ALS to Colonel Asa L. Howard, Jacksonville, Virignia [Eve of the Civil War]

Good. 1858. A letter written by Tazewell M. Howard to his relative Asa L. Howard. This letter was written just a few years before the Civil War and contains news about Tazewell's business, financial matters and banks, the hanging of a man named Teel and the burning of a jail. Includes manuscript letter and envelope with a 3 cent stamp; letter is dated to January 6th, 1858. Letter and envelope have moderate dampstaining, affecting content (although all content is still legible).The recipient of this letter, Asa L. Howard (1819-1858), operated "the Tavern" in Jacksonville, Floyd County, Virginia (in 1861 with the start of the Civil War this area would become West Virginia). This letter was written in January of 1858, and Asa would die in August of that same year. The letter starts off with Tazewell writing about his newly completed offices in Campbellton, Georgia. Tazewell was in the medical profession, and in a few years time would serve as a surgeon in the 55th Georgia Infantry Regiment in the Confederate Army. Tazewell writes "It will be a great pleasure to me to advise Charles Albert [Asa Howard's son] for the unsolicited kindness you so generous extended to me I have had a fine office built (40 ft long by 20 ft wide, two rooms, one for my drugs + the other for my students + reading room) it is the finest office in this section of Georgia." He then continues talking about the economy stating that "it is the hardest times about money I ever saw. I cannot collect any money hardly, I take bonds. Cotton is only worth for .07 to .09 ct & the people are unwilling to sell." Tazewell then writes of a man named "Teel" that hung for murder, and a few days later "the jail was set on fire & burned to ashes. My possessions escaped by the wind being favorable." He ends by writing "There is not a bank in this state but what is suspended & the legislature has legalized the suspension & given them until the 15th of November next to resume. I tell you 'times' are squally here." This letter gives a brief look into the life of a southerner at the eve of the Civil War. ; 7 1/2" x 9 1/2"; 3 pp .