Finding Aid for the Hunt Family Civil War correspondence 2017.536.wc.r

Lee Feldman
Center for American War Letters Archives
11/7/17
Leatherby Libraries
Chapman University
Orange, CA 92866
speccoll@chapman.edu


Contributing Institution: Center for American War Letters Archives
Title: Hunt Family Civil War correspondence
Creator: Craig, Lewis/Louis, Dr., 1804/10/25 - 1887/07/29
Creator: Hunt, Gavine Drummond, Sr., 1794/12/02 - 1889/03/01
Creator: Craig, Rachel, 1830 - 1908
Creator: Hunt, Albert Gallatin, 1839/12/23 - 1911/03/16
Creator: Hunt, Gavine Drummond, Jr., 1842/04/24 - 1863/11/29
Creator: Hunt, George Warfield, 1834/07/11 - 1912/11/22
Creator: Hunt, Letitia Dudley Parrish, 1805/01/21 - 1885/08/14
Creator: Hunt, Philemon Burgess, 1837/10/11 - 1915/04/05
Creator: Dillard, Almira Dudley, 1833 - 1884
source: Millis, Edwin Graham, 1929 -
Creator: Craig, Catherine "Kate", 1836 - 1903
Creator: Hunt, Waller Bullock, 1833 - 1892
Creator: Farish, Sallie M., 1833 - 1864
Creator: Hunt, George, Rev., 1831 - 1893
Creator: Dillard, Anna, 1840 - 1866
Creator: Hunt, Maria Bullock, 1835 - 1906
Creator: Hunt, Mary Catherine "Kate", 1838 - 1906
Creator: Berckmans, Prosper J., 1830 - 1910
Creator: Craig, Caroline "Carrie", 1811 - 1859
Creator: Hunt, Gavine Drummond, Jr., Cousin, 1837 - 1889
Creator: Hunt, John Mason, 1802 - 1874
Creator: Hunt, Richard Johnson "Dick", 1836 - ?
Creator: Parrish, William Dudley "Dud", 1826 - 1909
Creator: Brown, Howard Ellen Parrish, 1831 - 1918
Creator: DeCasse, Amelia Taylor "Minnie", 1835 - 1975
Creator: (unknown), Sarabel
Creator: Craig, William Henry, 1846 - 1933
Creator: Brown, Harvey Rice, 1821 - 1900
Creator: Ludlow, Jane Elizabeth "Jen/Jenny", 1825 - 1887
Creator: Rogers, Mary Ann Coons (M. Rogers), 1814 - 1898
Creator: Schenck, John Craig, 1834 - 1872
Creator: Gorton, George Bissett, 1839 - 1863
Creator: Brown, Letitia "Lettie", 1854 - 1927
Creator: Burgess, Martha "Mattie"
Creator: Thys, Elisabeth ((Elizabeth Tyce/Elizabeth Chys)), 1827 - 1924(?)
Creator: Craig, Joanna Kurypers Bissett
Creator: Letcher, Ben
Creator: Rankin, John C., Dr., 1816 - 1900
Creator: Dow, S.L.
Creator: Butler, Lucy A. Parrish, 1824 - 1912
Creator: Burger, William L.M., Captain and Assistant Adjutant General, 1833 - ?
Creator: Butler, James Catlett, 1811 - 1888
Creator: Stephens, Mattie
Creator: Bullock, Caroline Laurens Breckinridge, 1813 - 1867
Creator: Tarlton, Caroline Barr Warfield, 1817 - 1890
Creator: Varian, Catherine Drake "Kate", 1838 - 1918
Creator: Bullock, Mary Stanhope "Mollie/Molly", 1837 - 1924
Creator: Craig, George Hunt, 1865 - 1932
Creator: Craig, Mary Dorsey Hunt, 1835/10/12 - 1880/05/30
Creator: Coleman, Nicholas Daniel (N.D.), 1800 - 1874
Creator: (unknown), (unknown)
Creator: Sutphin, Martha Hunt
source: Haskins, Beverly Millis
Identifier/Call Number: 2017.536.wc.r
Physical Description: .55 Linear Feet (1 folder)
Date (inclusive): 1840 November 18 - 1889 October 3
Abstract: This collection contains a book of transcribed correspondence, dating from 1840 to 1889, between members of the Hunt family before, during and after the Civil War.
Language of Material: English .
Container: Civil War 2
Container: 1

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of Edwin Millis and Beverly Haskin.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged chronologically by material type:
  • Series 1, Volume One
  • Series 2, Volume Two

Preferred Citation

[Item title, Box number, Folder number], Hunt Family Civil War correspondence (2017.536.wc.r), Center for American War Letters Archives, Chapman University, CA.
For the benefit of current and future researchers, please cite any additional information about sources consulted in this collection, including permanent URLs, item or folder descriptions, and box/folder locations.

Content Description

This collection contains a book of transcribed correspondence between members of the Hunt family before, during and after the Civil War. The book, My dearest sister - The Hunt family of Lexington and the Civil War: their correspondence, 1856-1880 is broken into two volumes. The first volume consists of biographical and contextual information about the Hunt family. The second volume consists of the 703 letters spanning across nearly fifty years of correspondence.

Conditions Governing Use

There are no restrictions on the use of this material except where previously copyrighted material is concerned. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain all permissions. For further copyright information, please contact the archivist.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Correspondence -- American Civil War
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Campaigns
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- letters and diaries
Kentucky -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Personal Narratives.
Craig, Mary Dorsey Hunt, 1835/10/12 - 1880/05/30
Craig, Lewis/Louis, Dr., 1804/10/25 - 1887/07/29
Hunt, Catharine Amelia Burgess, 1811/08/01 - 1843/01/27
Millis, Edwin Graham, 1929 -
Hunt, Gavine Drummond, Sr., 1794/12/02 - 1889/03/01
Hunt, Gavine Drummond, Jr., 1842/04/24 - 1863/11/29
Haskins, Beverly Millis

 

Series 1, Volume One 2017

Creator: Millis, Edwin Graham, 1929 -
Creator: Haskins, Beverly Millis
Physical Description: .08 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This volume contains the biographic and genealogic information about the Hunt family. The book opens giving background to the letters and how Edwin Graham Millis and Beverly Millis Haskin got involved in starting the project. The next chapter gives in-depth biographical information about the main members of the Hunt and Craig families. Following that, there are sections following each of the Hunt boys, providing letters which tell their individual narratives. Millis and Haskin also provide a map of Civil War battles which were associated with the Hunt children. The authors then describe fringe artifacts that didn't make their way into the main collection but were nonetheless interesting. The rest of the volume consists of Indexes, Finding Aids, and a family tree of the descendants of Hunt patriarch Gavine Drummond, Sr.
 

Series 2, Volume Two 1840 November 18 - 1889 October 3

Physical Description: .25 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This series contains volume two of My Dear Sister. Volume two consists of all of the letters written to and from Mary Hunt Craig and Lewis Craig. There are 703 letters in this series.
 

Sub-Series 1, (unknown) correspondence 1859 July 24

Creator: (unknown), (unknown)
Physical Description: 0.025 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains one correspondence written from an unknown sender to a member of the Hunt family. In the letter, the sender asks why it's been so long since they've seen a reply, informs the reader of the death of their common friend William A. Stevenson by Typhus fever on 15 July 1859, and discusses the upcoming Kentucky governor election between Josiah Fry Bell and Beriah Magoffin in August.
This letter can be found on page 193.
 

Sub-Series 2, Sarabel (unknown) correspondence 1858 June 30

Creator: (unknown), Sarabel
Physical Description: .025 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains one letter written by Sarabel (last name unknown) to her friend Mary Hunt Craig. In her letter, she talks about Jesus and the importance of giving one's heart to him, specifically saying "My dear friend you are a sinner and therefore without delay you need to be bathed in a precious Saviour's blood, it was shed to cleanse the vilest sinner."
This letter can be found on pages 129-130.
 

Sub-Series 3, Prosper J. Berckmans correspondence 1857 December 10

Creator: Berckmans, Prosper J., 1830 - 1910
Physical Description: .025 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Biographical / Historical

Prosper Berckmans was born in 1830, the son of Louis M. Berckmans. In May 1855, he married Lewis Craig's niece, Mary Craig. They had two children, Louis Alphonse Berckmans and Prosper J.A. Berckmans, Jr. Prosper, Sr. died in 1910.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains one letter written by Prosper Berckmans to Lewis Craig. In it, he congratulates Craig on his marriage to Mary Hunt but primarily focuses on informing him of Mary's strong, sudden illness, her symptoms, and her treatment. Berckmans spends some time toward the end of the letter describing the weather and how much they can sell their farming wares for.
This letter can be found on pages 69-70.
 

Sub-Series 4, Harvey Rice Brown correspondence 1859 March 7 - 1863 October 10

Creator: Brown, Harvey Rice, 1821 - 1900
Physical Description: .025 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Biographical / Historical

Harvey Rice Brown was born in 1821. He was one of Mary Hunt's step-brothers-in-law, married to Howard Ellen Parrish. He worked as a life insurance agent. Brown died in 1900.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains two correspondences written by Harvey Rice Brown to Lewis Craig. The first short letter discusses how Brown is on his way to Craig's residence to trade goods of unknown content. The second is a short telegram which describes how he has safely arrived at Louisville, Kentucky as he accompanied Philemon Burgess Hunt from the Officer's Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee.
These letters can be found on pages 167 and 743, respectively.
 

