Letter from William McBurney to Thomas B. Ferguson concerning supplies sent to Dean Hall Plantation. McBurney apologizes for sending articles on the sloop "Bird" instead of the "R E Lee" and returns a butter tin sent to him by Ferguson. He writes, "I think your dairy maid needs instruction,..., Mrs. McB thanks you for the butter but thinks there is room for improvement." 1p.
Letter from William Whaley to William McBurney instructing him that "the negroes planting at Dean Hall" should repair a broken floodgate and permitting the manager (Thomas Ferguson) to use his former slaves, "such of mine as are [still] on the plantation," to assist. 2p.
Letter of condolence from Mary Barnwell to Henrietta Manigault Heyward upon the death of Mrs. Heyward's son Nathaniel. Mrs. Barnwell's daughter (Nathaniel's wife) also recently died leaving three orphaned children. Apparently the two older boys are currently being raised by the Heywards while Mrs. Barnwell cares for an infant daughter. 4p.
Letter of thanks from R.W. Barnwell in Charlottesville to unknown recipient. The thank you stems from an unspecified "contribution" to the Confederate cause, possibly a donation of money to the hospital in Charlottesville. 1p.
Letter sent from Paris from Nathaniel Heyward to his father. Nathaniel tells his father about his future plans to travel around England and describes in detail the Louvre Museum and the artwork he has seen. In a postscript, he comments on the joy felt in Paris upon hearing the news of the fall of Valencia during the Peninsular War. 4p.
Letter to James B. Heyward from his aunt admonishing him for not writing her. She mentions some unidentified struggles William Barnwell is having at Harvard and that despite his best efforts "his being a Southerner appeared to fix his destiny." She also speaks at length of relatives, friends and a wedding in Beaufort. 4p.
Letter to James B. Heyward from his aunt, M. Smith, in Beaufort. In her letter she describes to James about a recent meeting of the Debating Society of Beaufort and the beautiful "Speechifying" to be heard. She wishes that he would come visit but realizes the "gay and inviting City [Charleston] takes your heart and plain quiet Beaufort suffers in consequence." 4p.
Letter to James B. Heyward in Cambridge, Mass., from his aunt, Mrs. Smith, in "Old Fort", Beaufort. His aunt relays a message to James to research Old Fort in the Harvard library for his uncle and writes at length of the events at "Carolina College." 4p.
Letter to James B. Heyward in Cambridge, Mass., from his aunt, Mrs. Smith, in "Old Fort", Beaufort. His aunt refers to a campus "rebellion" that James survived and relates news from family and friends. 4p.
Letter to James Heyward from J.H. Trapier concerning ideas about crops and livestock for their various properties. Trapier suggests giving the newly freed laborers a stake in the crops grown, noting that he got the idea from a book on "European Agriculture" and that the practice had worked well in Germany. He mentions the difference in labor required for field crops versus the "special cultivation" skills needed for rice propagation. Finally, he asks James for a copy of a blank "Petition for pardon" claiming the hand crafted one he had sent earlier might be rejected because of his refusal "to surrender my ideas in reference to State Sovereignty." 4p.
Letter to James Heyward in Charleston from his aunt at "Old Fort' in Beaufort. His aunt writes of an upcoming wedding and ordination and hopes James will "keep his promise." 4p.
Letter to Mr. James B. Heyward from F.M. Fickling, representing Mr. Frank Myers, concerning rental payment for property that Heyward is leasing from Myers. The letter references the ongoing dispute between Heyward and Myers concerning the use of Confederate currency to pay the rent. 2p.
Letter(s) to a Miss Watting (from Elisa ?) in Bombay, India, care of James B. Ferguson. In the letter, written over a period of months in cross-hatch, the author describes Bombay in detail, her social life there and her eagerness to hear of news from America and England. The writer also mentions that, while in Gibraltar, she saw the Union gunboat Chippewa keeping watch on the Confederate cruiser Sumter "as a cat with a mouse." 17p.
Letter, exact date unknown, from R. Felker to Mr. Heyward giving him a list of cotton weights and an update on the search for Mr. Heyward's lost hogs. 2p.
List of 118 slaves, (location and exact date unknown), numbered in pen and an additional 12 duplicate names listed at the end in pencil. The list was perhaps compiled as an inventory of property after the death of Nathaniel Heyward (1766-1851). 3p.
List of Field Slaves for Hamburgh, Copenhagen, Rotterdam and Myrtle Grove Plantations in 1854-1856, designated by sex and full hand, half hand, etc. 26p.
