Department of Archives & Special Collections
Online Payments  My Library Account

Finding Aid for the Landry-Hume Collection

MUM01796

PURL

http://purl.oclc.org/umarchives/MUM01796/

Return to Table of Contents »


Summary Information

Repository
University of Mississippi Libraries
Title
Landry-Hume Collection
ID
MUM01796
Date
1780s-1871
Extent
6.0 Linear feet,  12 boxes
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The Farar, Ellis, and Rapalje families were prominent plantation owners in Adams County, Mississippi in the 18th and 19th centuries. This collection contains materials related to them and several other plantation-owning families. Materials include correspondence, plantation ledgers, and various types of business and financial documents.

Preferred Citation

Landry-Hume Collection (MUM01796), Archives and Special Collections, J.D. Williams Library, The University of Mississippi

Return to Table of Contents »


Biographical Note

The Ellis and Farar families were early settlers and major landowners in Mississippi and Louisiana. Richard Ellis owned White Cliffs, Homochitto, and Laurel Hill plantations in Adams County, near Natchez, Miss. Upon his death, these plantations and the property associated with them were inherited by Ellis’ children John, Abram, Jane, Mary, and Martha. Dr. Benjamin Farar (1773-1826) was an early settler of Pointe Coupee Parish, La. and also owned lands in Adams, Miss. He had three children: Captain Benjamin, Ann Frances, and Margaret Madeline.

Mary Ellis married Capt. Benjamin Farar and moved to Laurel Hill Plantation. She inherited the land from her father and they became successful planters. Their daughter, Ann Eliza married Dr. William Newton Mercer (1792-1874) and inherited Laurel Hill. Abram Ellis and his family (daughters Margaret and Ann, son Richard G.) resided at Homochitto Plantation and later moved to Evergreen Plantation in Houma, La. Margaret Ellis married Dr. Stephen Duncan (1787-1867) and Ann Ellis married Thomas Butler (1785-1847) who owned The Cottage near St. Francisville, La. Richard G. Ellis attended Cumberland College and married Julia Saul. He later owned Evergreen, which was passed down to his son, Richard G. Ellis, Jr. Jane Ellis married Major George Rapalje and lived in Natchez, Miss. They later moved to Laurel Hill Plantation and Jane Ellis Rapalje took on a major role in its management.

(Source: http://www.lib.lsu.edu/special/findaid/1000.htm#biohistnote)

Return to Table of Contents »


Scope and Content

The Landry-Hume Collection contains materials related to plantations in Adams County, Mississippi, including Elliscliffe, Harmony, Ormonde, Buckhurst, Laurel Hill, and others. The collection includes highly detailed ledgers listing daily activities of both free and enslaved inhabitants of the plantations as well as information about crops, weather, births and deaths, and other minutiae. Also included is a substantial amount of correspondence, mostly business-related; various financial and business documents, and several music books.

Return to Table of Contents »


Arrangement

This collection is arranged in five series:

Series 1: Correspondence, 1796-1806

Series 2: Financial Records

Series 3: Ledgers, Account Books, and Music Books

Series 4: Correspondence, 1799-1851 and Undated

Series 5: Miscellaneous Business Documents

Return to Table of Contents »


Administrative Information

Publication Information

University of Mississippi Libraries July 2013

Access Restrictions

The Landry-Hume Collection is open for research. Some collection materials are extremely fragile and must be handled only under the supervision of a staff member.

Copyright Restrictions

The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specified conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be "used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship or research." If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of "fair use," that user may be liable for copyright infringement.

Additions

No further additions are expected to this collection.

Acquisition Information

Donated by Lucile Bayon Hume and Philip Landry, 1997

Processing Information

Collection processed by Douglas Buchanan, 1997. Finding aid created by Kathryn Michaelis, July 2013.

