Civil war; Agriculture; United States; Fort Sumter (Charleston, S.C.); Jackson (Miss.)
Letter to Eudora Hobbs in Salem, North Carolina, from her cousin, N. H. Boyd, in Jackson, Mississippi, telling her about the local excitement over Virginia's secession from the Union. She writes that military companies are passing through...
Civil war; United States; Huntsville (Ala.); Fort Hatteras (N.C.); Fort Clark (N.C.); Fort Pickens (Fla.); Bull Run, 1st Battle of, Va., 1861; Confederate States of America. Army. Alabama Infantry Regiment, 4th; Bragg, Braxton, 1817-1876; Walker,...
Letter from Hallie Cruse in Huntsville, Alabama, to her sister, Maria Walker, regarding the troubles of family and friends. She mentions a Confederate camp in Huntsville and refers to the 4th Alabama Regiment's involvement in the battle at...
Vicksburg (Miss.); Paris (Ill.); Steamboats; Women; Social history; Bird, Mary Ellen TenBrook, b. 1843; Lamon, Lucy Malindia Alexander, b. 1843; Judson, Jacintha Alexander, 1828-1903; Judson, Willet Harmon, 1823-1890; Judson, Jennie Shields, b....
Letter from 17-year-old Ellen Mary 'Nell' TenBrook to her 17-year-old aunt, Lucy Malindia Alexander, in Paris, Illinois, January 1860. Nell is visiting her aunt (Lucy's sister), Jacintha 'Cinty' Alexander Judson, in Vicksburg, Mississippi, and...
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,...
Feemster family; Selma (Ala.); Boardinghouses; Teaching; Slavery; African-Americans; Race relations; Racism; Clothing and dress; Religion; Feemster, Mary Louise (Loulie), 1838-1867
Letter, Alex W. Feemster, Selma, Alabama, to his wife, Loulie Feemster, explaining that it is impossible for her to join him in Selma because they can't afford it, and that there is no chance of her finding a little school to teach in. He suggests...
Feemster family; Religion; Freemasons; Revivals; Infants; Breastfeeding; Slavery; African-Americans; Traditional medicine; Civil war; United States; Draft; Stainback, George Tucker, 1829-1902; Lowndes County (Miss.); Feemster, Alexander Whitfield,...
Letter, Loulie Feemster to her husband, Alex W. Feemster, in Selma, Alabama. She writes about a revival taking place among the Masons and tells him about some acquaintances who have joined. She also names people who have made professions at the...
Feemster family; Social classes; Motherhood; Infants; Slavery; African-Americans; Race relations; Barksdale, William, 1821-1863; Lowndes County (Miss.); Alexander Whitfield, 1827-1911
Letter, Loulie Feemster to her husband, Alex W. Feemster, in Selma, Alabama. She writes about staying with Hallie while her husband John was in Mobile. When John returned, he brought an orange for each of them. She tells him that she finally...
Feemster family; Slavery; African-Americans; Opium abuse; Infants; Clothing and dress; Civil war; United States; Friendship Cemetery (Columbus, Miss.); Lowndes County (Miss.); Feemster, Alexander Whitfield, 1827-1911
Letter, Loulie Feemster to her husband, Alex W. Feemster, in Selma, Alabama. She tells him about friends and relatives, then mentions that her father is thinking of selling his place and his slaves. She doesn't think very highly of the Dunnings:...
Feemster family; Religion; Newspapers; Southern Observer; Boardinghouses; Selma (Ala.); Ransom, Lemuel Clark, 1831-1874; Feemster, Mary Louise (Loulie), 1838-1867
Letter, Alex W. Feemster in Selma, Alabama, to his wife, Loulie Feemster, telling her about the newspaper (the ''Southern Observer'' referred to in subsequent letters), a weekly halfsheet which will start running in January and cost $5.00 a year. ...
Feemster family; Selma (Ala.); Railroad travel; Steamboats; Theft; Military chaplains; Civil war; United States; Southern Observer; Boardinghouses; Newspapers; Ransom, Lemuel Clark, 1831-1874; Feemster, Mary Louise (Loulie), 1838-1867
Letter, Alex W. Feemster in Selma, Alabama, to his wife, Loulie Feemster, telling her that he arrived in Mobile and planned to stay in a hotel until he learned that a steamboat was available. He describes the wildlife he saw as they went up the...
Feemster family; Infants; Traditional medicine; Lowndes County (Miss.); Sewing; Religion; Stainback, George Tucker, 1829-1902; Feemster, Alexander Whitfield, 1827-1911
Letter, Loulie Feemster to her husband, Alex W. Feemster, in Selma, Alabama, mentioning home and sewing matters and the text of the morning sermon. She had feared that Mattie would have the ''Flux,'' but she took care of it with rhubarb, and the...
Feemster family; Civil war; United States; Columbus (Miss.); Enterprise (Miss.); Grierson, Benjamin Henry, 1826-1911; Railroads; Military occupation; African-Americans; Selma (Ala.); Martial law; Religion; Feemster, Mary Louise (Loulie), 1838-1867
Letter, Alex W. Feemster in Selma, Alabama, to his wife, Loulie Feemster. He tells her about a local rumor that Columbus had been taken and burnt, adds that he gives no credence to it, and writes that he has heard Grierson is on his way. He...
Feemster family; Lowndes County (Miss.); Religion; Civil war; United States; Clothing and dress; Textile fabrics; Stainback, George Tucker, 1829-1902; Feemster, Alexander Whitfield, 1827-1911
Letter, Loulie Feemster at Bigbee Bottom, Mississippi, to her husband, Alex W. Feemster, in Selma, Alabama, opening with religious reflections. She tells him that the church is raising money for maimed soldiers. She writes about clothing, hats...
Feemster family; Tupelo, Battle of, Tupelo, Miss., 1864; Operational rations (Military supplies); Civil war; United States; Selma (Ala.); Religion; Furuncle; Feemster, Mary Louise (Loulie), 1838-1867
Letter, Alex W. Feemster in Selma, Alabama, to his wife, Loulie Feemster, who has traveled to Enterprise, Mississippi. He tells her that his hand is swollen and that he is fighting ''a feeling of gloom and despondency.'' Charly wrote with an...
Feemster family; Travel; Oaths; Religion; Feemster, Samuel King, 1836-1899; Feemster, Alexander Whitfield, 1827-1911; Selma (Ala.)
Letter, William O. Feemster, at ''Bro. Bob's,'' to his brother, Alex W. Feemster, in Selma, Alabama, telling him about traveling along the river on mules and horses. Sam got home and seems to be improving, though he still looks ill. Uncle Whitty...
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...
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...
Civil war; United States; Sharon (Miss.); Madison County (Miss.); Confederate States of America. Army. Mississippi Infantry Regiment, 18th; Magruder, Henry Archibald, 1842-1896
Letter from Martha Magruder (later Martha Magruder Hopkins) to her brother, Henry Archibald Magruder, inquiring about his health and the health of his regiment (the 18th Mississippi Infantry) and reporting news about family and friends, 1862....
Civil war; United States; Teachers; Education; Union City (Tenn.); La Grange (Tenn.); Oxford (Miss.); Webb, Matilda Ann, 1832-1913
Letter to ''Lit'' (Matilda Ann Boyd Webb) from her cousin, Mattie A. Boyd, and Sophie Boyd Hays. Mattie is visiting Sophie, her school term in Oxford having just ended. Mattie writes that most of the young men are gone from town, and that...
