American Historical Ephemera & Photography

A collection of letters addressed to John W. Luke in Virginia, spanning from 5 January 1845 to 21 February 1853. Highlights include: 2pp letter from George W. Bradfield. Berryville, VA, 12 March 1852. Bradfield writes of a railroad project, in part: "You have no doubt received my letter written from Leesburg in regard to our Rail Road meeting, which will supersede the necessity of my saying any thing concerning that scheme, more than my concurrence in the opinion expressed in your letter, to wit: 'under all the circumstances, it is best to apply for a naked charter.' It is the policy of our party, to curtail as much as possible the public expenditures, and dishonor all further drafts upon the Treasury, in the shape of appropriations, for Internal improvements of a local character... Change is the universal cry of our race, but like many other things, is more beautiful in theory than in practice." -- 2pp letter from John A. Thomas. Summit Point, VA, 8 January 1853. Thomas asks "what young negro women [are] worth in Richmond..." He also comments on the new railroad project, which he believes has been brought up only to "produce a diversion from our scheme, lest it should divert trade now going to Winchester, if it succeeds." -- 1p letter from John A. Thomas. Summit Point, VA, 26 March 1853. Thomas writes of the passage of "our road bill" presumably in the Virginia House of Representatives. -- 13 other letters, including 7 from the same sender, a friend by the name of Elizabeth C. Stephenson (later signed E.C. Fitzhugh, as she got married), who died some time between 1851-1852. Many deal with financial matters and the settling of accounts. -- 3 receipts or pay slips naming John W. Luke as payee or recipient. -- Together, 19 documents related to John W. Luke. 

[With:] 8 x 15 1/4 in. printed broadside promoting "Professor Benton's Scientific Lectures." [Virginia], n.d. Benjamin Hyde Benton was a notable Virginia educator, who headed the Lisbon Institute and taught enslaved persons how to read and write. 

[Also with:] Approx. 17 utilized pages being remnants of a journal kept by Charles Alexander, Esq. (much rendered illegible from loss, staining, and ink bleeding, pages extremely fragile with heavy chipping and loss). 1796-1797. Includes copied verses, personal accounting, crop information, weather conditions, etc. -- 1p letter from Charles Lee to Charles Alexander, Esq. of Alexandria County. 4 April 1807. Outlines plans for a committee of men to select a property to be used for a powder house. -- And 2 other documents related to Charles Alexander including another letter from Charles Lee and a bill of goods. -- Together, 4 manuscript items related to Charles Alexander, Esq. of Alexandria County, VA. 

John Whelan Luke, grandson to Revolutionary War quartermaster Peter Luke, left his home of Berryville, VA to venture west sometime around 1837. He served as postmaster, county treasurer, and even opened a general store in the western town with business partner, Joseph Stephenson. Sometime around 1841, Luke sold his part of the store to Stephenson and left town, returning home to Berryville to pursue farming. He was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates in 1851, serving one term.