Return to Table of Contents »


Related Materials

Related Materials at Other Repositories

Ellis-Farar Papers, Louisiana and Lower Mississippi Valley Collections, LSU Libraries, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Dunbar (William) Papers, Mississippi Department of Archives and History

Return to Table of Contents »


Controlled Access Headings

Format(s)

  • account books
  • correspondence
  • financial records
  • ledgers (account books)

Geographic Name(s)

  • Adams County (Miss.) -- History
  • Buckhurst Plantation (Miss.)
  • Elliscliffe Plantation (Miss.)
  • Harmony Plantation (Miss.)
  • Laurel Hill Plantation (Miss.)
  • Natchez (Miss.) -- History
  • Ormonde Plantation (Miss.)

Personal Name(s)

  • Dunbar, William, 1749-1810
  • Farar, Benjamin, 1773-1826
  • Hume, Lucile Bayon
  • Landry, Philip
  • Mercer, William Newton, 1792-1874

Subject(s)

  • Cotton growing -- Mississippi -- History -- 19th century
  • Plantation Life -- Mississippi -- Adams County -- History -- 19th Century
  • Plantations -- Mississippi -- Adams County
  • Slavery -- Mississippi -- Adams County

Return to Table of Contents »


Collection Inventory

Series 1: Correspondence, 1796-1806 

 1.1 Letter, December 9, 1796. Jane Rapal at Natchez [MS] to Benjamin Farrar Esq. 

 1.2 Letter, May 15, 1797. Christopher Bolling At Bayou Sara to Benjamin Farar in Natchez 

 1.3 Letter, February 24, 1798. William Dunbar in Natchez, [MS] to John Joyce ESQ. in New Orleans 

 1.4 Letter, January 18, 1799. Benjamin Farar To George Cochran 

 1.5 Letter, July 30, 1800. H. [Stacpoole] in Natchez to “Roear Sir.” 

 1.6 Letter, [August 14, 1800]. [William Dunbar in Natchez, MS] to Charves Norwood in Baton Rouge, [LA] 

 1.7 Letter, January 14, 1801. Jane Rapalji to Mr. Glascock 

 1.8 Letter, May 6, 1801. Jane Rapalji to Mr. Andrews in Natchez, [MS] 

 1.9 Letter, May 8, 1801. Nathan Dix in Natchez [MS] to Capt. Benjamin Farar 

 1.10 Letter, May 13, 1801. Jane Rapalji to Benjamin Farar 

 1.11 Letter, May 15, 1801. Nathan Dix to Mr. Andrews 

 1.12 Letter, May 16, 1801. Nathan Dix to Capt. B. Farar 

 1.13 Letter, May 25, 1801. Benjamin Farar In New Orleans [LA] to Mr. Daniel Clark 

 1.14 Letter, October 12, 1801. Ann Wilkins in New York to George Rapalji in Natchez 

 1.15 Letter, November 18, 1801. John E. Long To Jane Rapalji 

 1.16 Letter, November 20, 1801. John E. Long [Overseer] to [Jane] Rapalji 

 1.17 Letter, November 23, 1801. Robt. Cochran of Natchez, [MS] to Mr. Lloyd 

 1.18 Letter, February 2, 1804. Charles Norwood in New Orleans, [LA]. To Benj. Farrar 

 1.19 Letter, April 16, 1805. Geo. Rapalji to Benjamin Farar “On His Estate.” 

 1.20 Letter, July 20, 1805. C. Norwood To “Sir” [B. Farrar?] 

 1.21 Letter, March 6, 1806. Geo. Rapalje in Natchez, MS, To Benj. Farar 

 1.22 Letter, March 28, 1806. Geo. Rapalji in Natchez, [MS] to Benj. Farar 

Return to Table of Contents »