Sub-Series 5, Howard Ellen Parrish Brown correspondence 1858 March 9 - 1864 June 12

Creator: Brown, Howard Ellen Parrish, 1831 - 1918
Physical Description: 0.275 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains eleven correspondences written by Howard Ellen Parrish Brown to Mary Hunt Craig. In her letters, she describes how the weather is cold enough to let people go sleighing, her family selling their farm, patterns for dresses she wants to make, recapping how she spent her holidays, and catching up on news about family and mutual friends. She doesn't write Mary often, as she states in one later, dated from 18 January 1863: "If you did but know how often I think of you & wish to see you all you you would feel that you were not forgotten any how".
These letters can be found on pages 107-108, 141-142, 161-162, 175-177, 476-477, 626-627, 665-666, 737-738, 744-745, 781-782, and 817-819, respectively.
 

Sub-Series 6, Letitia "Lettie" Brown correspondence 1860 December

Creator: Brown, Letitia "Lettie", 1854 - 1927
Physical Description: .025 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Biographical / Historical

Letitia "Lettie" Brown was born in 1854, the daughter of Howard Ellen Parrish and Harvey Rice Brown. She died in 1927.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains one correspondence written by Letitia Brown to her Aunt Mary. In the letter, she describes how she wishes her cousin Willie, Uncle Lewis, and Aunt Mary would visit her. She writes, "If you cant come yourself -- put Willie in a Carpet-Sack and send him on, and then they can't hear him 'squeal'". This letter was most likely written by her uncle Gavine Drummond Hunt, Jr. as she dictated.
This letter can be found on pages 313-315.
 

Sub-Series 7, Caroline Laurens Breckinridge Bullock correspondence 1864 May 3

Creator: Bullock, Caroline Laurens Breckinridge, 1813 - 1867
Physical Description: .025 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Biographical / Historical

Caroline Laurens Breckenridge Bullock, born in 1813, was a relative of Maria Bullock's. She was the sister of Confederate general John Cabell Breckenridge. She and her husband Joseph James Bullock had one daughter, Mary Stanhope "Mollie" Bullock. Caroline died in 1867.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains one correspondence written by Caroline Laurens Bullock. In the letter, she writes to Mary about the status of her brothers George and Allie, saying "Allie & George are both here, looking well & I would judge by the way they eat enjoying good health" and the status of Maria, who "has iratation [sic] of the spine...[and] also neuralgia in her head & eyes".
This letter can be found on pages 807-809.
 

Sub-Series 8, Mary Stanhope "Mollie" Bullock correspondence 1864 June 25 - 1864 July 25

Creator: Bullock, Mary Stanhope "Mollie/Molly", 1837 - 1924
Physical Description: .05 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Biographical / Historical

Mary Stanhope "Mollie" Bullock was born in 1837, the daughter of Caroline Breckinridge and Joseph James Bullock.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains two letters written by Mary Stanhope "Mollie" Bullock. In the first letter, Mollie writes that her brother Waller was wounded at the Battle of Mount Sterling and passing on news of Maria's improving health. In the second letter, she writes about Maria's health taking yet another downturn, the unpleasant weather, and how "Both of [her] brothers are now prisoners".
These letters can be found on pages 823 and 830-831, respectively.
 

Sub-Series 9, Captain William L.M. Burger correspondence 1863 February 13

Creator: Burger, William L.M., Captain and Assistant Adjutant General, 1833 - ?
Physical Description: .025 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Biographical / Historical

William L.M. Burger was born in 1833. At the beginning of the Civil War, he was a Captain in the military and the Assistant Adjutant General of Headquarters at the District of Central Kentucky. He was later promoted to Assistant Adjutant General of the United States Army, Department of the South, on 1 May 1864.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains one correspondence from Captain William Burger to Gavine Hunt, Sr. In the letter, Burger writes that Hunt, Sr. has been appointed to "inspect horses purchased by the Government for use of Cavalry" by Captain H.J. Lashlaw, Chief Quartermaster.
This letter can be found on pages 644-645.
 

Sub-Series 10, Martha Burgess correspondence 1861 August 30

Creator: Burgess, Martha "Mattie"
Physical Description: .025 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains one correspondence from Martha "Mattie" Burgess, cousin of Mary Hunt Craig. In her letter, she catches up with news about the extended family, asks how Mary enjoys New Jersey, and asks for more news from the family. She has "often thought of writing to [Mary] since [she] was married, but have neglected it along time", but Martha assures her that they have "not forgotten [her]."
This letter can be found on pages 425-426.
 

Sub-Series 11, James C. Butler correspondence 1863 July 23 - 1864 July 1

Creator: Butler, James Catlett, 1811 - 1888
Physical Description: .075 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Biographical / Historical

James Catlett Butler was born in 1811. He was married to Mary Hunt Craig's stepsister, Lucy A. Parrish. James died in 1888.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains three correspondences from James C. Butler. In the first letter, he writes to Lewis Craig about having completed a favor for him. In the second, he writes about mistakingly taking Craig's coat and news that Allie was not killed or wounded. In the third, he writes about business he needs to conudct with Craig, that George and Allie are both well, and the poor condition of the state of Kentucky.
These letters can be found on pages 706, 708, and 826-827, respectively.
 

Sub-Series 12, Lucy A. Parrish Butler correspondence 1862 November 29 - 1864 July 29

Creator: Butler, Lucy A. Parrish, 1824 - 1912
Physical Description: .075 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains three correspondences from Lucy A. Parrish Butler, the oldest daughter of Letitia Parrish Hunt. In the first letter, signed by her son, she writes to Mary Hunt Craig, talking about her new sister-in-law, Lizzie Kingsland Parrish, the death of her aunt Lucy C. Dudley, and the gloomy Boston weather. In the second, she writes about the death of Joanna Bissett Craig's son, John Gorton, and her desire to help the Union. In the third, she writes that she will soon be at Mary's home and news about her brother and his wife.
These letters can be found on pages 611-612, 613-614, and 833-834, respectively.
 

Sub-Series 13, N.D. Coleman correspondence 1858 October 18

Creator: Coleman, Nicholas Daniel (N.D.), 1800 - 1874
Physical Description: .025 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Biographical / Historical

Nicholas Daniel Coleman was born in 1800. He was a relative of Mary Hunt Craig's, his mother a cousin of Mary's mother. He served as a Congressman from Kentucky's Second District from 1829 to 1831, and also served in the Kentucky State Legislature. He died in 1874.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains one correspondence from N.D. Coleman to Mary Hunt Craig. In the letter, he writes about his disappointment in not being able to visit Mary while he and his wife were in New Jersey.
This letter can be found on page 144.
 

Sub-Series 14, Caroline "Carrie" Craig correspondence 1857 December 26

Creator: Craig, Caroline "Carrie", 1811 - 1859
Physical Description: .025 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Biographical / Historical

Caroline "Carrie" Craig was born in 1811, the daughter of Lewis Craig's uncle, John J. Craig. She died in 1859.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains one correspondence from Caroline Craig to her cousin, Lewis. She congratulates Lewis on his marriage to Mary Hunt and inquires about Lewis' uncle, John J. Craig.
This letter can be found pages 75-76.
 

Sub-Series 15, Catherine "Kate" Craig correspondence 1856 September 14 - 1857 December 18

Creator: Craig, Catherine "Kate", 1836 - 1903
Physical Description: .075 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Biographical / Historical

Catherine "Kate" Craig was born in 1836, the daughter of Lewis' brother Robert. She married Elihu Bedle in 1860 and had seven children. Catherine died in 1903.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains three correspondences from Catherine "Kate" Craig. In her first letter, she writes to Mary Hunt Craig about needing to write her more, attending the state fair in New Jersey, getting caught in heavy rain at the last fair she attended, and spending time with her brother, John W. Craig. In the second, she replies to Mary's letters, gives news on Prosper and Mary Berckmans, and asks her to pass on news to their cousin Howard Ellen Parrish Brown. In the third, she apologizes for not writing sooner, gives news about her parents, hopes that Mary doesn't have an unpleasant opinion about the South, and talks about her love for her new nephew, Louis A. Berckmans.
These letters can be found on pages 18-19, 20-21, and 71-73, respectively.
 

Sub-Series 16, George Hunt Craig correspondence 1889 October 3

Creator: Craig, George Hunt, 1865 - 1932
Physical Description: .025 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Biographical / Historical

George Hunt Craig was born on 7 November 1865, the youngest son of Lewis and Mary Craig. He attended the College of Physicians and Surgeons at the Columbia University Medical School in 1889 but later dropped out. He later worked as a ranchman, foreman, and farmer.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains one correspondence from George Hunt Craig, written to his brother Will. In the letter, he updates Will with the status of his studies at Columbia University Medical School, apologizes about his horse, Bob, at the family ranch back home, and talks about going to a friend's wedding. He describes how he "looked [his] best with [his] beard looking something like this and [his] dress-suit just pressed," even including a small self-portrait sketch.
This letter can be found on pages 869-871.
 

Sub-Series 17, Joanna Bissett Craig correspondence 1861 November 6 - 1868 February 14

Creator: Craig, Joanna Kurypers Bissett
Physical Description: .075 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Biographical / Historical

Joanna Kurypers Bissett Craig, originally married to James E. Gorton, married John Craig in late December 1859. She had three children from her first marriage, George Bissett Gorton, John Gorton, and Mary Gorton.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains three correspondences from Joanna Bissett Craig. In the first letter, she writes to her sister-in-law Mary Hunt Craig about not having seen her and Lewis for a while and about Prince Napoleon Joseph Charles Paul Bonaparte's visit to the United States. In the second, she replies to Mary's letters, passes on news about her husband and children, and mourns the death of Gavine Drummond Hunt, Jr. In the third, she writes a Valentine's Day poem for her nephwe, Will, which reads, "To Willie, I am trying hard to find/One who is honest, true, and kind/If in you these all combine/I will take you for my Valentine. From your Valentine 1868, From Aunt Jo, Vday".
These letters can be found on pages 460-461, 753-754, and 852-853, respectively.
 

