Browse Items (17 total)
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Letter from Joseph Bowman to Isaac Hite, 14 June 1779
Bowman's letter to Isaac Hite discusses trade with New Orleans, the abundance of money at Kaskaskia, British and American troops in the northwest, and a message he wrote that was not received because the messenger was killed at the Falls of the Ohio. Bowman gives a detailed description of the retaking of Vincennes in February 1779 by the Americans led by George Rogers Clark. Bowman mentions guns, military stores, and Native-American goods captured by Clark's men, and notes the Virginia Assembly's indifference to the western territory. Bowman died not long after writing this letter from wounds received during the retaking of Vincennes several months earlier. -
Considerations, on some of the matters to be acted on, or worth acting on, at the next session of the General Assembly of Kentucky, 1824
First, the sphere of powers of the Judiciary. Second, the ways and means by which the people may extricate themselves from difficulties and raise to happiness. Includes two extracts from the Morning Post. -
Letter from William Clark to Jonathan Clark, 16 December 1803
William Clark writes to his brother Jonathan from the Corps of Discovery's first winter camp, reporting on events since parting with him below the Falls of the Ohio. He reports on an illness he has suffered, occurences at Fort Massac, the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, Kaskaskia, and establishing winter quarters at Wood River. -
Letter from Valentine Meriwether to Arthur Campbell, 24 March 1802
Discusses purchasing land at the Falls of the Ohio and payments made for it using money or enslaved people. -
Falls of the Ohio survey, 1773
Original survey around the Falls of the Ohio, now Louisville, Kentucky. -
Letter discussing an elephant tooth found at the Falls of the Ohio, circa 1780s
Letter discussing an elephant tooth that was found at the Falls of the Ohio. -
Letter from John May to Samuel Beall, 20 January 1781
Letter from John May at the Falls of the Ohio in which he talks of discovering a sufficient amount of land in Kentucky for all of the military warrants. -
Letter from Lemuel Wells to Charles Wells, 24 November 1827
Wells writes about trading along the Ohio River, the recent sale of one of his enslaved women named Hannah for $200, discusses current prices in Natchez and Nashville for apples, cider, flour, and other goods. Notes his location as “150 miles below the Falls” and promises to write again when he reaches Natchez.
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Letter from Valentine Meriwether to his father at the Falls of the Ohio, 23 August 1787
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 enslaved persons 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." -
Letter from Harrodsburg, Kentucky, 30 January 1780
The author writes of his extensive land purchase near the Falls of the Ohio and on Mulberry Hill. He describes the timber and cost of land, discusses his finances and selling enslaved people to pay for land clearing. He mentions the large influx of settlers and says the buffalo are in short supply due to cold weather. He intends to make a fortune selling lands in Kentucky he acquired via warrants. -
Letter from Henry Clay to Thomas Hart, 25 May 1805
Letter from Henry Clay to Thomas Hart discussing the impossibility of large vessels passing through the Falls of the Ohio. He also discusses Napoleon Bonaparte's assassination, stating that "a revolution ought not to astonish us." -
Map of the Falls of the Ohio, 1824
Map of the Falls of the Ohio, from actual survey, adapted to the low water of 1819. Shows both Baker's route for a canal on the Kentucky side of the river and Flint's route for a canal on the Indiana side. -
Letter from John May to Samuel Beall, 15 March 1780
John May in his 15 March 1780 letter to Samuel Beall discusses the challenges of travel to Kentucky given his inability to hire assistance, along with the problems of land purchase in Kentucky, including high costs of land around the Falls of the Ohio; he states that he commissioned Meade to purchase Littlepage's 2000 acre tract. -
Letter from John May to Samuel Beall, 30 August 1779
Letter to Samuel Beall in which May writes of having his brother search out British subjects' land in Kentucky in order to purchase below market value. May writes of trying to get the Charlton and Southall tracts at the Falls of the Ohio. -
Broadside entitled "Some Notices of Kentucky, Particularly of its chief town, Lexington," 28 August 1828
Broadside written by Mathew Carey of Philadelphia under the pseudonym of Hamilton. He briefly outlines the development of Lexington, commenting on its educational and cultural institutions, its churches, businesses, economy and trade. Louisville and the effect of the canal at the Falls of the Ohio are also discussed. Carey also addresses the prejudices long held against the character of Kentuckians and the issue of homicide in the state. -
Proceedings of the managers of the Ohio Canal Company, 1805 September 11
Proceedings of the managers of the Ohio Canal Company, at Louisville, on Wednesday, the 11th day of September, 1805. -
Report of the committee appointed on the tenth ultimo, of the memorial of the legislature of Kentucky, 19 March 1806
Denies the request of the Kentucky legislature for aid in opening a canal to avoid the rapids of the Ohio river.