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Finding Aid for the Bisland-Lambdin Collection


MUM00754

PURL

http://purl.oclc.org/umarchives/MUM00754/

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Summary Information

Repository
University of Mississippi Libraries
Title
Bisland-Lambdin Collection
ID
MUM00754
Date [bulk]
Bulk, 1859-1867
Date [inclusive]
1859-1927 (bulk 1859-1867)
Extent
3.0 Linear feet 2 boxes (1 oversized)
General Physical Description note
Formats include correspondence, documents, newspaper clippings.
Abstract
Collection of documents and correspondence relating to the Bisland-Lambdin families of Mississippi.

Preferred Citation

Bisland-Lambdin Collection (MUM00754), Archives and Special Collections, J.D. Williams Library, The University of Mississippi

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Biographical Note

Samuel Hopkins Lambdin was born in 1811 in Pittsburgh, PA. His older brother, James Reid Lambdin, was a noted artist famous
for his portraits of presidents. James Reid Lambdin moved to Natchez, MS, in 1830. He stayed at Clifton, the Postlethwaite
estate, until May 1831 and made long-lasting friendships with other Natchez artists, including James Tooley, Jr. and sculptor
Edwin Lyon. Samuel Hopkins Lambdin moved to Natchez in 1835. He worked as a store clerk and steamboat captain until he became
a partner in a plantation supply business, Lambdin and Bennett, in 1837. Lambdin also served as president of the Planters
Bank of Mississippi for one year around 1842. He married Jane Bisland that same year. They had six children. Bisland’s grandfather,
John Bisland, immigrated to North Carolina from Scotland in the eighteenth century and later lived in Jamaica before settling
in Natchez as a planter. He acquired significant land holdings, including five plantations in Natchez and Louisiana. His son
William Bisland, Jane Bisland’s father, was one of the most prominent landowners in the area by 1800. Samuel H. Lambdin served
on the board of trustees for Jefferson College in the 1850s. He received a presidential pardon from Andrew Johnson dated 1
September 1865 and was a delegate to the state constitutional convention held in 1865. He later served as a justice of the
peace for Adams County.

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Scope and Content

This collection consists of the papers of Samuel Hopkins Lambdin and Jane Bisland Lambdin. These were passed down three generations:
to their son S.H. Lambdin, to his son James Harrison Lambdin, and to his daughter Ann Lambdin Young. Donated with the General
Wirt Adams Collection by Ann Lambdin Young and R. James Young to the University of Mississippi’s Department of Archives &
Special Collections.

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Arrangement

First box contains newspaper clippings, undated documents, dated documents, and a folder of materials with provenance in line
with either the Bisland-Lambdin Collection or the General Wirt Adams Collection. Oversized box contains larger documents,
including the presidential pardon for Samuel Lambdin, and newspapers arranged chronologically.

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

University of Mississippi Libraries 12-02-2016

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 Ann Lambdin Young and R. James Young

Processing Information

Collection processed by Jennifer Ford and Sarah Parrish.

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Related Materials

Related Materials at the University of Mississippi

Landry-Hume Collection; Longstreet-Hinton Collection; Audubon Mississippi / Strawberry Plains Finley Collection; Brown-Learned
Collection.

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Controlled Access Headings

Function(s)

  • Education–United States–History–19th century

Geographic Name(s)

  • Mississippi — Politics and government
  • Mississippi — Religion
  • United States — History — Civil War, 1861-1865

Personal Name(s)

  • Lambdin, Samuel Hopkins, 1811-1902

Subject(s)

  • Domestic relations — Mississippi
  • Legislators — United States
  • Slavery — Southern States

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Collection Inventory

Box 1 

Folder 1 – Newspaper Clippings 

Newspaper clipping with article, “Civil War Mystery Solved By Jefferson Davis Letter. President of Confederacy Wrote Close
Friend Reason for Removal of Johnston From Command In Face of Sherman’s March.” 

Scope and Content

In two pieces.

Folder 2 – Documents and correspondence – undated 

Document, notes on “Natchez & V. Harbor.” 

Scope and Content

3pp. Signed “L.” Re: Refers to an account of an interview with Capt. Dabney in the Democrat where he states that the point
above Palo Alto was in no immediate danger. The author of these notes disagrees with Dabney. Possibly written by Wirt Adams.

Document, notes on “N&V Harbor.” 

Scope and Content

3pp. author again warns that if the point at Palo Alto is not taken care of the harbors of Natchez and Vidalia will be in
danger. Possibly written by Wirt Adams.

