See also UPA microfilm:
MF:5322, Series I, Part 2, Reels 17-18
Close (John) Papers
(Mss. 1646)
Inventory
Louisiana and Lower Mississippi Valley Collections
Special Collections, Hill Memorial Library
Louisiana State University Libraries
Baton Rouge, Louisiana State University
Reformatted 2007
Contents of Inventory
|
Biographical/Historical Note |
4 |
|
Scope and Content Note |
4 |
|
Collection Description(s) |
5-7 |
|
Index Terms |
8 |
|
Container List |
9 |
Use of manuscript materials. If you wish to examine items in the manuscript group, please fill out a call slip specifying the materials you wish to see. Consult the Container List for location information needed on the call slip.
Photocopying. Should you wish to request photocopies, please consult a staff member. The existing order and arrangement of unbound materials must be maintained.
Publication. Readers assume full responsibility for compliance with laws regarding copyright, literary property rights, and libel.
Permission to examine archival materials does not constitute permission to publish. Any publication of such materials beyond the limits of fair use requires specific prior written permission. Requests for permission to publish should be addressed in writing to the Head, Public Services, Special Collections, LSU Libraries, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803-3300. When permission to publish is granted, two copies of the publication will be requested for the LLMVC.
Proper acknowledgement of LLMVC materials must be made in any resulting writing or publications. The correct form of citation for this manuscript group is given on the summary page. Copies of scholarly publications based on research in the Louisiana and Lower Mississippi Valley Collections are welcomed.
Summary
|
Size. |
325 items |
|
|
|
|
Geographic locations. |
New Orleans, La.; St. Landry Parish, La.; Washington Co., Ky.; Breckinridge Co., Ky.; Claiborne Co., Miss. |
|
|
|
|
Inclusive dates. |
1802-1872 |
|
|
|
|
Bulk dates. |
1802-1859 |
|
|
|
|
Language. |
English |
|
|
|
|
Summary. |
Personal papers of John Close concerning his plantation, and personal and business correspondence |
|
|
|
|
Organization. |
Arranged chronologically. |
|
|
|
|
Restrictions on access. |
If microfilm is available, photocopies must be made from microfilm. |
|
|
|
|
Related collections. |
N/A |
|
|
|
|
Copyright. |
Copyright of the original materials is retained by descendants of the creators in accordance with U.S. copyright law. |
|
|
|
|
Citation. |
John Close Papers, Mss. 1646, Louisiana and Lower Mississippi Valley Collections, LSU Libraries, Baton Rouge, La. |
|
|
|
|
Stack location(s). |
U:134-135 |
|
|
|
|
Also available on: |
Microfilm 5322, Series I, Part 2, Reels 17-18 |
Biographical/Historical Note
John Close was a contractor's agent for the United States Army post at Opelousas and a cotton planter of Petit Bois Plantation, Port Barre, Saint Landry Parish, Louisiana. He had relatives in Washington County, Kentucky, and Claiborne County, Mississippi.
Scope and Content Note
Correspondence to John Close as an Army contractor's agent includes letters from New Orleans merchants (1805-1806) concerning orders for supplies and other business at the Army post.
Plantation papers consist primarily of correspondence of cotton factors in New Orleans (1820-1871) which documents cotton produced at Petit Bois Plantation. Factors' letters contain references to the Panic of 1837 and to national and international affairs affecting the cotton market and express a preference for accepting Louisiana State Bank notes over Citizens' Bank notes (1840). Business letters and legal notes document land titles and claims belonging to John Close. Papers document sales of slaves, and a letter discusses a fugitive slave (1806).
Personal correspondence (1805-1845) from Breckenridge County, Kentucky, gives information about outbreaks of yellow fever and Asiatic cholera and about Dominican brothers ministering to the sick. Correspondence from Claiborne County, Mississippi, relates local social and economic conditions. A letter (1828) written by State Representative John Moore describes a fire in the State House, New Orleans, and the resulting loss of lives and property.
Personal papers include genealogical information about the Chauvin family.