Sub-Series 18, Dr. Lewis/Louis Craig correspondence 1856 - 1878 June 27

Creator: Craig, Lewis/Louis, Dr., 1804/10/25 - 1887/07/29
Physical Description: .085 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Biographical / Historical

Dr. Lewis Craig (sometimes spelled Louis) was born on October 25, 1804, in Freehold, Monmouth County, New Jersey. His parents were William Craig and Rachel Drummond. He had five brothers and one sister. Lewis attended Rutgers College in New Jersey and Jefferson Medical College in Pennsylvania. He and his brother John, also a doctor, shared an office in Plainfield, New Jersey. Along with being a doctor, Lewis started his own newspaper, The Plainfield Union and owned his own apothecary and grocery shop, Craig and Shotwell. On 5 December 1857, he married his cousin Mary Dorsey Hunt. They had two children, William Drummond Craig, born 1 April 1860, and George Hunt Craig, born 12 January 1865. Both he and Mary suffered from poor health. Lewis died on 29 July 1887 at his home in Plainfield.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains fifty-four correspondences from Lewis Craig. He most often writes his wife, Mary Hunt Craig, where he talks about his family, his desire to see Mary, his loneliness without her, the weather, business with his medical practice and patients, taking care of and improving their home, his children, his cross-country travels, the progress of the Civil War, preparing their home for the winter, passing on messages to be delivered to Mary's relatives, the weather, his meals, family vacations, and Mary's continually deteriorating condition until her death.
The letters can be found on pages 1-2, 2-3, 3-4, 7, 9-10, 13-14, 16-18, 22, 23-24, 24-26, 27-29, 29-30, 30, 31-33, 33-35, 35-37, 39-40, 40-41, 43-44, 44-45, 45-47, 49-51, 51-52, 52-53, 55-56, 56-57, 60, 134-135, 135-136, 137-138, 151, 266, 445-446, 449-450, 452-453, 456-457, 458-460, 553-554, 812-814, 814-815, 842, 843-844, 847-848, 848, 849-850, 861, 862, 862-863, 864-865, 865-866, 866-867, and 867-869, respectively.
 

Sub-Series 19, Mary Dorsey Hunt Craig correspondence 1857 September 28 - 1872 November 19

Creator: Craig, Mary Dorsey Hunt, 1835/10/12 - 1880/05/30
Physical Description: .5 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains twenty-five correspondences from Mary Hunt Craig. In her letters, she writes to her husband, siblings, parents, and friends, about how she is excited for her marriage with Lewis, traveling with her cousins, the weather, how she spends her holidays, asking about her siblings and relatives, feeling homesick, apologizing for not writing more often, hosting family with Lewis, how Lewis' practice keeps him busy and her lonely, updating Lewis about their sons, spending time visiting family, the movements of her father and brothers as the Civil War occurs ("He started this morning at four o'clock to Camp Robinson" or "The day after he left here his regiment was ordered to Crab Orchard - where they are now"), making dresses, shirts, and quilt patterns, her deteriorating health, the end of the War, her brother Albert's election to Clerk of Fayette County, Willie and George receiving horses, the death of Lewis' brother John and his will, traveling to New York, Lewis' retirement, and the illness of their family's horses (not knowing of the The Great Epizootic that was occuring).
These letters can be found on pages 57-58, 83-84, 140-141, 233-234, 251-252, 301, 446-447, 447-448, 451-452, 454-456, 651-652, 840-841, 841-842, 842-843, 844-845, 845-847, 849, 850-851, 851-852, 853-854, 854-856, 856-857, 857-858, 858-859, and 860-861, respectively.

Biographical / Historical

Mary Dorsey Hunt was born on 12 October, 1835 in Lexington, Kentucky, the second of the five Hunt children born to Gavine Drummond, Sr. and Catharine Amelia Burgess. She was as well-educated as her brothers, as is reflected in the spelling and grammar in her letters. She grew up with good neighbors and good friends. She married her first cousin once removed, Lewis Craig, on 5 December 1857, in Plainfield, New Jersey. She and Lewis had two sons, William Drummond, born 1 April 1860, and George Hunt, born 7 November 1865. Mary suffered from poor health and died due to leucocythemia on 30 May, 1880, in Plainfield, at the age of 44.
 

Sub-Series 20, Rachel Craig correspondence 1856 April 26 - 1864 June 27

Creator: Craig, Rachel, 1830 - 1908
Physical Description: .04 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains six correspondences from Rachel Craig. In her letters to Mary Hunt Craig, she apologizes about not writing to her sooner, updates Mary with info about her immediate family, desires to spend time with Lewis, passes on love to her extended family, feels lonely when her sister and parents aren't around, comments on the 1856 election between James Buchanan, John C. Fremont, and Millard Filmore, asks Mary to write more, asks her and Lewish to visit more, comments on her daguerrotypes, exchanges a dress for Mary at Arnold, Constable & Company department store, mourns the death of her cousin Gavine Drummond, Jr., and comments on her family's harvest.
The letters can be found on pages 13-15, 15-16, 19-20, 26-27, 37-39, 752-753, and 824, respectively.

Biographical / Historical

Rachel Craig was born in 1830. She was Lewis Craig's niece and cousin to Mary Hunt Craig. Rachel's siblings include Mary (not the same Mary Craig), William, Gertrude, and Catherine. She married Stephen I. Simmons in 1866, moved to New York, and had two sons. Rachel died in 1908.
 

Sub-Series 21, William Henry Craig correspondence 1859 February 19

Creator: Craig, William Henry, 1846 - 1933
Physical Description: .025 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains one correspondence from William Henry Craig, nephew to Lewis Craig. In this letter, he writes to his uncle, notifying him that he's received a package from Lewis, updating him with the condition of the family farm, and mentioning a murder/suicide that had just occured in town.
This letter can be found on page 165.
 

Sub-Series 22, Amelia Taylor "Minnie" DeCasse correspondence 1856 June 22 - 1859 August 26

Creator: DeCasse, Amelia Taylor "Minnie", 1835 - 1975
Physical Description: .1 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains five correspondences from Amelia Taylor "Minnie" DeCasse, written to Mary Hunt Craig. In her first letter, she informs Mary of her safe arrival home (presumably from visiting Mary), mentions seeing her brother-in-law and her future husband at the Jersey City Ferry, gives Mary her home address, and invites her to come visit. In her second letter, she inquires about Mary and Lewis, passes on messages from her own family, complains about the warm weather, and once again invites Mary to visit. In her third letter, she hopes Mary and Lewis are well, informs Mary of her marriage to Henri DeCasse and how they live with her in-laws, apologizes for not having written in a while, and asks her to write back. In her fourth letter, she writes about her sick cousin, hopes for her recovery, passes on affection from herself and Henri, and comments about the difficulty of writing using a quill pen. In her fifth letter, she apologizes for having company preventing her from writing and hopes that Mary will write and visit soon.
These letters can be found on pages 126-127, 128-129, 195-197, 206, and 209, respectively.

Biographical / Historical

Amelia Taylor "Minnie" DeCasse was born in 1835. She was a friend of Mary Hunt Craig's, supposedly having met her at a boarding house in 1858. Minnie later married Henri DeCasse, the eventual owner of the Salamander Brick Works, on 5 April 1859. She died in 1875.
 

Sub-Series 23, Almira Dudley Dillard correspondence 1856 June 3 - 1862 June 10

Creator: Dillard, Almira Dudley, 1833 - 1884
Physical Description: .1 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains thirteen correspondences from Almira Dudley Dillard. In her letters, she writes about desiring to see Mary again, passes on regards from mutual friends, her mother's near-death experience, falling sick, friends and neighbors getting married, asking for updates about Lewis and Rachel Craig, her dismay over Mary moving away with her husband, an incident where her dress caught fire while she was cooking, hosting family from Virgina, gossiping about the neighbors, the terrible weather conditions, traveling with her husband, George Otho Yeiser, moving to Eddyville, Kentucky, attending concerts, her desire to not have kids (although she eventually does), begging Mary not to mention Almira's pregnancy to anyone they both know, sending a starch bag to Mary's son, William Drummond Craig, desiring to see her and Willie, recalling a time when she rode her horse Splendor alongside Mary and her horse Tib, the types of buildings near her new home in Mexico, Missouri, her family's new dog, saving gifts for her children, hoping Lewis Craig recovers from his illnesses, her family's constantly needing to move due to the conflicts of the Civil War.
These letters can be found on pages 7-9, 10-12, 64-66, 97-98, 100-101, 182-184, 199-200, 207-209, 264-265, 268, 349-350, 529-530, and 556-557, respectively.

Biographical / Historical

Almira Dudley Dillard was born in 1833. Although a distant relative of Mary Hunt Craig's, the two became especially close friends. On 3 May 1859, she married George Otho Yeiser, and the two went on to have six children. Almira and her family moved often, due to the constant battles of the Civil War, moving to Mexico, Missouri, and Elmwood, Kentucky. Almira died in 1884.
 

Sub-Series 24, Anna Dillard correspondence 1857 December 5

Creator: Dillard, Anna, 1840 - 1866
Physical Description: .025 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains one correspondence from Anna Dillard, the younger sister of Mary Hunt Craig's friend Almira Dudley Dillard. In her letter, she writes to Mary and talks about the gloomy weather, how she will greatly miss Mary while she is at school, what is going on with her classes and fellow students, returning home for Christmas, and congratulates Mary on her marriage to Lewis Craig.
This letter can be found on page 61.
 

Sub-Series 25, S.L. Dow correspondence 1862 October 17

Creator: Dow, S.L.
Physical Description: .025 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains one correspondence from S.L. Dow, written to Lewis Craig. In the letter, he mentions that a patient of Lewis', Mrs. Barr, has requested an opinion of her daughter's condition and improvement, and that that Lewis should call Mrs. Barr.
This letter can be found on pages 596-597.
 

