Search

Back to top

Search Constraints

Start Over You searched for: Places Southern States--Description and travel. Remove constraint Places: Southern States--Description and travel.
Number of results to display per page
View results as:

Search Results

Collection

Alfred Schaller letters, 1917-1919

17 items

This collection is made up of 17 letters that Alfred Schaller wrote to his sister and mother while serving in the United States Army during World War I. Schaller discussed his life at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, and described his travels in the South.

This collection is made up of 17 letters that Alfred Schaller wrote to his sister and mother while serving in the United States Army during World War I. In his first letter, Schaller described his journey to Fort Worth, Texas, and remarked on the large number of African American people he encountered. From January 1918-September 1919, Schaller primarily wrote about his experiences at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, where he served with F Troop of the 14th Cavalry Regiment. He occasionally transcribed his daily schedules and sometimes mentioned activities such as guard duty, K. P. duty, and drilling. On one occasion, he recounted a story about a soldier who had obtained a leave based on a false telegram from home.

On September 30, 1918, he mentioned the hanging of African American soldiers for their participation in the Houston Riot of 1917, though he did not directly witness their execution, and, on November 12, 1918, he described San Antonio's victory celebrations after the armistice. Schaller's letter of January 30, 1919, includes a detailed account of a lengthy hike from an unknown location to Fort Sam Houston, and a letter from March 1919 pertains to other travels in the South. When composing his final letter, on September 16, 1919, Schaller anticipated his arrival home in a few days.

Collection

Carl Philip Swanson correspondence, 1939-1946 (majority within 1943-1945)

0.5 linear feet

This collection is made up of around 150 letters that Sergeant Carl P. Swanson wrote to his family in Sparta, Michigan, while serving in the United States Army during World War II. Swanson served with the 976th Engineer Maintenance Company in Europe from July 1944-January 1946.

This collection is made up of around 150 letters that Sergeant Carl P. Swanson wrote to his family in Sparta, Michigan, while serving in the United States Army during World War II. Swanson served with the 976th Engineer Maintenance Company in Europe from July 1944-January 1946.

Carl Philip Swanson regularly corresponded with his parents and siblings throughout his military service. He discussed his daily routine and training exercises at Fort Custer, Michigan, and Camp Claiborne, Louisiana, in the summer of 1943. After October 1943, he was stationed at Camp McCain, Mississippi, where he joined an engineer regiment. Swanson often commented on his travels between different camps, particularly in the South, and on his experiences while on leave. On October 25, 1943, he described a visit to Grenada, Mississippi, where he noticed the segregation between African Americans and whites.

After his arrival in England in July 1944, Swanson served in France, Germany, and Belgium, where his regiment repaired equipment. He continually assured his parents that he was far behind the front lines and shared his optimism about a quick end to the war. He also mentioned his food, lodgings, and the scenery, which included scenes of destruction in France. In his leisure time, particularly after the German surrender, he attended movies and USO shows. Swanson occasionally referred to Buchenwald, which he had seen after its liberation, and noted the animosity between Polish guards and German prisoners of war in a Belgian camp (October 24, 1945). While on leave in England after the war, he wrote about his relationship with an English woman named Brenda. Swanson's final letter is from Newfoundland, Canada, in January 1946, and he sent 3 telegrams shortly afterward about his return to the United States.

Carl Swanson's correspondence includes V-mail letters, a greeting card, and stationery from the United States Army and Camp McCain. Undated items are letters, a postcard with a painting of Marseille, France, and a printed brochure about the YMCA's work with Polish youth after the war. The Swanson family occasionally received letters from acquaintances.

Collection

Charles and Ida Humphreys diary, 1874

1 volume

The Charles and Ida Humphreys diary (140 pages) chronicles the newlywed couple's vacation along the Mississippi River between March and June 1874. The diary, which contains entries composed by both Humphreys, contains commentary on life in the South during Reconstruction.

The Charles and Ida Humphreys diary (140 pages) chronicles the newlywed couple's vacation along the Mississippi River between March and June 1874. The diary, which contains entries composed by both Humphreys, contains commentary on life in the South during Reconstruction. While traveling onboard the steamer Glencoe, Charles and Ida Humphrey recorded their observations about the landscape and about the people they encountered, including black plantation workers. They also noted the region's declining economy. The Mississippi River region faced substantial flooding, and, as a consequence, the Humphreys were forced to remain in Greenville, Mississippi, for much of their trip.

