« Previous Item      Next Item »

 Family news, slave trading, and travels to Mississippi and the West Indies.

  • » Date: 1837 about
  • » Subject: Family news, slave trading, and travels to Mississippi and the West Indies.
  • » Written By: Calvin M. Rutherford
  • » Addressed To: Randall Rutherford
  • » Transcriber: Pen Bogert
  • » File # 405

Page 1 Image
Click to see the full image
Page 1

Louisville KY. Sep 29 (postmark)


18

R. Rutherford Senr.
Wythe
County
Va

Page 2 Image
Click to see the full image
Page 2

Louisville Ky 29th Sep [ ]

Dear parents
I recd your letter in answ[er] [ ] which affor[ded] [cons]iderable pleasure [ ] were well I recd a letter from Randolph [ ] since they were well he changed his R[ ] County Indiana, they have four Child[ren] [ ] living he stated that he had not hea[rd] [ ] for 18 months; I shall leave this sh[ ] the next letter you write direct it [ ] Mississippi it will meet me there I sha[ll] [ ] to Ky, before next April or may I [ ] to the West Indies, this winter, prospects are v[ery] flattering in the South Cotton Crops have never been so fine as they are this season, Negroes are commanding from $1000. to $1500. I will have between 15 and twenty to carry down, my health is very good. I hope t[his] short communication will meet you in good health.
With the highest
Regard I am y[our]
obt son
C. M. Rutherford

P. S. present my best wishes to
Majr. Gleves & Family R.

Transcriber Notes

Calvin M. Rutherford's brother, Randolph, had moved to Indiana and was living in Shelby County by 1840. Randolph's first four children were born before 1838, and Calvin's father died in 1841, hence the circa date for this letter.

This letter illustrates the correlation between the high price of cotton (and planters' profits) and the high prices received for slaves sold in the South to work on the cotton plantations.

« Previous Item      Next Item »