Sub-Series 26, Sallie M. Farish correspondence 1857 July 13

Creator: Farish, Sallie M., 1833 - 1864
Physical Description: .025 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains one correspondence from Sallie Farish. Attached to a letter from Almira Dudley (whom they refer to as Shunnie) to Mary Hunt Craig, she wishes Mary would visit, mentiones the five or six men attempting to woo Dudley, and asks about Mary's beau.
This letter can be found on pages 47-49.

Biographical / Historical

Sallie M. Farish was born in 1833, a cousin of Almira Dudley. She married her sister Alice's widower, Thomas Jefferson Roach, in 1862. Sallie died just two years later, in 1864, in Maydelle, Cherokee County, Texas.
 

Sub-Series 27, George Bissett Gorton correspondence 1860 November 14

Creator: Gorton, George Bissett, 1839 - 1863
Physical Description: .025 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains one correspondence from George Bissett Gorton. In his letter to Mary Hunt Craig, he writes about having written to her brother, Gavine Drummond, Jr., apologizes for not spending enough time with his mother, Joanna, Mary, and Mary's child, criticizes the election of Abraham Lincoln, and predicts the secession of the southern states.

Biographical / Historical

George Bissett Gorton was born in 1839, the son of Joanna Bissett Gorton and James E. Gorton. His mother later married Dr. John Craig. He lived in New York and Pine Bluff, Arkansas. George died in 1863.
 

Sub-Series 28, Albert Gallatin Hunt correspondence 1856 October 3 - 1864 June 30

Creator: Hunt, Albert Gallatin, 1839/12/23 - 1911/03/16
Physical Description: .09 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains thirty-one correspondences from Albert Gallatin Hunt. In his letters, he writes about his hope that George Waller Hunt would marry Tommy Morgan, other potential marriages between family and friends, winning a watch and breastpin in a raffle, the poor and dreary weather affecting the number of crops the family could produce, his daily routine at work, spending time with an on-again off-again girlfriend, inquiring about the sale of property on the family farm (including his horse Tibbeaulds), his and his brothers' plans to move, his leaving the Republican party and joining the Democrats, returning home for work, passing on news from the family, his intention to visit Mary in Plainfield, New Jersey, thanking Mary for a handmade hair guard chain, attending a lecture on women's rights, Gavine Drummond Hunt, Sr.'s new business raising horses, attending a fair in Lexington, Kentucky, inquires about William Drummond Craig, going hunting with his brothers, inviting Mary to visit, the start of the Civil War in Charleston, Kentucky, his indecisiveness on whether he will vote for or against Kentucky's secession, the defeat of the Union in Lexington, various arrests being made by Union soldiers, expecting the arrival of more Confederate soldiers in town, joining up with John Hunt Morgan's division, his capture by Union soldiers and placement in Camp Douglas, passing on news about his siblings' and father's status post-battles, his escape from the prison camp and desire to return to the Confederacy, mourning his brother, Gavine Drummond, Jr.'s death, and his attempts to return to Kentucky.
These letters can be found on pages 22-23, 96-97, 118-119, 146-147, 150, 154-155, 158, 159, 170-171, 172, 184-185, 210-211, 275-276, 295-297, 316, 366-367, 376-377, 537, 538, 541, 546-547, 581-582, 697, 716, 727-728, 742-743, 745, 750-751, 761-762, 787-788, and 825-826, respectively.

Biographical / Historical

Albert Gallatin Hunt was born on 23 December 1839 in Lexington, Kentucky, the second-youngest of the Hunt siblings. He was raised on the farm and atended local country schools. Before the war, he worked at his stepbrother-in-law's shoe and boot store and, after, as a shipping clerk for a business that soon went under. Albert became Sheriff of Fayette County in March 1859. Albert then moved to Tennessee in 1860, then back to Kentucky later that year. As the War started, he signed up with a local cavalry militia. When the War eventually hit its stride, Albert joined the Confederate military. He was later captured by the Union army and sent as a prisoner of war to Camp Douglas, where he eventually broke out of in the spring of 1863, soonafter joining John Hunt Morgan's Raiders. After the war, he was pardoned and returned home. In 1866, Albert became the County Clerk for Fayette County. He married Mollie Craig on 5 November 1867, and the two had five children. In 1892, he and his family moved to Dallas, Texas, where his brothers Philemon and George lived. Albert died on 16 March 1911 in Dallas and was buried in Lexington.
 

Sub-Series 29, Catharine Amelia Burgess Hunt correspondence 1840 November 18

Creator: Hunt, Catharine Amelia Burgess, 1811/08/01 - 1843/01/27
Physical Description: .025 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains one correspondence from Catharine Amelia Burgess Hunt. Attached to a letter written by Gavine Drummond Hunt, Sr., to Lewis Craig, she writes about the election of William Henry Harrison, mentions her improving health, hopes all is well with Lewis, and asks him to write her soon.
This letter can be found on pages x-xi.

Biographical / Historical

Catharine Amelia Burgess Hunt was born on August 1, 1811, in Mason County, Kentucky. Her parents were Philemon Burgess and Mary Ridgely Dorsey. Catharine had two brothers, "Unlce Charlie" Burgess and Henry Drummond Burgess. In 1833, after the death of her parents, she moved to Lexington, Kentucky, where she met Gavine Drummond Hunt, Sr. The two were married on September 19, 1833. They had five children, George Warfield Hunt, Mary Dorsey Hunt (Craig), Philemon Burgess Hunt, Albert Gallatin Hunt, and Gavine Drummond Hunt, Jr. Catharine died on January 27, 1843.
 

Sub-Series 30, Gavine Drummond Hunt, Jr. correspondence 1857 December 9 - 1863 November 8

Creator: Hunt, Gavine Drummond, Jr., 1842/04/24 - 1863/11/29
Physical Description: .1 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains one-hundred and sixty-three correspondences from Gavine Drummond Hunt, Jr. In his letters, he writes to members of the Hunt family about being busy with his studies, missing his sister Mary, congratulating her on her marriage, passing on news and love from the family, dull Christmas celebrations, the dreary weather, the deaths and marriages of neighbors, family, and friends, commenting on sermons from church, speaking as part of a debate society, his poor grades, their father selling the family farm and horses, the great Christian revival movement, moving to Plainfield, New Jersey, to temporarily stay with Mary and Lewis, applying to and attending Princeton College, joining the Cliosophic literary society, becoming homesick, taking part in the Princeton horn spree, the 1859 gubernatorial election of Charles Olden, playing an early version of football, observing the burning of abolitionists' effigies and "the first agitation of the slavery question that has existed between the Northern and Southern students for some years", class elections, examinations, contracting measles, visiting home in Lexington, the selling of the family farm, predicting the results of the 1860 presidential election, abandoning his studies in order to help take care of his father, the possibility of him becoming a teacher, musing on whether Kentucky and Virginia will secede from the Union or not, the possibility of war, the capture of Fort Sumter by the Confederacy and how "Many think an interminable war has commence between the two sections" of the country, his disdain of both secessionists and abolitionists, his brother Philemon joining the Union army under the "Lexington Chaussers", visiting the encampment of the Regiment of the Kentucky State Guard, Jefferson Davis' plan to intercept postage from the Union, his hope that "the acknowledgement of the Southern Confederacy by Mr. Lincoln, would be the best policy and I think would prove effective in the restoration of peace and cessation of this heartless war", his brother George and cousin Gavine siding with the Confederacy under the "Ashland Rifles", the 1861 special election of John Crittenden to Congress, his pride over Kentucky's neutrality so-far in the war, the unhappiness of his family splitting across different sides of the War ("It is indeed most terrible to contemplate such a state of things - Brother against brother, and father against son"), his father buying and inspecting horses for the Union, the bloody outcome of the Battle at Bulls Run, commenting on the 1861 elections for representatives to the state legislature, taking a position teaching at the Nat Hart school, being asked by Philemon to join the Union army and declining, Lexington, Kentucky's continued Union leanings, the closing of the Nat Hart school due to instances of diptheria, becoming the city librarian for Lexington, the burning down of the Lexington Ampitheater, Gavine Drummond, Sr. being swindled out of money by business partners, various illnesses and injuries affliciting members of the Hunt family, witnessing the Battle of Mill Springs, escaped slaves being used for labor in the Union camps, Philemon being commended by the a Union general for his bravery in the Battle of Mill Springs, the capture of Fort Donelson by the Union, the funeral of beloved Colonel Ethelbert Ludlow Dudley, being drafted into Union Colonel S.S. Fry's regiment as acting Assistant Adjutant General, taking part in the Battle of Shiloh, various troop movements, advancing towards the besieged town of Corinth, Tennessee, the Union's defeat during the Seven Days Battles, criticising President Lincoln's pro-abolition cabinet, his distaste over the Southern citizens who ally themselves with the Confederacy, the passing of the Second Confiscation Act, the assassination of Union General Robert McCook, preparing for the Battle of Richmond (Ky), his brother Albert joining the Confederacy under General Morgan's Raiders and his subsequent contempt for Albert, preparing for the Second Battle of Bull Run, his anxiety and anger "at the thought of Rebels now being in Lexington and perhaps are now using our house as a Hospital", determining his personal motto to be "Lexington or death, until the Rebel army is driven from Ky into the far South", his belief that the Union won at the Battle of Munfordville (which, in actuality, was a victory for the Confederates), the family fleeing from the Confederate Heartland Offensive, the removal of General Don Buell from command of the Army of the Ohio and replacement by General William Rosecrans, their slim victory during the Battle of Perryville and forcing the Confederates out of Kentucky, his promotion to Brigade Inspector General, Morgan's Raiders destroying the Big South railroad tunnel near Gallatin, Tennessee, celebrating Thanksgiving with soldiers, fending off an attack by Confederate Brigadier General Richard Gano, the Union's defeat at the Battle of Hartsville, criticising Lincoln's "unconstitutional" Emancipation Proclamation, Philemon's appointment as President of a Court Martial, accepting the position of Adjutant of the 3rd Regiment Kentucky Volunteer Infantry, the failure of Colonel Abel Streight's raid on Confederate soldiers, shooting down criticisms of Kentuckians as "'Conservatives', which is a polite term used by the abolitionists in regard to us for 'traitors'", his dismay over the Union's defeat attempting to retake Charleston, South Carolina from the Confederacy, meeting with the heads of various regiments, hearing news of the Union's victory at the Battle of Gettysburg, the fall of Port Hudson and capture of Confederate soldiers, the defeat and capture of General Morgan and his troops in Buffington, Ohio, considering his own mortality during a deadly war ("This disastrous war is wrapping the winding-sheets around the cold forms of many a fond son and sprinkling many a hearthstone with tears of blood and sorrow"), corresponding with brother Albert while he is in a prisoner-of-war camp, skirmishing with the enemy near Chattanooga, Tennessee, the evacuation of the Confederacy from Chattanooga, engaging with the Confederates near Lee's Mill, Georgia, taking part in the Battle of Chickamauga ("We were outnumbered and compelled to fall back but we are not whipped"), Philemon being wounded during the battle, and witnessing the Battle of Wauhatchie.
These letters can be found on pages 66-67, 77-78, 84-85, 89-90, 90, 96-97, 111-112, 115-116, 121-122, 133-134, 144-145, 145-146, 160-161, 177-178, 201-202, 210 211-213, 213-215, 215-217, 217-219, 219-220, 223-224, 224-225, 227-228, 228-229, 229-230, 235-236, 237-238, 238-239, 242-243, 245-247, 247-278, 259-260, 265-266, 269-270, 272-273, 273-274, 275, 280-281, 281-283, 286-289, 290-292, 306-308, 320-323, 326-327, 335-337, 338-340, 352, 353-356, 362-364, 367-368, 370-373, 374-375, 378-381, 381-383, 383-385, 385-388, 389-391, 393-395, 395-397, 397-401, 401-405, 405-408, 410-412, 412-414, 414-416, 418-420, 420-423, 426-428, 429, 430-432, 434-437, 438-440, 440-442, 442-443, 443-445, 461-463, 465-467, 471-472, 478-481, 486-487, 489-492, 493-494, 498-500, 501, 505-507, 510-512, 515-517, 517-519, 519-521, 521-523, 523-526, 526, 528-529, 532, 534-535, 538-541, 542-544, 544-545, 548-550, 557-559, 560-561, 563-565, 567-568, 568-570, 571-573, 574-575, 576-577, 577-579, 579-581, 584-585, 585-586, 589-592, 593, 594-595, 595-596, 598-600, 600-601, 601-602, 603-604, 604-605, 605-607, 607-609, 609-611, 617-618, 618-621, 621-623, 628-629, 632-633, 636-637, 640-642, 642-644, 647-648, 652-653, 653-655, 659-661, 669-673, 674-675, 680, 686-688, 688-690, 691-692, 692-693, 693-694, 702-705, 710-712, 713-714, 716-718, 720-721, 722, 724, 725-726, 726-727, 728, 729-731, 731-732, 733-734, 734-735, 738-740, 746-747, and 748-749, respectively.

