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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.

Davis, Jefferson (1808-1889) to Mrs. Randall L. Hunt

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC03574 Author/Creator: Davis, Jefferson (1808-1889) Place Written: Biloxi, Mississippi Type: Letter Date: 18 August 1882 Pagination: 2 p. : docket ; 24 x 16 cm. Order a Copy

Written entirely and signed by Varina Davis, for her husband. Declines an invitation to visit a church festival because he has a prior engagement and must be in New Orleans at that times. Explains that his daughter "would be very glad to contribute by a song to the laudable purpose you have in view" if someone could be sent to rehearse with her beforehand. Written at Davis's home, Beauvoir.

[excerpt]
Accept my thanks for your kind invitation to the Church festival for Saturday evening. I have an engagement which requires me in the meantime to go to N. Orleans ... Some of my family will be happy to accept your invitation. My Daughter has no one with her at this time who could conveniently play her accompainement and while she would be very glad to contribute by a song to the laudable purpose you have in view, it would be necessary that she should previously practice at least twice with the person who would play her accompainement. If you have any one ... who would come down and practice with my Daughter beforehand, she would most willingly comply with your wish that she should further the interest of the Church by a song ...

Davis, Jefferson, 1808-1889
Davis, Varina, 1826-1906
Hunt, Randall L., Mrs., fl. 1882

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