Series 2: Financial Records 

 2.1 1780s 

 2.2 1790 

 2.3 1791 

 2.4 1793 

 2.5 1794 

 2.6 1795 

 2.7 1796 

 2.8 1799 

 2.9 1800 

 2.10 1801 

 2.11 1802 

 2.12 1806 

 2.13 1807 

 2.14 1809 

 2.15 1811 

 2.16 1813 

 2.17 1814 

 2.18 1815 

 2.19 1816 

 2.20 1817 

 2.21 1818 

 2.22 1819 

 2.23 1820 

 2.24 1821 

 2.25 1822 

 2.26 1823 

 2.27 1824 

 2.28 1825 

 2.29 1826 

 2.30 1827 

 2.31 1828 

 2.32 1829 

 3.1 1830 

 3.2 1831 

 3.3 1832 

 3.4 1832 

 3.5 Letter, May 31, 1833. Geo. Gren & Son in Liverpool, [England] to Wm.N. Mercer in Natchez, [MS]. Enclosed: ADS. May 22, 1833. “Dr. Williams Newton Mercer ESQ in account current with George Green & Son 

 3.6 1834 

 3.7 Financial Records in 1835 

 3.8 Financial Records in 1836 

 3.9 1837 

 3.10 1839 

 3.11 1840 

 3.12 Letter, July 19, 1842. Geo. Green & Son in Liverpool [England] to William Nenton Mercer 

 3.13 1845 

 3.14 1846 

 3.15 1848 

 3.16 1849 

 3.17 1857 

 3.18 1870s 

 3.19 1880s 

 3.20 1890s 

 3.21 20th Century 

 3.22 Financial transactions, undated 

 3.23 Financial records, undated 

Return to Table of Contents »


Series 3: Ledgers, Account Books, and Music Books 

 4.1 Ledger and Account Book Ormonde Plantation, 1861 

 4.2 Ledger and account book Harmony, Ormonde, Elliscliffe, and Laurel Hills Plantation, 1824-1835 

 4.3 Ledger and account book Elliscliffe Plantation, Adams County, Mississippi, 1858 

 5.1 Sales brochure, “Jones” Patent Cotton Machinery” Lowell, Mass. circa mid-19th century 

 5.2 Music book, circa 19th century belonging to Anna Elizabeth Mercer 

 5.3 Music book, circa 19th century 

 5.4 Music book, circa 1810, possibly belonging to Anna Ellis 

 6.1 Pages, ledger and account book, Elliscliffe Plantation, 1855 (87 pages) 

 6.2 Ledger and account book Ormond Plantation. 1853 

 6.3 Ledger and account book Elliscliffe Plantation Adams County, Mississippi 1859 

 6.4 Fragmentary pages, Ledger and account book, Elliscliffe Plantation, 1860 (5 pages) 

 6.5 Ledger and account book Elliscliffe Plantation. 1860 

 6.6 Ledger and account book Elliscliffe Plantation Adams County, Mississippi 1861 

 6.7 Ledger and account book Elliscliffe Plantation, 1862 

 7.1 Clayton’s Quarto Diary for 1855, partially filled by “J.P. Harrison,” including a description of wine making at Pass Christian, Mississippi 

 7.2 Ledger and account book Buckhurst Plantation, 1855-1871 

 7.3 Music book, circa 19th century, possibly belonging to Mercer family 

 8.1 Record and account book 

 8.2 Unidentified record book 

 8.3 Slave register 

Return to Table of Contents »


Series 4: Correspondence, 1799-1851 and undated 

 9.1 Letter, May 3, 1799, Bigbie and Turnbull of Nassau to John Turnbull in New Orleans 

 9.2 Letter, August 25, 1799, William Dunbar in Natchez to Charles Norwood in New Orleans 

 9.3 Letter, October 3, 1799, William Dunbar in Natchez to Charles Norwood in New Orleans 

 9.4 Letter, November 20, 1798. Ann Wilkins in New York to George Rapalji in Natchez 

 9.5 Letter, August 14, 1800, William Dunbar in Natchez to Charles Norwood 

 9.6 Letter, October 17, 1800, William Dunbar in Natchez to Charles Norwood 

 9.7 Copies of 2 letters: Letter, April 28, 1803, Charles Norwood to Benjamin Farar. AND: Letter, January 31, 1801, Charles Norwood in New Orleans to Benjamin Farar 

