Correspondence Archive of the Emerson and Dowd Families of North Carolina
North Carolina: 1831 to 1856. A collection of 31 letters, totaling 84 pages, belonging to the Emerson family, a prominent Baptist family in Oakland Township, Chatham County, North Carolina. 21 of the letters were sent by Rosanna Dowd Emerson to her son, Andrew Jackson Emerson, while he was studying at Wake Forest College in the 1850s. After graduation, Emerson taught at Baptist academies in North Carolina and at William Jewell College in Missouri before becoming president of Howard Payne College in Texas. These letters provide details about life in Chatham County, and reflect the mindset of a concerned college parent.
Four additional letters, meanwhile, were sent by Cherry G. Dowd to her cousin Rosanna Dowd (later Rosanna Emerson) in the 1830s, providing details about Baptist life in Moore County, NC during the Second Great Awakening, as well as an account of a local panic that occurred in the wake of Nat Turner’s Rebellion. There are also two letters by another cousin, Nancy Dalrymple, of Moore County, as well as three letters from “Curt”, a former schoolmate of A.J. Emerson’s at Wake Forest.
Includes the following:
Cherry G. Dowd Letters
Four letters, totaling 12 pages, sent between 1830 and 1837 by Cherry G. Dowd of “Sandridge,” Moore County, North Carolina, to her cousin Rosanna Dowd of Chatham County. Two letters with tape repairs. One letter extensively tape repaired, with fading to first page (still legible), and chipping and tearing to upper margins with loss. Chip to another letter with loss to a few words, holes to a couple of letters with loss to a few words. Some foxing and areas of fading.
Cherry was the daughter of Major Cornelius Dowd, “who served Moore County as deputy and sheriff, legislator in the North Carolina House of Commons, clerk of court and register of deeds, and state senator” (Dictionary of North Carolina Biography). In these intimate and pious letters, Dowd expresses her deep affection for her cousin:
“I have thought much of you and have often longed to see you the kindness you showed me while with you greatly endeared you to my heart. Often do I recall with pleasure the happy hours I have spent with you…It creates such an anxiety to be with you that it renders me almost uncomfortable.” (Moore County, 1830)
In one letter, dated October 1st, 1831, Dowd writes about a slave rebellion, that was, in all likelihood, imagined by the white population, part of the panic and reprisals that struck the region in the immediate aftermath of Nat Turner’s rebellion, which occurred a month earlier:
“We have been greatly alarmed in this county for fear of the negroes on the 25th of September there came news to Carthage that 500 had been seen in Montgomery county the day before and that they were coming on this way it was very alarming indeed many families left their houses and staid in the woods. Monday Mr. Seawell Mr. J. Morison and brother Dickinson went on to get information about it they were informed that the negroes had been taken up and confessed that they intended to…get ammunition and then murder all they could they have a great many in jail it is thought some of them will be put to death.” (Sandridge, Moore County, 10/1/1831)
Dowd writes about local sicknesses, deaths, and marriages, and in one letter states her desire never to marry:
“I expect you have heard of the misfortune of Jane Wilson she married a Mr. Riddle and in a short time after they were married he went away and left her he started to the Western Country…Angus McDonald and his wife parted a few weeks ago and lived so for some time but they now live together and some say they live like the bride and the groom. I think the conduct of some of the married ones is sufficient to put those that are single out of the notion of marrying…I have no expectation of marrying I can say with confidence….” (Sandridge, Moore County, 2/6/1832)
Another letter recounts the painful and tragic death of an infant relative, after which Dowd pens her thoughts on the spiritual nature of death. In fact, Dowd’s piety is apparent throughout these letters, written while the Second Great Awakening was sweeping Baptists in North Carolina. In one letter, she writes about attending a Camp Meeting near Fayetteville, and in other letters, she writes about the conversion of friends and family:
“I rejoice to inform you of the conversion of Sisters E., and brother D’s wife…they were both baptized last summer the day Sister E. was baptized was among the happiest periods of my life of ever I enjoyed a feast it was on that day. To God be all the glory, I am still trying to lead a life of piety and to wage perpetual warfare with those numerous enemies which daily oppose me.” (Moon County, 1/24/1837)
“I hear of extensive revivals of religion with unspeakable joy. I hear of the conviction & conversion of numbers in many places but I can assure you it is a frozen time about hear among both professors and sinners the most of the people about hear care but very little for any thing except vain amusement and dress. Yet my dear cousin these earthly roles will decay and fade away…We have very little preaching in this neighborhood…I have not heard a sermon since the 2 Sabbath in November. Sabbaths pass very tedious wish us for want of a good preacher in this neighborhood.” (Sandridge, Moore County, 2/6/1832)
Nancy Dalrymple Letters
Two letters, totaling five pages, sent in 1832 by Nancy Dalrymple of Moore County, North Carolina, to her cousin Rosanna Dowd. One of these letters was sent from “Shady Grove Meeting House” in Moore County. A few small holes and separations, else very good. Dalrymple recounts family news, and includes a couple of anecdotes about local Baptist activities, including “singing at T Creek meeting house.”