Collection

Christopher Howser Keller letters, 1861-1865 (majority within 1862-1865)

192 items

This collection is made up of letters that Christopher H. Keller of the 124th Illinois Infantry Regiment and Albert C. Cleavland of the 42nd Illinois Infantry Regiment wrote to the Keller family and to Caroline M. Hall during the Civil War. The soldiers described their experiences in the South, including engagements with Confederate troops and guerillas, interactions with local civilians, travel between posts, and life in military camps. They occasionally discussed their feelings about the war and about political issues such as the presidential election of 1864.

This collection is made up of letters written that Christopher H. Keller of the 124th Illinois Infantry Regiment and Albert C. Cleavland of the 42nd Illinois Infantry Regiment wrote to the Keller family and to Caroline M. Hall during the Civil War. The soldiers discussed their experiences in the South throughout the war.

The bulk of the collection is letters that Christopher H. Keller wrote to his parents, George H. and Esther Keller of Batavia, Illinois, and to his future wife, Caroline Matilda Hall of St. Charles, Illinois, between September 2, 1862, and August 14, 1865. He described his travels between camps and other posts in Illinois, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Louisiana, commenting on the weather, the scenery, and destruction caused by the war. His letters provide detailed descriptions of everyday aspects of military life, such as camp conditions, rations and supplies, religious services, and medical care; in February 1863, he described his stay at Overton Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. Keller occasionally expressed his opinions on military doctors, conscripted soldiers, and the war, and reflected on soldiers' deaths. He sometimes shared stories about his interactions with Confederate civilians.

Keller participated in skirmishes throughout his service. Two groups of letters concern his experiences during the Siege of Vicksburg in mid-1863 and the Union campaign for Mobile in the spring of 1865. In March 1865, he visited New Orleans. In 1864, he briefly commented on Abraham Lincoln's presidential nomination and noted his regiment's overwhelming support for Lincoln as they voted; in 1865, he reacted to news of Lincoln's assassination and the death of John Wilkes Booth. Keller's final letters, written from Mobile just after the end of the war, include mentions of freed Confederate prisoners and freedmen. Keller's enclosed a dogwood blossom in his letter of April 10, 1865.

A small number of items in the collection are incoming letters to Christopher H. Keller and, to a lesser extent, Caroline M. Hall. Keller received one letter from Albert N. Hall about Hall's experiences at Pittsburg, Tennessee (March 25, 1862). Albert C. Cleavland wrote letters about his service with the 42nd Illinois Infantry Regiment from 1861-1865. He served in Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia, and his letters include descriptions of skirmishes near Chattanooga, Tennessee, in October 1863, the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, and a visit to Atlanta after its destruction by Union troops. His later letters sometimes include comments about Confederate civilians, the fall of Richmond, and the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Cleavland wrote his final letters from Port Lavaca, Texas, in late 1865. The final item in the collection is a letter that Mary Chind of St. Charles, Illinois, wrote to Caroline Hall Keller on December 31, 1865, congratulating Keller on her marriage and enclosing a pamphlet by Theodore L. Cuyler, "A Flaw in the Wedding Link."

The collection includes undated newspaper clippings from the Montgomery Daily Mail and an unknown paper, pertaining to troop movements and the restoration of telegraph services, respectively, and a tintype portrait of an unidentified Union soldier in uniform, posing beside a United States flag.

Collection

Dall family papers, 1824-1911, 1942 (majority within 1824-1911)

1.5 linear feet

Online
This collection is made up of correspondence written and received by members of the Dall family of Boston, Massachusetts. Included are letters written and received by Caroline Healey Dall, an early feminist; letters between her daughter, Sarah Keene Dall, and Josiah Munro during the couple's courtship; letters from Charles Henry Appleton Dall to his children, Sarah and William, written while he worked as a missionary in India; and letters from Sarah Keene Dall to her brother William, concerning her life in Buffalo, New York, throughout the late-19th century.

