Correspondence, 1841-1849

Collection — Box: 1, Folder: 1

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

From the Collection:

There are over 500 letters in the Nuckolls Collection. They tell the story of the family, the times, the conflicts among family members, especially after the father died and his will was read and monies and lands dispersed. The 1850s Cambridge letters paint a colorful image of both Cambridge and Boston when Thomas was attending Harvard Law School. The Civil War letters give more details the home front, telling of the activities and worries of the family members at home, the encouraging letters to Thomas and William, the boxes of supplies that were constantly being sent by the family to its soldiers, than the life of the soldiers themselves. The family was a warm and loving entity, usually writing each other weekly. All the sisters wrote regularly to Thomas ("Dear Bro"), praising, complaining, but staying in contact even as their families were dispersed from Columbus, Georgia and across Alabama, to Russell County, Seale, Gadsden, Cherokee and Tuskegee. Relatives moving even further westward are included in the correspondence.

A history of the family, newspaper articles and census records have been included in a separate folder from the letters to help fill in their story. The letters are in wonderful condition, many still with their envelopes. Even the paper and size of the envelopes, the return address, the postage – all tell a history of the times.

In addition to the letters there are several packets of legal and financial documents. They were left in the groupings made by Thomas J. Nuckolls, with his handwritten labels. Many of the items referred to in the letters, such as deeds, promissory notes, plat maps, receipts, vouchers and other enclosures mentioned, were placed in these bundles. There is also a small bundle of Slave Documents. The bundles have been opened and are filed in chronological order in folders of Box 4.

The letters are filed in chronological order.

Dates

Other: 1841-1849

Extent

From the Collection: 1.5 Linear Feet : 4 boxes

Language of Materials

From the Collection: English

Additional Description

General

May 20, 1841 – Indenture deed (with description of the lot) made in Muscogee County between Elbert Wells and Henry Judson of Connecticut selling land in Columbus, lot 68. Number 30 in Russell County, Alabama. July 29, 1842 – Indenture deed for land in Columbus between Lucy Peabody of Connecticut and Eleazar Lockwood of New York. November 8, 1843 – Deed from Daniel McDougald and Jonathan A. Hudson to Nathaniel Nuckolls, of the West half of the northwest quarter of section number 32 in township number 16 of Range. November 9, 1843 – Deed from Enoch Johnson to Nathaniel Nuckolls, Russell County, Alabama for $500. November 29, 1844 (but recorded in 1847) – Deed from Alexander J. Robeson and wife Amanda F. Robeson and Samuel Mcdougald and wife Ann Eliza Mcdougald of Muscogee County, Georgia to Hudson A. Thornton, conveying the east half of section 36, Township 16 range 29 east in Russell County, Alabama. October 2, 1845 – Land Receipt from Nathaniel Nuckolls as part of his plantation. March 1, 1846 – Letter to Thomas J. Nuckolls in Athens, Georgia from his sister Louisiana in Columbus, Georgia. She wrote a newsy letter from home. October 4, 1846 – Letter to Thomas J. Nuckolls in Athens, Georgia from his brother Nathaniel Nuckolls in Uchee, Russell County, Alabama. He told of family news, new baby Tony, of sister and brother Davis, cotton crop being destroyed by worms, his own studies and a love letter from Mary. October 11, 1846 – Letter to Thomas Nuckolls in Athens, Georgia from his father Nathaniel Nuckolls in Columbus telling him of a big fire in Columbus, family news and enclosing a $ 20 bill. January 16, 1847 – Indenture deed between Eleazar Lockwood of New York and Benjamin Wells, Muscogee. February 26, 1847 – Letter to T.J. Nuckolls in Athens, Georgia from his brother N.A. Nuckolls in Columbus, Georgia. He told of life at home, his school, and the governor's daughter's distraction for T.J. April 11, 1847 – Letter from N.A. Nuckolls in Muscogee County, Georgia to his brother T.J. in Athens, Georgia. He was answering T.J.'s letter and told him the news from home, about the fire and his lessons. April 18, 1847 – Poem titled "Frozen to death" to Tom Nuckolls from Amanonylles in Columbus, Georgia. November 24, 1874 – Letter to Thomas Nuckolls in Columbus, Georgia from a college friend named Woodford A. Johnston in Madison [Georgia?]. He talked about local news, "flying around the girls", the city being dry as cotton and the market being low. December 3, 1847 – Letter to Tom Nuckolls from a college classmate, S. Means of Glenn Springs, South Carolina. The envelope was addressed to Hon. Wm. Nuckolls, Hancockville, S.C. The letter described Means' journey to and college at Columbia, S.C. December 14, 1847 – Letter to Tom Nuckolls from Morgan Callaway in Washington, Georgia. Callaway told of his strange journey from Columbus back home, stopping in Ellislie [sic], his uncle's place near Flint. December 17, 1847 – Letter to Thos J. Nuckolls from a Richard Wood in Greensborough, Georgia. W ood was a college friend at Franklin College, talking about his life and the girls. December 18, [1847 or 1848?] – Letter, self-folded with sealing wax, to Thom Nuckolls in Columbus from a former classmate, Simeon Oliver, in Hernando Desoto City, Mississippi where Oliver was on vacation. He discussed the ladies of Alabama and Mississippi, his grades (he was not pleased), and his return to Athens after the break. July 11, 1848 – Letter to Thomas J. Nuckolls (Much esteemed Friend), from D.F. Hooten, at the Medicinal Springs in Walker, Georgia. He was answering a letter from Nuckolls inquiring about a certain lady. He also described the springs there. July 25, 1848 – Deed by Enoch Johnson to Nathaniel Nuckolls for land in Russell Co, east ½ of SW ¼ section 32 township 16 range 30, 80 35/100 acres. February 22, 1849 – Letter to Nathl Nuckolls ("Dear Father") from Thos. J. Nuckolls, ("your most dutiful son"), at Franklin College inquiring about family, funds and telling of his interest in Cambridge Law School [later Harvard]. November 7, 1849 – Letter to Mr. Nuckolls from W. Hipkins in Frankfurt asking for a copy of his Oration "Originality". November 16, 1849 – Letter to tom Nuckolls from Morgan [Callaway] in Augusta, Georgia referring to their college friendship, a love interest, law lectures he was attending, law classes, advising Tom to attend, and news of school friends. December 12, 1849 – Letter to Father [Nathaniel Nuckolls] from Thos. J. Nuckolls informing him that "Uncle Alexander and Cousin Burruss are with us and then to the plantation", and the receipt of a letter from Belser and Harris about their management of his business and urging his father to return. The letter was sent by Maj. Hardaway.