Rosanna Dowd Emerson Letters
21 letters, totaling 57 pages, sent between 1851 and 1854 by Rosanna D. Emerson from her home in Chatham County, North Carolina, to her son, Andrew Jackson Emerson, a student at Wake Forest University. Together with an 1856 letter by Aaron Emerson, 1 pp, recounting the death of his wife, Rosanna. In very good condition with some toning and creasing, trimming to upper and lower margins of one letter. The Emersons were a prominent planting family in Oakland Township, North Carolina. According to the 1850 census, they owned 20 enslaved persons. According to “The History of Wake Forest College, Volume One,” Andrew Jackson Emerson graduated from Wake Forest in 1855, one of only 11 ministerial students to successfully graduate from the school prior to the Civil War—“Among the ablest men ever graduated from the College was Andrew Jackson Emerson of Chatham County….” After graduation, Emerson taught at Baptist academies in North Carolina and at William Jewell College in Missouri before becoming president of Howard Payne College in Texas.
In most of these letters, Rosanna reports to her son about sicknesses, marriages, and deaths back home in Chatham County:
“our neighborhood is still healthy though in some places a little off they are dying with the fever Squire Jesse Wamble his son Joseph and daughter Lydia have all died…old Billy Marsh was buried last Saturday…I reckon it was from old age as he was over an hundred years of age…Crabtree Siler and Nancy Heaven were married lately it is becoming fashionable to get married and start on a tour immediately.” (Oakland, 11/8/1854)
Throughout, Rosanna writes as a caring and concerned college parent. She talks about sending money to her son, and the logistics involved therein. She entreats her son to return home for vacation, expresses her love, and provides advice:
“I know you will need clothing and shoes and there is a risk in sending money and it is very hard to get and we can get them without paying out money…Dr. Watson speaks of going down to commencement I suppose you have sent him a ticket…I suppose that Henry Morley speaks of going too your father sends you ten dollars and if you will need more you can write…the children can’t bear the idea of your staying away this vacation….” (Oakland, 5/17/1852)
“what a real satisfaction it affords a parent to receive affectionate letters from your children…now my mind is often led to Wake Forest College where I fancy I see you enjoying yourself…I reckon few parents regard the future prospects of their children as we do, in order to gain that knowledge…without which man is nothing…be kind and friendly to your teachers never treat religion with contempt…” (Chatham, 8/18/1851)
Rosanna also writes about a troublesome report she received from the college regarding her son, admonishing him to not lay blame at the faculty, but to look inward:
“I do not pretend to attach any blame to the faculty…let me entreat you not to suffer yourself to be prejudiced against them…Now look to the right source examine yourself well and impartially and then come right out frankly openly and manly confess your fault….” (Oak Grove, Chatham, 4/25/1852)
In addition, she addresses rumors about her son courting a young woman at the college:
“It is reported about here that you are courting a young lady who lives at the college…I want you to be very careful to give no room for such reports to get in circulation as I can’t for one moment believe that you can so far forget yourself as to involve yourself in any such difficulties…it is said now that he has a notion of marrying and will do no more good at college so considering your age and your circumstance you had better keep not only very clear of such things but shun the every appearance of them.” (Oakland, 8/9/1953)
In another letter, she entreats him to break off ties with a troublesome roommate:
“I think you were extremely fortunate in getting rid of such a roommate…I can but hope there are but few such as I think he is at the College. Oh! My son be very careful how you choose your companions while you are away from home….” (Chatham, 2/9/1852)
Additionally, the letters provide details about the operations of the Emerson farm, including crops, the weather, the purchase of a mill, and the construction of a nearby plank road. Several letters, meanwhile, contain mentions of “the hands”, possibly referring to enslaved persons:
