Our Collection

At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Foster, Ephraim H. (1794-1854) to William Graham

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02800 Author/Creator: Foster, Ephraim H. (1794-1854) Place Written: Nashville, Tennessee Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 23 July 1815 Pagination: 3 p. : address : docket ; 24.5 21 cm. Order a Copy

In this long, personal letter, Foster, a newly minted lawyer and former secretary to Andrew Jackson during the War of 1812, gets reacquainted with Graham, a childhood friend. Reflects nostalgically at the "halcyon days" of their youth and looks forward to a life of public service. Discusses the Tennessee gubernatorial race. Endorses Graham's plans to become a lawyer. Foster later served in the Tennessee house of representatives and the U.S. senate.

Foster, Ephraim Hubbard, 1794-1854
Graham, William P., fl. 1814-1815
Jackson, Andrew, 1767-1845

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