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Letters and photograph, 1844-1861

Manuscript Collection 616

• Information about the Collection
• Contents of the Collection

INFORMATION ABOUT THE COLLECTION

The collection includes letters primarily written by members of the Towell family, Samuel Towell's certificate of registry for land in Clarksville, Arkansas, and one photograph (tintype).  The letters pertain to early Arkansas, the Civil War, and the California Gold Rush.  The tintype is of Nancy Atkins Towell, wife of Samuel Towell.  Samuel and Nancy Towell had three sons:  John H., William, and Isaac.

The collection also included Confederate and State currency.  This has been removed to the "Money and Bonds" collection.

The Towell family papers were donated to Special Collections by Mary W. Pinkerton, Fayetteville, Arkansas, 24 July 1986.

Processed by Nan Lawler, Special Collections Division, University of Arkansas Libraries, Fayetteville, Arkansas, in May 1990.

RESTRICTIONS APPLY.  Due to fragility of the original letters, positive photocopies are provided for research.

CONTENTS OF THE COLLECTION
 8 items (1 folder)
 

1. 19 Dec [1844].  J[ohn] B[enton] Brown (Little Rock, Arkansas) to (his son-in-law) Parson Jackson (Clarksville, Arkansas).  John Benton Brown (born 1785 in South Carolina, died 1861 in Johnson County, Arkansas), married Sarah Ann Houston in 1808.  He fought in the War of 1812 and came to Johnson County, Arkansas, from Dickson County, Tennessee, before 1840.  He was representative from Johnson County to the State Legislature in 1844.
 
2. Copy of Samuel Towell's certificate of registry of land (original is in Manuscript Collections Oversize Box Number 9).

3. 8 July 1850.  Harvey Shannon, Jr. (Clarksville, Arkansas) to (his uncle and aunt) Samuel and Nancy Towell.  Includes copy of letter.  23 Mar 1850.  John Gibb (Sacramento, California) to "Father and Mother."

 4. 18 July 1861.  J. H. Towell (Pin[e]y, Johnson County, Arkansas) to (his brothers) I. D. Towell and Wm. A. Towell.

 5. 31 July 1861. J. H. Towell (Huntsville, Arkansas) to Samuel Towell (Piney, Arkansas).

 6. 25 July 1864.  W. A. Towell (Camden, Arkansas) to (his brother) I. D. Towell.  28 July 1864.  I. D. Towell (Monticello, Arkansas) to (his brother) J. W. Towell.

 7. N.d. I. D. Towell to unknown person (start of letter missing).  Also includes part of muster roll on reverse.

 8. Tintype of Nancy Adkins Towell.