Browse Items (171 total)

Stewart, a former store keeper and trader in slaves, writes to Texas's first Reconstruction governor about fears of a "negro insurrection" near Waverly and Danville, sparked by rumors among freedpeople about a general distribution of property around…

Longcope is relieved to hear of Avery's safe arrival at home and discusses his determination to pursue business, in spite of the losses incurred from freeing his slaves.

Houston businessman C. S. Longcope, who knew the Averys while they were in Houston, reports on events in the city since the Averys returned to Louisiana.

Evans writes from Houston expressing relief that the Averys had arrived back in Louisiana safely. She also discusses the effects of emancipation in Houston since the Averys left, mentioning her frustration and surprise with the ways that former…

Atchison writes from Navasota in Grimes County to ask that the charter of the Brazos Manufacturing Company, first incorporated by a special law in November 1863, be approved by the governor with himsel and Thomas F. Lockett in charge. He argues that…

In a letter accompanying a specimen of rock salt, Avery touts the quality of the salt being mined on Petit Anse Island and hopes the sample will be included in "the valuable collections of our old alma mater, at Yale."

Dudley informs his father of Lee's surrender and laments the fall of the Confederacy. He regards Lincoln's assassination as a blow to the South. But he does see some hopeful prospects in the high demand for salt and he urges his father to send powder…

Writing from Petit Anse Island, Dudley reports to his father on the arrival of the family's luggage with Texas, along with some powder that was presumably intended to help mine salt. An engineer from an unnamed company has been inspecting the mine…

A difficult to transcribe letter discusses attempts to resume sugar cultivation, which is slow work "without the hands," preparations on the Island house, and a request from a family member to have merchandising rights at Petit Anse if the Company…

Dudley Avery appeals to General Taylor to exempt "Mr. Kearney," the overseer at his father's plantation, from military enrollment. Avery explains that Kearney is "the only white person remaining on the plantation and has been supplying the people in…