Christmas day letter from James B. Heyward back at Combahee to Maria Heyward in Columbia. In his letter, James is reflecting on the dire situation and the bleakness of their future believing soon "it will all be over and we shall be reduced to a poverty irretrievable." He struggles with what to do with his slaves given the eventual "scarcity of food" and "depreciated currency." He intends to leave the majority at his plantation but expects to bring up to Columbia "John's wife so as to take from him that temptation to running off." He writes that he will also bring "Mary if she will leave her daughter Molly...I don't value Mary so much as to saddle myself with the support of Molly." 10p.
Letter from William Henry Heyward to John P. Meau concerning the assessment for the Confederate Tax of 1864. Letter includes an exhaustive inventory of slaves, acreage, types of crops, etc., for several Heyward plantations including Fife, Myrtle Grove, Rotterdam and Hamburgh. On one unnamed Heyward plantation in St. Peter's Parish, William Henry Heyward writes, "in consequence of the proximity of the enemy the greater portion of this land has been abandoned." 4p. September 24, 1864.
Letter from James B. Heyward in Columbia to Dr. D.W. Ray, trustee for the late owner whose land James had verbally agreed to rent. James is anxious to move his slaves there for safekeeping but is worried the trustee had no knowledge of the agreement between James and the recently departed owner. James also mentions that he must hasten back to the low country "as my property there is in peril from the proximity of the enemy." 2p. December 19, 1864.
Letter from Frank Myers to James B. Heyward reminding him that only he should receive the rent for the properties Heyward is leasing. 1p. September 7, 1864.
Letter from Frank Myers to James B. Heyward informing Heyward that he cannot accept a clause Heyward wants inserted in their rental agreement. 1p. October 3, 1864.
Letter from Frank Myers to James B. Heyward inquiring if he intends to rent for next year "the place now occupied by your negroes." 1p. August 21, 1864.
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Heyward and Ferguson Family Papers, 1806-1923✖[remove]6