This collection is made up of correspondence written and received by members of the Dall family of Boston, Massachusetts. Eighty-eight letters concern the friendship and courtship of Sarah Keene Dall and her future husband, Josiah Munro, between 1867 and 1870. Dall wrote approximately 680 letters to her brother William about her life in Buffalo, New York, 1874-1907. Reverend Charles Dall wrote 10 letters and postcards to Sarah Keene and William Dall when he worked as a missionary in India in the early 1880s. Caroline Healey Dall received approximately 65 letters from friends in the early 20th century. The papers also include 3 receipts, 1 cyanotype photograph, an original illustration, a newspaper clipping, and Caroline Healey Dall's 1898-1907 commonplace book.

The first 88 letters in the Correspondence series relate to the friendship and courtship between Sarah Keene Dall ("Sadie") and Josiah Munro, including 68 letters he received from Sarah and 18 he received from her mother, Caroline Healey Dall. Sarah wrote many of her letters from Baltimore, Maryland, and Boston, Massachusetts, and she regularly corresponded with Josiah about her social life and daily experiences. She spent much of her time traveling, and her letters include observations about steamboat travel in Ohio (May 23, 1868) and about travel around the South. Occasionally, particularly in her earlier letters, she commented on women's affairs and feminist subjects, including women's suffrage and the general difficulties faced by women who wanted to work outside the home. Three of her letters contain enclosures: a newspaper clipping about commemoration of Confederate Civil War casualties (October 16, 1867), a four-leaf clover (October 23, 1867), and two pieces of fabric (October 28, 1869).

Sarah's mother, Caroline Healey Dall, strongly opposed Sarah and Josiah's courtship and engagement. She wrote Munro 7 times between April 2 and April 26, 1870, requesting that he make his intentions clear and discuss the matter with her and with Sarah. Dall claimed that her daughter wished to wait to become engaged, though Sarah told Munro she preferred to marry before the winter (April 11, 1870). The letters surrounding the tense situation provide insight into aspects of late-19th century romantic customs. Munro also received a sympathetic letter of support from William Dall, his future brother-in-law (April 24, 1870), and a friendly letter from his sister Mary (July 31, 1870).

The bulk of the collection consists of approximately 680 letters William Dall received from his sister, Sarah Dall Munro, and mother, Caroline Healey Dall, between 1874 and 1907. Sarah wrote the majority of the letters while living in Buffalo, New York, and regularly shared news of her social life, travel, and daily experiences. Many of her letters concern housekeeping duties, charity work, and her sons, Willis and Charles. The letters also indirectly reflect William's life and travels around the United States and Europe, and occasionally provide insight into current events, such as the procession of President William McKinley's funeral train through Buffalo (September 11, 1901). William's mother wrote similar letters, though with less frequency. She commented on her life and provided family news. Josiah Munro, William's brother-in-law, sent him at least two letters.

Reverend Charles Dall wrote to Sarah and William while living in Calcutta, India, where he worked as a Unitarian missionary. His ten letters include a letter to Sarah dated November 22, 1872, and 9 postcards to William and his wife Nettie between January 2, 1882, and August 31, 1883. Dall's correspondence focuses on his travel between North America and India, and occasionally regards the local weather. He also often requested news of life in Boston and of his family.

Between 1911 and 1912, Caroline Healey Dall received approximately 65 personal letters from her daughter Sarah and from friends and acquaintances, largely pertaining to their social and personal lives. She also received letters of appreciation from libraries, acknowledging her donations of manuscripts or books.

Two later letters are a personal letter addressed to "Mattie" by a woman named Annie in Santa Barbara, California (September 12, 1922), and a letter from Charles Whitney Dall to Willis Dall (June 15, 1942). Charles W. Dall's letter pertains to a group of Dall family papers, including many letters written by his father and his aunt Sarah, that were moved away from Washington, D. C., to protect them in the event of a bombing raid against the capital. An undated, typed newsletter titled "Our Weekly Boston letter," pertains to anniversaries being celebrated throughout the city and to President Theodore Roosevelt.

The Receipts, Visual Materials, and Newspaper Clipping series holds 1 newspaper clipping concerning the commemoration of Sigourney Butler of Boston, Massachusetts; 3 receipts from E. Rollins Morse & Brother to Merchant's National Bank (June and July 1889); 1 cyanotype titled "Our tent. The Dunbars"; and a small drawing of a building in San Michael (San Miguel), New Mexico.

