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The Filson Historical Society Digital Projects The Filson Historical Society Digital Projects
The Filson Historical Society Digital Projects

Browse Items (16 total)

  • Certificate that Lewis White is a soldier in the Company G, 109 U.S. Colored Infantry Regiment. As such, White, his wife, and their children are free citizens. Signed by James Brisbin.

  • Compilation of silent film footage of animals from film collections at the Filson Historical Society. The footage was exhibited in "Animals in the Archives" at the Filson from 2023-2024.

  • $10,000 mortgage for Samuel M. Plato (1882-1957) and Elnora Plato (1891-1975) with Louisville Trust Company. The couple used the mortgage to build their home at 2509 West Walnut Street in Louisville, Kentucky.

  • Richard Anderson writes his brother-in-law, Jonathan Clark, a letter from his home near Louisville about what the newly seated Kentucky legislature has accomplished. He writes of the dreadful state of Indigenous and U.S. affairs, with two recent defeats at the tribes' hands and failed negotiations. He fears his friend Colonel John Hardin, who has been sent to negotiate with them, will be killed, like Major Freeman. As gloomy and discouraging as the situation, Kentucky is too promising a country to abandon. Jonathan's presence would be of great assistance to his parents and one of his siblings who are suffering from an upsetting situation that his father-in-law John Clark has discussed with him several times, but he has not been authorized to discuss it and shall say no more other than to inform Jonathan that there is a situation of concern regarding the elder Clarks and a sibling. [Although not specified, the situation most likely concerns Fanny Clark's tumultuous marriage with James O'Fallon.] William Clark has been assisting Anderson with Jonathan's land investments and has sent records.
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  • William Clark writes his brother, Jonathan Clark, from St. Louis, Missouri, that William Preston has been there on a visit but doesn't care for the area, and likely will settle near Jonathan in the Louisville area. Reports that Native American affairs are deteriorating and the British are to blame. Julia has delivered another son, a "great rough red headed fellow."
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  • Clark writes his brother Jonathan from St. Louis complaining that they don't hear very often from their Kentucky family and fears they are being forgotten. He mentions how scattered the family is at this time and wishes they all were together. Violence between settler colonists and Indigenous people have been active east of the Mississippi, but they are tranquil west of the river. He mentions Native American delegations that have recently visited. He fears that The Prophet and his followers are stirring up trouble and need to be dispersed.
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  • Will of Captain Samuel Pottenger of Pottenger's Creek in Nelson County. The will specifies dispersal of enslaved people and land among his family.
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  • Letter from Mary Adair to her sister, updating her on her family and wishing she has enjoyed "all of the happyness of a wife and mother in the midst of an agreeable family." She worries of her father dying soon because without him she will be "destitute of any other home."
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  • In this letter to his father, Meriwether discusses settling estate debts, stating that is they are not settled satisfactorily, the family may have to leave the state (Virginia). He tells of moving the people he enslaved from the kitchen into their own cabin, states the value of enslaved people will go down and "will not sell for more than a third of what they're worth." States he "never wanted to go to Kentuck [sic] till now but I am sure I can't stay here."
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  • In this letter to his father, David Wood Meriwether tells of life in the Beargrass area, some instances of Indigenous hostilities, mentions a Spanish settlement, and tells of his family. He also mentions the number of available daughters for his brother from "genteel" families, including Clark, Sebastian, Christian, Edmond, Taylor, Hoard, and others.
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  • In a letter from Jonathan Clark to Isaac Hite, Clark discusses the health of Mrs. Hite, who was seriously ill, as well as his own health and that of his white family and the people he enslaves. Clark also discusses finances, land purchases, and land grants and asks Hite not to send "grant money" to "this country." He comments on lawsuits he has pending, attorneys' qualifications, fees, and strategies for pursuing the cases. The letters are personal in tone but deal mainly with business.
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  • A photograph of Johanna Gunter (center) sitting on a chair looking at a book while three of her children look on. From left to right: Hermann, Erna, and Ralph (sitting beside his mother on a stool). The description on the photograph says Garden Street. The 1907 city directory lists the Gunter family as living at 1008 Garden Street.

  • Photograph taken by Paul Gunter of Gunter children at a Lucia Ave house in Louisville, KY, circa 1894.

  • Photograph of a group of women and children on the porch of a house located on Mellwood Ave in Louisville, KY.

  • This undated image shows Hobart (Hobit) Russell getting ready to take his mother Lilian Russell and his sister Joyce Russell for a car ride.

  • Childhood portrait of Toska Russell and her older brother Hobart Russell-- or Tox and Hobit as the inscriptions throughout the scrapbook reveal their nicknames to be. Locket sized photographs of Lilian and Frank appear over the shoulders of Tox and Hobit.
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