Duncan, Foster, Gibson family papers
Abstract
Descriptive Summary
- Title
- Duncan, Foster, Gibson family papers
- Date
- 1811-1985, undated (inclusive)
- Extent
- 12.6 Cubic Feet
- Subjects
- Decedents' estates -- Kentucky.
- Families -- Kentucky -- History -- 19th century
- Families -- Kentucky -- History -- 20th century
- Letters.
- Plantations -- Kentucky.
- Plantation life -- Louisiana.
- Plantation owners.
- Reconstruction (U.S. history, 1865-1877)
- Slavery -- Kentucky.
- Slavery -- United States.
- Arrangement
- Collection is arranged into four series by subject and format: Duncan family; Foster family; Gibson family; Assorted manuscripts, photographs, and printed materials.
- Preferred Citation
- 2017ms056 : [identification of item], Duncan, Foster, Gibson family papers, 1811-1985, undated, University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
- Repository
- University of Kentucky
Collection Overview
- Biography / History
- The Duncan and Gibson families were prominent families of Kentucky and Louisiana during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The Foster family had roots in Kentucky, yet gained prominence through the timber industry of Minnesota and Washington during the late nineteenth century.
- Daughter of Lexington lawyer and hemp manufacturer, Henry Timberlake Duncan (1800-1880), Mary Duncan (1838-1910) married Col. Nathaniel Hart Gibson (1835-1904). Her husband, Nathaniel Hart Gibson, commonly referred to as Hart, served for the Confederate States of America during the Civil War. Hart's father, Tobias Gibson, Sr. (1800-1872), was one of the leading cotton and sugar planters of the Mississippi Valley but made Lexington, Ky. his principal residence. Hart's brother, Randall Lee Gibson (1832-1892) served as a U.S. Congressman and U.S. Senator for Louisiana after his time as Confederate Brigadier General during the United States Civil War. Both the Duncan and Gibson families owned slaves in Kentucky and Louisiana leading up to the Civil War. Mary Duncan and Col. Nathaniel Hart Gibson's daughter, Elizabeth Dunster Gibson (d. 1926) married Harrison Gardner Foster (d. 1940). Harrison's father, Addison Gardner Foster (1837-1917), was a successful business owner of timber and coal companies in Minnesota and Washington. He served in the United States Senate for Washington State from 1899-1905.
- Scope and Content
- The Duncan, Foster, Gibson family papers (dated 1811-1985, undated; 12.4 cubic feet; 30 boxes) comprise correspondence, legal and financial papers, photographs, and ephemera, which document the families' daily life, economic influence, and personal opinions primarily during the 19th century. A large part of the collection consists of correspondence to Colonel Nathaniel Hart Gibson, Mary Duncan Gibson, Henry Timberlake Duncan, Tobias Gibson, Sr., and their relatives during the mid to late nineteenth century when they primarily resided in Lexington, Kentucky. Letters in the collection discuss significant issues of the time, such as slavery, the Civil War, and reconstruction. Letters by Tobias Gibson, Sr., a successful sugar plantation owner in Louisiana, discuss moving slaves from Kentucky to Louisiana right before the Civil War as well as contempt for President Abraham Lincoln. Correspondence between brothers, Nathaniel Hart Gibson, known as Hart, and Senator Randall Lee Gibson, include negative reactions to the role of African-Americans after the Civil War. Letters to and from Mary Duncan Gibson primarily discuss family matters, especially among the Foster side of the family, who resided in Minnesota and Washington state near the turn of the twentieth century. Notable items include the plans and deed records for Ingleside manor, the large Lexington estate purchased by Nathaniel Hart and Mary Duncan Gibson in 1879 and given to their descendants upon Mary's death in 1910 and the handwritten account of John Hunt Morgan's Raid into Kentucky.
Restrictions on Access and Use
- Conditions Governing Access
- Collection is open to researchers by appointment.
- Use Restrictions
- The physical rights to the materials in this collection are held by the University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
Contents of the Collection
Duncan family, 1828-1902, undated
Scope and Contents
The Duncan family series comprises the personal papers of Henry T. Duncan as well as his relatives and ancestors. These relations include Elizabeth Pyke, Stephen Duncan, Henry T. Duncan Jr., Lily Duncan, and Mary Duncan. The majority of the series is correspondence and business papers. A significant portion of the correspondence consists of letters between Henry T. Duncan and his second cousin, Stephen Duncan. Henry and Stephen primarily discuss business in their letters. For instance, in 1840 Stephen Duncan wrote Henry Duncan about an order for Henry Clay cordage damaged during a tornado in Natchez on May 7th. Henry and Stephen also discussed politics; tariffs on foreign fiber, cordage, and cotton bagging; and slavery.