Caroline Healey Dall's Commonplace Book, dated 1898-1907, contains copied poetry, essays, and articles. Though a few early poems were written in the early 1800s, most date to the 1890s, and they concern a variety of subjects, such as memorials, nature, religion, and Theodore Roosevelt. She also recorded 8 pages of thoughts on criticism of William Shakespeare, biographical notes on prominent figures, and an essay on child marriages. Two poems and an article are clipped from printed sources and pasted into the book.

Collection

Durant-Hornor correspondence, 1848-1850

1 volume

The Durant-Hornor correspondence consists of manuscript letters between attorneys Thomas J. Durant of Washington, D.C., and Charles W. Hornor of New Orleans, Louisiana, bound into a single volume. The legal partners discussed court cases, finances, and current events between 1848 and 1850.

The Durant-Hornor correspondence (1 volume) consists of over 300 manuscript letters, between attorneys Thomas J. Durant of Washington, D.C., and Charles W. Hornor of New Orleans, Louisiana, dated July 11, 1848-October 21, 1850. The legal partners discussed court cases and other legal affairs, as well as their finances and local news. Durant occasionally described travel in the southern and middle Atlantic states. Many of the letters refer to local and national affairs, such as migrants passing through New Orleans on their way to California, disagreements over the future of slavery in California, the death of Zachary Taylor and the appointment of a new Cabinet, and Cuban political struggles. Some of the letters pertain to family news and health. The first 2 pages contain information about Durant and Hornor, the letters in the volume, and the book's provenance.

Collection

Gideon Bingham letters, 1840-1849

12 items

This collection is made up of 6 letters that Gideon Bingham wrote to his brother Waldo between 1840 and 1847. Bingham described life at Yale College and in Richmond, Virginia; Washington, D.C.; and New Orleans, Louisiana. He discussed his job prospects, Southern customs, work as a traveling bookseller, and political issues (such as the proposed annexation of Texas).

This collection is made up of letters that Gideon Bingham wrote to members of his family between 1840 and 1849. In his letter of March 15, 1840, Bingham told his brother about a domestic altercation that he and a companion had witnessed; he also mentioned his studies, other students' increasing political awareness prior to the 1840 presidential election, and his resolution to oppose all political candidates who supported the right to slavery. From January 1844-May 1847, Bingham wrote from Richmond, Virginia (January 26, 1844, and February 15, 1845); Petersburg, Virginia (February 23, 1845); Washington, D.C. (January 10, 1845); Pittsburgh (November 25, 1845); Natchez, Mississippi (May 31, 1846); New Orleans, Louisiana (May 2, 1847); and Cincinnati, Ohio (September 30, 1849).

He often described the areas he was travelling through and referred to Southern social customs, such as the treatment of African Americans in Richmond and the city's fondness for public military displays. He noted African American musicians playing at a Washington Day parade in Petersburg, Virginia (February 23, 1845). He called New Orleans "a perfect babel of tongues & such a diversity of color & complexion you would look in vain for any where else," and he commented on burial practices in the city (May 31, 1846). His letters also pertain to political issues, such as local opinions regarding the proposed annexation of Texas. He also wrote about a judge who gambled on the 1844 presidential election (February 23, 1845) and matters relating to the United States War with Mexico (May 24, 1847). While living in the South, Bingham worked as a bookseller, often collaborating with "Mr. King." He commented on his business practices, calling on doctors and lawyers, occasionally the titles he was selling, and his observations while travelling. Bingham described a journey from Connecticut to Washington, D.C., and his sightseeing activities in the national capital, particularly with regard to paintings and sculpture. He also described a steam boat accident on the Mississippi River (May 31, 1846). In an undated letter, Bingham discussed his work presiding over a school in Orange County, New York.

Collection

Horatio G. Finch journal, 1858-1872 (majority within 1859-1871)

1 volume

The Horatio G. Finch journal contains brief daily entries that Finch composed between from December 1858 to May 1872. He described his experiences traveling around the South during the Civil War and chronicled his life as a farmer near San Francisco, California, after the war.

