross, in Clinton, Louisiana. She tells him that she is sending him two collars by Nathaniel Magruder. She asks if she can get Sissy a pair of shoes, explaining that their...
Ross, Emmett Lloyd, 1838-1891; Ross family; Woodville (Miss.); Clothing and dress; Confederate States of America; Money; Jewelry
Letter, Sarah Howard Ross in Woodville, Mississippi, to her son, Emmett Ross, at Hazelwood. She is sending him, Mollie, and Elijah some shirts, socks, collars, and handkerchiefs. She tells him that she and Sissy were also able to get some clothes...
Shaw family; Copiah County (Miss.); Brookhaven; Measles; Diseases; Civil war; United States; African-Americans; Slavery; Morgan, John Hunt, 1825-1864; Fort Donelson (Tenn.); Clarksville (Tenn.)
Letter from Albert Shaw to his mother, Mary Shaw, telling her about the ill health of himself, his son, some of the slaves, and the neighborhood in general. Some of the soldiers in Brookhaven have the measles. He tells her that he has been...
Feemster, Mary Louise (Loulie), 1838-1867; Selma (Ala.); Feemster family; Railroad travel; Boardinghouses; Cumberland Presbyterian Church
Letter, Alex W. Feemster in Selma, Alabama, to his wife, Loulie Feemster, upon his arrival in the city. He tells her about the railroad and steamboat trip, finding a place to board in Selma, and mentions passing through Artesia and Meridian,...
Feemster family; Gaston family; Breastfeeding; Furuncle; Traditional medicine; Feemster, Alexander Whitfield, 1827-1911; Lowndes County (Miss.)
Letter from Loulie Feemster to her husband, Alex W. Feemster, in Selma, Alabama, mainly regarding a boil on her breast, which makes it difficult to feed their baby, Mattie. The doctor recommended that she use ''Tansy poultice'' on it, but she...
Feemster family; Infants; Breastfeeding; Civil war; United States; Lowndes County (Miss.); Feemster, Alexander Whitfield, 1827-1911
Letter from Loulie Feemster to her husband, Alex W. Feemster, in Selma, Alabama. She begins by telling him about a social visit and her friends' babies, one of whom is ''not hurt with beauty.'' She tells him that Willie (possibly Alex's brother,...
Civil war; United States; Confederate States of America; Draft; Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865; Lee, W. H. (William Hollinshed), 1841-1910; Edgefield District (S.C.); Religion; God
Letter, William States Lee, a minister in Edgefield District, South Carolina, to his grandson, William Hollinshed Lee, of Blythe's Regiment, Company A, Corinth, Mississippi. He mentions the evacuation of Columbus and doesn't know if the letter...