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.

Valentine, Martha (fl. 1846) to her brother Tobias Gibson

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC04501.052 Author/Creator: Valentine, Martha (fl. 1846) Place Written: New Orleans, Louisiana Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 22 March [1846] Pagination: 3 p. : address : docket ; 25.5 x 20 cm. Order a Copy

A somber letter in which Martha describes her family's recent destitution. Their entire estate, houses, slaves, crops, etc., have been confiscated by the bank and Dr. Nebett. The property will be auctioned off the first of April.

Excerpt:
"...the very worst that we have ever anticipated has taken place, the greater part of all our negroes five thousand dollars worth of cotton the entire crop of corn all our furniture carriage and horses have been levied...."

Gibson, Randall Lee, 1832-1892

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