Biographical / Historical

Gavine Drummond Hunt, Jr. was born on 24 April 1842 near Lexington, Kentucky, the youngest of the five Hunt children. He attended Translvania University and Kentucky State Normal in Lexington. During his first year at Princeton, he was led away from school and went home to prepare for the coming war. He started teaching at the newly-opened Nat Hart school on 2 September 1861 and, within just over a month, an epidemic of diptheria caused the school to be closed down. At 19, at the behest of his brother Philemon, Gavine joined the Union army under General S.S. Fry's 2nd Brigade as Assistant Adjutant General. He participated in the Battle of Shiloh, the Siege of Corinth, the Battle of Perryville, the Battle of Hartsville, the Battle of Chickamauga, and the Battle of Wauhatchie. During the Battle of Missionary Ridge, he was shot in the hip and died of an infection three days later, on 29 November 1863 near Chattanooga, Tennessee.
 

Sub-Series 31, Gavine Drummond Hunt, Sr. correspondence 1840 November 18 - 1864 June 9

Creator: Hunt, Gavine Drummond, Sr., 1794/12/02 - 1889/03/01
Physical Description: .1 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains one-hundred and four correspondences from Gavine Drummond Hunt, Sr. In his numerous letters, written to his children and relatives, he writes about the election of William Henry Harrison, family trips to New York and New Jersey, general business on the family farm, missing his daughter Mary after her marriage to Lewis Craig and their move to New Jersey, updates on his sons' various businesses, the weather, his chronic illnesses, apologizing for not writing more often, his intent to sell the family land, purchases and sales he's made for the farm, his dismay over his children spreading out and leaving home, the success of the auction of the farm, hiring out his farmhands, wishing Drummond success and happiness in his studies as he goes to attend college, the marriages of friends and neighbors, his desire to reunite the family, advising Lewis on the direction of his business, considering where he wants to purchase his next farm, his transition into the horse business, his worries about Albert working as Sheriff in Lexington and musings to send him to Lewis and Mary in Plainfield, New Jersey, Albert's near-death experience after being shot at by a criminal by the name of John McCoy, his trip to a presentation for members of the Kentucky, Tennessee, and Ohio legislatures, worrying over Gavine Drummond, Jr.'s behavior, hoping to see his grandson William Drummond Craig, the 1860 Democratic National Convention and the split between Northern and Southern Democrats, local elections, inviting Mary to return home and visit, purchasing land in Arkansas to convert into a cotton plantation, the spread of diptheria in Lexington, Gavine Jr.'s studies at Georgetown College, most Southerners' desire to keep Abraham Lincoln from office, his fear over the looming prospect of war, his plan to move to the plantation in Arkansas if war breaks out, Albert being hired by the rich Mr. Thomas James, asking Lewis for a loan, using an electric battery to treat his foot pain, his fear of being drafted into the Confederate army and having to fight against the Union, his annoyance over Kentucky's neutratity and joy when the state finally sides with the Union in June 1861, pride over Philemon becoming a respected Union officer and his various military victories (especially in "the battle having fought by the Federals troops & Zollicoffer and the confederates completely routed"), Gavine Jr. joining the war on the side of the Union, attending funerals of Kentuckians killed in the War, his appointment as Inspector of Horses for the Union Army under General Jeremiah Boyle, General John Morgan's attack on Kentucky, the potential of him and Letitia moving to Plainfield, his fear of Louisville being razed to the ground in an attempt to defeat the Confederates, his dismay over George and Albert siding with the Confederacy, unhappiness over being unable to see certain family members due to them siding with the South, criticsms over President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, advising Lewis to give up practicing medicine for the time being, Philemon and Gavine Jr. returning home for a leave of absesnce and joined by General Speed Smith Fry, passing on news of Kentuckian women being forced to leave the state for committing treason by corresponding with Confederate soldiers, Letitia Hunt's waning health, acquiring new partners for his horse inspections, praying for his children to all make it out of the War alive, the surrender of Vicksburg, Mississippi to Union soldiers, the capture and imprisonment of General Morgan's men, Albert and George included, as prisoners of war, his joy over Philemon and Gavine Jr. surviving the Battle of Chickamauga, Gavine Jr.'s funeral (he was wounded in a battle a few weeks after Chickamauga and died shortly thereafter), his hopes that his remaining children will survive, and the death of Albert (who was believed to be killed in action, but in actuallity survived).
These letters can be found on pages x-xi, 12-13, 14-15, 74-75, 91-92, 99-100, 114-115, 123-124, 127-128, 130-131, 132-133, 139, 148-149, 163, 166, 168-169, 173, 179-181, 187-188, 190, 221-222, 230-231, 236, 248, 250, 254-255, 258-259, 260, 276-277, 277-278, 278-279, 284-285, 290, 293, 293-294, 294-295, 297-299, 299, 299-300, 302-303, 303-304, 309-310, 311-312, 315-316, 317-318, 318, 320, 323-324, 324-325, 328-329, 332-334, 348, 259-260, 361, 368-369, 369-370, 377-378, 388-389, 392-393, 420, 437, 467-468, 497-498, 504-505, 531, 532-533, 541-542, 551-552, 554-555, 561-562, 565-566, 571, 573, 586-587, 587-588, 597-598, 624, 625-626, 638-640, 650-651, 655-656, 657-658, 661-662, 666-667, 673-674, 694-695, 697-698, 699-700, 709-710, 712, 713, 715, 718-719, 731, 741-742, 752-752, 770-771, 778, 789-790, 793-794, 799-800, and 802, respectively.

Biographical / Historical

Gavine Drummond Hunt, Sr. was born on 2 December 1794 in New Jersey. His mother, Catherine Drummond Hunt, died six days after his birth. Father George Hunt moved to Kentucky with Gavine when he was six years old and became a founder of Fayette County. Gavine attended local schools and grew up on the family's new farm. He was known to take trips to New Jersey via horseback, which became a more major part of his life as he grew older as he became an expert in training and dealing with horses. Gavine married Catharine Amelia Burgess Hunt on 19 September 1833. The two had five children before Catharine's death on 27 January 1843: George Warfield, Mary Dorsey, Philemon Burgess, Albert Gallatin, and Gavine Drummond, Jr. Gavine Sr. remarried to Letitia Dudley Parrish on 1 December 1844. In October 1858, he sold the family farm in Lexington and planned to retire. As the conflict between the Northern and Southern states grew, Gavine Sr. purchased a tract of land near Lake Village, Arkansas, to convert into a cotton farm and rural-hideaway during the upcoming war. Once the Civil War began, however, Gavine Sr. made connections with the US military and began to provide to them horses and mules, working as a Horse Inspector. By March of 1862, all four of his sons had gone to war, two on the North and two on the South (Philemon and Gavine Jr. signed with the Union, while George and Albert became a part of Confederate Colonel John Hunt Morgan's infantry, Morgan's Raiders). After the War's conclusion, the surviving members of the family were reuninted in Lexington as Gavine Sr. retired from military life and returned to farming. He died on 1 March 1889 in Lexington.
 

