Papers, dating from antebellum, Civil War, Reconstruction, and subsequent eras include letters, invoices, promissory notes, diplomas, certificates, awards, certificates, and photographs from the Baxter family of Newberry, S.C., and in the following generation, of McIntosh family of Columbia, S.C. Antebellum correspondence of Nance family include letters exchanged between teenage young women, re health matters, marriages, and news of mutual friends; letter, 20 June 1843, to "Dear Mother," re recent deaths in the community (an infant and of white and African American adults), expressing her grief at learning that "Lea Hunter was carried home a corps[e]" and death of Charlotte, a slave, "Sally Griffin lost her negro Woman Charlot, since I returned, with pleurisy. It's quite a heavy loss to her"; other health complaints in the area include whooping cough, chills, fevers, "affection of the bowels," and "Old Aunt Gillian... looks very feeble, she has lost her memory... she says she is almost blind... she says she has visited Newberry for her last time." Lucy W. Nance to Dear Sister, 10 Nov. 1843, addressed to Mrs. Caroline M. Greswele (Edgefield District, S.C.), re sickness and fevers in the area, perhaps due to fluctuations in the weather, "I feel in hopes that as the weather has set in cold they will all get well now"; account book, 1856, of Mrs. Drayton Nance, with business firms [presumably in Newberry, S.C.] re settlement of estate of Drayton Nance; letter, 20 May 1860 (Newberry, S.C.), James [Drayton Nance] to Laura [Nance], re Fannie's wedding and the many attendants in the wedding party, a list that included William Drayton Rutherford. Printed circular letter, 1 June 1859, from firm of McCarter and Dawson of Charleston, S.C., promoting the legal books, digests, "Chancery Reports" and other materials pertaining to study and practice of law. Among the letters are those written by James M. Baxter to his wife, showing his affection for her and their children and sharing news of home or elsewhere, while traveling on business, including letter, 23 Feb. 1870 (Newberry, S.C.), "My Dear Wife, Here we are in the snow and I have yet my trip to Laurens to make if I make it at all.... The snow must of course suspend your return for a few days as I think it imprudent to start out with the children in this weather especially as you must be without an escort.... Have your croup medicine always on hand..." While in Columbia, S.C., 9 Mar 1876, he acknowledges a letter received from his wife, "Yours so pleasantly and affectionately worded reached me on last night just as we were going to the State House to engage in the Impeachment Trial from which we were not released until fully 11 Oclk P.M." Collection also includes invoices from businesses such as McFall &Pool and C & G.S. Mower, which list purchases of sewing notions, fabric, gloves and bonnets purchased by Mrs. Baxter; and a medal presented by the United Daughters of the Confederacy to Confederate veteran James M. Baxter. Oversize items 1883-1946, include an 1883 document certifying that Walter H. Hunt, Jr. was allowed to practice law in S.C.; diplomas issued by various public high schools in Columbia, S.C., and from institutions of higher learning: Hollins College, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Radcliffe College, the University of South Carolina, and Draughon's Business College (Columbia, S.C., campus).