The Horatio G. Finch journal (5" x 14", about 365 pages) contains brief daily entries that Finch composed between from December 29, 1858, to May 3, 1872. Each page of the diary represents a specific date (i.e., July 24), with entries composed over the course of as many as 13 years; additional pages are bound into the volume for longer entries. Finch frequently dated entries in Spanish. Before and after the Civil War, he reported news of his daily life in and near San Francisco and discussed his travels around California, consistently noting weather conditions and his current location. During the Civil War, Finch traveled throughout the South, spending much of his time socializing with Union Army officers in Kentucky and Missouri. He often mentioned recent military developments, such as the escalation of tension at Fort Sumter and two reports of Lincoln's assassination, each set apart by a thick ink border (April 13, 1865, and April 15, 1865). In June and July 1864, Finch traveled to Vicksburg, Mississippi, where he recorded his impressions of the heavily-shelled town. Many of the later entries, often brief, pertain to Finch's concerns while working on his farm and vineyard.

Finch also bound newspaper clippings into the volume, and its final pages have instructions for repairing macadam and earthenware. Items laid into the volume include a brief joke and newspaper clippings concerning the Civil War, the election of 1864, and Fabius M. Finch's 50th wedding anniversary.

Collection

John Cronin letters, 1930

24 items

This collection contains 21 letters that John J. Cronin, Jr. ("Jack") wrote to his father and brother in Hartford, Connecticut, while he traveled to North Carolina and Georgia during the spring of 1930 in an attempt to join an organized baseball team. The collection also has three letters that Cronin received from his brother, Harold.

This collection contains 21 letters that John J. Cronin, Jr. ("Jack") wrote to his father and brother in Hartford, Connecticut, while he traveled to North Carolina and Georgia during the spring of 1930 in an attempt to join an organized baseball team. On February 26, he reported that he and his traveling companion, John J. Carlin, Jr., had safely arrived in Washington, D. C., and his next few letters recount their experiences hitchhiking through Virginia to Durham, North Carolina, where they sought a place with a local team in the Piedmont League. His letters describe his experiences over the next several weeks, as he and Carlin made their way to Henderson, North Carolina, and Atlanta, Georgia. In Atlanta, they discovered and briefly attended a baseball school run by Norman "Kid" Elberfeld, though they wished to stay only if the school guaranteed them a roster spot (March 9, 1930). Cronin declined his brother's offer to pay for the training. He and Carlin lingered again in Durham, where Albany Lawmakers manager "Wild" Bill McCorry allowed them to train with his team (March 22, 1930). Cronin described his training with the club, which he enjoyed, and began to appreciate the difficulty of gaining a place in an organized league. By April 8, he was on his way back to Hartford. Harold Cronin wrote 3 letters to Jack, his brother, providing news of Hartford and mentioning his support for Jack's baseball career. Some letters enclose newspaper clippings discussing the beginning of Cronin's southern trip (February 28, 1930), showing a cartoon bird heading for spring training (March 12, 1930), and reporting that John J. Cronin, Jr., and John J. Carlin, Jr. had been granted tryouts with the Atlanta Crackers (March 12, 1930).

Collection

Levi B. Vilas collection, 1851-1872 (majority within 1851-1861)

46 items

This collection contains 44 letters that lawyer and congressman Levi B. Vilas wrote to his brother and mother after moving from Vermont to Madison, Wisconsin, in 1851. Vilas discussed family finances, politics, and his impressions of the South while traveling in 1856 and 1857.

This collection (46 items) contains 44 letters that lawyer and congressman Levi B. Vilas wrote to his brother and mother after moving from Vermont to Madison, Wisconsin, in 1851. Vilas discussed family finances, politics, and his impressions of the South while traveling in 1856 and 1857. The collection also includes 1 letter by Harrison Vilas and 1 photograph.

Levi B. Vilas often discussed his family's financial situation, particularly related to their estate in Vermont. Between 1860 and 1861, he expressed concern for his mother's health and questioned the impact that her illness would have on the family. He also provided news of his wife and children, his business affairs, politics, and the local Democratic Party.

In 1856 and 1857, Vilas took extended tours through the South and reflected on aspects of southern life such as the importance of cotton and slave labor. During the Civil War, he expressed concerns for his 3 sons serving in the Union Army. Harrison Vilas wrote 1 letter to his wife and mother recounting a journey from Vermont to Wisconsin (April 27, 1853). The collection also includes a photograph taken in Madison, Wisconsin, of a bearded man sitting at a desk in a study; a manuscript note identifies him as "L.B. Vilas."