American Historical Ephemera & Photography, including African Americana

A group of 2 letters from SIMMONS, William O. (1820-1888), to his brother George B. Simmons (1808-1851) of Watertown, New York:

[?] April 1841, New York, [NY]. 3pp, bifolium, with address panel on on terminal leaf (creasing, tears and small losses along address panel not affecting text). The younger Simmons has evidently left his home in Watertown, perhaps for the first time, and writes first from on board one of the "Mobile packets" in the harbor of New York City. He describes the crowded city streets, plans for stores in NYC to close for the funeral of President Harrison, and references a John S. Simmons, perhaps a relative, who is a resident of Mobile. William closes by sending his love and an acknowledgement that he may not see his family again.

29 May 1841. Mobile [Alabama]. 3pp, bifolium, with address panel on terminal leaf (small tears along address panel, creasing). William writes that he intends to go into the southern states and purchase a farm, and has been deeded slaves from "John" - presumably the John Simmons referenced in the previous letter. The slaves which were deeded "were kept in jail two years a waiting for me to come and take them out and at the end of the year they were sold for the jail fees." He then goes on saying "I am the owner of a slave now She is seventeen years old. She is whiter than half the girls in Watertown. I gave 800 $ for her. She is a yellow girl so called but she is as white as I am...."

William Orlo Simmons continued his journey through Cincinnati and on to Missouri where he settled.