19 December 1862

Wilkinson, Frederick W., fl. 1861-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Amanda Wilkinson

Writes to his wife after he crosses the Rappahannock River to let her know that he is still alive after the Battle of Fredericksburg, Virginia. His regiment was involved in a "desperate fight" but could not force the enemy from the heights. Reports that all the troops from Ann Arbor, Michigan are either dead or wounded. Has had his arm in a sling the entire time he was in Fredericksburg. He will not tell his wife much about the battle as Dr. Stone will return home and tell her. Wishes he could be at home with her.

GLC03523.13.070

28 December 1862

Wilkinson, Frederick W., fl. 1861-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Amanda Wilkinson

Written at camp of the 2nd Michigan Infantry to is wife. His arm is still very sore from last week but he is glad to hear that she and their baby are doing so well. It appears very doubtful that he will come home this winter. The army is unsure of what it will do next. The regiment has built log huts for the coming winter. Gives some details describing what the log hut is made from. States that he has built a large hut in case she comes to visit him. States that the battle plan of General Ambrose Burnside was good but they failed to carry it out. Explains that it was neither the army nor…

GLC03523.13.071

4 January 1863

Wilkinson, Frederick W., fl. 1861-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Amanda Wilkinson

Written at camp of the 2nd Michigan Infantry to his wife. Notes that a year ago today he started for home. Writes how much he misses her and wishes he could be with her. Is thankful that God has continued to spare him through so many battles.

GLC03523.13.072

5 January 1863

Wilkinson, Frederick W., fl. 1861-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Amanda Wilkinson

Writes to his wife that he hopes she does not think his previous letter foolish for being a love letter. Thinks that most men give all their affection before marriage and then after marriage the wife is the one who professes affection. Enjoys the picture of the baby. Wants to know what his mother thinks of the baby. He has not been paid yet but expects to receive it soon. Thinks it is more honorable to earn a commission near the battlefield then to go home and get one. Hopes he will soon be made first lieutenant. States that he did not join the army to get promotions but to fight for his…

GLC03523.13.073

12 May 1872

Hemans, Nancy A., 1843-?

Autograph letter

Title: to Frances B. Shiras

Apologizes for not writing and explains how various chores have kept her too busy. Notes that Cecelia, the half-Indian girl living with her has gone to live with Reverend James Cook. Discusses separation from her husband Daniel. Apologizes for not naming their baby after Frances. Mentions Paul, who is sick and attempting to recuperate. Notes that Convocation is coming up.

GLC02429.23

17 September 1872

Hemans, Daniel Wright, fl. 1872-1881

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Alexander Shiras

Mentions starting work at Santee and his growing son. Discusses the health of Paul and Christian Taopi, a fellow Indian preacher, whose death seemed imminent. Taopi expressed no fear in dying, but regretted not having more time to preach. Sends congratulations for a recent engagement.

GLC02429.27

8 January 1777

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Lucy Knox

States that his other recent letter, probably GLC02437.00514, is not full of sentiment because its contents is of public importance and she might wish to show the letter to others. Says that, while there love is public, the full expressions of it need not be put in a letter that may be seen by strangers. Here he expressed the love for her that he did not in the previous letter. Hopes to be with her soon, and hopes for more letters. In a postscript advises her to sell the horses if she is in Boston, and in a note on the address leaf asks her to forward a letter for him. Dated 1776, but…

GLC02437.00516

13 April 1777

Knox, Lucy Flucker, 1756-1824

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Hopes Henry is thinking of her. Says that she is being inoculated for smallpox, but that a rash on her arm has slowed the process and led the doctor to give her more mercury. Worries about her health but says their daughter is doing quite well. Lucy's aunt is with her for now, but will soon be leaving to marry "an old fellow." Says that she is planning to join him soon in Morristown, commenting that since Mrs. Washington is there she feels she can be there too. Mentions news of troop movements. Hears her brother "is in York" but hopes he will come home soon. Worries that the war will…

