| |
Contents: |
The collection consists of a manuscript, letters and diaries. The manuscript was edited by Joseph Henry Hightower Moore and
is titled "Oak Lawn: War-Time Letters of the Atkins Family and the Plantation Diary of James Lewis Adams." Part One of the
manuscript contains transcriptions of all the letters and detailed information about the letter writers and their relationship
to Thomas Washington Atkins. There are also chapters on Atkins family history, Oak Lawn plantation, and antebellum Henry County
society, culture, and politics. Part Two contains transcriptions of the diaries of James Lewis Adams and includes chapters
on his family, his neighbors, and Oak Lawn plantation. Only the months of January, April, June and September are transcribed.
The letters, dated 1856 to 1863, are to Thomas Washington Atkins from his family, friends, and fellow soldiers. Early family
letters mention health, social events,and political views, especially regarding secession. War-time letters mostly concern
the health and situations of family and friends. Later war-time letters often show weariness at the loss of life and continuation
of the war. The following soldiers exchanged letters with Atkins: William Parks Phillips, Samuel P. Shaw, John L. Giles, Fleming
Parks, C. B. Bledsoe, Samuel D. Nutt, William C. Nutt, Lewis O. Niles, and brother-in-law Nehemiah G. Andrews.
Taking place after the death of Atkins and Andrews, the correspondence from 1864 is that of Eliza Jane Atkins writing her
husband, Robert M. Walker, a soldier guard duty at Andersonville Prison, as General Sherman invaded Georgia.
The two original diaries of James Lewis Adams are dated January -November 1886 and include details of his health, work on
Oak Lawn plantation and an earthquake on August 31, 1886.
|
|
