New from Old Natchez - the Collections

David Hunt Letters, 1804, 1810-1811, 1815-1818,1820-1839
95 items

Like many early settlers and wealthy plantation owners of the Natchez district, David Hunt was a native of New Jersey. He owned several plantations, mercantiles, and cotton gins in the Natchez area, many of which he had inherited from his uncle Abijah Hunt after the latter's death in an 1811 duel. David Hunt had a home in Natchez but spent most of his time at Woodlawn, his plantation in Greenville, near Cole's Creek. He also had business interests in Cincinnati and Lexington. The collection includes personal and business letters from his brothers and financial agents relating to the purchase of slaves, leasing his lands, and shipping cotton, as well as family news and fortunes.

Notes on the images:

1. Israel Loring of Gibson Point, Mississippi, to David Hunt, January 17, 1817, regarding transporting cotton.
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2. Edmond Shenak (?) to David Hunt, January 10, 1822. Shenak rented some of Hunt's land on Lake Concordia. He reports his improvements and negotiates the coming year's arrangements.
Images: 2.1-2.2 | Transcript

3. Hunt's reply to Shenak, January 14, 1822.
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4. J. Brady of Wilkins and Linton, cotton factors of New Orleans, to David Hunt, October 25, 1823. Brady inquires as to Hunt's desire to obtain cotton seed from Honduras, and discusses other possible sources. The suffering in Natchez to which he refers was the yellow fever epidemic of 1823. John Quitman reported the extermination of entire families during that outbreak (James, p. 267). The letter also evidences Natchez planters' involvement in the international cotton trade.
Images: 4.1-4.2-4.3 | Transcript

5. Peter Dickerson of Snowhill, Maryland, to David Hunt, December 3, 1830. Dickerson, a slave trader with whom Hunt frequently did business, answers Hunt's inquiries about the availability of slaves.
Images: 5.1-5.2 | Transcript