GLC02437.00572

13 April 1777

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Lucy Knox

Expresses his love for her. Thinks Crane will soon have success in recruiting men. Feels "America trifles too much with the high matters in which she is engag'd - an infinity of happiness or misery depends upon the success or non-success of the present Contest." Is pleased with recent victories in New Jersey, but worries that prolonged British occupation of the state has cost the revolutionaries some supporters. Says "a party of ours" attacked a party of 70 Tory "wretches to Humanity" and took 5 prisoners. There are more of them across the Passaic River, opposite Newark. Expects General…

GLC02437.00573

26 March 1777

Eveleigh, Nicholas, 1748-1791

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Says his main purpose in writing is to ask Knox to forward an enclosed letter to Mr. Rose. Also states that he has been marching fifty miles a day and has no artillery captain. Discusses his desire to see his wife, a feeling he knows Knox shares. Doubts the rumors that the French are bringing men to Charlestown, but hopes the French will strike a major blow some time in the future. Mr. Rose most likely refers to Baron Gustavus Heinrich von Wetter-Rosendahl, whose American name was John Rose. He was a member of the Society of the Cincinnati, along with Knox and Eveleigh.

GLC02437.00559

31 March 1777

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Lucy Knox

Loves her and thinks of her constantly. Thinks America will soon rise and Britain fall. Sees the recent arrival of arms as a positive sign from above. Feels the war has lost all virtue. If not for her he think he would not have the will to live. Decides to sell his horses to help William Knox raise money. Thinks Colonel Jackson can help with this, feels they are worth one hundred pounds, and hopes to sell them to a jockey named Cook.

GLC02437.00560

January 10,1777

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Lucy Knox

Has just received her letter and assures her "my heart is yours although my Country demands my poor pittance to endevor to rescue her from barbarity." Feels this barbarity, exemplified by Indians slaughtering innocents, enslaved people killing their masters, and the general desolation caused by the Hessian mercenaries is all a result of British tyranny. Chastises the "boasted humanity of these people who calls themselves the mother Country!" Repeatedly expresses his love and longing for her. Warns her to "take care of your heart" with Colonel Stewart who will deliver this letter. States…

GLC02437.00517

26 April 1777

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Lucy Knox

Loves her and is glad she and their daughter are doing well after their inoculation. Longs to see her, but for her own safety and happiness denies her request to join him at Morristown. Believes the British "by no means as formidable as they were last year," since "the enemy are diminishing and we are increasing" in numbers. Confident America will prevail "not for the virtue of the people but because the heavens will it." Laughs when thinking about William Knox "doing the duty of a common soldier." Relates a drinking story. Hopes Billy has raised the necessary money and asks that he be…

GLC02437.00580

April 31, 1777

Knox, Lucy Flucker, 1756-1824

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Misses Henry, her husband. Gives details of her recent bout with smallpox, noting "I have more than two hundred of them- twenty in my face..." Notes that their daughter, Lucy, has one pox. Discusses the difficulty of hiring men and boys for assistance with chores, noting they are more apt to seek work in the ports. Complains of her current lodging, an officers room in a military barracks: "but a few rough plan was my guard from the weather... two soals [soles] of old shoes served for hinges to the door, on which was chalked- the cloven footed gentleman upon his head- in short I never was…

GLC02437.00582

18 October 1862

Hanleiter & Adair (publishers), fl. 1861-1865

Newspaper

Title: Southern confederacy. [Vol. 2, no. 208 (October 18, 1862)]

Prints a speech given by Jefferson Davis to the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Confederate States, titled: "Incompetent Army Officers -- Message from the President Relative to Incompetent Officers in the Army and Skeleton Regiments." Also prints a police order, "Regulating the Conjugal Relations of Sambo," by order of Brigadier General Rufus Saxton, Federal Military Governor of South Carolina. Includes accounts of troop movements and battle reports, advertisements, and local news.

GLC05959.09.088

2 April 1889

Adams, Anne Brown, 1843-1926

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Alexander M. Ross

Intends to send him all of her recollections regarding Kennedy Farm and preparations for Harpers Ferry Raid, and gives a biography of John E. Cook, one of the raiders. Discusses Cook's upbringing, his marriage, and an affair he had. Tells how Stevens' fiance broke off their engagement hours before he was hung. Upset by comments against her father. Opposed to vaccination of her children. Recipient inferred from content.