Sub-Series 32, Cousin Gavine Drummond Hunt, Jr. correspondence 1858 January 5 - 1860 April 26

Creator: Hunt, Gavine Drummond, Jr., Cousin, 1837 - 1889
Physical Description: .03 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains two correspondences from Cousin Gavine Drummond Hunt, Jr. In his first letter, he writes to Polly (presumably Mary?), wishing her a happy New Year, talks about his crush, a "lady love" Ms. Bullock, and wishes he and Polly would communicate more. In his second letter, he blames Gavine Drummond, Jr. for not writing him more often, discusses an event in which he and his friend were shot at and wounded, praises God for his survival, and advises Drummond to remain in Princeton and continue his studies.
These letters can be found on pages 80-81 and 267-268, respectively.

Biographical / Historical

Gavine Drummond Hunt, Jr. (not to be confused with Drummond, the brother of Mary Hunt Craig) was born in 1837. He is the son of John Mason Hunt, the half-brother of Gavine Drummond, Sr., making him a cousin of Mary Hunt Craig's. He married Sarah "Sally" Berry. Gavine died in 1889.
 

Sub-Series 33, Rev. George Hunt correspondence 1857 November 16 - 1858 March 2

Creator: Hunt, George, Rev., 1831 - 1893
Physical Description: .03 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains three correspondences from Rev. George Hunt, a cousin of Mary Hunt Craig's. In his first letter, he writes about the burials of two men, a former sherrif and a prominent lawyer, his Saturday preaches, his dismay about not being able to visit the following week, and his travel plans to see the Hunts in December. In his second letter, he congratulates Mary on her marriage to Lewis and his disappointment that she will be moving away to New Jersey. In his third letter, he writes about his business at the church, the cold weather, Joseph's absence, and Maria Bullock Hunt's trip to New Orleans, Louisiana, and Henderson, Kentucky.
These letters can be found on pages 59-60, 70-71, and 101-102, respectively.
 

Sub-Series 34, George Warfield Hunt correspondence 1858 January 7 - 1861 July 23

Creator: Hunt, George Warfield, 1834/07/11 - 1912/11/22
Physical Description: .25 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains eight correspondences from George Warfield Hunt. In his letters, he writes about his health, news about the family, how Lexington, Kentucky will be boring during Christmas, spending time with female friends, fears that Albert Gallatin Hunt will become homesick, Gavine Drummond Hunt, Sr. selling the family farm and finding a new tract of land to rent, his desire to leave home and travel, sending a check to Lewis Craig to pay for Gavine Drummond, Jr.'s school tuition, the disagreeable weather, hosting the Butler family at his home, his boat trip down the Mississippi River, his love of reading newspapers, moving to a new home, receiving letters from brothers, the fishing and hunting season in Arkansas, the difficulties of starting a new farm, Arkansas' desire to secede, his criticisms of President Abraham Lincoln, the prospect of a civil war, the various lynchings of African-Americans, a sickness traveling through his area, and the conflicts between Union soldiers and rebels, especially the "horrid account of the condition of Missouri - brought about by the invasion of Lincolns [sic] armies".
These letters can be found on pages 85-86, 142-143, 152-153, 171-172, 329-332, 340-347, 357-358, and 408-410, respectively.

Biographical / Historical

George Warfield Hunt was born on 11 July 1834, the oldest of the Hunt children. He attended Georgetown College in Kentucky and read law for the firm Breckinridge and Beck in Lexington. Due to health problems, he left the firm and went with a family work group to prepare the Hunt's new plantation in Arkansas. When the Civil War broke out, he enlisted in the Confederate 28th Mississippi Cavalry, as a private in Captain Blackwell's company, and later assigned to General John Hunt Morgan's company, the 9th Mississippi Cavalry regiment, General Joe Wheeler's company, General Basil Duke's company, and the 5th Kentucky Cavalry, eventually reaching the rank of First Lieutenant and adjutant. He was believed to have been killed during the Battle of Mount Sterling, but this was ultimately not the case. After the conclusion of the war, George received parole and returned back to Lexington to work at the family's new business, breeding horses. In 1877, he and Philemon Burgess Hunt left for the Indian Territory, which would later become Oklahoma. He worked as an Indian Agency farmer and later an Acting Indian Agent at Anadarko. In 1886, he moved to Graham, Texas, to live on the Drummond Farm with his brother Burgess, and later moved to Dallas in 1908. George died on 22 November 1912.
 

Sub-Series 35, John Mason Hunt correspondence 1858 January 29 - 1861 March 18

Creator: Hunt, John Mason, 1802 - 1874
Physical Description: .035 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series consists of two correspondences from John Mason Hunt, Gavine Drummond, Sr.'s half-brother. In his first letter, he writes to Mary Hunt Craig about his disappointment over her leaving Kentucky with her new husband, his happiness over her replying to his letters, asks her to write his son, Richard Johnson, and passes on love from the family. In his second letter, he writes to Gavine Drummond, Sr. about his temporary illness, asking for Gavine to send thirty Dolls in order to pay his debts, his contentment at staying in Providence Place, Ark(ansas), a run-in with his neighbor Colonel Worthington about how much land he can build on top of, and the family's plan to improve the land and build a home.
These letters can be found on pages 92-93 and 350-352, respectively.
 

Sub-Series 36, Letitia Dudley Parrish Hunt correspondence 1858 March 27 - 1865 August 12

Creator: Hunt, Letitia Dudley Parrish, 1805/01/21 - 1885/08/14
Physical Description: .05 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains twenty-two correspondences from Letitia Dudley Parrish Hunt. In her letters, she writes to various members of the Hunt family about attending prayer meetings almost nightly, passing on family news and gossip, friends' extravagant weddings and receptions, relatives' illnesses, wanting to purchase a nice bonnet, the start of the Civil War (in her letter from 14 April 1861, she writes, "we hear nothing scarcely but hard times and war, several dispatches yesterday from the South that war had commenced"), her injury which occurred when she fell down a flight of stairs, the deaths of neighbors, the status of the Hunt boys during their conscription to the war, her fear of losing the family home after fleeing from the Confederate Heartland Offensive, exchanging sewing tips and patterns with Mary, sending along photos of Gavine Drummond Hunt, Jr. following his death, the Union's plans to station soldiers in Kentucky "for the purpose of keeping out the Rebels one Regiment" at a time, her hopes that the Hunt boys (or what remains of them) to make it out of the war alive, Gavine Drummond, Sr.'s failing health, the suffering and death of Howard Ellen Brown's child, passing on love to her extended family, hearing news that Albert Gallatin Hunt was not a prisoner-of-war as earlier believed, Philemon Burgess Hunt being wounded in battle, attending Gavine Drummond, Jr.'s funeral, hoping the Hunt-Craigs will recover from their various illnesses, observing the dinner hosted for soldiers returning home to Lexington, Kentucky, inviting Mary and William Drummond Craig to visit even if Lewis is unavailable, telling Mary to enjoy her time out unlike those (including herself) who are afraid to go out and get caught in the crossfire of battle, her fear of losing property and farmhands, the death of her brother Jephthah Dudley due to apoplexy, and families abandoning their homes during the war.
These letters can be found on pages 112, 173-174, 358-359, 492, 550-551, 588-589, 645-647, 656-657, 673-674, 682, 700-701. 705-706, 706-707, 736, 765-766, 773-774, 783, 805-806, 825, 832, and 835-836, respectively.

Biographical / Historical

Letitia Dudley Parrish Hunt was born on 21 January 1805 in Fayette County, Kentucky. Her father, Colonel William Dudley, was killed at Fort Meigs during the War of 1812 in the battle of Dudley's Defeat on 5 May 1813. Letitia married her first husband, George Parrish, on 24 Februrary 1824 in Fayette County, and had three children, Lucy A. Parrish, Howard Ellen Parrish, and William Dudley "Dud" Parrish. Nothing else is known about her first husband. She later married Gavine Drummond Hunt, Sr., on 1 December 1844. Their one child together, John Nelson Hunt, was born on 11 August 1846 and died in infancy on 13 November 1847. Letitia died in Lexington on 14 August 1885, at the age of 80.
 

Sub-Series 37, Maria Bullock Hunt correspondence 1857 December 5 - 1864 August 16

Creator: Hunt, Maria Bullock, 1835 - 1906
Physical Description: .04 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains twelve correspondences from Maria Bullock Hunt, cousin of Mary Hunt Craig. In her letters to her cousin, she writes about family gossip, Christmas celebrations, her two-month long travel trip with the Satterwhite family to Saint Louis, Missouri, New Orleans, Louisiana, Mobile, Alabama, and Henderson, Kentucky, her uncertainty of when she will be in New York to visit, hunting trimmings and patterns for dresses, passing on familial love, her short excursion on the USS Wyoming, her lack of affection for her stepmother, her worry over her brother Joseph's continued loneliness, congratulating Mary on her pregnancy and subsequent birth of William Drummond Hunt, news on mutual friends' children, chastising Mary for not replying to her letters, inviting Mary to visit, her illness and recovery from "an affection of the spine" (most likely a form of neuralgia), mourning the death of Gavine Drummond Hunt, Jr., her hopes that the rest of the family remains safe and well, asking for Lewis Craig to reserve some rooms at a local hotel so she might be able to visit, and news about family members as prisoners of war.
These letters can be found on pages 62-63, 86-88, 113-114, 186-187, 226-227, 240-242, 270-272, 327-328, 678-679, 774-775, 821-822, and 836-838, respectively.
 