Stephen Duncan (1787-1867), second cousin of Henry T. Duncan, was the wealthiest cotton planter in the South prior to the US Civil War and the second largest slave owner in the country. He owned plantations throughout Louisiana and Mississippi. Henry and Stephen were partners in the sale and transportation of cordage and bagging manufactured in Kentucky and sold in support of cotton plantations. Stephen Duncan opposed the Confederacy and relocated to New York City in 1863.
Family correspondence, 1837-1902, undated
Elizabeth Dunster Pyke Duncan to her husband, Henry T. Duncan, undated
Elizabeth Dunster Pyke Duncan to her daughter, Mary Duncan, 1854-1855
Elizabeth Dunster Pyke Duncan to her daughter, Mary Duncan, 1856-1860, undated
Elizabeth Dunster Pyke Duncan to Hart Gibson, undated
Elizabeth Dunster Pyke Duncan incoming correspondence, 1844-1870, undated
Elizabeth (Lily) Duncan to Hart Gibson, 1864
Henry T. Duncan, Jr. to his sister, Mary Duncan Gibson, 1856-1859, undated
Henry T. Duncan, Jr. to Hart Gibson, 1848
Henry T. Duncan, Jr. incoming correspondence, 1863, 1871
Henry T. Duncan, Jr. signed check, circa 1870
[Henry T. Duncan, Jr.?] letter fragment, undated
Mary Duncan to Mr. Duncan, undated
Toulina Johnson to mother (Harriet Johnson), undated
Henry T. Duncan, 1828-1884, undated
Correspondence, 1836-1884, undated
Incoming, 1840-1881, undated
Duncan family letters to Henry T. Duncan, 1842-1866, undated
- Box 1, folder 6
Scope and Contents
This folder contains family letters written to Henry T. Duncan. It includes a letter written to Duncan from his cousin Rebecca Turley (July 5, 1849) talking about various cholera epidemics in Lexington and St. Louis. One letter (July 17, [1862]) from Mary Seargent Duncan, the wife of Henry P. Duncan (1823-1979), describes the destruction of family plantations in Mississippi during the Civil War. A letter from Henry Duncan, Jr. (April 19, 1863) includes a clipping announcing that a violation of General Orders no. 47, prohibiting persons from dealing in Confederate money, will be dealt with in the provisions of that order.
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David Sayre letter to Henry T. Duncan, 1862 March 3
- Box 25, folder 20
Scope and Contents
Requests Duncan's assistance in obtaining appointments to military academies. In his post script he states, "I hope the President will release Governor Morehead."
Letters to Henry T. Duncan, 1860-1862
- Box 2, folder 1
Scope and Contents
Folder includes a letter from H.H. Timberlake, a member of Duncan's mother's family, to Henry T. Duncan (December 6, 1861) in which he questions Abraham Lincoln and Secretary Cameron's views on slavery and its impact on Kentuckians who supported the government as their "patriotic and holy duty of crushing out rebellion, and restoring the constitution and enforcement of the laws". Furthermore, Timberlake speculates, "if a crusade against the institution of slavery is to be the leading policy of the administration will Kentucky submit or spurn such an alliance?"
Folder also includes a letter from Colonel Charles Anderson about horses in Kentucky during the Civil War. He is seeking a black thoroughbred stallion and notes in the letter "If Morgan (John Hunt) has not made off with him, the horse is I think somewhere about you here."
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Letters to Henry T. Duncan, 1863
Letters to Henry T. Duncan, 1864
- Box 2, folder 3
Scope and Contents
Contains a letter written by General Ablin F. Schoepf (1822-1886) the commandant of Fort Delaware where Hart Gibson was incarcerated during the Civil War. Schoepf mentions a visit made by Duncan's daughters and references Hart Gibson saying "I am only sorry that I cannot enjoy his company as much as I want if our military creed was the same."
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Mary Duncan Barr letters to her brother, Henry T. Duncan, 1852-1859
Stephen Duncan letters to Henry T. Duncan, 1840
- Box 5, folder 14
Scope and Contents
Dr. Stephen Duncan's letters to Henry T. Duncan contain common themes, including business, politics, and travel. In May 1840, Dr. Duncan writes: "Major Gibson's bagging has not yet arrived at Alexander's Landing and Mr. Clay's cordage was damaged by being exposed to 14 hours of rain." A tornado hit Natchez, Mississippi, on May 7, 1840, killing 369 people. The May 14, 1840, letter contains more descriptions of the tornado.