 9.8 Letter, June 9, 1801, Ann Wilkins in New York to George Rapalji in Natchez 

 9.9 Letter, June 28, 180, Benjamin Farar at Laurel Hill [MS] to Charles Norwood in New Orleans 

 9.10 Letter, May 20, 1808, Henry Nelson in New Orleans to Benjamin Farar in Natchez 

 9.11 Letter, November 14, 1809, George Rapalji to Capt. [Benjamin] Farar “On His Estate” 

 9.12 Letter, January 20, 1810, Ann Wilkins in New York to George Rapalji at Natchez 

 9.13 Letter, December 14, 1810, Henry Nelson in New Orleans to Benjamin Farar at Natchez 

 9.14 Letter, August 12, 1813, James Williams at Chapitcula to Capt. Benjamin Farar at Laurel Hill 

 9.15 Letter, July 1, 1814, James Williams in New Orleans to Dr. Stephen Duncan at Ellis’ Ferry [MS Territory] 

 9.16 Letter, July 21, 1814, H. Postlewaite at Natchez to Benjamin Farar at Laurel Hill 

 9.17 Letter, September 23, 1814, James William in New Orleans to Capt. Benjamin Farar at Laurel Hill 

 9.18 Letter, March 12, 1815, James Williams at Chapticulas to Capt. Benjamin Farar at Laurel Hill 

 9.19 Letter, June 2, 1815, James Williams at Chapitculas to Capt. Benjamin Farar at Laurel Hill 

 9.20 Letter, July 10, 1815, Prather and Jacobs in Louisville to Jo. Saul in New Orleans 

 9.21 Letter, March 31, 1816, John Dick to Dr. Stephen Duncan 

 9.22 Letter, April 26, 1816, Henry Nelson to Benjamin Farar at Laurel Hill [MS] 

 9.23 Letter, September 26, 1816, Henry Nelson at Natchez to Benjamin Farar at Laurel Hill [MS] 

 9.24 Letter, October 8, 1816, John Linton in New Orleans to Capt. Benjamin Farar at Laurel Hill [MS] 

 9.25 Letter, April 30, 1817, Henry Nelson in Natchez to Benjamin Farar at Laurel Hill [MS] 

 9.26 Letter, May 5, 1817, Henry Nelson in New Orleans to Benjamin Farar at Natchez 

 9.27 Letter, May 7, 1817, Henry Nelson in New Orleans to Benjamin Farar at Natchez 

 9.28 Letter, May 9, 1817, John Dick in New Orleans to Benjamin Farar in Natchez 

 9.29 Letter, September 6, 1817, P.P. Montgomery in New Orleans to Capt. Benjamin Farar in Lexington, Kentucky 

 9.30 Letter, October 18, 1817, Hall. Nelson Co. in New Orleans to Theodore Stark in Natchez 

Scope and Content

Attached: ADS. October 17, 1817. Hall, Nelson Co. Receipt for Cotton Bales From Mes. Rapalje of Natchez

