George Wythe Randolph to James L. Cabell, 27 Feb. 1856
I have received your letter of the 25th, and but being confined to the house by an attack of measles from which I am not entirely recovered, some little time may elapse before I can comply with your request in reference to the Publisher. It will give me very great pleasure to aid you in any way...
Ellen W. Randolph Coolidge to Henry S. Randall, 2 Mar. 1856
I have been prevented from writing, my dear Mr Randall, by the illness of one of my sons, and the absence of a confidential domestic who has for years been a sort of right hand on all household matters. I resume my pen uncertain how soon I may be compelled to lay it down. You ask for the...
Ellen W. Randolph Coolidge to Henry S. Randall, 13 Mar. 1856
I know not where to begin in reply to your enquiries, my dear Mr Randall, for many subjects press upon me at once. I will therefore take up the one to which I have already alluded. You say in one of your letters "From some remark that dropped from Wormeley, a former slave in your family, as in...
Enclosed you have part of a letter, which I began a week ago. Sudden and severe cold which confined me some days to my bed, prevented me from going on with it: I send it in it's unfinished state. Yours of the 22nd with it's enclosures, reached me yesterday. I am not strong enough to write much to...
Extract from Ellen W. Randolph Coolidge to Henry S. Randall, with "omissions" Noted by Ellen W. Randolph Coolidge, 31 Mar. 1856
In my last short letter I told you &c &c. I should not forget to tell you or remind you that after my marriage, just a year before my Grandfather's death, I was separated from my family, never saw my grandfather again, and my father but once. (After the anecdote of my grandmother's...
Ellen W. Randolph Coolidge to Henry S. Randall, 31 July 1856
I cannot myself give you any information as to what became of my grandfather's letters to my mother. She died at Edgehill, October. 1836. I was in Boston at the time of her death and never saw the papers which she left behind. Her father's letters were no doubt among those papers, and must be in...
Extract from Ellen W. Randolph Coolidge to Henry S. Randall, 16 May 1857
For the details of Mr Jefferson's funeral I must refer you to my brothers and sisters. I was not present nor was my sister Cornelia. She was with me in Boston when in July 1826, we received a summons to hasten on to Virginia if we wished to see our grandfather alive. We set off immediately but...
Ellen W. Randolph Coolidge to Henry S. Randall, 11 June 1857
I have your two letters before me—If I have not sooner replied to them my excuse is simply that I could not. A complication of family cares & duties rendered it impossible for me to write till now. The first Mrs Francis Eppes was a niece of my father's—the eldest daughter of his sister Jane...
Ellen W. Randolph Coolidge's Memories of Martha Jefferson Randolph, [ca. 1858]
I meant to make a little sketch of my mother's life, but never got beyond these two pages— Martha Jefferson was the eldest child of Thomas Jefferson and of Martha Wayles, widow of Bathurst Skelton. She was born in January 1772, & lost her mother when she was but ten years old. She was one of...
Ellen W. Randolph Coolidge's Memories of the House and Gardens at Monticello, [ca. 1858]
The House at Monticello, and the Garden. Mr Jefferson made great changes in the house at Monticello after his return from Europe in 1789. He got new ideas of architecture during his residence abroad, and the buildings at Monticello were completely re-modelled under their influence. The house...
Ellen W. Randolph Coolidge's Memories of Thomas Jefferson, [ca. 1858]
a beginning destined never to go farther— Thomas Jefferson It is now one hundred and fifteen years since a respectable family, possessed of competent fortune, resided on a plantation of Virginia situated on the banks of a mountain stream, the Rivanna, a tributary of the noble James, one of the...
Ellen W. Randolph Coolidge's Notes on the Carr Family for Henry S. Randall, [ca. 1858]
The Carr Family. My grandfather's sister, Martha, married Dabney Carr a man of great merit. He died young but left six children, three sons & three daughters. Their history, of course, is without interest for the public but Mr Randall may like to know something of them. Peter, the eldest son...
Ellen W. Randolph Coolidge's Notes on Correspondence with Henry S. Randall, 22 May 1858
My letters to Mr Randall were written very rapidly, often at night after the family were in bed. They were written in fact so fast that they were generally blotted and interlined, and I was frequently obliged to copy them fair, before sending them. In doing this I involuntarily made additions, ...