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Stephen Duncan letters to Henry T. Duncan, 1841-1842
- Box 5, folder 15
Scope and Contents
Dr. Stephen Duncan's letters to Henry T. Duncan contain common themes, including business, politics, and travel. In a letter written in September 1842, Duncan, a Whig but not a fan of Henry Clay, discusses Clay's Tariff, which restored or placed new import taxes on foreign fiber, cordage, and cotton bagging. He writes in an August 22, 1842, letter, "if Congress adjourns, without passing a revenue bill, the fate of the Whig Party is especially sealed. -as it would well be. I am persuaded that the more moderate and reflecting will secede. While the more immediately interested in the protection policy, will be open to and opponents. I think nothing can justify- or even excuse the Whigs."
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Stephen Duncan letters to Henry T. Duncan, 1843-1844
- Box 5, folder 16
Scope and Contents
Dr. Stephen Duncan's letters to Henry T. Duncan contain common themes, including business, politics, and travel. In an April 21, 1843, letter Duncan writes, "I have a letter from Mr. Butler of the 15th Inst. in which he proposes to sell to me his Caillou place-for $80,000." Duncan then proceeds to the weigh the pros and cons of buying a sugar plantation at that price and provides a primer on plantation finance. He concludes this portion of the letter with: "Ellis & Battle have a very desirable plantation on Terrebonne which they are always anxious to sell. He goes on to say that they would take $60,000 in cash for it."
On October 30, 1843, Duncan writes, "The drumbeats for Mr. [Henry] Clay could not be better. I wish most sincerely he would not go to N. Carolina or anywhere else till the election is done. And I also wish he would avoid all occasions, (and) the subject of a bank of the U.S."
On November 23, 1844, Duncan laments the election of James K. Polk as president, writing "The long agony is over and J.K. Polk is President! Well, it is hard - very hard to believe. He is a man of mystification to us...I have made up my mind (to) never again cast my vote for President."
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Stephen Duncan letters to Henry T. Duncan, 1845-1849
- Box 5, folder 17
Scope and Contents
Dr. Stephen Duncan's letters to Henry T. Duncan contain common themes, including business, politics, and travel. In a letter written on April 18, 1847, Duncan discusses his views on an end to slavery, "I have no doubt you will in your situation, provide for a general, but gradual, emancipation of the slaves in your state. If I were a property holder, say even a slave holder, in the state, I would not object to this. Provided it was gradual, for I am sure it will displace the value of all other property in the state."
He also writes about the presidential election of 1848. In a letter written on August 8, 1848, he states that "The experience of the last 9 months has completely satisfied me that there exists no where, so selfish a set of demagogues, as is to be gleaned among those identified as our first statesmen - and those being first in the [?], I would place Mr. Clay, and Mr. Webster and Mr. Van Buren." He also defends General Zachary Taylor, writing that "You speak of Gen. Taylor as 'a man o fno principles.' This is unjust and I suspect very untrue."
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Stephen Duncan letters to Henry T. Duncan, 1861-1864, undated
- Box 5, folder 18
Scope and Contents
Stephen Duncan's letters to Henry T. Duncan written during the Civil War reflect on politics as well as the economic cost of the war. In 1863, Duncan moved to New York City and writes to Henry T. Duncan a long letter (December 1, 1863) discussing the losses on his sugar and cotton plantations in terms of property and human. He writes "I brought nothing from the south, but the proceeds of the sale of our plate...I was glad enough to have the means of getting away with life." He provides the terms of the emancipation of his slaves (without compensation) and states that he does not believe he will live to see the Union restored.
In a letter written on February 16, 1864, Duncan writes that his son, Henry, and his wife narrowly escaped from their home on board a steamboat after guerillas threatened to hang him. "Since I wrote you last, the Federal Army, and the [?], have completely gutted my two plantations".
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Daniel Duncan letter to his father, Henry T. Duncan, 1841 February 11
Outgoing, 1848-1872
Henry T. Duncan letters to his daughter, Lily, 1870
Henry T. Duncan letters to his daughter, Mary, 1848-1872
- Box 1, folder 2
Scope and Contents
Letters from Henry T. Duncan to his daughter Mary Duncan, later Gibson. His letters discuss school, her spending habits, and family and business news. In one he sends her specimens from Mammoth Cave including fish eyes (1855). In another he says "You will see that I am sojourning for several days at my bachelor establishment in Bourbon with no company but the overseer and 2 Irish laborers engaged in building stone fences."
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Henry T. Duncan letters to his son, 1856
- Box 1, folder 3
Scope and Contents
Letters from Henry T. Duncan to his son Henry T. Duncan, Jr. The folder includes a letter written on June 12, 1856, in which he cautions his son against openly discussing the political situations surrounding the Charles Sumner and Kansas controversies.