 9.31 Letter, October 18, 1817, Hall, Nelson Co. of New Orleans to Benjamin Farar in Louisville, Kentucky 

 9.32 Letter, December 20, 1817, WM. Kenner and Co. in New Orleans to Benjamin Farar at Laurel Hill “Near Natchez” 

 9.33 Letter, January 11, 1818, R.R. Montgomery in New Orleans to Benjamin Farar in Natchez 

 9.34 Letter, January 15, 1818, WM. Kenner in New Orleans to Benjamin Farar at Laurel Hill, Natchez 

 9.35 Letter, January 17, 1818, Jo. Saul in New Orleans to Benjamin Farar “Near Natchez” 

 9.36 Letter, January 20, 1818, Henry Nelson in Natchez to Benjamin Farar at Laurel Hill 

 9.37 Letter, February 2, 1818, Henry Nelson in Natchez to Benjamin Farar at Laurel Hill 

 9.38 Letter, February 7, 1818, Hall, Nelson Co. in New Orleans to Benjamin Farar at Natchez 

 9.39 Letter, February 13, 1818, WM. Icenner in New Orleans to Benjamin Farar at Laurel Hill, Natchez 

 9.40 Letter, March 4, 1818, W. Jackson in Natchez to Mrs. Rapalji at Laurel Hill 

 9.41 Letter, March 30, 1818, WM. Kenner at Oakland [LA?] to Benjamin Farar at Laurel Hill, Natchez 

 9.42 Letter, April 22, 1818, Henry Nelson at New Orleans to Benjamin Farar at Natchez 

 9.43 Letter, April 25, 1818, P.P. Montgomery in New Orleans to Capt. Benjamin Farar in Natchez 

 9.44 Letter, April 27, 1818, Henry Nelson in New Orleans to Benjamin Farar at Natchez 

 9.45 Letter, April 29, 1818, P.P. Montgomery in New Orleans to Capt. Benjamin Farar at Natchez 

 9.46 Letter, May 20, 1818, P.P. Montgomery in New Orleans to Capt. Benjamin Farar at Natchez 

 9.47 Letter, May 30, 1818, Henry Nelson at New Orleans to Benjamin Farar at Natchez 

 9.48 Letter, June 6, 1818, Henry Nelson in New Orleans to Benjamin Farar at Natchez 

 9.49 Letter, June 27, 1818, P.P. Montgomery in New Orleans to Capt. Benjamin Farar at Natchez 

 9.50 Letter, July 1, 1818, John Dick in New Orleans to Benjamin Farar in Natchez 

 9.51 Letter, July 18, 1818, P.P. Montgomery in New Orleans to Capt. Benjamin Farar in Natchez 

 9.52 Letter, July 22, 1818, JN. Saul in New Orleans to Benjamin Farar at Laurel Hill “12 Miles fr. Natchez” 

 9.53 Letter, July 29, 1818, Hall, Nelson Co. in New Orleans to Benjamin Farar in Natchez 

 9.54 Letter, August 6, 1818, Hall, Nelson Co. in New Orleans to Benjamin Farar at Natchez 

 9.55 Letter, August 14, 1818, Henry Nelson in Natchez to Benjamin Farar at Laurel Hill 

 9.56 Letter, October 14, 1818, Henry Nelson at Natchez to Benjamin Farar at Laurel Hill 

 9.57 Letter, November 13, 1818, Stephen Duncan in New Orleans to Benjamin Farar in Natchez 

 9.58 Letter, November 14, 1818, Henry Nelson at Natchez to Benjamin Farar at Laurel Hill 

 9.59 Letter, November 25, 1818, Henry Nelson at Natchez to Benjamin Farar at Laurel Hill [MS] 

 9.60 Letter, November 28, 1818, A.L. Duncan to John Dick, copy Al. November 30, 1818, John Dick to A.L. Duncan 

 9.61 Letter, November 30, 1818, John Dick in New Orleans to Benjamin Farar 

 9.62 Letter, December 2, 1818, John Dick in New Orleans to Benjamin Farar at Laurel Hill 

 9.63 Letter, December 2, 1818, A.L. Duncan in New Orleans to Benjamin Farar at Natchez 

 9.64 Letter, December 6, 1818, Henry Nelson at Natchez to Benjamin Farar at Pinckneyville 

 9.65 Letter, December 7, 1818, Henry Nelson at Natchez to Benjamin Farar 

 9.66 Letter, December 12, 1818, Jn. Saul in New Orleans to Benjamin Farar at Laurel Hill “Near Natchez” 

 9.67 Letter, December 14, 1818, M. Saul in New Orleans to Mrs. M. Farar at Laurel Hill, Natchez 

 9.68 Letter, December 28, 1818, Wm. Kenner and Co. in New Orleans to Benjamin Farar at Laurel Hill, Natchez 

 9.69 Letter, January 9, 1819, WM. Kenner in New Orleans to Benjamin Farar in Natchez. Letter, January 29, 1819, Henry Nelson at Natchez to Benjamin Farar at Laurel Hill [MS] 