Sub-Series 38, Mary Catherine "Kate" Hunt correspondence 1857 December 10 - 1860 November 7

Creator: Hunt, Mary Catherine "Kate", 1838 - 1906
Physical Description: .325 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains thirteen correspondences from Mary Catherine "Kate" Hunt, cousin of Mary Hunt Craig. In her letters, she writes about Mary's marriage to Lewis Craig and their subsequent move to New Jersey, familial gossip, a nightmare in which she meets the grandfather of the Devil, an instance where she encountered a snake in a cave in Kentucky, the sermons by her local pastor, her engagement to a young man (who she would go on to not marry), her waning affection for Lewis Craig (at one point, she addresses her letters "to Mrs Dr Lewis Craig to please 'the master'" and asks Mary to "Ask Cousin Lewis if I gave you enough of his name this time"), running into other Hunt family members, missing Mary and desiring to see her soon, taking care of her nephew Johnnie Hunt during his sickness, attending friends' weddings, her new engagement (which would also go on to fail), chastising Mary for not writing more often, the death of her nephew and her great melancholy over it, her various sewing projects, books she is reading, her affection for her new niece Ormasinda Sutphin, asks Mary for a weight-loss potion from Lewis, being horribly injured while riding horses, breaking her back, leaving her legs "one...skinned & the other bruised black", and "covered with black salve", sending a dessert recipe, her anger at Mary's lack of visits, her family selling their property and planning on moving, commenting about John Brown's recent raid on Harper's Ferry, West Virgina in October 1859, congratulates Mary on her pregnancy, and warns her to not visit until instances of diptheria die down.
These letters can be found on pages 67-69, 81-83, 104-107, 117-118, 119-121, 191-192, 198-199, 205, 231-233, 252-254, 255-257, 262-264, and 308-309, respectively.
 

Sub-Series 39, Philemon Burgess Hunt correspondence 1857 February 4 - 1864 August 21

Creator: Hunt, Philemon Burgess, 1837/10/11 - 1915/04/05
Physical Description: .15 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains one-hundred and seventy-five correspondences from Philemon Burgess Hunt. In his letters, he writes to various members of the Hunt family about the poor weather, gossipping about neighbors and acquaintances, the marriages and funerals of family and friends, passing on news from the family, dull Christmas celebrations, business on the farm, requesting his sister Mary to write him and the family more often, inquiring about news from extended family, wanting to visit his sister in New Jersey but being unable to due to working on the farm, awaiting his sister's trip home to Lexington, Kentucky, observing Comet Donati's rare appearance, hunting excursions with the brothers, Gavine Drummond, Sr.'s search for a new home to rent, moving into their new house, a fire which burned down their local church, attending local parties and weddings, the conditions of the family's horses, congratulating his younger brother Gavine Drummond, Jr. on his studies, instances of typhoid fever spreading in Lexington, attending a trial involving his brother Albert being caught in a street-corner gun battle, giving advice to Gavine Jr. about schooling, working in the Lexington County Court clerk's office, the election of Leslie Combs to Clerk of the Court of Appeals in Lexington, joining the Enrolled Militia, the "Lexington Chaussers", voting for John Bell and Edward Everett in the 1860 presidential election, his hope that Abraham Lincoln will make a good president, accepting Lewis as a surgeon under his command in the militia, the commencement of the Civil War and joining the army under General William "Bull" Nelson at Camp Dick Robinson, his appointment to the rank of Major, taking temporary command of the 1st Regiment "Kentucky Volunteers" after commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel John Croxton fell sick, hoping Gavine Jr. will join the war on the side of the Union, his pride over fighting for the Union ("I have no idea when I can come home, it may be very soon, and it may be some time before, indeed it may never be, but if I should be killed in this war my dear sister, you will have the consolation to know that your brother fell in defense of the flag of his Country"), being transferred to the 4th Kentucky Infantry, rejecting the idea of marriage, troop movements and positionings, interrogating a deserter from the Confederacy, offering Gavine Jr. multiple positions in the regiment, defeating the Confederates and killing General Felix Zollicoffer at the Battle of Mill Springs, giving his opinion on the Mason and Slidell Affair (Trent Affair), taking part in the Battle of Shiloh, finally convincing Gavine Jr. to join the Union army, preparing for the Siege of Corinth, hearing about his brothers George and Albert joining the Confederate army, being assigned to preside over court martials, fearing for his family after Lexington is captured by the Confederacy, criticizing General Don Buell for being unable to act quickly, taking part in the Battle of Murfreesboro, chasing General John Morgan through Kentucky, Gavine Jr.'s transfer to the 3rd Kentucky Regiment, asking his family for photographs, attempting to convince the military command and government to turn his infantry regiment to cavalry, hosting local women visitors at the camp, preparing for the Tullahoma Campaign, hearing of the capture of his brothers as prisoners of war and General Morgan's defeat, being shot in the leg below the knee during the Battle of Chickamauga and being sent home to Lexington to recover, Albert's escape from the prisoner-of-war camp, requesting for Gavine Jr.'s body to be brought to Lexington, attending his brother's funeral and acquiring his possessions, considering resigning from the military, his glee over the 4th Kentucky Regiment being converted into a cavalry unit, desiring to purchase his own farm, working with his father to tend after horses for the government, officially tendering his military resignation while volunteering to continue helping the army, hoping for his brothers' safety after they become involved in the Battle of the Wilderness, the capture of Paris and Lexington by Morgan's Raiders, and settling into post-war life.
These letters can be found on pages 33, 63-64, 73-74, 79, 88-89, 90-91, 94-95, 110, 116, 122-123, 125, 131-132, 134, 139-140, 149, 156, 157-158, 159-160, 162-163, 164-165, 166-167, 169-170, 174-175, 179, 185-186, 192-193, 197, 202-204, 220-221, 222-223, 225-226, 234, 243-244, 249, 251, 260-261, 261-262, 269, 279-280, 285-286, 305-306, 306, 312-313, 319, 327, 334-335, 378-381, 416-418, 432-433, 457-458, 463-464, 464-465, 468-469, 469-470, 472-473, 473-474, 474-476, 481-483, 483-484, 484-485, 485-486, 488, 494-495, 495-496, 496-497, 501-503, 503-504, 508-509, 509-510, 512-513, 513-515, 527-528, 535-537, 546, 552-553, 562, 566-567, 575-576, 582, 583, 592, 613, 629-630, 631, 634, 637-638, 648-649, 649-650, 658-659, 662, 662-663, 663-664, 664-665, 667-668, 676, 677, 677-678, 679, 681, 683-684, 684-685, 685, 686, 695-696, 696-697, 698-699, 701-702, 707-708, 720, 721-722, 723, 729, 732-733, 733, 737, 741, 747-748, 749-750, 755, 755-756, 756-757, 758, 758, 759-760, 760-761, 762, 763, 766, 767, 769, 770, 771-772, 772-773, 775-776, 776, 777, 778-779, 779-780, 780-781, 784, 784-785, 785, 785-787, 787-789, 790, 792, 792-793, 794-795, 796, 796-797, 797-798, 798-799, 799, 800-801, 801-802, 803, 803-804, 804, 806-807, 809-810, 810, 811, 811-812, 812, 814, 815-816, 819-821, 827-828, 828, 828-829, 830, 834-835, and 838-839, respectively.

Biographical / Historical

Philemon Burgess Hunt was born on 11 October 1837 near Lexington, Kentucky, He attended Transylvania University High School in Lexington. He was interested in joining a local militia, and eventually became a part of the Lexington Chaussers. Once the Civil War begins, his militia is placed to defend Lexington from the Confederacy. Philemon is conscripted into the U.S. Army as an Adjutant for Colonel S.S. Fry's regiment, shortly thereafter earning the rank of Acting Major. He writes home often, attempting to convince his brother Gavine Drummond, Jr. to sign up with the Union army. He doesn't see battle until the Battle of Mill Springs in 1862, in which he attempted to rally the troops against the enemy regiment. He later informs Gavine Jr. that Col. Fry has ordered him into service. Philemon and Gavine Jr., both now part of the same regiment, took part in the Battle of Shiloh, the Siege of Corinth, the Battle of Perryville, and the Battle of Hartsville, until Gavine Jr. is transferred. In 1863, he temporarily takes command of the regiment for a few months while his commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel John Coxton, takes leave due to illness. Philemon is shot in the leg, just below the knee, during the Battle of Chickamauga. He is eventually sent home to Lexington for recovery. After helping convert his Infantry unit into a Cavalry unit and mourning the death of his brother Gavine Jr., Philemon shortly thereafter resigns from the military in 13 April 1864. However, later that year, he was nearly attacked by Confederate soldiers after returning from a business trip in Louisville, Kentucky. After retiring from the military, he joins his father in the horse and mule business. In 1866, he moved to Mississippi to manage a cotton plantation. A year later, he returned to Lexington and became the Cashier of the Internal Revenue Service in Lexington. In 1874, he was appointed by President Grant to be Supervisor of Internal Revenue of Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana, holding the position until its discontinuation in 1876. He was later appointed by President Grant to the position of Indian Agent for the Kiowa, Comance, Apache, and Wichita tribes in Indian Territory in 1879. On 21 October 1879, Philemon married Margaret Scott Gallagher. They had two children, Winnie on 23 August 1879, and Gavine Drummond Hunt (in honor of his brother) on 30 December 1881, though Winnie died the same day as her birth. He concluded his service as Indian Agent in 1885, moving to Graham, Texas with his family and later joined by his brother George. In April 1892, President Benjamin Harrison appointed him United States Marshal for the northern district of Texas, requiring him to temporarily move to Dallas and returning to the family farm two years later. In 1897, he was again sought after, this time by President McKinley, who appointed him Collector of Internal Revenue for the Texas northern district, requiring a permanent move to Dallas. He held the position until 1912, when the southern district in Austin merged with the northern district. He kept himself a part of the community in Dallas until his death on 5 April 1915.
 

