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Object Description
| Title | Correspondence from Joseph Gerald Branch to Mary Jones (Polk) Branch, December 12, 1863 |
| Description | Letter from Joseph Gerald Branch in Davis Lake Plantation, Arkansas, to his wife Mary in Maury County, Tennessee. He writes about his plans to send her $15,000 in U.S. Treasury notes to invest in real estate to curb currency depreciation and insure their future. He expresses his loneliness, sadness, and anxiety after hearing no word from his wife and children since August. He conveys no particular allegiance in this letter. |
| Historical note | Joseph Gerald Branch managed two plantations in Desha County, Arkansas, from 1859-1867. His concern about the U.S. Treasury notes was warranted: the notes did experience some inflation during the Civil War period, but nothing comparable to the extreme depreciation of Confederate currency. In the course of U.S. history, the price inflation experienced in the South during the Civil War ranks second only to that of the American Revolution. |
| Date | 1863 December 12 |
| Creator | Branch, Joseph Gerald, 1817-1867 |
| Place | Desha County (Ark.) |
| Transcript | [Page 1] “Davis lake Plantation December 12th. 1863 Saturday Night My own, dear, sweet, wife: I wrote you a few days ago a long letter and directed it to care of Mr. Russel Houston, Nashville, I trust you have or will receive it. I write to-night, hastily, on business which if my wishes and directions are executed will place in your hands a “Christmas present” more acceptable than any you ever found hid in you tiny stockings. I have directed Mr. Daniel Shepherd, a planter on this river, to deposit with Mr. W. S. Picket (of the firm Picket, Moomeby & Co of Memphis) Fifteen Thousand dollars in U. S. Treasury Notes for your benefit. I have also written Mr. Pickett to send this fifteen thousand ($15,000.00) to you as soon as possible & by the safest conveyance. If there be any delay write to Pickett and send some safe person for the money. Now first thing I wish you to do is to get Mr. Park to act as your agent. You should have confidence in Mr. P’s integrity and business qualifications and I believe he would” [Page 2] “aid you. His judgment about property is good and he is an excellent trader. After supplying yourself & mother liberally I wish you to invest the balance in a home or in real estate of some kind. I prefer the old “homestead” and if your mother will sell, buy it. If she refuses to sell then buy out Milkes and Hughes or wherever else you can make a good investment. Consult Mr. Park and get him to invest it for you. Perhaps it might be best to invest it in a good & desirable farm somewhere around Columbia. My object is in these times to secure a home or property which can be hereafter converted into one. It will not do to hold “Greenbacks” too long as they will become greatly depreciated and in the end perhaps worthless. When you buy have the property conveyed to a Trustee (your mother or Mr. Park) for your use & benefit and such children as you have by me. Let the deed contain the power to change the investment whenever you & I many desire it. Be certain to have this clause in the deed as it is highly probable we will wish to sell the property when we have peace and invest in another piece of” [Page 3] “property more agreeable to our tastes and necessities. You have my idea. Tell Mr. Park to have the papers drawn so as to carry them out as nearly as possible. This you will regard as in lieu of that provision in my will providing for a home for you; and as securing to you, as far as it goes, the property given you by your father. It is probable I will make you another remittance before very long. If I do you will invest it in same manner with this. [missing] I hope to realise something more. It is hard after a life-time of toil to see a splendid fortune wrecked and nothing but a few fragments saved. I trust you will husband with care and judment the little saved for you. My darling, I have no news to write. My heart is filled with sadness and anguish and my mind with anxiety and troubles. Not one word from you & my dear children since I left you in August!!! And then the seperation. How long, how long, is it to last. The last few months have added 10 years to my life. Many more such will make me an old man. Lonley & sad. What a life of anxiety & trouble.” [Page 4] “For your sake and that of my dear children I will endeavor to be cheerful & happy. Pardon me for having given away one moment to my feelings. I hope you are always cheerful & happy and that you take a plenty of exercuse. Now that you are “full-handed” visit your friends. I know you would laugh if you could see me with my old coat and butter-nut pants riding a mule from morning until night. Kiss my daughter & my little Lawrence for their father. Could I come to Columbia? [missing] Arkansas River and they will [missing] Nothing “contraband”. Mr. Shepherd will remain in Memphis ten days. I have written Mr. Martin & sent him fifteen thousand dollars also. When you receive your funds pay up your little debt and mine also. Love to your Mother & Pah. Tell your mother she had better sell you the old home-stead. You could let her remain there so long as she desired or lived. Should you buy any house rent it to the person you buy from until you need it. Good night my darling. Your aff. Sincerely: devoted husband Joseph Branch” |
| Collection name | Gerald Branch Howard Papers, 1770-1973 |
| Accession number | 91-169 |
| Subjects - LCSH | Civil War in the West; Civil War society; United States - History - 1783-1865; United States - History - 1849-1877; United States History - Civil War, 1861-1865 |
| Subjects - TGM |
Civil Wars War |
| Owning Institution | Tennessee State Library and Archives |
| ID# | 34111 |
| Microfilm number | 1336 |
| Digital type | TEXT |
| Digital format | TIFF |
| Media Type | Correspondence |
| Copyright | No copyright - United States: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/ |
| Ordering Information | To order a digital reproduction of this item, please send our order form at http://tsla.tnsosfiles.com/general/forms/ImagingOrder.pdf to Photo Orders, Tennessee State Library & Archives, 403 7th Ave. N., Nashville, TN 37243-0312, or email to photoorders.tsla@tn.gov. Further ordering information can be found at the following location: http://sos.tn.gov/products/tsla/ordering-images-and-microfilm-digitization . |
Description
| Title | 34111_4 |
| Media Type | Correspondence |
| Copyright | No copyright - United States: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/ |
| Ordering Information | To order a digital reproduction of this item, please send our order form at http://tsla.tnsosfiles.com/general/forms/ImagingOrder.pdf to Photo Orders, Tennessee State Library & Archives, 403 7th Ave. N., Nashville, TN 37243-0312, or email to photoorders.tsla@tn.gov. Further ordering information can be found at the following location: http://sos.tn.gov/products/tsla/ordering-images-and-microfilm-digitization . |
