November 1853

Humphreys, Sarah Gibson, fl. 1853

Autograph letter signed

Title: to her father Tobias Gibson

The date of the letter is taken from the docket. Writes that Loula is doing much better. Sarah discusses the visitors she entertained last week. Reports Mat Ward was arrested for murder. At first he was placed in a debtor's cell but a mob demanded that he be moved to a criminal cell and placed in chains. She does not think he will hang because his family is rich and influential.

GLC04501.072

February 13, 1854

Rowlands, Alfred, fl. 1854

Autograph letter signed

Title: [Receipt for purchase of Frank, an enslaved man]

One receipt belonging to Alfred A. Rowlands for the amount of $1,250 to purchase an enslaved man, Frank from Rowlands. Docket indicates Frank was sold as property by Tobias Gibson on behalf of his daughter, Sarah [Gibson] Humphreys.

GLC04501.073

8 December 1854

Gibson, Tobias, fl. 1861-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Randall Lee Gibson

Writes about plantation business. He hopes Randall and Preston will write to him from New Orleans.

GLC04501.074

30 December 1855

Gibson, Hart, fl. 1855

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his sister Sarah Gibson

The first letter is written by Hart Gibson. He informs his sister of his progress in school. He writes about the family and his displeasure with President elect Polk. He also reports that Miss Webster, Toby and Claude's old teacher, has been convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for helping enslaved people seek refuge. Writes, "You recollect the young lady Claudy and Toby went to school to last sumer and (Miss Webster) she has been tried by the Court for carrying off negroes to the free States found guilty and sentenced to the Penitentiary for two years Some of the people tried to get the…

GLC04501.075

January 28, 1855

Gibson, Tobias, fl. 1861-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Randall Lee Gibson

Hart has graduated but his father feels he was a lazy and sluggish student. He mentions the sugar and molasses crops.

GLC04501.076

28 May 1856

Gibson, Tobias, fl. 1861-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his son

Family news and problems with the sugar crop.

GLC04501.077

September 1866

Carpenter & Mullen Magnolia Gallery

Photograph

Title: Carte de visite [Gibson family]

Image of McKinley Gibson, Louisiana Hart Gibson, Maria (Ridie) Tevis, and Margaret Howard Preston playing backgammon. The circular pattern on Ms. Preston's dress has been drawn with ink.

GLC04501.078

31 October 1856

Breckenridge, W.L., fl. 1856

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his sister

The "Old Lady's" health has improved but her memory is slipping. He thinks his trip to Texas has greatly improved his health.

GLC04501.079

13 December 1856

Autograph manuscript signed

Title: London credit account sheet of Dr. Hart Gibson and William Hoge & Co.

Indicates that interest is paid at 7%. Includes amounts dating from December 1855 to December 1856. The debt totals 1,625.67.

GLC04501.080

January 13, 1857

Humphreys, Joseph, fl. 1845

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sarah Gibson Humphreys

Written on verso of Bill of Exchange [dated 12/6/56] belonging to Samuel Humphreys. Joseph tells his wife of the hardships on his trip including running out of sugar and having to substitute "whiskey & water" for coffee. He is sending Bob back for 3 bottles of whiskey.

GLC04501.081

18 May 1857

Gibson, Alfred, fl. 1857

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Tobias Gibson

Hailstorms ruined some of the cotton crop. The cotton gin processes about 12 bales a day. Sickness on the plantation has taken the lives of five slaves, all under the age of four. Albert lost two slaves, one 17 years old and the other 20. A monument was erected at the grave site of Tobias Gibson, the first Methodist Preacher in Mississippi, who has been dead for 50 years. The citizens of Vicksburg are having a reception for Colonel Jeff Davis.

GLC04501.082

1 September 1857

Miller, Eliza, fl. 1857

Autograph letter signed

Title: [to her brother Tobias Gibson]

Recipient is inferred from content of the letter. Eliza describes her stay at the Battery Hotel and hopes that such resorts in the South will prevent Southerners from going north "in search of pleasure or comfort."