Document, “Harbor Protection, N&V.” 

Scope and Content

Unknown author relates his work securing the harbors of Natchez and Vidalia “from threatened destruction” with the sum of
[$40,000?]. Discusses the problems to these harbors caused by the cut offs. Possibly written by Wirt Adams.

Notes by an unidentified author regarding Harriet Williams, widow of Henry Williams 

Document, form for Discharge from the Service of the United States for a soldier 

Scope and Content

Most of the document is so faded as to impede identification of most names.

Folder 3 – Documents and correspondence – dated 

Document from the Knickerbocker Life Insurance Company issued to Samuel H. Lambdin 15 October 1859 

Document, “Pay Roll for Hands on Lucerna [illegible abbreviation].” April 1865 

Scope and Content

Lists name, total time worked, rate on date, amount paid, and half pay of the hands.

Plantation Pass, No. 27. Head-Quarters, District of Natchez, [MS]. 29 April 1865 

Scope and Content

Transcription: “Picket Guards Will pass the bearer Landon, Colored Teamster and Plantation Team, for SH Lambdin, Register
of Pine Mount Good for the Month of May 1865. By order of Brigadier General W. Davidson, Signed [CE Lanstown]. This pass is
accepted by me, with the condition that I will not give any information that might be of use to the enemy, or do any act that
might prejudice the interests of the United States.”

Document. “Pay Roll of Lucerna [illegible abbreviation].” August 1865 

Scope and Content

3pp. Lists name, total time, rate per day, total amount, and half pay.

Copy of letter from President Andrew Johnson to “Maj Genl Carl [Schurz]” 20 August 1865 

Scope and Content

Executive Mansion City. Letter discussing citizen militias in the South, specifically in Mississippi. He outlines his object
as, “to induce the people to come forward in the defense of the state & Fed Govt. Genl Washington declared that the people
or the militia was the army of the Constitution & soon as it is practicable the original [design] of the Govt must be resumed.”

Letter from J.F. Hartley, Assistant Secretary, to [S.[H. Lambdin, Esq. [Natchez], Miss. 17 June 1867 

Scope and Content

Part of the Lambdin address has been removed from the letter. Written on Treasury Department letterhead. 3pp. Written in response
to a letter by Lambdin, “relative to the Marine Hospital dues paid by the Steamboat “Union” at the port of Natchez.” Apparently
the collector of the dues had made a clerical error and the hospital dues were not paid for the year 1865. Hartley ends the
letter by writing, “The payment of Hospital dues by Capt. Renner, on the 25th March last, was fittingly made, inasmuch as
they are required to be paid ‘on the sale of the vessel,’ and you had sold the vessel to him.” Therefore the Treasury will
not grant Lambdin’s request

Unsigned copy of letter to Genl. GW Lee, Pres. Washington & Lee University, Lexington, Virginia from members of the trustees
of Jefferson College May 1872 

Scope and Content

Natchez, MS. 5pp. Writing to Lee to find a “teacher for the ensuing year” for the College located, “in the village of Washington.”
They wish to find “a gentleman of handsome literary attainments, of unblemished character, one, if readily to be had, who
may have had some experience in teaching and who would combine discipline with dignity, firmness and tenderness in securing
the love and respect of his students. And if he knew something of the world, as well as of books, he would be the better enabled
to bring the requisite administrative abilities to bear in inspiring confidence & in harmonizing intercourse between teachers,
pupils, patrons & trustees and therefore in securing a hold upon the confidence of the community.” The letter’s authors go
on to declare their wish to find a Southerner with these qualities who preferably attended school in Virginia. The letter
describes the College- its buildings, history and current student population. They also describe what they see as the nature
of the people in the community. They make reference to the reduced wealth of the area and negative views about its current
condition during Reconstruction, “Our people, however came out of the war much poorer than what was admitted, or as was apparent
to to [sic.] superficial observers,- and since all intensified by the wretched governments State and local following the reconstruction.”

Folder 4 – Printed publication. Vicksburg National Military Park Commission. Record of the Organizations Engaged in the Campaign,
Siege and Defense of Vicksburg. Compiled from the Official Records by John S. Kountz, Secretary and Historian of the Commission. 1901 

Scope and Content

Washington: Government Printing Office

Folder 5 – Documents with uncertain provenance 

Printed invitation from E.M. Yerger to “Dear Sir.” 23 August [1865] 

Scope and Content

Invitation to “meet the members of the Convention at my residence this Evening, at 8 o’clock.”