Sub-Series 40, Richard Johnson "Dick" Hunt correspondence 1858 February 18

Creator: Hunt, Richard Johnson "Dick", 1836 - ?
Physical Description: .025 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series consists of one correspondence from Richard Johnson "Dick" Hunt, son of John Mason Hunt and first cousin of Mary Hunt Craig's. In his letter, he replies to Mary's previous letter, writes about the weather, his going sleigh-riding around the neighborhood with a nice young lady, his hope and plan to get married, and his desire to see Mary again.
This letter can be found on pages 98-99.
 

Sub-Series 41, Waller Bullock Hunt correspondence 1857 May 7 - 1858 February 1

Creator: Hunt, Waller Bullock, 1833 - 1892
Physical Description: .035 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains two correspondences from Waller Bullock Hunt. In his first letter written to Mary Hunt Craig, he comments how neither of them have heard from John Mason Hunt since his marriage, discusses previous correspondences with George Warfield Hunt and Philemon Burgess Hunt, and mentions a French ball he attended. In his second letter, he discusses his recent trip to Kentucky, writes about how he misses his cousin and extended family, mulls about the lack of marriages in the family, and passes on his regards to Lewis Craig.
These letters can be found on pages 41-43 and 93-94, respectively.

Biographical / Historical

Waller Bullock Hunt was born in 1833, the son of Gavine Drummond Hunt, Sr.'s half-brother, Peter Gordon Hunt. Waller had three siblings, Rev. George Hunt, Maria Bullock Hunt, and Joseph Hunt. In 1865, he married Julia Martha Gentil. The two had six children together, including a daughter who would go on to become a medical doctor. Waller died in 1892.
 

Sub-Series 42, Ben Letcher correspondence 1862 May 27

Creator: Letcher, Ben
Physical Description: .01 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains one correspondence from Ben Letcher. In his letter, addressed to his friend Mary Hunt Craig, he discusses how he missed a train heading to where she lives and will instead be taking a train the next day.
This letter can be found on page 553.
 

Sub-Series 43, Jane Elizabeth "Jen" Ludlow correspondence 1859 May 18 - 1864 January 5

Creator: Ludlow, Jane Elizabeth "Jen/Jenny", 1825 - 1887
Physical Description: .05 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains five correspondences from Jane Elizabeth "Jane" Ludlow. In her first letter, she replies to Mary Hunt Craig's letter, mentions needing to visit a mutual friend in New York but is constantly delayed due to the weather, regrets not being able to travel to Plainfield and visit Mary, hopes she can avoid being in the house when her brother and sister-in-law have their baby, and discusses her new way of taking medication pills without having to swallow them. In her second letter, she talks about being extremely busy, her potential future excursion to visit Dr. Craig, her most recent travel trip to the White Mountains in New Hampshire, and nursing her newborn nephew, George Cornelius Ludlow. In her third letter, she writes about the chaos of returning home, an incident in which she had to send a trunk by train after she had left from visiting Mary, hopes Mary and Lewis will visit her, and sends a pair of Mary's gloves back to her along with the letter. In her fourth letter, she mentions receiving a letter from Gavine Drummond Hunt, Jr., her dismay over having to cancel her trip to see Mary, her unhappiness over the failing health of her mother and cousin, and her hunt to find a duck as a gift for Mary's son, Willie. In her fifth letter, she complains about the weather preventing Mary from visiting, moans about the unpleasantness of staying in Brooklyn, New York, mentions traveling back down into New Jersey, and asks Mary to update her with news and gossip.
These letters can be found on pages 181-182, 200-201,423-424, 448-449, and 767-768, respectively.

Biographical / Historical

Jane Elizabeth "Jen" Ludlow was born in 1825. Her late aunt, Mary Ludlow, was the first wife of Lewis Craig's brother, John. Jane had two siblings, George Craig Ludlow and Julia Ludlow. Jane never appears to have married. She died in 1887.
 

Sub-Series 44, William Dudley "Dud" Parrish correspondence 1857 December 27 - 1863 November 16

Creator: Parrish, William Dudley "Dud", 1826 - 1909
Physical Description: .075 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains five correspondences from William Dudley "Dud" Parrish, Mary Hunt Craig's step-brother. In his first letter, he talks about his business distracting him from writing to her sooner, comments on some recent weddings and the death of a friend's son, passes on news about family members, criticizes her daguerrotype, and mentions George Warfield Hunt's crush, Miss Tommy Morgan. In his second letter, he apologizes yet again for not writing earlier, says how he will not be able to visit in the spring but will be coming to New York later that year, mentions a number of weddings and parties he attended, and discusses Letitia Dudley Parrish's improving health. In his third letter, he writes to Gavine Drummond Hunt, Jr. about potentially boarding up at Gavine Drummond, Sr.'s, hopes Jr. will enjoy Plainfield, and passes on news from the family. In his fourth letter, he attaches a photograph of himself and relatives, mourns the death of his nephew George Parrish Butler, relay's Gavine Drummond Sr.'s interest in working for the Union, and hopes Mary will visit soon. In his fifth letter, he writes to Albert Gallatin "Allie" Hunt and asks him to visit him in New York, although Allie is a prisoner of the Confederate army.
These letters can be found on pages 76-77, 103-104, 167-168, 668-669, and 751, respectively.
 

Sub-Series 45, Dr. John C. Rankin correspondence 1862 June 3

Creator: Rankin, John C., Dr., 1816 - 1900
Physical Description: .01 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains one correspondence from Dr. John C. Rankin, pastor of the Presbyterian church in Basking Ridge, New Jersey. In his letter, he writes to Lewis Craig and asks Lewis to visit and treat his sick wife.
This letter can be found on pages 555-556.
 

Sub-Series 46, Mary Ann Coons Rogers correspondence 1859 July 5

Creator: Rogers, Mary Ann Coons (M. Rogers), 1814 - 1898
Physical Description: .025 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains one correspondence from Mary Ann Coons Rogers, neighbor of the Hunt family. In her letter, she attempts to reply to Gavine Drummond Hunt, Jr.'s previous letter, passes on information about her multi-state trip from Kentucky to New York, mentions a second mini-trip to Georgetown, Kentucky, and hopes Jr. had a pleasant time traveling with relatives.
This letter can be found on pages 189-190.
 

Sub-Series 47, John Craig Schenck correspondence 1859 August 4

Creator: Schenck, John Craig, 1834 - 1872
Physical Description: .025 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains one correspondence from John Craig Schenck. In his letter, he writes to Lewis Craig, passing on news of the death of Caroline "Carrie" Craig, invites Lewis to the funeral, and comments that he has received Gavine Drummond Hunt, Jr.'s practice letter in preparation to apply to Princeton University.
This letter can be found on page 204.
 

Sub-Series 48, Mattie Stephens correspondence 1863 August 20

Creator: Stephens, Mattie
Physical Description: .01 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains one correspondence from Mattie Stephens. In her letter, she invites Mary Hunt Craig to visit her at the St. Nicholas Hotel in New York City, New York.
This letter can be found on pages 719-720.
 

Sub-Series 49, Martha Hunt Sutphin correspondence 1861 April 15

Creator: Sutphin, Martha Hunt
Physical Description: .015 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains one correspondence from Martha Hunt Sutphin. In her letter, attached to a letter written by Albert Gallatin Hunt, she writes to Mary Hunt Craig, inviting her, Lewis Craig, and William Drummond Craig to visit, and mentions that her father has sold his property in Walnut Hill in Lexington, Kentucky and plans to move to Baltimore.
This letter can be found on pages 366-367.
 

Sub-Series 50, Caroline Barr Warfield Tarlton correspondence 1863 December 16

Creator: Tarlton, Caroline Barr Warfield, 1817 - 1890
Physical Description: .01 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains one correspondence from Caroline Barr Warfield Tarlton. In her letter, she informs Mary Hunt Craig of a series of headaches which have prevented her from visiting and plans to visit as soon as she is able.
This letter can be found on page 754.
 

Sub-Series 51, Elizabeth Thys correspondence 1861 October 27

Creator: Thys, Elisabeth ((Elizabeth Tyce/Elizabeth Chys)), 1827 - 1924(?)
Physical Description: .025 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains one correspondence from Elisabeth Thys. In her letter, she writes to Mary Hunt Craig, hopes that she and William Drummond Craig are well, and desires for her to visit.
This letter can be found on pages 453-454.

Biographical / Historical

Elisabeth Thys (sometimes spelled Elisabeth Chys or Elizabeth Tyce) was born in 1827 in Belgium. As of the 1860 US census, she was living in the Craig household in Plainfield, New Jersey, working as servant. In 1879, she married Alexander Shotwell, a friend and colleague of Lewis Craig's. No death date is listed for Elisabeth, but she appears in the Plainfield City Directory through 1924.
 

Sub-Series 52, Catherine Drake "Kate" Varian correspondence 1864 March 7

Creator: Varian, Catherine Drake "Kate", 1838 - 1918
Physical Description: .015 Linear Feet
Language of Material: English.

Scope and Contents

This sub-series contains one correspondence from Catherine Drake "Kate" Varian. In her letter, she writes to Mary Hunt Craig, apologizing for being unable to lend her a veil to wear to the funeral of Mary Bissett and expressing her dismay of being unable to attend.
This letter can be found on page 791.