Scope and Contents

Account of Laurence's life and family by his son, John E; O'Keeffe. L. E. O'Keeffe's certificate of first communion and his obituary from an Irish newspaper, 1846, 1907 and n.d.

Scope and Contents

Describes attending Adelina Patti concert in Columbus, Georgia,

Scope and Contents Longest extended narrative in the collection, kept from March 26-May 26; documents a young man's interests and life in Columbus, Georgia. He was a passionate devote of the arts, especially music. Other concerns were his sisters and religious beliefs as a Roman Catholic. Street and social life in Columbus were carefully delineated: salesmen in the store where he clerked, farmers and poor “crackers” who came into town, their amusements, education, and treatment of their slaves; the...

Scope and Contents The Civil War letters are almost as interesting as the diary, despite poor writing conditions and the tedium of camp life. Most of them were written to his family in Columbus, Georgia, while the 17th Regiment of the Georgia Volunteers were in winter quarters. Portions of some are missing, 1861-1862 April 19, 1861, Columbus, Georgia. To his sister Emily in St. Augustine, Florida, where she was in school. He described preparations foe war. Incomplete letter, l piece. August 26, 1861,...

Scope and Contents Continues letters from camp in the 17th Regiment Georgia Volunteers January 3, 1862, [Bull Run] Prince William County, Virginia. They moved to Camp Georgia, and snow had fallen. 1 piece. Incomplete. January 8, 1862, Bull Run, Virginia. He was visited by the Moses brothers and heard about Mont Moses' planned marriage to Minnie Dessau in Spring 1862 . 2 pieces January 15, 1862 (misdated 1861), Bull Run, Virginia. He described winter quarters further. Still could not get a furlough. 1 piece....

Scope and Contents Letters from prison have little news since there was no activity. January 25, 1864, U.S. Prison Depot Johnson's Island, Ohio. 1 piece February 14 [St Valentine's], 1864, Johnson's Island, Ohio. 1 piece April 25, 1864, Johnson's Island, Ohio. 1 piece. August 15, 1864, Johnson's Island, Ohio. 1 piece, photocopy. September 19, 1864, Johnson's Island, Ohio. 1 piece. January 11, 1865, Johnson's Island, Ohio. 1 piece, photocopy February 3, 1865, Johnson's Island, Ohio. 1 piece. February 10, 1865,...

Scope and Contents From the Collection: Most of the following descriptive information is taken from the Georgia Department of Archives inventory for AC 84-015:A diary, sheets from another volume, and Civil War letters, all written by a young Irishman who had moved to Georgia, make up this interesting collection. O'Keeffe's unusual position as a well-educated, articulate young man living in a foreign country resulted in a unique record of life in ante-bellum Columbus, Georgia.Despite his youth, Laurence...