GLC03007.23

1877-1900

Adams, Anne Brown, 1843-1926

Autograph letter

Title: to Alexander M. Ross

"The struggle for a married woman's rights will be a longer and a harder fought battle than any other that the world has ever known." Preaches rights for married women, and catalogs the abuses of husbands. Also supports temperance. Wonders why God did not make mankind better. Author and recipient inferred from content. Only last two pages remain.

GLC03007.53

1 November 1850

Brown, Jason, 1823-1912

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Ruth Brown

Inquires if she has been married and discusses family business. Hears rumors that Ruth has been married to a Mr. Thompson, and wishes to know if it is true. In fact, Ruth had married Henry Thompson, a neighbor at North Elba, one month earlier. Also discusses the various movements of members of the family, including John Brown.

GLC06348.01

15 July 1848

Duley, Mary, 1811-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Lloyd Duley

Writes to her siblings about a birth, her family's health, the abundance of rain, and local deaths and marriages. Notes a meeting of the "suns of Temperance." Hopes they will visit. Mentions she has "got the headache very bad." Sent to Lloyd but meant for "dear brothers and sisters." Signs Mary Ann Wood. There are some unrelated calculations in pencil on the address leaf.

GLC06377.03

1883

Duley, Eva E., 1859-?

Pamphlet

Title: [Pierce's Memorandum and Account Book with manuscript notes]

Full title: "Pierce's Memorandum and Account Book designed for Farmers, Mechanics and All People Who appreciate the value of keeping a memorandum of business transactions, daily events, and items of interest or importance, for future reference." Cover also indicates it was "A Present from the World's Dispensary Medical Association." Filled with sundry medical information. A manuscript note on page one indicates this is Eva Duley's book and dates it to 23 December 1883. Written on the pages for notes are birth dates, death dates, and marriage anniversaries for various members of Enoch M.…

GLC06377.10

1815-1860

Manuscript document

Title: [Enoch and Wilebour Duley family record]

Records births, deaths, and marriages on printed "Family Record" stationary with an ornamental border. The only marriage recorded is Enoch and Wilebour's in 1840. Notes their children's birth dates and the death dates of two children, as well as those of Enoch and Wilebour. No date but must be after Enoch's death in 1906. Probably written in Kentucky.

GLC06377.13

July 17, 1913

Sweeney, J.D, 1869-?

Photograph signed

Title: [Photograph of house of John Brown's widow]

Photograph of the house of John Brown's widow in California. Photograph taken by T. Major Edgecomb. Docket on verso in green ink states "After the execution of John Brown, his widow and several of her young children came to Red Bluff. Citizens raised a sum of money which came from near and far and built a home for her. There she lived for several years, then moved over the Coach Range. A few still remain who recall having played with the Brown girls."

GLC06806.02.02

20 November 1801

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter

Title: to Lucy Knox [incomplete]

Letter is not signed but appears to be in Knox's handwriting. Mentions their prospects will greatly brighten due to the increase of settlers but they have hardly seen any money yet. Complains about their son (likely Henry Jackson Knox) never writing. Writes "My mind can find no other employment for him than to make him our companion, or if he gets a wife our neighbors..." Notes he has enclosed (not included) $200 for her (likely Lucy Knox) journey until he arrives. Addressee name is not listed but based on the content of the letter Knox appears to be writing to his wife, Lucy Knox. The…

GLC02437.07679

14 June 1804

Parker, Stephen, fl. 1804

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Caleb Strong

Tells about his terrible misfortunes, including a decadent, alcoholic son, a loss of property and money during the war, and the death of his wife as a consequence. Explains that his son, Colborn, was taken ill aboard an American naval vessel and would like to know whether this entitles his son to hospital care.

GLC02437.07860

January 10, 1807

Morton, Perez, 1751-1837

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Lucy Knox

Writes that he is glad to be able, as Speaker of the House of Representatives, to transmit to Lucy the condolences of the House (see GLC02437.08055). Stresses that he was so beloved that the resolution was unanimous among house members. Believes that community support will soften the blow to Lucy and to Knox's friends, as they will know how highly the community thought of Knox.

GLC02437.08056