Henry T. Duncan letters to Hart Gibson, 1840, 1864
Letters written by Henry T. Duncan, 1859, 1861
- Box 1, folder 5
Scope and Contents
Folder contains three letters written by Henry T. Duncan. Two of the letters were written to Brigadier General Jeremiah T. Boyle (1818-1871) who was the military commander of Kentucky during 1863. In the letter written on June 30, 1863, Duncan writes Boyle concerning the slaves and property owned by his son-in-law Hart Gibson. Nine of Hart Gibson's slaves were taken in the public works and not returned. In the second letter to Boyle, written on July 11, 1863, Duncan writes on behalf of Thomas Wallace, who was taken prisoner near Perryville. Additionally, he mentions Hart Gibson's slaves from the first letter. Boyle wrote a reply on the verso, saying it is improper for Boyle to help Wallace.
The last letter was written by Duncan to an unidentified Doctor on May 28, 1859. It refers to a published account of an altercation between General Leslie Combs and Henry T. Duncan. Duncan refers to the article as "utterly destitute of truth and such a perversion of the facts." The letter give Duncan's account in detail.
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By subject, 1836-1884, undated
Architecture letters, 1842-1845, 1863
Crops letters, 1859, 1862
Slavery letters, 1844-1884, undated
- Box 3, folder 1
Scope and Contents
This file contains letters and documents relating to slaves owned by Henry T. Duncan or offered to him for sale. Several of the letters describe individual slaves and their health in detail. Two letters written on the same day [April 29, ?] by John Bell Swain talk about the capture of a runaway slave. Correspondants include C. Kelly, Anna des Cognets, E. Gills, I.F. Hall, James McRae, Thomas C. Gilroy, and William A. Gorham. The folder also includes a letter from O. Ferriss, of the U.S. Treasury Department, to Hart Gibson (January 11, 1884), who is attempting to locate information on Peter Bruce and Chloe, former slaves of Henry T. Duncan, Hart's deceased father-in-law.
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William H. Pope and Company letters, 1836-1859
- Box 3, folder 2
Scope and Contents
The William H. Pope & Co. (Louisville, Ky.) advertised bagging, bale rope, bagging, and slave clothing for sale. There are 21 letters from Pope or his employees to Duncan. They provide insight into how Duncan marketed his hemp. William Hamilton Pope (1803-1867) was a Harvard graduate (1817-1821), attorney, and later president of William H. Pope & Co. In 1832, he became president of the Bank of Kentucky (1837-1840). His home, later known as Bonny Castle Place, was built during the period 1825-1835 upon his father's estate. Pope's company also dealt in slaves.
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Letters about Henry T. Duncan, 1844, 1862
Files and financial documents, 1828-1879, undated
Articles of partnership with Samuel Pyke, 1828
Handwritten recipes, undated
Deeds, 1842-1865
Domestic accounts, 1840-1841
Draft grant to the Covington and Lexington Rail Road Company, 1852 June
Financial report, undated
Henry Clay monument, 1854-1874, undated
John McMurtry account sheets, 1841-1842
John McMurtry account sheets, 1841-1843
Kentucky bagging and rope accounts, 1837-1838
Land surveys, 1845, undated
List of thoroughbred colts and fillies, 1878
"The Necessity of Hard Study", undated
Samuel Pyke accounts, 1841
Travel pass, 1862 September 12
Will, 1859 January 25
Foster family, 1865-1985, undated
Scope and Contents
The Foster family series comprises the papers of Hart Gibson Foster and his mother, Elizabeth Dunster Gibson Foster, as well as Foster family relatives including Harrison Gardner, Addison Gardner Foster, Florence Jones Vining, and Martha Ann Weatherbee Foster. The series also contains assorted legal, genealogical, military records and printed materials.
Hart Gibson Foster (1890-1976) was the grandson of Nathaniel Hart and Mary Gibson. His papers primarily document Foster's early education at Philips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts and at Yale University; his business activities in the cement pipe industry; his career in the U.S. Army (WWI and WWII); and his work in the oil and gas industry, banking, real estate, and farming. There are also files pertaining to Foster's wife, Florence Jones Vining. During the 1930s, Vining served in the Federal Housing Commission and in the U.S. Department of the Interior. Correspondents of interest in this portion of the collection include Vice President Alben Barkley, General George Duncan, Chief Justice Fred Vinson, Senator M.M. Logan, congressional representatives Emmet O'Neal and Edward O'Neill, and Louisville Courier-Journal editor Mark Etheridge.
The Foster family became connected to the Gibson family when Harrison G. Foster married Elizabeth Dunster Duncan Gibson in 1889. The family originally settled in Ipswich, Massachusetts in 1638, but later Harrison G. Foster along with his mother, Martha Wetherbee, and father, Addison G. Foster, moved to St. Paul, Minnesota. From Minnesota, Harrison G. Foster and his wife and eldest son, Hart G. Foster, moved to Tacoma, Washington in 1890. In 1901, the Foster family moved back to Minnesota where they remained until circa 1917 when the family moved to Lexington, Ky.
