Browse Items (581 total)
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Letter to Patrick Henry from Annie Christian discussing her estate and the people she enslaves, September 1786.
A letter from Annie Christian (Cove Spring, Mercer County, Kentucky) to her brother, Patrick Henry (Richmond, Virginia), dated September 1786. Annie instructs Patrick on what to do with her property and the people she enslaves in the event of her death. -
Letter to Richard Woolfolk from Annie Christian discussing the people she enslaves, 1787.
A letter from Annie Christian (n.p.) to Richard Woolfolk (n.p.), dated 1787. Christian writes about getting shoes and clothes for the people she enslaves, with a receipt of sale attached. Lenny and Harry may be names of men she enslaved. -
Letter to Elizabeth Christian from Annie Christian discussing Hannibal, a man she enslaves, January 2nd, 1788.
A letter from Annie Christian (at Myer's) to Elizabeth Christian (n.p.), dated January 2nd, 1788. Annie mentions hiring out the people she enslaves and collecting the debts owed to her husband, William's, estate. Annie specifically Hannibal, a man she enslaves, and who she loans him out to. -
Letter to Elizabeth Christian from Annie Christian discussing Tom, a man she enslaves, March 22nd, 1788.
A letter from Annie Christian (n.p.) to Elizabeth Christian (Bellmount), dated March 22nd, 1788. Annie writes that Tom, a man she enslaves, has asked for every other Saturday off. Annie also writes about moving the enslaved people in her estate. -
Amerikkka
Throughout the summer of 2020, many businesses in downtown Louisville boarded up their windows during the social justice protests in response to the killing of Breonna Taylor. In the fall of 2020, Tawana Bain, founder of the Global Economic Diversity Development Initiative (GEDDI) led a campaign called "Tearing Down the Walls Together," collaborating with Black-owned businesses and creators to use the boards to beautify downtown and to memorialize the movements for justice through painted artworks - turning symbols of fear and division into ones of hope and renewal. Once the art was completed, the boards were auctioned off during a "Black Harvest" event at the end of October. The Filson is proud to own one of these works by artist Arielle Biddix. This frame was custom made by Mike Strauss. -
Letter to Miss Mary E. Abercrombie from Arthursa Furr, March 10th, 1910.
Arthursa Furr writes to Abercrombie regarding Sallie (last name not specified), who she says is dying. Furr thanks Abercrombie for her letter, says that Sallie is peaceful, and yet has "fought a brave fight." Letter marked Flatwood, KY. -
Letter to Miss Mary E. Abercrombie from Arthursa Furr, March 17th, 1910.
Follow-up letter from March 10, 1910 the update that little Sallie (last name not specified) had passed away. -
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Letter to Miss Abercrombie from Atta Peck, August 1906.
Peck writes to the Home to ask if it is possible to "again get the little child Lelia While," stating that "circumstances over which I had no control prevented me from keeping her before, but now they are remond and we would gladly take her again this time to keep her." She says that her "greatest gault was untruthfullness," but that she knows now "she can be broken of that." She says if it is impossible to get Lelia again, she would like an enfant girl, "healthy and nicely formed and desireable babe." Letter marked Lebanon, KY. -
Portrait of "Fanny" Frances Latham Slaughter
"Fanny" Frances Latham Slaughter was a wife and a mother who had strong ties with her family as seen through letters sent to her daughter and other relatives. "Time passes away tedious and heavy" writes Frances Latham Slaughter to her daughter (who left home) on 12 October 1816. Women who were separated from family and friends often experienced loneliness on the frontier. -
Miniature portrait of Ann Rogers Clark Gwathmey