 9.70 Correspondence, February-April 1819 

 9.71 Correspondence, May 1819 

 9.72 Correspondence, June 1819 

 9.73 Correspondence, August 1819 

 9.74 Correspondence, September 1819 

 9.75 Correspondence, October-November 1819 

 10.1 Correspondence, 1820 

 10.2 Correspondence, January-February 1821 

 10.3 Correspondence, March-April 1821 

 10.4 Correspondence, May-July 1821 

 10.5 Correspondence, October 1821 

 10.6 Correspondence, November 1821 

 10.7 Correspondence, January 1822 

 10.8 Correspondence, February 1822 

 10.9 Correspondence, March 1822 

 10.10 Correspondence, April-May 1822 

 10.11 Correspondence, July 1822 

 10.12 Correspondence, August-October 1822 

 10.13 Correspondence, November 1822 

 10.14 Correspondence, December 1822 

 10.15 Correspondence, 1823 

 10.16 Correspondence, 1824 

 10.17 Correspondence, 1828 

 10.18 Correspondence, January 1829 

 10.19 Correspondence, February 1829 

 10.20 Correspondence, March 1829 

 10.21 Correspondence, April 1829 

 10.22 Correspondence, May-June 1829 

 10.23 Correspondence, November 1829 

 10.24 Correspondence, December 1829 

 10.25 Correspondence, 1830 

 10.26 Correspondence, 1831 

 10.27 Correspondence, 1832 

 10.28 Correspondence, 1834 

 10.29 Correspondence, 1835 

 10.30 Correspondence, 1836 

 10.31 Correspondence, 1838 

 10.32 Correspondence, March 1839 

 10.33 Correspondence, April 1839 

 10.34 Correspondence, May 1839 

 10.35 Correspondence, June 1839 

 10.36 Correspondence, July 1839 

 10.37 Correspondence, August-September 1839 

 10.38 Correspondence, October 1839 

 10.39 Correspondence, November 1839 

 11.1 Correspondence, January-May 1840 

 11.2 Correspondence, July-November 1840 

 11.3 Correspondence, October-November 1842 

 11.4 Correspondence, December 1842 

 11.5 Correspondence, 1843 

 11.6 Correspondence, April-May 1844 

 11.7 Correspondence, June 1844 

 11.8 Correspondence, July 1844 

 11.9 Correspondence, August-October 1844 

 11.10 Correspondence, January-April 1845 

 11.11 Correspondence, May 1845 

 11.12 Correspondence, June-September 1845 

 11.13 Correspondence, November 1845 

 11.14 Correspondence, December 1845 

 11.15 Correspondence, January 1846 

 11.16 Correspondence, 1846 

 11.17 Correspondence, March 1846 

 11.18 Correspondence, August 1846 

 11.19 Correspondence, 1847 

 11.20 Correspondence, June 1848 

 11.21 Correspondence, July 1848 

 11.22 Correspondence, August 1848 

 11.23 Correspondence, September 1848 

 11.24 Correspondence, October 1848 

 11.25 Correspondence, November 1848 

 11.26 Correspondence, 1849 

 11.27 Correspondence, 1850 

 11.28 Correspondence, February 1851 

 11.29 Correspondence, March 1851 

 11.30 Undated/Incomplete Correspondence, To Benjamin 

 11.31 Undated Correspondence, To William Newton Mercer 

Return to Table of Contents »


Series 5: Miscellaneous Business Documents 

 Box 12 Miscellaneous unprocessed business documents 

Return to Table of Contents »