This collection contains papers of the Barland family of Claiborne County, Mississippi, including correspondence, essays, land, legal, and financial records, and printed material. The correspondence is divided into two groups: personal and business. The personal correspondence is primarily addressed to Charles A. Barland from his friends and his cousins from Claiborne, Jefferson, and Warren counties. One cousin is David Barland; most of the other cousins are the children of Mary Ann Barland Hammett, Charles H. Barland's sister. The letters written by his school friends and his cousins during that time relate not only anecdotes about family, studies, parties, dating, and a social fraternity, but also their growing interest in the antebellum war fever building across the region. Other letters describe the organization and training of the various military units the male writers joined. One of the letters from 1860 mentions that the last graduate of Oakland College, a Mr. Garret, was to deliver a Fourth of July speech at the Red Lick community in Jefferson County. One 1872 letter by Mary Ann Barland Hammett to Charles H. Barland remarks on the first examinations at "the colored school at Oakland," the present-day Alcorn State University. The business correspondence is from various in-state and out-of-state cotton brokers and other businessmen to Charles H. Barland. The financial records consist of monetary transactions, accounts for dry goods, and receipts for such items as medical services for family and servants, cotton, and college tuition. Charles H. Barland conducted business in many of the cities and towns near his plantation, including Fayette, Grand Gulf, Natchez, Port Gibson, and Rodney, as well as in New Orleans.

Cite as: Z/1982.000: Barland (Charles H.) and Family Papers.