In the era before photography, miniature portraits were popular mementos of loved ones that could be easily carried across long physical distances. The watercolor on ivory portraits were desired for the way artists could accurately capture a subject, working in such small dimensions. Ann Rogers Clark Gwathmey (1755-1822) was the sister of George Rogers Clark and William Clark. She was married to Owen Gwathmey. She and her husband moved to Louisville with at least five of their twelve children in 1797. They purchased 335 acres and built a home near Harrod's Creek, east of Louisville not very far from her sister Lucy Croghan's home at Locust Grove. The proximity to her sister and other family members ensured that Ann had a strong social network to rely on. The Gwathmeys enslaved twenty individuals on their estate, whose labor created economic advantage and comfort for the family. -
Miniature portrait of John Gwathmey
John Gwathmey (1774-1824) migrated to Jefferson County, KY, as a child with his parents Owen and Ann Clark Gwathmey. He married Ann Booth Gwathmey in 1800. He bought five acres near 6th and Cedar streets in Louisville, where he built a two-story brick house later known as the Grayson House. He operated the Indian Queen, a hotel at 6th and Main Streets, and an important social and civic hub in the city. In 1816, he sold his home and moved his family to New Orleans where he operated the Merchants Coffee House, the oldest coffee house in the city. In the era before photography, miniature portraits were popular mementos of loved ones that could be easily carried across long physical distances. The watercolor on ivory portraits were desired for the way artists could accurately capture a subject, working in such small dimensions. -
Miniature portrait of Ann Booth Gwathmey
Women experienced death and loss regularly on the frontier. Ann Booth Gwathmey (1782-1862) was no exception. The daughter of William A. and Rebecca Hite Booth, she migrated to Jefferson County, KY, with her family as a child. She married John Gwathmey in 1800 when she was eighteen years old, and he was twenty-six. She was nineteen years old when she gave birth to their first daughter, who died less than six weeks later. During the next twenty-five years, Ann lost both of her parents, two more pre-school aged children, and her husband. In her senior years, two of her adult children preceded her in death. See also the mourning necklace that belonged to her. -
Bedspread with trapunto design, 1800-1825
Cotton bedspread belonging to Elizabeth Tyler Sturgeon. Elizabeth married Thomas Sturgeon in 1816, who died only seven years into their marriage. Elizabeth then took on the responsibility of managing their farm while also raising her three young sons. Elizabeth enslaved seven people who provided crucial labor that contributed to the success of the farm and household. After her husband died, an unidentified enslaved woman helped Elizabeth manage the farm. In 1833, Eliza died from cholera, leaving her three sons, all under the age of eighteen, to live with her brother. -
Bars quilt
Quilt belonging to Elizabeth Tyler Sturgeon. The quilt has strips of hand-woven cloth believed to have been made locally in Jefferson County, Kentucky, alternating with a commercial indigo print that was imported into the United States. The quilt, the oldest quilt in the Filson's collection, is more than 100 inches long on each side and was completely hand-stitched. Eliza married Thomas Sturgeon in 1816, who died seven years into their marriage in 1822. Eliza then took on the responsibility of managing their farm in addition to rearing her three young sons. Eliza enslaved seven people who provided crucial labor for the success of the farm and household. After her husband died, an unidentified enslaved woman helped Eliza manage the farm. In 1833, Eliza died from cholera leaving her three sons, all under the age of eighteen, to live with her brother. -
Portrait of Elizabeth Wood Bayless
Elizabeth Wood Bayless was born in Germantown, Pennsylvania. She migrated to Mason County, Kentucky, with her family sometime within the first decade of Kentucky's statehood. Her father, George Wood, was a Revolutionary War Veteran who was one of the first Baptist preachers to settle in the region. Elizabeth married Benjamin Bayless in 1798 in Mason County, Kentucky. -
Portrait of Benjamin Bayless
Benjamin Bayless was born in Hartford County, Maryland, and migrated to Mason County, Kentucky, sometime withing the first decade of Kentucky's statehood. He married Elizabeth Wood in 1798. During the War of 1812, he sustained a lifelong injury. In 1815, he was appointed Sheriff of Mason County. The U. S. Census shows that he enslaved thirteen persons in 1820 and ten persons in 1830. -
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