“we will have peaches plenty if they don’t get killed hereafter. We have not commenced planting corn yet though we shall begin in a few days they came home from the road they run our two horse ploughs all last week the balance of the hands were getting tanbark your father is gone this week to finish off the road between the two creeks he has taken five of the hands the President is coming down shortly to put five miles of their road under toll…your father will superintend half of the time the other half he will be at home.” (4/11/1854)
“As you know Hugh W. Dixon was to purchase a mill for us well after trying to purchase mills in every city between Fayetteville and New York and failing he got two in the latter place which was to have been shipped the 12th of this month…your father thinks a great deal depends upon the mill about the contract being profitable but if it should do well…they have hired a good many hands…I think there will be about twenty in all.” (Oakland, 3/18/1853)
There are two direct mentions of African Americans, including one in the context of sickness (“it is very healthy in our neighborhood at this time Dr. Watson said he knew of but one case besides your father and that was a case of dropsy one of Nath Alston negroes…”—Chatham, 8/18/1851). The other recounts how one of Andrew’s friends was so overjoyed to receive a letter from him, that he “took it to the kitchen to read it to the black folks” (Oakland, 4/26/1853).
Other topics covered by Rosanna include “copper fever”, local elections, hard economic times, and a meeting of “the sons”, possibly a local Know-Nothing group:
“The copper fever is still raging…there are new mines talked of and those that are being worked the most of them afford prospects the most flattering your uncle Atlas’s is thought to be one among best they are digging his. I believe Ned’s is spoken very highly of yet and the deeper they go the better the specimens….” (Oakland, 8/9/1953)
“The Election has been very tight in this county…it is though that if Rives had not have taken his name off the memorial he would have beaten Houghton bad there are some prejudices that Rencher can’t get all the party notwithstanding he is doing a great deal of good for he goes round the campaign defending Democratic principles which none of the rest is able to do.” (Oakland, 8/8/1854)
“There is beginning to be a great complaint with us about hard times money is getting very scarce the Banks will not loan a dollar in Fayetteville and people are in debt both merchants and people and money must be had unless something should take place it is thought it is going to be a trying time on people. Corn is selling at 1 1/4 per barrel your father is selling some at 1 1/4 cash from the heap out bare ground corn was very good.” (Oakland, 11/8/1854)
“The sons have had two meetings since you left they have had a good many to join both times your Uncle John is a very zealous member your father attended one meeting and was well pleased Dr. Brown has there then Richard Andrews has commenced a free school Thomas & Willie are going….” (Oakland, 8/23/1854)
Letters from “Curt”
Three letters from “Curt”, in Smithville (possibly Tennessee), sent to A.J. Emerson in 1854. In very good condition with some creasing. Curt was a former classmate of Emerson’s, possibly the miscreant roommate who Rosanna was glad to see the end of. Curt asks after life back at Wake Forest, describes his own loneliness after leaving the school, and pens reports about the women in his town, i.e.
“if you wish to hear of the gals just turn over and will have it. In the first place, Boon, the girls have nearly all got the mumps, and you cannot well imagine how they look with their faces swollen until they look more like a full moon than anything…I saw Miss Mag a few days ago, and really she looked fit to eat, but still I can’t say that she made an everlasting impression on my gizzard.” (Smithville, 1854)
There are also clues as to Emerson’s own romantic affairs at Wake Forest:
“Well Boon, what has become of the fair unknown with whom you had such a romantic spree on your way to college is she still unknown, or have you declared love to her….” (Smithville, 3/17/1854)
“Boon, I am truly obliged to you for the kind words you spoke for me at court, the young ladies, and especially for speaking in my behalf to the beautiful Miss Davidson. She must be truly captivating, when you (who had so successfully resisted the charms of all others of her sex) was no longer able to resist, but well captive to her charms.” (Smithville, 8/13/1853). Item #13690
Price: $3,000.00