Dates: 1836 - 1885.

Scope and Content Note:

Letters written by members of the William Burr Howell family of Natchez, including Varina Howell (Mrs. Jefferson Davis); Margaret Louisa Howell and William Burr Howell (Varina's mother and father); Joseph Davis Howell and Jefferson Davis Howell (Varina's brother); Margaret Graham Howell (Varina's sister); Sarah Howell (sister of William Burr Howell); and Joseph B. Howell (brother of William B. Howell). One letter written by Jefferson Davis at Brierfield, April 24, 1857, refers to a flood sweeping the plantation, and to one of his slaves, Julia Ann, who had visited the Howell household.

The letters cover such diverse subjects as accounts of a sea voyage from New Orleans to Staten Island, New York, August 1, 1836; Varina's education at the Greenland Academy, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, November 2l, 1836; the sickness of Mrs. Margaret L. Howell, January 27, 1852; a pistol duel between Joseph Davis Howell and a Colonel Henry, September 8, 1858; one letter, written by Joseph B. Howell, discusses the possibilities of a civil war, December 10, 1860; a bill of exchange drawn on a London bank and signed by Varina Howell Davis, December 18, 1865; and several letters written by Jefferson Davis Howell concerning family relations in San Francisco. Also contained in the collection is a letter from Joseph Davis Howell, dated September 25, 1846, Monterey, Mexico, which gives a vivid account of the Battle of Monterey; two newspaper clippings of the death of Jefferson Davis Howell, November 23, 1875, and several undated letters.

 
Appendix 1: Item inventory created in May 1985 and based in part on a 1967 inventory provided by the Museum of the Confederacy, Richmond, Virginia.

Folder 1

08.01.1836 "Margaret," New York to "My Dear Husband," Natchez.
11.21.1836 R. A. Howell, Philadelphia, to "Dearest Margaret," Natchez.
??.??.1836 [?] Varina B. Howell, Philadelphia, to "My dear Mother," Natchez. Also, Joseph Howell, Philadelphia [?], to "My Dear Mother," Natchez.
08.05.1837 John S. Glaser, Hamburg, to "Dear William," Natchez.
01.29.1838 Dick [?],Philadelphia, to "Dear William," Natchez.
04.10.1838 Dick [?], Philadelphia, to "Dear Bill," Natchez.
11.05.1838 [?], Natchitoches, to "My Dear Wife," s.l. fragment.
12.29.1838 Ellen [M. Davis], Locust Grove, to "My Dear Uncle," Brierfield.

 

Folder 2

09.05.1845 Jos. D. Howell, Brierfield, to "Dear Father," Natchez.
03.06.1846 "Your Wife," s.l., to "My Dear Husband," s.l.
09.25.1846 [?], Monterey, to "Dear Mother," s.l. 2 pieces, fragment.
01.06.1847 J. D. Howell, Carmargo, to "Dear Bill," s.l.; verso, J. D. Howell, Camargo, to "Dearest Mother," s.l.
03.02.1847 J. D. Howell, Office of Clothing Deport, Carmargo, to "Dear Father," s.l. Postscripts added on March 3 and 4.

 

Folder 3

03.07.1850 W. F. Howell, Oakland College, to "My Dear Parents,", s.l.
04.05.1851 H. A. Du Mesnil[?], Louisville, to Jos. E. Davis, s.l.
04.07.1851 "Your mother," s.l., to "My Dear Daughter," s.l.
01.27.1852 "Mother," Tunisberg[?], to "My Dear Daughter."
02.14.1852 [?], Tunisburg[?], to "My Dear Daughter," s.l. fragment.
02.22.1852 "Old Mully-Mumps," Tunisburg [?], to "My Dear Daughter," s.l.
08.06.1852 "Wife," Brierfield, to "My dear Husband," s.l.
??.??.1852[?] "Your Own Mother," Tunisburg [?], to "My Dear Child," s.l. upper right corner torn away.

 

Folder 4

05.07.1853 [?] Malie {?] Brodhead, Washington, to "My Dear Aunt Varina," s.l.
09.29.1853 H. B. Grace, Kings P.O., Barbour Co., Ala., to Jefferson Davis, Washington, D. C.
10.29.1854 "Wife," Washington, to "My Dear Husband," s.l.
04.04.1855 "Your Wife," Washington, to "My Dear Husband," s.l.
06.19.1856 Sarah [?], Pittsburg, to Wm. B. Howell, New Orleans.
04.24.1857 illegible.
10.02.1857 W. B. H., Tunisburgh[?], to "My Dear Daughter," s.l.
09.08.1858 "Yr Bro Joe," Philadelphia, to W. B. Howell, s.l.
04.17.1859 R. C. Wood [?], Washington, to Jefferson Davis, s.l.
09.06.1859 W. B. Howell, New Orleans, to Jefferson Davis, U.S.S.

 

Folder 5

03.05.1860 "Yr Bro. Joe," Philadelphia, to "Bro. Bill," s.l.
12.10.1860 "Your affectionate Bro Joe," Philadelphia, to "Dear Bro. Bill," s.l.
09.10.1862 W. B. H., Raleigh, N.C., to "My dear Wife," Thomaston, Georgia.
08.14.1863 "Your Mother," Augusta Arsenal, to "My Dear Daughter," s.l.
12.18.1865 Notarized statement for $2500 to be used by V. Davis.
??.??.1865[?] Postscript only signed by W. Rector [?] concerning the $2500.

 

Folder 6

05.10.1870 Margaret ]?] Stoess[?], [?], to "My Dearest Sister," s.l.
05.12.1870 [?] Stoess[?], Windmere[?], to Jefferson Davis, Memphis; "Jeffy D," N.P.T. Co. S.S. "John L. Stephens" at Sea, to "My dear Old Sis," s.l. 4 pieces.
11.06.1873 "Jeffie D.," Steamer "Pelican" at Sea, to "My darling Old Sis," s.l.

 

Folder 7

10.17.1875 "Jeffie," Steamer Pacific at Sea, to [?], s.l.
11.10.1875 W. N. Mercer, San Francisco, Calif., to Mrs. Jefferson Davis, Memphis, Tenn.
11.15.1875[?] R. W. Mullan, San Francisco, to "My dear Mrs. Davis," s.l.
11.16.1875 Envelope with card from D. F. Holland, Galveston, Texas, to Jefferson Davis, Memphis.
11.23.1875 Newsclipping from Seattle, W. T., Evening Dispatch, eulogizing Capt. Jeff. D. Howell.
??.??.1875[?] Newsclipping, s.l., eulogizing Capt. Jeff D. Howell.
09.30.1876[?], Pressburg [?], [?], to [?], [?].
07.14.1878 Jefferson Davis, Jr., Memphis, Tenn., to "My own precious much loved, & darling Mother," Beauvoir. 2 pieces, with envelope.
01.06.1885 Chas. Clark, San Jose, Calif., to Mrs. Jefferson Davis, Beauvoir. 3 pieces.

 

Folder 8

07.01.186? Jeff. D. Howell, Confederate States Steamer Patrick Henry off Drury's Bluff near Richmond, Virginia, to "My dear Mother," s.l.
06.18.187[?] [?] Steamer Los Angeles at Sea, to "My dearest Old Sis," s.l. fragment [?].
02.??.???? Lise M. [?], Vicksburg, to "My Dear Uncle," s.l. 2 pieces; Eliza[?], s.l., to "My Dear Brother," s.l.
n.d. [?], s.l., to "My Dear Daughter,"s.l. fragment; n.d. three envelopes; n.d. Jefferson Davis, s.l., to [?], [?]. letterpress copy, nearly illegible.