Booklet, “CSA, ‘Lest we forget,’ A Roster of Departed Comrades. Buried in Several Cemeteries of Port Gibson, Claiborne County,
State of Mississippi. From April 1861 to date, May 1, 1917.” 

Scope and Content

The name Nora F. Brashear appears at top of cover page.

Booklet, “A Condensed Report of the Annals of Claiborne County, Mississippi Soldiers, of the War 1861-1865.” [F.N. Foote,
penciled in as author] 1 May 1914 

Scope and Content

Annotations appear in sections of the booklet.

Typed document, “Roster of Company ‘A’ Wilbours Cav., Bat. C 4th Miss Cavalry.” 

Scope and Content

Likely related to Wirt Adams. The document is heavily annotated.

Printed document, “A Reply to Hon. E.S. Bragg, Speeches of Hon. J.R. Chalmers, Hon C.E. Hooker, and Hon. O.R. Singleton of
Mississippi, Delivered in the House of Representatives of the United States, February 1, 1879.” 1879 

Scope and Content

Washington.

Document, “Tabular View of Mississippi State Convention, Which Assembled in Jackson, August 14, 1865. Compiled by J.L. Power,
Secretary of the Convention.” 

Scope and Content

Lists names, post offices, county, nativity, occupation, marital status, religious preference, and politics in 1860, of all
members of the Convention.

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Box 2 

Folder 1 – Oversized documents – Presidential pardon 

Document. United States of America, Department of State. Signed by William H. Seward with official seal (in black) 12 September 1865 

Scope and Content

With the notation, “To all whom these presents shall come, Greeting: I certify, That the document hereinto [illegible word] is a true copy of the original on file in this Department. Enclosed a copy of a letter sent by S.H. Lambdin to William Seward
where he states, “I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the President’s Warrant of Pardon bearing date September
1st 1865 and herby signify my acceptance of the same on the conditions therein expressed. Respectfully Samuel H. Lambdin of
Adams County, State of Mississippi.’” In smaller folder within larger folder.

Document. Presidential Pardon for Samuel H. Lambdin. Signed by President Andrew Johnson and Secretary of State William Seward 1 September 1865 

Scope and Content

Contains seal of the United States of America.

Folder 2 – Oversized documents 

“Application for Assurance to the Life Association of America.” 

Document, No. 9, “Knickerbocker Life Insurance Co. Insurance on David, Slave belonging to W.B. Stoddart.” 

Scope and Content

Insured amount $1100. Signed by Geo. I Dicks, Agent. Contains the company’s official seal and was completed.

Folder 3 – Newspapers – 1861 1861 

Semi-Weekly Dispatch 23 July 1861 

Scope and Content

Richmond, VA. The name [SH] Lambdin is penciled on top of the paper’s front page.

The Semi-Weekly Dispatch 26 July 1861 

Scope and Content

Richmond, VA. Covers the First Battle of Bull Run and the name [SH] Lambdin is penciled on top of the front page of paper.

Weekly Picayune 3 August 1861 

Scope and Content

New Orleans, [LA]

Folder 4 – Newspapers – 1862 1862 

Daily Dispatch 1 February 1862 

Scope and Content

Richmond, VA. The name [SH] Lambdin is penciled on top of the paper’s front page.

Page from the Daily Picayune 2 March 1862 

Scope and Content

New Orleans, LA

The Concordian Intelligencer 14 March 1862 

Scope and Content

Vidalia, Parish of Concordia, LA

Page (front and back) of the Courier 29 April 1862 

Scope and Content

Natchez, [MS]

The Central Presbyterian 6 November 1862 

Scope and Content

Richmond, VA

Folder 5 – Newspapers – 1863 1863 

Page (front and back) of the Natchez Weekly Courier 6 January 1863 

Scope and Content

Natchez, MS

Natchez Daily Comet 25 April 1863 

Scope and Content

Natchez, MS

Page (front and back) of the Natchez Weekly Courier 17 June 1863 

Scope and Content

Natchez, MS

Folder 6 – Newspapers – 1865, 1867, 1927 1865,1867,1927 

The Natchez Courier 6 January 1865 

Scope and Content

Natchez, MS

The Natchez Courier 29 July 1865 

Scope and Content

Natchez, MS

Weekly Democrat 7 October 1867 

Scope and Content

Natchez, MS. The name [SH] Lambdin is penciled on top of the paper’s front page.

Newspaper page from The Commercial Appeal with article entitled, “Story of Mississippi’s Captured Flag is Retold.” 13 March 1927 

Scope and Content

Memphis, TN

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