Collection Description
|
Stack Location |
Box |
Folder |
Date |
Contents |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
U:134 |
1 |
1a |
1802, 1804-1805 |
14 items: Receipts, letters to John Close from Samuel Crawford (1804); letter in French to Charles Barré from Jean Duplessis (1805); business letters from John F. Watson, New Orleans merchant, discussing shipments of cotton, hauling goods to Opelousas, stating Spain’s declaration of war against England (1805); letter to Close from his sister Eliza Wells (1805); business letters from John Dinsmore and John Findlay (1805) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1b-2 |
1806-1819 |
16 items: 5 letters to Charles Barré (1806); letters from Jean Duplessis (1806, 1808); letter to Close from D.W. Breazeale in Claiborne County, Miss. (1819); letter recommending Judge Butler of Florida for Thomas B. Robertson’s seat in Congress (1818); slave purchase by Close in Opelousas from estate of Michel Prudhomme (1818) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3a-3b |
1820-1824 |
17 items: Family correspondence to Close from his sister Eliza Wells (1820), from his brother-in-law D.W. Breazeale (1822-1824), from his niece Sally W. Breazeale (1822); business letters in French (1820-1821); memorandum concerning sale of slaves (1821); slave sale by Close to Charles Barré (1823) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4a-4b |
1825-1826 |
19 items: Family correspondence from Breazeale (1825-1826); Eliza Wells (1826); business letters from J.A. Moore (1825), B. Vanhill (1826) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5 |
1827-1829 |
11 items: Letter from Elias Steen concerning a slave (1827); letters from Guy Richard concerning the succession of Joseph Decuir (1827-1828); letters from Eliza Wells (1828); letter from John Moore in New Orleans describing fire in the State House (1828) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
U:134 |
2 |
6a-6b |
1831-1835 |
24 items: Business letters concerning cotton, money market, and purchases (1833-1835); letters from Eliza Wells (1833); letters from Guy Richard concerning the succession of Joseph Decuir (1834) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
7a-7b |
1836-1839 |
24 items: Letter from Mary L. Breazeale (1836); statements of account (1837-1839); bill for purchase of coffee (1839) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
8a-8b |
1840-1843 |
26 items: Statements of account (1842-1843); letter from Jonathon Harris, Opelousas, discussing a road (1841); requests for payment of debts (1842); family letters (1842-1843) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
9a-9b |
1844-1846 |
34 items: Statements of account (1844-1845); letters to Close from his lawyer (1845); family letters (1845-1846) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
10a-10b |
1847-1849 |
29 items: Statements of account (1847-1849); bills (1849); business letters (1847-1849) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
11 |
undated (prior to 1850) |
7 items: Family letters from Elizabeth Wells discussing yellow fever, St. Anthony’s Fire, possibility of the Dominicans going to Opelousas; letter from J. Nicholson; business letter to Barré from Stephen W. Wikoff |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
U:135 |
3 |
12 |
1850-1851 |
25 items: Bills, statements of cotton sales to Close, Barré’s landing (1850-1851); letter from J.Y. Pavy, New Orleans to P. August Nezat, Breaux Bridge (1851); receipts |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
13 |
1852-1854 |
27 items: Statements of cotton, business letters, letters mentioning the decline in the cotton market (1852); letters to Close from Thomas H. Lewis and Porter, lawyers, Opelousas, concerning the succession of Mrs. Joseph Gradingo (1853, 1854) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
14 |
1855-1859 |
32 items: Letters and bills concerning cotton prices, sales, shipments; letters from Benjamin F. Linton, lawyer, regarding recovery of funds and sale of slave seized in Williams matter (1856-1858) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
15 |
1860-1865 |
4 items: Bill for pork shoulders (1860); letter from Linton requesting promissory note in payment for legal services (1860); letter in French from Victor Danel, Opelousas, to Desire Godet (1865) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
16 |
1870-1872 |
15 items: Letter in French from C.H. Potier, New Orleans (1870); business letters to Desire Godet (1871-1872); sheet of Louisiana State Lottery tickets (1872); typewritten copy of Robert Ingersoll’s speech on Napoleon (undated) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
17 |
undated |
1 item: Chauvin Family Genealogy |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Index Terms
Banks and banking--Louisiana.
Barre, Charles.
Breckinridge County (Ky.)
Butler, Thomas, 1785-1847.
Chauvin family--Genealogy.
Cholera, Asiatic--Kentucky.
Cotton growing--Louisiana.
Cotton trade--Louisiana.
Dominicans--Kentucky.
Fugitive slaves--Louisiana.
Genealogies.
Lotteries--Louisiana.
Louisiana--Economic conditions--1803-1865.
Louisiana--Politics and government--1803-1865.
Petit Bois Plantation (La.)
Receipts.
Slaveholders--Louisiana.
Slaves--Louisiana.
Watson, John F.
Yellow Fever--Kentucky.
Container List
|
Stack Location |
Box |
Folder(s) |
Contents (with dates) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
U:134 |
1 |
1-5 |
Correspondence and Business papers (1802, 1804-1829) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
6-11 |
Correspondence and Business Papers (1831-1850) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
U:135 |
3 |
12-17 |
Correspondence and Business Papers (1850-1860, 1865, 1870-1872) Typewritten copy of a speech by Robert Ingersoll on Napoleon; Chauvin family genealogy |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MF:5322, Series I, Part 2 |
|
Reels 17-18 |
Selected John Close Papers. |