Extract from Mary B. Randolph to Ellen W. Randolph Coolidge, 30 June 1858
"There has been a serious proposition made by the Governor of the State to my father (Col. T. J. Randolph) to have his Grandfather's remains removed to Richmond, to be placed in the Hollywood Cemetery, where Mr Monroe's are to be interred, and where Mr Wise proposes that Mr Madison, Mr Jefferson...
Ellen W. Randolph Coolidge to Adolph de Circourt, 18 July 1858
So long a time has passed without my writing to you that I fear you may be almost surprised at receiving a letter from me. You will not however have ascribed my silence to change of feeling towards yourself. You know me too well to suspect me of fickleness in my friendships. You will have placed...
Ellen W. Randolph Coolidge to Joseph Coolidge, 24 Oct. 1858
I am just from church, a church originally planned by Grandpapa, where I heard a good sermon from an Episcopalian Clergyman, a young man, the Revd Mr. Butler. I have been talking freely with my brother Jefferson on the subject of the 'yellow children' and will give you the substance of our...
Ellen W. Randolph Coolidge to Benjamin F. Randolph, 6 Feb. 1861
I have had a little photograph taken which they tell me is not much uglier than I am myself, and I enclose one in this letter for Sally & yourself. I cannot tell you how unhappy I am in the present conflict between the North & South. The idea of Civil war makes all the blood in my body...
Meriwether Lewis Randolph (1837–1871) to Jane H. Nicholas Randolph, 3 July 1862
I write to let you know that I am well & unhurt up to this time, I write this on the side of the road. I sent word to Aunt Mary & asked her to write to you I have seen nothing of either Willie or Tom but would have heard if they were hurrt hurt None of our officers are hurt
Robert G. H. Kean to Mary E. A. Pope Randolph, 17 Nov. 1862
I dont know what Jane wrote to you about the General's resignation, so being here at my office, my work over and nothing to do for an hour, except to wait to see whether my new master Genl Smith ("Sec of War ad interim" an office of the Presidents creation) has any commands for me, I feel too...
Bennett Taylor to John C. R. Taylor, 9 July 1863
I write to let you know that I am well, tho' wounded Slightly, and a prisoner, I was not So much disabled, but that I could have walked off if I had been a little quicker. I wrote to my aunt the other day, but a very general letter, letting her know my condition &, that you were all well at...
J. S. Nicholas to John C. R. Taylor, 16 July 1863
Capt Bennett Taylor of the 19th virginia Regiment is well, & slightly wounded in the side, & wishes these facts known to his friends at home in Virginia. He is presumed to be, or to have been recently in Baltimore as a prisoner; but as intercourse with prisoners is not allowed, it is not...
A. C. T. to John C. R. Taylor, 1 Aug. [1863]
My husband received your letter today, requesting him to inquire for your Son Bennett. As he is on a parole it will be my pleasure to assist you in any way I can—I learned a week ago, that your Son was in the battle, and I immediately wrote a friend to search for him—The restrictions at that time...
Henry Gantt to John C. R. Taylor, 22 Sept. 1863
I was very glad to hear from you that there was a probability of Bennetts being exchanged—I have written to Commissioner Ould & stated to him that Bennett was my Senior Capt & how important it was to the Regt at this time to have his services. I truly hope the exchange may be effected ...
Francis Eppes to Maria J. Eppes (Shine), 20 July 1864
Well my ever dearest Maria, you are at last (if we may credit Fanns letter) safely mor moored in the haven of yr. hopes! and enjoying the pleasant company of yr. hospitable friends; and in anticipation the renovating influences of the salubrious & invigorating clime to whc you have flown. You...
Joseph Coolidge to Bennett Taylor, with postscript by Ellen W. Randolph Coolidge, 17 Dec. [1864]
An application properly signed by Officers and Senators has been presented to the secretary of war, for your exchange; or liberation on parole. This has been endorsed by the Secretary of the navy, and by the Commissary General of Prisoners, as also, I believe, by major General Halleck. It was...