GLC04501.083

14 December 1857

Higgins, R., fl. 1857

Autograph letter signed

Title: [to Tobias Gibson]

Announces that he has married Ann. He encourages Tobias to remarry after the death of Louisiana Gibson (see GLC04501.100).

GLC04501.084

February 2, 1858

Manuscript document

Title: [Account of Mr. Hart Gibson]

Account of debt owed to Hamilt and Company.

GLC04501.085

15 August 1858

Slaughter, Atticus, fl. 1858

Autograph letter signed

Title: to [Tobias] Gibson

He writes about his wife Virginia and plantation business.

GLC04501.086

7 October 1858

Gibson, Tobias, fl. 1861-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sarah [Gibson] Humphreys

Writes that he has just arrived and that both the cash crop and the provision crops are doing well. He wishes he could bring surplus hands from Sumners Forest to Live Oak to help with the sugar grinding. He feels guilty about leaving Loula and Hart with her since she has children of her own. The letter is continued on October 8th.

GLC04501.087

8 October 1858

Gibson, Claude, fl. 1852-1858

Autograph letter signed

Title: [to Tobias Gibson]

He, Toby and John McKinley Gibson are studying in Heidelberg. Mr. Preston has been appointed Minister to Spain.

GLC04501.088

10 July 1860

Gibson, John McKinley, fl. 1860

Autograph letter signed

Title: [to Tobias Gibson]

Writes that he and Toby are going to Switzerland in September. He justifies the trip by stating that the universities in Switzerland are as good as those in Germany and French is spoken there "even better than in Paris." They intend to go to Paris next year. The bottom of the page has been cut with some loss of text. Written in the kingdom of Jena Saxe, Weimar, Germany.

GLC04501.089

25 July 1860 to 29 July 1860

Autograph letter signed

Title: Journal entries

Journal entries taken from a book. The first leaf appears to be journal or diary entries from Blue Lick Springs. It contains information about the weather, news about various people, and illness. Second leaf dated April 30th (no year) contains a listing of clothes for Loula Gibson and Lucy [Humphreys]. A section dated January 4, 1863 contains a listing of beverages consumed, mostly port wine and brandy.

GLC04501.090

26 November 1860

Humphreys, D.C., fl. 1845

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Joseph A. Humphreys

Writes that he will not be able to come home as soon as he expected to.

GLC04501.091

February 4, 1863

Gibson, William P., fl. 1862-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: [to his sister Mary Humphreys]

Briefly describes his journey from New York to Cincinnati.

GLC04501.093

21 April 1864

Smith, Edward, fl. 1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Tobias Gibson

Dated at "Cotton Press No. 4." Smith, a member of the 2nd LA Cavalry, Co. G, informs Gibson of his being wounded, captured and imprisoned. He requests $200-$300 in city funds.

GLC04501.096

12 October 1856

Gibson, John McKinley, fl. 1860

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Tobias Gibson

A letter written at school which discusses the strictness of his instructor, asks for an allowance, declares that he neither smokes nor swears, and asks his father for permission to talk to girls.

GLC04501.098

20 February 1871

Gibson, Tobias, fl. 1861-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sarah [Gibson] Humphreys

A melancholy letter discussing the difficulty of running a profitable plantation. Tobias worries over his children and his failings. He mentions the death of his wife, 20 years ago to the day. He writes of another woman he fell in love with after Louisiana died: "we were everything to each other but the nuptial ceremony . . . ." but "we do not correspond, but I hear occasionally of her."

GLC04501.100

29 March circa 1840

Humphreys, Sarah, fl. 1830-1840

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Joseph A. Humphreys

Writing to her son, she recounts the family's experiences in the city. Her daughters have attended so many parties they are running out of clothes. She wishes for a lock of her son's hair to make a bracelet. Writes that she has been to see "Daguerre's celebrated chemical pictures [Dioramas] from Paris, (oil paintings) in which, by modifying the light upon the picture, are exhibited two entirely distinct representations on the same canvas . . . ." She identifies the images as the Monastery of Mount Surrat in Catatonia, St. Eteinne's church at Paris, and the crumbling of mount Rouffiberg…

GLC04501.101