Biography/History:

Featherston, Harris, and Watson was a law firm operating in Holly Springs, Marshall County, Mississippi, after the Civil War. It was composed of General Winfield Scott Featherston, Colonel Thomas W. Harris, and Richard L. Watson. W. S. Featherston was a Confederate general who served as a state legislator in 1876, 1877, and 1880. He was also a delegate to the Mississippi constitutional convention of 1890. W. S. Featherston died in 1891. His son, Dudley M. Featherston, was a member of the law firm, Kimbrough, Kyle, McDonald, and Featherston, in Holly Springs. T. W. Harris died in 1890.

Scope and Content:

This ledger is mainly comprised of claims to be collected by the law firm of Featherston, Harris, and Watson from 1865 to 1875. The ledger notes the date the case was received, names of the parties liable, the beneficiary of the payments, and the person from whom the case was received. Many businesses and attorneys in north Mississippi are mentioned.

After 1875 the ledger was intermittently used by other law firms and attorneys, including the following: Featherston and Harris; T. W. Harris; Kimbrough, Kyle, McDonald, and Featherston; R. H. Tunstall; and Featherston and Mahon. The page used by Kimbrough, Kyle, McDonald, and Featherston refers to the payments for a manslaughter case, State of Mississippi v. Brewer (1898), and a divorce case between Mary and Anthony Sanders. The last page in the book is a record of payments made to R. Reynolds in the 1850s for an inventory of shoes.

Series Identification:

Series 1: Ledger. ca. 1852-1901. 1 bound volume.